St. Louis Shock’s DUPR Events: In St. Louis, where pickleball is rapidly growing in popularity, the St. Louis Shock is positioning itself as a central figure in this surge, utilizing the Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) system to grow its brand and foster a loyal, engaged fanbase. As one of the teams in Major League Pickleball (MLP), the Shock is committed to engaging local players and fans while creating a vibrant community around the sport. For Andrew Haines, the team’s Chief Operating Officer, these events are crucial to their long-term success.
Building a Brand, Local and National
The St. Louis Shock’s strategy revolves around national exposure and local community engagement. According to Haines, building the team’s brand at all levels is essential.
“We’re really trying to build our brand both locally and nationally. Anything we can do to engage players, whether at an amateur or advanced level, funnels into our long-term plans.” – (Andrew Haines)
DUPR events have become a key element in this plan. Designed to enhance playtime and energy levels, these events focus on maximizing the playing experience for participants, with minimal downtime between sessions. Haines explained the adjustments made to ensure a smooth flow.
“On Friday, we changed it up to two sessions so players could get almost non-stop playtime. Our goal is to do these weekly and create a community of Shock followers who feel like they’re part of the family and team.” – (Andrew Haines)
DUPR: More Than Just a Rating System
DUPR has proven to be more than just a tool for rating players. For the St. Louis Shock, it serves as an effective marketing asset, helping to draw in local players while simultaneously boosting brand recognition. Ryan Maher, Vice President of Partnerships & Programs at DUPR, showed the importance of these events.
“These rating sessions are incredible. For a professional team to be promoting DUPR as their partner is all we could ask for,” Maher said, emphasizing the mutual benefits for the Shock and DUPR.
The collaboration has been highly successful. The events have been filling up quickly, with the first two sessions of the year selling out in under 24 hours.
“We charge a small fee that covers registration and a Shock item, like a shirt or hat, and it’s been incredibly popular. We even had people asking about future events before we’d wrapped up the current one.” – (Andrew Haines)
Vision for the Future: Expanding Locally and Nationally
Looking ahead, the St. Louis Shock has ambitious plans that go beyond local events. Haines and his team are actively working on establishing their pickleball venue, aiming to host year-round events and make it the central hub for pickleball in St. Louis.
“We hope to open our own facility soon, we want it to be the go-to spot for pickleball in St. Louis. We want to do everything possible to host MLP at Chaifetz, a 10,000-seat state-of-the-art venue at Saint Louis University.” – (Andrew Haines)
Maher expressed his enthusiasm for the potential of the venue, noting,
“There will not be an MLP event that rivals this. Central Park was amazing, but this arena will be unbelievable.” – (Ryan Maher)
Strengthening the Community Connection
In addition to creating a top-tier venue, the Shock is exploring ways to further connect their players with the local community. However, coordinating travel for players spread across the country remains a logistical challenge.
“All the teams are in the same boat. But by the time we bring players in, we want to make sure it’s a huge event that really leverages the local fan base we’ve built through these DUPR sessions.” – (Andrew Haines)
Setting the Standard for MLP
The St. Louis Shock’s approach to community engagement is being closely watched by other teams in the MLP. Haines has already received calls from other organizations interested in setting up their own DUPR events.
“I’m getting a lot of calls from other teams wanting to set up their own DUPR events. We share ideas on what we’re doing in the community, and I’m a big proponent of these DUPR sessions. It’s a no-brainer for all the teams.” – (Andrew Haines)
The partnership between the Shock and DUPR has proven to be a model for how professional teams can engage directly with the communities they represent. The Shock has even become the first MLP team to establish an official club on DUPR, further solidifying their role in the local pickleball scene.
As pickleball continues to grow in St. Louis, the Shock is well on its way to becoming the city’s pickleball heartbeat. With DUPR sessions regularly selling out and a dedicated fanbase steadily increasing, the team’s commitment to building a thriving community is only just beginning.
“Our goal is to build a community of Shock followers, and this is just the beginning of something bigger for St. Louis.” – (Andrew Haines)
News in Brief: St. Louis Shock’s DUPR Events
The St. Louis Shock is using DUPR events to strengthen its presence in the local pickleball community. The team’s focus on engaging players at all levels has resulted in sold-out sessions and growing fan loyalty.
With plans to open their own facility and potentially host MLP events at Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz Arena, the Shock aims to become the heart of the city’s pickleball scene, inspiring other teams in Major League Pickleball to follow their community-driven model.
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