The Champions Table

Palm Beach Pete got it completely wrong, and Houston Hammers' Linda Sheldon has a message to set the record straight!

Later in the show, we’re joined by Danielle Rios from the Austin Ignite. She shares unofficial MLP Champions Series stats, how her tech background fueled an AI revolution for her team, and why everyone is sleeping on the Austin Ignite as they charge into the playoffs from a projected 16th place.

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#Pickleball #DanielleRios #LindaSheldon #PalmBeachPete #AustinIgnite #HoustonHammers
#MLPChampionsSeriesPickleball #MLP

Welcome to Episode 21 of The Champions Table Podcast!

In this episode, Shay Coker and Jeff McKnight sit down with Columbus Sliders superfan Nick Nicastro (known on X as @DonNiccolo) to dive into his viral open letter to Major League Pickleball (MLP). What started as a casual Twitter comment caught the attention of MLP general managers and top executives, sparking a huge conversation across the pickleball community.

We break down Nick’s key critiques and recommendations for the league, discuss the state of fan engagement, and explore what it takes for pro pickleball to become a true spectator power. Plus, Palm Beach Pete drops in for his undefeated "Pick of the Week" predictions for the MLP Champions Series in Columbus!

Follow The Champions Table:

• Subscribe to the Channel for weekly episodes, pro interviews, and tournament breakdowns!
• Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts
• Follow Shay Coker & Jeff McKnight as they compete in the Major League Pickleball Champions Series!

#Pickleball #MajorLeaguePickleball #MLP #TheChampionsTable #ColumbusSliders #PickleballPodcast #PPA #PalmBeachPete

Joy Leising and Susannah Barr of Seattle Tsunami Prime are chasing the first Prime title in MLP Champions Series history. Plus our picks for APP Columbus and PPA Las Vegas.

On this episode of The Champions Table, Shay Coker and Jeff McKnight sit down with Joy Leising and Susannah Barr, who play together on Seattle Tsunami Prime in the 40+ division of the MLP Champions Series. They talk about:

• What sets this Seattle team apart
• Joy's path from tennis to pickleball, which she's played since 2013
• Susannah's time on the APP Tour, and playing in the new Prime division
• What the 40+ Prime division means for the game
• Susannah's story of the first time she saw Joy play

After the interview, Shay and Jeff talk about how the league recognizes individual players, then make their predictions for this weekend's APP Columbus and PPA Las Vegas tournaments in men's doubles, mixed, and women's doubles.

Who are the best teams in the MLP Champions Series right now?

Jeff and Shay break down the latest results, performances, and surprises as they put together their ultimate MLP Champions Series power ranking.

Who moved up? Who fell back? And which teams could be poised to make a run?

Watch the latest episode of The Champions Table and let us know where you agree — or disagree — with our rankings.

We also discuss the results of the recent Champions division of the APP Overland Park and the Senior Pro division at PPA Mesa.

The Seattle Tsunami are rising to the top of the regular season standings with only one regular season event to go. GM James Main joins us to discuss how his team is peaking at the right time of the year.

It's hard enough to play with your husband or wife in recreational play. Imagine taking it to the highest level at Major League Pickleball Champions Series!

Angela and Neil Simon became the first husband/wife duo to play Line 1 together in the 4 year history of the league. We discuss their experience playing for the OKC Punishers and their incredible 7-1 records.

Jeff and Shay also discuss the Regular Season Event #3 both in Austin and Phoenix.

In this week's podcast, we talk with John Hedberg, star of the OKC Punishers, who is in Vietnam to represent the USA at the Pickleball World Cup.

Jeff and Shay also discuss the MLP Finals from Central Park and give a brief outlook of the upcoming MLP Champions Series matches this week in Austin and Phoenix.

Jeff and Shay discuss the recent APP tournament in Detroit and talk with Heather Waters about her experience in the MLP Champions Series.

On this episode of The Champions Table, we sit down with Rick Witsken—Co-Founder of the MLP Champions Series Pickleball, top-ranked senior pro, and standout player for the Indy Drivers!

Rick pulls back the curtain on the rapid growth of 50+ professional pickleball, sharing his strategic vision for the MLP Champions Series, how city-based franchises are building regional legacies, and why the level of competition across the league is skyrocketing. We also break down team strategy, lineup flexibility in the "podless" era, and what it takes to compete at the highest level.

In this episode, we cover:

• The long-term vision and structure for the MLP Champions Series
• How city connections and franchise loyalty are shaping the sport
• Why parity and player improvement are pushing senior pro pickleball forward
• Lineup dynamics, pairing strategies, and insights from the court

Follow The Champions Table:

• Instagram: @TheChampionsTable
• Podcast: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube

#Pickleball #MLPChampionsSeries #TheChampionsTable #RickWitsken #IndyDrivers #SeniorProPickleball #PickleballPodcast

The Champions Table is back!
This week we recap Event #2 of the MLP Champions Series in Dallas. Top teams, top performers, personal experiences, and much more!

While we focus on the Premier Division, we also mentioned the Prime and Masters Divisions and the leaders in each.

Make sure to follow our pages on the major social media platforms.

Dave Fleming to suit up for the Palm Beach Royals this weekend at the MLP Champions Series!

We also discuss matchups, predictions, power rankings, upcoming matches, the LA Xtreme reality show, and Palm Beach Pete's pick of the week.

Takeaways

• Event number two matchups and predictions
• Insight into the LA Xtreme reality show and the impact of Palm Beach Pete's pick of the week.

Join us for a recap of the first MLP Champions Series event in Chicago, where we discuss the top teams and biggest surprises.

Also, we had a bonus interview with Dr. Nicole Pitts from the Austin Ignite Prime team, which went 4-0 and won the weekend.

Takeaways

• Houston Hammers' dominant victory
• Technical issues with streaming and recommendations for improvement Pickleball championship experience and team victories
• Balancing professional life and training
• Upcoming events and facilities
• Rookie performances and lineup experiments

Chapters

• 00:00 Recap of the Chicago Event
• 08:41 Houston Hammers' Victory
• 10:35 Suncoast Pelicans' Performance
• 12:07 Indy Drivers' Success
• 13:02 Expansion Teams' Debut
• 14:34 Detroit Disruptors' Surprising Performance
• 17:13 Technical Difficulties and Recommendations
• 21:13 Nicole's Pickleball Championship Experience
• 22:09 Team Victories and Player Performances
• 25:24 Balancing Professional Life and Training
• 26:13 Upcoming Pickleball Events and Facilities
• 33:25 Rookie Performances and Lineup Experiments

The episode features a discussion about the upcoming Major League Pickleball Champions Series, including the preseason power rankings and team analysis. The hosts also engage in a conversation with a guest about the league and its players. The conversation covers topics such as player compensation, notable champions, amateur players, and the rise of Palm Beach Pete as a social media personality. It also delves into the league's expansion, events, and predictions for upcoming matches.

Takeaways

• Preseason power rankings provide insight into the competitive landscape of the Major League Pickleball Champions Series.
• The league features a mix of experienced players and newcomers, creating an exciting and competitive environment. Player compensation is based on a pool of money distributed as prize money at each event.
• The league features a mix of amateur and professional players, with a diverse range of backgrounds and skill levels.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Champions Table
• 01:16 Preseason Power Rankings and Team Analysis
• 07:15 Discussion of Suncoast Pelicans and Team Strengths
• 18:00 Guest Introduction and League Discussion
• 20:41 Player Compensation and Notable Champions
• 22:34 Amateur Players and League Expansion
• 26:21 Palm Beach Pete's Social Media Rise
• 28:54 League Events and Predictions

The conversation covers the preseason power rankings of the MLP Champions Series, discussing the top three teams and their players. It also delves into the potential of an MLP champions all-star team and the format of the team battles. The conversation provides insights into the strengths and potential weaknesses of each team, as well as the impact of new players and strategic pairings.

Takeaways

• Preseason power rankings play a significant role in assessing the potential of teams in the MLP Champions Series.
• The addition of new players and strategic pairings can significantly impact a team's performance in the league.
• The format of team battles and the point system for scoring adds a new dimension to the MLP Champions Series.

Chapters

• 00:00 Preseason Power Rankings
• 03:09 MLP Champions All-Star Team
• 12:25 Team Analysis: Seattle Tsunami
• 18:42 Team Analysis: Oklahoma City Punishers
• 29:13 Team Analysis: Atlantic City Aces

This conversation with SoCal Hard 8's owner Tim Parks covers the business aspects of pickleball and the merger of Major League Pickleball (MLP) and Professional Pickleball Association (PPA). It delves into the strategic and financial considerations of running a professional pickleball league and the impact of the merger on the sport's future. The conversation delves into the unsolved questions of pickleball, particularly the experiment with mixed doubles and the debate about the top-heavy nature of the sport. It also explores the comparison of pickleball to other sports, the business side of pickleball, and the importance of competitive balance in the league.

Takeaways

• Pickleball as a Business
• The Merger of MLP and PPA Pickleball's unsolved questions
• The importance of team valuations

Chapters

• 00:00 The Business of Pickleball
• 02:39 The Merger of MLP and PPA
• 26:30 The Experiment with Mixed Doubles
• 27:37 The Top-Heavy Nature of Pickleball
• 29:03 Comparing Pickleball to Other Sports
• 36:02 The Business Side of Pickleball
• 50:19 Competitive Balance in the League

The conversation with Lee Whitwell covers rising competition in senior pro pickleball, the format and experience of MLP vs. APP events, transitioning to MLP Champions Series, Lee's background and multilingual abilities, building a fan base for Major League Pickleball, growing pains and rule changes in MLP, Phoenix Firebirds and team strategy, expectations for the Phoenix Firebirds, the relevance of senior pro pickleball, and preparations for the upcoming event.

Takeaways

• Rising competition in senior pro pickleball
• The format and experience of MLP vs. APP events

Chapters

• 00:00 Introducing Lee Whitwell
• 03:34 Rising Competition in Senior Pro Pickleball
• 05:30 The Format and Experience of MLP vs. APP Events
• 07:17 Transitioning to MLP Champions Series
• 09:12 Lee's Background and Multilingual Abilities
• 14:50 Building a Fan Base for Major League Pickleball
• 16:04 Growing Pains and Rule Changes in MLP
• 18:34 Phoenix Firebirds and Team Strategy
• 24:07 Expectations for the Phoenix Firebirds
• 28:08 The Relevance of Senior Pro Pickleball
• 30:15 Preparations for the Upcoming Event

The conversation covers Daniel Gold's transition from playing tennis at Wimbledon to becoming the GM of the Las Vegas headliners in the Major League Pickleball Champions Series. It also delves into the process of building an expansion team, player selection, and team dynamics. The conversation covers the team selection process, mental adjustment in the league, preseason power rankings, analysis of new players and team dynamics, and upcoming matches and league dynamics.

Takeaways

• Wimbledon Experience
• Transition from Tennis to Pickleball Team selection process
• Mental adjustment in the league

Chapters

• 00:00 From Wimbledon to Pickleball
• 09:57 Building an Expansion Team
• 19:54 Player Selection and Team Dynamics
• 28:19 Mental Adjustment in the League
• 51:28 Discussion on New Players and Team Dynamics
• 57:25 Upcoming Matches and League Dynamics

The conversation with Tommy Ho covered his remarkable athletic journey from tennis to pickleball, including his early tennis career, training under Rick Macci, memorable matches, transition to pickleball, return to the Major League Pickleball (MLP), playing for the hometown team, pressure and mental toughness, team dynamics, rankings, and regulatory changes. The discussion provided insights into Tommy Ho's experiences and expectations for the upcoming season in the MLP.

Takeaways

• Remarkable athletic journey
• Transition from tennis to pickleball

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Special Guest
• 07:09 Transition to Pickleball
• 19:38 Draft and Team Dynamics
• 34:20 Team Rankings and Expectations
• 42:05 Regulatory Changes

Episode #4: Inside the New Jersey Fives with GM Ryan Harwood

Join us on The Champions Table as we sit down with Ryan Harwood, co-owner and General Manager of the Major League Pickleball (MLP) franchise, the New Jersey Fives. We dive deep into what it takes to build a professional sports team, the high-stakes world of MLP drafts, and how to manage superstar talent like Anna Leigh Waters.

In this episode, we cover:

• The MLP Experience: Ryan breaks down his unique, high-energy approach on the sidelines and why he believes it helps his team perform under pressure [06:32], [07:26].
• Draft Strategy & Anna Leigh Waters: The story behind drafting Anna Leigh Waters, the challenges of the auction draft, and what it’s like managing a franchise cornerstone [16:48], [18:21], [24:00].
• Building a Fanbase: Ryan discusses the organic growth of the Fives' fanbase and the importance of fan engagement in growing the sport [21:08].
• Tournament Recap: We recap the recent action in Cincinnati, including the rise of senior pro talent and key takeaways from the field [00:08], [02:02].
• Power Rankings: We continue our deep dive into the 2026 preseason power rankings, breaking down the Kansas City Stingers (#13) [35:36], the Los Angeles Extreme (#12) [40:36], and the defending champions, the Coachella Valley Scorpions (#11) [46:00].

Whether you're a die-hard pickleball fan or just getting into the sport, this episode provides an insider look at the growth, strategy, and business of Major League Pickleball.

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#Pickleball #MLP #TheChampionsTable #NewJerseyFives #ProPickleball #SportsManagement

Jeff and Shay discuss the #15 and #14 teams in the Major League Pickleball Champions Series pre-season power rankings. Special guest Toki Yamasato adds some Latin flavor to the podcast as she talks about her dangerous Detroit Disruptors team.