Legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has become part of the ownership group of the Mad Drops Pickleball Club, the team announced in a press release on Thursday. The Austin, Texas-based pickleball team competes in Major League Pickleball.
In joining the Mad Dogs' ownership group, Brees is among several other notable names from the sports industry including Los Angeles Lakers co-owner Jim Buss, Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry and tennis player James Blake. The team was founded in March of this year.
"I am an avid pickleball player, fan and student of the game," Brees said. "The opportunity to be a part of the ownership group of the Mad Drops PC is something I'm extremely excited about, and I look forward to helping raise awareness around the incredible players and competitions in MLP, helping grow the sport of pickleball and fostering overall fan engagement.
"As a long-time professional athlete and competitor, myself, I look forward to working with the Mad Drops PC team in our relentless quest to win many championships in the years to come."
Brees' involvement in the Mad Drops marks the next step in his post-football career since retiring from the NFL at the end of the 2020 season. Brees spent the 2021 season as an analyst for NBC Sports, but he left the network this past May.
Major League Pickleball was established in 2021 amid an overall time of growth for the sport of pickleball as a whole. The co-ed league expanded to 12 teams in 2022 and offers the highest prize money events in professional pickleball.
