You may not be aware that there is a professional pickleball league — but there is, and New Jersey is getting a franchise.
On Thursday, Pickle Juice — an indoor facility in Ventnor Heights — announced that it was taking ownership of the Princeton Bruisers, one of the six new teams added to the 2024 expansion of the National Pickleball League, according to Lisa Brody, a co-owner of Pickle Juice.
The NPL
The National Pickleball League will have 12 teams in 2024:
- Indianapolis
- Austin, Texas
- Boca Raton, Florida
- Coachella Valley (Southern California)
- Columbus, Ohio
- Denver
- Houston
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Naples, Florida
- Oklahoma City
- Princeton
- Seattle
The NPL — launched in 2022 for Champions Division professional pickleball players (age 50 and older) — played its inaugural season in 2023 with six teams. Last week, it reported the expansion, raising its team count from six to 12 for 2024.
With that, the NPL introduced new ownership and welcomed new top-tier players, solidifying its place as the premier professional 50+ league in the sport.
“The Pickle Juice team is proud to be a part of the NPL representing New Jersey’s team, the Princeton Bruisers,” Brody said. “The NPL’s growth is reflective of how dynamic and competitive the sport continues to be, and we couldn’t be more excited.
The ownership of the team includes Vinay Bahuguna, Neil Shroff, Emil Pescatore, Karan Pescatore, Jeff Brody, Lisa Brody, Brad Wimmer and David Slobotkin.
