
Show Notes
PicklePod 2.0 is presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/
What happens when pickleball chaos meets global expansion? 🌎
This week on the PicklePod, we’re joined by Steve Kuhn for a deep dive into what might be the future of pickleball—and it’s happening in Asia.
We cover everything from:
- The INSANE wind conditions at the PPA Texas Open 🌪️
- The first-ever triple pickle in pro history (yes… 11-0, 0-11, 11-0 🤯)
- Whether pickleball should go fully indoor like basketball
- The explosive growth of pickleball in the Philippines, Vietnam, and beyond
Steve Kuhn’s new Pickleball Champions League (PCL) and why it could change everything
A wild new concept: predicting sports like a game (SportsPredict)
Plus, Nico announces his Lefty Reset Challenge—a 60-day transformation to prove pickleball players are athletes 💪
This episode is equal parts chaos, insight, and big-picture thinking for where the sport is headed next.
👇 Drop a comment:
Should pro pickleball be played indoors or outdoors?.
Be the first to try Zane's new course here: https://tzpickleball.com/
#Pickleball #PPATour #PickleballPodcast
Leave your voicemail for the PicklePod at (512) 200 - 4299
------------------
Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify
-Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at https://www.thedink.beehiiv.com
https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/ -Follow us on IG
-Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi...
-For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam
-Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/
-Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball
#pickleball #pickleballcourts
------------------
0:00 Intro
1:21 Extreme winds at the Texas Open
5:12 Should pickleball be an indoor sport?
12:00 The first ever singles triple pickle
18:33 Mean comments from Reddit + Nico’s weight loss challenge
Steve Kuhn
25:52 Steve Kuhn returns to the PicklePod
26:40 Steve’s new project - Pickleball Champions League
32:34 Growth statistics in Asian pickleball
37:26 PCL borrowing from Futbol roots
45:53 Introducing Sports Predict
50:45 I want to emulate Chess.com
57:29 Obsessed with making the best predictions
1:00:05 Sports Predict entering pro pickleball
1:03:11 Consulting for Ramsports
1:04:23 400 million players by 2032 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from PicklePod
Pickleball is getting louder, messier, and more interesting—and this week’s conversation proves it. Zane Navratil and Nico break down the latest pro pickleball stories, from tournament scheduling chaos in Australia and Hong Kong to first-time gold medalists, the rise of Elliott Shupp, and the debate over what belongs on center court.
The biggest indoor pickleball business story of the year collides with a wild Chicago recap, and the debate around Annalee Waters, Ben Johns, and the future of pro pickleball gets surprisingly deep fast. If you want the sharpest takes on the PPA Chicago chaos, the Pickler bankruptcy, and the next wave of stars, this is the episode.
Anna Bright joins Zane and Nico after her gold-medal run in Las Vegas to explain the moment everyone was talking about: challenging a ball at 10-0 with a double pickle on the line.
Zane Navratil is a PPA gold medalist again—and Nico Acevedo nearly turned a grueling tournament run into a championship of his own. Zane shares what made PPA Barcelona feel like a throwback, while Nico joins the conversation to unpack his breakout performance alongside Yuta Funemizu.
One of the wildest pickleball Sundays in a long time just got even crazier. A 15 seed nearly hijacks men’s doubles, a bird literally crashes the singles final, and the new PPA format changes are already reshaping who gets rewarded, who gets punished, and who might be gaming the system.