Documentary About Pickleball in the Works
A documentary about pickleball is happening. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the documentary is being developed by Ashley Underwood and Craig Coyne, and they will team up with Peter Berg's Film 45 to take a look at the fastest-growing sport in the country. The untitled film will be co-directed by Seth Porges and Mary Pilon.
The Hollywood Reporter said the documentary will use access to pickleball's top players, leagues and celebrities to "examine the professionalization and commodification" of the sport. Matthew Goldberg, Michael Antinoro and Max Wagner will serve as executive producers for Film 45, and filming is slated to begin this month.
Major sports stars are starting to take notice of pickleball. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and tennis champion Kim Clijsters are part of an ownership group for a Major League Pickleball (MLP) expansion. NFL legendary quarterback Drew Brees is also an owner of a team for MLP and talked to PopCulture.com about his love for the sport.
"To me, the greatest thing about pickleball is it is so inclusive," Brees told PopCulture in July. "No matter how old you are, what your athletic ability is, whether you've ever played a racket sport in your life, it is something that can just bring people together. And me, you, we could go pick two other people, and regardless of how good or bad or what, we could find a way to create a really fun pickleball game. And it doesn't take up a lot of space. I mean, you could fit four pickleball courts in the same space that you could fit a tennis court. You can just line it in the street. And so to me that is, it's like, it's something that can really bring people together."
Brees continued: "There's a skill, there's a finesse, there's touch, there's ball placement. It's not a power game. It's really more of a patience game. But at the same time, it's something where you can get a great workout. You can have a lot of fun with your friends or with others doing it. I think as you get up into the professional ranks, which is obviously what major league pickleball is, it's a team concept."