(CLEARWATER, Fla. – September 21, 2023) PBX Pickleball, the organization that unites retired professional athletes with the pickleball community, has partnered with former MLB Manager of the Year Clint Hurdle. As a leadership coach to thousands, Hurdle will impact PBX on and off the pickleball court. He will join other retired professional athletes as a player in PBX Experiences, and he will bring an extensive leadership background to the organization.
Hurdle is one of the few MLB alumni to play, coach, and manage in three World Series. He was part of the 1980 World Series-bound Kansas City Royals as an outfielder and led the Colorado Rockies to the World Series in 2007 as the team’s manager. During his 9-year tenure as the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, he won MLB’s Manager of the Year in 2013.
As a motivational leader, Hurdle has more than 7,000 subscribers via clinthurdle.com, a site where people can sign up to receive daily motivational messages.
Hurdle was part of a recent group of MLB stars to sign with PBX, including Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, Cy Young Award Winner and 3x All-Star Eric Gangé, World Series Champ and All-Star Game MVP J.D. Drew, 4x All-Star Russell Martin, 3x All-Star Jason Kendall, 2x All-Star Brian Roberts, 2x All-Star and World Series Champ Derrek Lee, 2x All-Star Jeff Cirillo, 4x Gold Glover and veteran MLB manager Mike Matheny, and All-Star Russ Ortiz.
As “PBX Pros,” retired professional athletes will participate in the PBX Tour, PBX Pro-Ams, PBX Dream Weekends, and PBX Corporate Experiences starting later this year. In the PBX Tour, the PBX Pros will represent their respective sports in tournaments for live audiences nationwide. In the PBX Pro-Ams, Dream Weekends, and Corporate Experiences, amateur pickleball players will have the opportunity to take the pickleball courts with the retired stars from baseball, hockey, football, basketball, and other sports.
Advisors for PBX Pickleball include 3x MLB All-Star Kevin Youkilis, 4x World Series Champ Tino Martinez, 2x MLB All-Star Brad Penny, 18-year MLB veteran Kent Mercker, NHL Player, Coach, GM and Team President Paul Holmgren, 4x Stanley Cup Champ Kris Draper, and NFL Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champ Golden Tate. The PBX advisors will also take to the pickleball courts as PBX Pros.
As part of its outreach to athletes across major American sports, PBX Pickleball partnered with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) and the NHL Alumni Association. PBX also partnered with Parity to reach women athletes across 70+ sports.
About PBX Pickleball
PBX Pickleball creates memorable experiences by uniting well-known retired professional athletes with amateur pickleball players and fans. Established in 2023, PBX Pickleball consists of four experiences: the PBX Tour, PBX Pro-Ams, PBX Dream Weekends, and PBX Corporate Experiences. The company is part of The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), the nation’s leading resource for the management and development of sports, recreation, wellness, and events facilities. To learn more about PBX Pickleball, go to https://pbxpickleball.com or follow @pbxpickleball on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
About The Sports Facilities Companies
The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) are the nation’s leading resources for the management and development of sports, recreation, wellness, and events facilities. As a turn-key solution for community leaders and developers alike, SFC services span the gamut of sports and recreation needs from sports tourism & recreation master planning, program planning, and feasibility through professional facility management services. Our 45+ managed venues and 2000+ team members, represented by the SF Network, welcome more than 25 million guest visits and produce over $300 million in economic impact each year. To learn more, please visit SportsFacilities.com and theSFnetwork.com.
PBX Pickleball Media Contact:
Eric Nemeth
602-502-2793