Drake and Michael B. Jordan Invest in Pickleball Team, Joining Celebs Like LeBron James and Tom Brady

Drake and Michael B. Jordan.Photo:Mike Marsland/WireImage, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Mike Marsland/WireImage, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

“Excited to have this ace up our sleeve,” the leaguetweetedout following the announcement that Drake and Jordan, both 36, are a part of Brooklyn’s new investment group alongside businessman Steve Stoute and others.“We’re thrilled to have this incredible group of investors join the Brooklyn Aces as we continue to grow the team and raise the profile of Major League Pickleball as a whole,” the team’s majority owner, Rich Kleiman, said in a separate statement shared with PEOPLE. “In addition to the marketing and creative acumen that Michael B. Jordan, Drake, and Steve Stoute bring to the table, our investor group includes some of the savviest entrepreneurs in the business. We’re looking forward to what our second season brings.”

Drake.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

The MLP began in 2021 after the pickleball craze took over the U.S. during the COVID pandemic. The league advertises itself as “the standard-bearer for the fastest-growing sport in the United States” and consists of 24 teams — 12 in its “Premier Level” and 12 others in its “Challenger Level,” who can be promoted much like England’s soccer system within the Premier League.

A growing number of high-profile athletes and celebrities have invested in teams within the league over the past three years. Last year,NBA stars like James, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love and Draymond Greenall invested in pickleball teams. The same month Durant purchased a team, retired NFL stars like Brady and Drew Brees also announced they’d bought into their own squads.

Michael B. Jordan.Michael Loccisano/Getty

“We’re going to keep bringing awareness to this thing all around the country, all around the world,” a “super excited” Bradysaid when announcing his investment. “And look, you how I get with competition, right. I love that’s it’s become such a popular neighborhood sport. It’s a great way to get out of the house, but I’m coming to win. I’m coming to the dominate the sport. Pickleball — let’s f—ing go.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Pickleball was first invented in 1965, according toUSA Pickleball. But the sport saw its popularity skyrocket between 2021 and 2022 when its estimated number of players jumped to roughly 4.8 million nationwide.

The indoor – or outdoor – paddle sport is similar to tennis, but uses hollow wiffle-like balls and is played co-ed.

There’s now thousands of courts around the country, according to the sport’s USA association, and the game has been featured at famed venues like Fenway Park in Boston this summer.

source: people.com