One of the biggest debates in pro pickleball right now is whether the UPA should implement rules against taunting and excessive screaming. Pro player and pickleball personality Zane Navratil recently weighed in on the issue via Instagram.

“Players should be allowed to scream. I think they should be allowed to taunt, too, if they want,” he said. “I’m not saying to scream or not is a morally good thing to do, but screaming and taunting is absolutely entertaining whether you like it or not.”

Navratil sees value in letting players express their emotions freely on the court, arguing that doing so makes the sport more entertaining for fans.

“I think about it like free speech. You let people say what they want and then the court of public opinion decides what to think. Same thing as on the actual court. Let players act how they want and then let public opinion sort it out,” insisted Navratil. “You have the right to be disliked. Do things fans like and you’ll be adored. Do things they don’t and you’ll be hated. Either way is fine, but I think the worst thing somebody can feel about a player is actually indifference. Indifference is the enemy of growing the sport.”

Navratil even argues that public opinion and online scrutiny are punishment enough for players who take their screaming or taunting too far. After all, it would be difficult for referees to determine exactly when a player crosses the line. Social media, on the other hand, has no shortage of critics willing to call it out.

“If somebody taunts their opponent and they come off like an idiot, people are going to see it, the comment section is going to let them know, and that’s the penalty,” mentioned Navratil. “It works way better than losing a timeout.”

Navratil recently found himself at the center of a screaming controversy during the MLP Playoffs, when he lost his cool and yelled at an opponent. The backlash on social media was harsh, and Navratil admitted he regretted the outburst, even if it made for entertaining viewing.

He also pointed to the NFL’s decision to introduce a taunting rule as another example in the debate.

“The fans hated it,” noted Navratil. “It was a big reason why people started calling it the no fun league and then the league started walking it back year after year. It failed in the NFL.”

Ultimately, it comes down to the idea that all publicity is good publicity. If people are watching, talking and engaging online, it can help grow the sport.

“Pickleball is still fighting for eyeballs. We’re competing with every other sport and everything else that lives on your phone. If anything, the pro tour has a reason to encourage this type of behavior,” said Navratil. “The UFC built an empire on trash talk. I don’t think you make a sport bigger by making it quieter.” 

One of the main arguments against excessive screaming is that pros should serve as role models for the next generation. They’re setting the tone for the sport’s culture, and critics argue that when top players behave this way, it sends a message to young pickleball players that the same behavior is acceptable.

“But I think the idea of athletes being role models is outdated. Earlier generations didn’t get to see behind the curtain of professional sports like we do with social media,” concluded Navratil. “There are plenty of pro athletes that your kid shouldn’t copy. We aren’t role models, we’re entertainers. And screaming, drama, even crappy behavior is absolutely and unequivocally entertaining.”

Screaming and taunting may be a bad look for players, but could allowing it without penalty benefit the league by keeping fans entertained? What do you think? Join the debate in the comments on Instagram.