Nick Kyrgios Joins The Picklr as Equity Partner, Boosting Pickleball's Global Profile

Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios has taken an equity stake in The Picklr, North America's fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchise, deepening a business footprint in the sport that now spans equipment, apparel, and court operations across more than 100 U.S. locations.

The deal, announced March 10 out of Salt Lake City, makes Kyrgios both an equity partner and athlete ambassador. Financial terms were not disclosed. The 30-year-old Australian was represented by Stuart Duguid at Evolve; The Picklr negotiated directly.

The investment adds to a portfolio Kyrgios has been quietly assembling inside pickleball. He already holds ownership stakes in Vulcan, the equipment maker, and Stack Athletics, a pickleball apparel seller. The Picklr stake makes the franchise itself the third pillar of that operation.

"Nick Kyrgios has been someone I've admired for years — his talent, his passion, and the way he commands a court are unlike anything in sports," said Jorge Barragan, CEO and Co-Founder of The Picklr. "Beyond the athlete, Nick genuinely believes in what we're building at The Picklr, and that's what makes this partnership so powerful. Together, we're going to introduce pickleball to a global audience in a way this sport has never seen."

Kyrgios framed his involvement in personal terms. "When I play pickleball, I enjoy it most when I am with my friends and family," he said. "It's become part of our life."

As ambassador, Kyrgios will appear in co-branded content, attend Picklr events on and off the court, and engage with members on social media. The partnership also carried a product component: The Picklr served as the exclusive retail home for "The Kyrgios," a pro-model paddle co-developed with Vulcan, during a March 11-17 window. The paddle had been previewed at a Las Vegas media event the week prior, and Picklr members and non-members both had first access to try and purchase it at Picklr locations before wider availability.

The Picklr's existing sponsor roster includes Pro Football Hall of Famer Drew Brees and pro pickleball players Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin. Kyrgios's arrival slots alongside that group but with a structural difference: his equity stake gives him a financial incentive tied directly to the franchise's growth trajectory, not just its marketing reach.

That trajectory now points beyond the United States. The Picklr has projects currently in development in Japan as part of a wider push into Asian markets, where pickleball has been gaining ground steadily. Barragan's stated ambition is a global footprint, and Kyrgios, whose tennis profile carries international weight, is positioned as the face of that expansion.

The partnership represents the clearest signal yet that high-profile athletes crossing from traditional racket sports into pickleball are no longer satisfied with endorsement checks. Kyrgios is building ownership across the sport's supply chain, and The Picklr's international pipeline suggests the next chapter of that bet will be written well outside North America.