200 episodes in, the PicklePod is celebrating with one of its most revealing conversations yet about where pickleball is headed next.
Zane and Nico break down everything that happened at the PPA event in Kuala Lumpur, including the results, the impact of international competition, ranking points, and whether the current system is rewarding the right players. They also discuss the MLP Asia draft, the biggest surprises from the player selections, and what the league could mean for the future of professional pickleball.
Then Thomas Shields, founder of The Dink and the original Pickle Pod, joins the conversation to discuss the business side of pickleball. The group dives into recent facility closures, declining sale prices, market saturation, franchise models, and why the facility boom may be entering a healthier, more sustainable phase—not necessarily ending.
The conversation also explores whether Padel is a real threat to pickleball, what the two sports can learn from each other, the importance of community-driven facilities, and the technology and platforms that could shape the next generation of racquet sports.
Plus, the guys read hilarious listener comments, share favorite moments from 200 episodes, open pickleball trading card packs, revisit some of the show’s most memorable guests, and play another round of “Guess My DUPR.”
👕 Check out the new performance apparel line from Six Zero: https://bit.ly/3T9NaDM
🏓 Donate to the Solomon Boltes Memorial Pickleball Courts: https://www.gofundme.com/f/building-solomon-boltes-memorial-pickleball-courts
📩 Subscribe to our free newsletter for everything that matters in pickleball: https://subscribe.thedinkpickleball.com
#Pickleball #PickleballPodcast #mlp #ppa
------------------
Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify
-Follow us on IG : https://www.instagram.com/thedinkpickleball/
-Join the Pro Pickleball Talk Discord → https://discord.gg/ZCqXrxhgsv
-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
------------------
0:00 Intro
2:08 Results from Kuala Lumpur
12:28 MLP Asia Draft results
15:31 Mining gold in the comments section
25:52 Dub pickleball trading cards
36:28 PicklePod origin story
40:25 Pickleball facilities at a discount
49:38 Where would you invest $100K?
52:58 Padel vs pickleball
1:03:20 The best moments from the PicklePod
1:14:35 Guess my DUPR
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices