Rachel Rohrabacher competing for the D.C. Pickleball Team during the 2024 Major League Pickleball playoffs in Dallas, TX.
Rachel Rohrabacher competing for the D.C. Pickleball Team during the 2024 Major League Pickleball playoffs in Dallas, TX. Major League Pickleball

D.C. Pickleball Team, Brooklyn Aces ownership groups agree to swap franchise name rights

The D.C. Pickleball Team and Brooklyn Aces will look a little different during the 2025 Major League Pickleball season.

The teams announced Saturday morning that their respective ownership groups have agreed to swap franchise name rights.

 

DC will rebrand to the Brooklyn Pickleball Team and look to build off of its quarterfinal finish in the 2024 Premier level playoffs with a roster of Rachel Rohrabacher, Jackie Kawamoto, Dekel Bar, Riley Newman, Hannah Blatt, and Pat Smith.

“Looking ahead to this next chapter in Brooklyn, we’re filled with excitement about the opportunity to grow the game and create new connections in the borough I was raised in and a city with such a rich sports culture,” said Al Tylis, now principal owner of the Brooklyn Pickleball Team. “At the same time, we’ll continue collaborating with stakeholders to ensure that our time in D.C. leaves a lasting impact. We can’t wait to see both communities rally behind their teams as we embark on this exciting journey.”

The Aces will say farewell to The Big Apple and take over the DC Pickleball Team name, as they look to build off an up-and-down 2024 campaign that saw them win the Mid-Season Tournament but ultimately miss the Challenger level playoffs.

Their roster features Mari Humberg, Andrea Koop, Daniel de la Rosa, and Stefan Auvergne.

“Our organization has created deep roots within the DC community over the years through the work of the Durant Family Foundation and Team Durant, and being able to bring our pickleball team to DC to create more connectivity just makes sense,” said Rich Kleiman, now principal owner of the DC Pickleball Team.

Brooklyn and DC aren’t the only franchises to undergo rebrands in anticipation of the 2025 season.

The Carolina Hogs (formerly Carolina Pickleball Club), Phoenix Flames (formerly AZ Drive) and Nashville Chefs (formerly Frisco Pandas) have all recently announced rebrands ahead of MLP Orlando, the season-opening event running April 24-27 at the USTA National Campus.