Make them pay with spin continuation

All winners announced in The Nike Dink Awards. MLP competition overhaul.

January 24, 2025

Have you gone all in on pickleball, yet? Are you one of the passionate players who decided to quit their job, abandon all other hobbies, and live at the courts?

We want to know if you’ve handed in your resignation letter to go full-time into pickle.

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In This Issue:

🔪 Slice dink spin continuation
📋 MLP competition overhaul
🎙️ John Kew educates the PicklePod

Is it time to turn in your two-week notice?

Our Picks ☝️

💰 Purchase: Arizona Drive Sold at $10M Valuation

MLP’s AZ Drive sold a majority stake in the team at a valuation of over $10 million to a group that includes Charles Darling of Proton Sports, former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer, and financial professional Jeff Tsao.

🎾 Reminder: Australia Crowning Another Champion

Both Australian Open Tennis and Pickleball Champions will be crowned over the weekend. The AU$100,000 Pickleball Slam will take place Friday through Sunday concurrent with the final round of the tennis major. Check out the eye-catching stadium courts for the inaugural event.

🖋️ Pickleball Ink: Showing Love for the Game With a Tattoo

You might love pickleball but not as much as this guy. A pair of giant paddles will live on this thigh for eternity.

🪙 Currency Movement: Putting Pickleball on a State Quarter

Call it in the air, heads, or pickleball? In 2027, the U.S. Mint is launching a 4-year “Youth Sports” series, featuring various sports on the back of all U.S. Quarters. Fill out this survey to get pickleball in the mix.

Slice Dink Spin Continuation

One of the best ways to combat a player with a nasty slice is to use their spin against them. Spin continuation allows you to amplify the spin used by your opponent to make your shot more effective.

The concept involves spinning the ball in the same direction that your opponent used, so if they hit slice, you’re hitting topspin, and vice versa. Selkirk pro James Ignatowich explains how he uses spin continuation in a new reel.

Ignatowich uses slice dinks from his opponent to hit more effective topspin flicks while at the kitchen line.

  • When he sees a dink hit with slice, his first thought is not to back up and let the ball bounce. He leans into the kitchen to intercept the ball out of the air.

  • James explains that after a ball bounces it loses most of the spin put on by the opponent. Instead of playing it safe and waiting for the ball to lose spin, he uses the slice to his advantage by hitting a topspin volley.

At first, this technique is risky. You need to develop a feel for amplifying the spin of the ball. The goal is to reach a point where your attacks can be hit faster and with more spin because you’re willing to reach in and take the ball out of the air. Work on developing the feel in your next drill session and start attacking like the pros.

Ditch the Dead Shoes

Alright Dink fam, listen up.

Serious about pickleball? You need serious shoes. Selkirk's CourtStrike is built for the court.

Breathable mesh keeps your feet cool and comfortable. Essential support and stability helps prevent ankle rolls. The CourtStrike Pro adds 3D-printed overlays for enhanced stability.

Both shoes offer exceptional value, letting you upgrade your footwear without emptying your wallet.

MLP Announces Competition Overhaul

It appears the only constant in Major League Pickleball is change. From new rosters every season to wholesale changes entering 2025, the league is fine-tuning the details in its infancy to create the best product for the future.

The End of Rally Scoring?

There have been multiple evolutions in the MLP scoring format.

  • In 2025 the league will move away from rally scoring and use side-out scoring games to 11 for regulation games.

  • Dreambreakers will still be played to 21, and remain rally scoring, win on your serve, and win by two.

Roster Expansion

  • Premier Level rosters are expanding to six players, three women and three men. Challenger Level teams will still maintain four roster spots.

  • Players who are not exclusively signed with the UPA are not allowed to play MLP in 2025

  • One Injured Reserve roster slot is still available in the case of a season-ending injury.

Condensed Season 

  • Ten (10) Regular Season events (April-August), all hosted in MLP team markets for the first time

  • 2025 Mid-Season Tournament (July)

  • Two (2) weekends for 2025 MLP Playoffs (August)

  • 2025 MLP Cup (November)

All teams will participate in five of the ten MLP regular season events. Every team will play a total of 25 matches throughout the 2025 regular season. Each team will usually play between four and six matches per event they play.

There are a handful of key dates to consider as the teams try to fill their roster before April. Get the full breakdown of changes coming in 2025 here. If you want to play armchair GM, take a look at the crucial decisions facing each franchise here.

🤔 Newsletter getting clipped? Click ‘view entire message’ or click here to read online

The Nike Dink Awards Winners: ‘Best Of’

You’ve waited patiently. The time is finally here. We’ve got the complete listing of Nike Dink Award winners for the 2024 season. For our ‘Best of’ categories the winners are:

  • Best On-Court Antics: Hayden Patriquin

  • Best Dressed: Hurricane Tyra Black

  • Best Beef: Allyce Jones vs Standing Upright

  • Best New International Tournament: MLP Australia

And last but certainly not least, the ‘Fan Favorite’ award winners.

  • Fan Favorite Player of the Year: Anna Bright

  • Fan Favorite International Player: Chao Yi Wang

  • College Team of the Year: University of Texas — Austin

  • Fan Favorite Challenger MLP Team: Miami Pickleball Club

  • Fan Favorite Premier MLP Team: New Jersey 5s

Special congrats to the University of Texas — Austin, who will be receiving a $1,000 grant to help fund their program.

Thank you Dink fam for making this year’s Nike Dink Awards the best one yet!

What Makes This Flamingo So Powerful?

You might have noticed some pros sporting a paddle with a seriously cool paint job lately. Wondering what the buzz is about?

It's the new Proton Project Flamingo, and it's making some serious waves on the pickleball scene.

It delivers the perfect balance of power and control. A new core maximizes power, a textured surface generates insane spin, and balanced weight distribution with an enlarged sweet spot ensures consistent, accurate shots.

Grab a Project Flamingo and watch your game take off. (They might sweat a little more trying to keep up.)

Changing Paddle Regulation Forever

When it comes to paddle technology, it’s hard to find someone who has spent more characterizing and cutting open paddles than John Kew. Kew sits down with Zane Navratil to address the exit velocity tests that are re-shaping paddle regulation.

Kew weighs in on the power struggle between dueling governing bodies and massive paddle brands. Get a jump start on the future of paddle testing with Kew. Watch the new episode here.

Headlines & Quick Hits

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