New Jersey is Home to What?!
When you think of Princeton, New Jersey, what do you think of? Let us guess – Princeton University, the renowned Ivy League college boasting famous graduates, such as Woodrow Wilson, Michelle Obama, and Jeff Bezos. Or maybe you know that Albert Einstein lived in Princeton while he taught at the university as a professor. Well, that's all well and good, but did you also know that Princeton is now home to a professional pickleball team?!
Yup, the Princeton Bruisers are part of six new teams to be added to the six existing teams of the NPL (National Pickleball League). The NPL was founded in 2022 by Rick Witsken, Beth Bellamy, and Michael Che, and it is a professional pickleball league for players aged 50 and up. Each team has a roster of 14 players – seven men and seven women – and yes, there is a combine and a draft!
According to NPL's Chief Executive Officer, Paul Bamundo, the six new franchises are selling for "around $750,000," while the first batch of six teams sold for about $300,000 each. (Not a bad increase in two years.💪) The ownership group of the Princeton Bruisers consists of: Vinay Bahuguna, Neil Shroff, Emil Pescatore, Karan Pescatore, Jeff Brody, Lisa Brody, Brad Wimmer, and David Slobotkin.
NPL will be welcoming new players this season, including Dayne Gingrich, Dave Weinbach, and NFL veteran (and former Heisman Trophy winner) Danny Wuerffel. “Winning the Heisman Trophy marked a significant milestone in my athletic career, but my journey continues to evolve," said Danny Wuerffel. “Joining the National Pickleball League provides me with a unique opportunity to further pursue my passion for sports and compete alongside the top-tier talent in this growing sport."
If you think you've heard about a professional New Jerseypickleball team before, you're not wrong, as there is also a professional team called the New Jersey 5s of MLP (Major League Pickleball). That team is owned by serial entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Gary Vaynerchuk (commonly known as Gary Vee), and it has no age restriction. In other words, it's dominated by a lot of young whipper snappers – aka those who are not as mature or refined.😂 (Because who wants jet black hair when you can pepper it with some grays. 💪😄)
But back to the NPL. While we love the team name "Princeton Bruisers" (and will be rooting for them this season), there are some other cool team names. Our favorites: the Columbus "Hotshots," and the Oklahoma City "Punishers." We wish the entire NPL a very successful 2024 season. And go Bruisers!
