The Pickleball Factory announces new partnership with Major League Pickleball team St. Louis Shock

The Pickleball Factory announced Friday, Nov. 15, a new partnership with the St. Louis Shock, a Major League Pickleball (MLP) team that competes in the Premier Level of the league.

This partnership makes The Pickleball Factory the Official Southeast Missouri Pickleball Venue Partner of the St. Louis Shock and will enable them to bring professional pickleball opportunities to Cape Girardeau, including hosting co-branded St. Louis Shock Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) Sessions, Shock watch parties, tournaments and more, according to a news release.

This collaboration, the release states, marks a significant step forward in expanding the St. Louis Shock’s community reach and providing pickleball players in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois with high-quality facilities to play, compete and connect, building affinity with their hometown Major League Pickleball Team the St. Louis Shock while enhancing the Shock’s connectivity in the region.

To officially announce this partnership, the Pickleball Factory and St. Louis Shock will host a Media Day from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, at The Pickleball Factory, 1507 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau. There, members of the media and the general public will have the opportunity to be the first to tour the new, state-of-the-art facilities, learn about The Pickleball Factory’s mission and meet The Pickleball Factory owners, as well as Andrew Haines, chief operating officer of St. Louis Shock, the release states. This Media Day comes ahead of The Pickleball Factory’s opening day in December.

"We're incredibly excited to partner with the St. Louis Shock and bring top-tier, collaborative pickleball events to Southeast Missouri," Jeff Brune, president of The Pickleball Factory, said in the statement. "Our mission is to provide the best possible experience for pickleball enthusiasts, and teaming up with our league-leading franchise the St. Louis Shock allows us to create exciting opportunities for competition and community right here in Cape Girardeau. We look forward to welcoming players and fans to our state-of-the-art facility and being a central hub for pickleball in the region."

This partnership marks the debut of Major League Pickleball in Cape Girardeau. This premiere professional pickleball league consists of 22 teams throughout the U.S. that feature the best players in the world, as well as world-class ownership groups. MLP holds premier sponsorship arrangements with outstanding brands such as Anheuser-Busch, Margaritaville and Skechers, according to the release. Each of the league’s events is nationally broadcast live on the Tennis Channel and streamed on the MLP website and MLP YouTube, Facebook and X channels.

For more information about The Pickleball Factory and St. Louis Shock’s Media Day in Cape Girardeau, contact The Pickleball Factory president Jeff Brune at (573) 587-1616. For more information about The Pickleball Factory and St. Louis Shock, visit www.picklecape.com and www.stlshock.com.