Dekel Bar Pickleball Team vs Individual Debate: Professional pickleball continues to grow as fans and players debate whether the future will lean toward individual tournaments like the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) or team-based events like Major League Pickleball (MLP). Player Dekel Bar shared his views on why both formats are important and how he sees the sport developing.
Balancing Individual and Team Play
Dekel Bar explained that while he enjoys both formats, he values the unique energy of MLP events. He said, “I love playing on both. If I have to pick like one which is my favorite tournament than MLP. Uh just love the the team energy.”
Bar added that MLP brings a different kind of excitement with team support and fans cheering. Still, he believes a mix of events is best. “I do like playing you know kind of like a two-third of PPA and a third MLP. I think that’s a great ratio.”
What the Future Could Look Like
When asked about the future of professional pickleball, Bar noted the leagues are still testing formats. “It’s I think it’s a lot of testing and what people want to see and uh the viewership and I think that’s what uh UPA is doing right now. They’re testing what works best for for both and how to best make both the best products.”
Bar also mentioned that both formats can thrive, saying, “I think both will succeed. Uh, I hope I would say maybe it’ll be 50/50 or like they’re doing now, you know, three, four month season of MLP. I think I do think both will succeed.”
Ideas for Team Expansion
One idea discussed was building MLP into a weekly event, similar to other pro sports. Bar recalled a conversation with Ben Johns: “Ben explained it to me really in in a really interesting way one time that MLP could almost be longer than just three months, but it could be like that Monday Night Football.”
This vision included teams like the Dallas Flash and St. Louis Shock hosting home matches during the week, creating strong local fan bases. Bar added, “I think that could be a really interesting way to show team pickle ball in an interesting format that I hope they test out.”
Growing the Fan Experience
Bar believes creating home-based crowds would boost excitement, but he also admitted scheduling around other sports like football would be key. “I almost think midweek would be the move like on a Wednesday, right? Like where there’s no NFL.”
He also highlighted the value of the leagues working together, saying, “I think having the two leagues under the same umbrella is really crucial and I think it it allows them to collaborate.”
Impact on the Sport
Bar’s comments show that both individual and team formats have a future in pro pickleball. With ideas like home-team matchups and midweek games, the sport could grow into a larger fan-driven experience. The balance between PPA and MLP may define how pickleball continues to expand on the professional stage.
News in Brief: Dekel Bar Pickleball Team vs Individual Debate
Dekel Bar shared his views on the future of pro pickleball, saying he prefers Major League Pickleball for its team energy but also values the Professional Pickleball Association. He believes both formats can succeed, with possible weekly team matches, home crowds, and a balanced schedule shaping the sport’s growth.