(CLEARWATER, Fla. – Oct. 11, 2023) PBX Pickleball, the organization that unites retired professional athletes with the pickleball community, has signed Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor inductee Jared Allen. The former NFL defensive standout adds his name to a list of well-known athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL who will compete on the pickleball court as “PBX Pros.” Allen will participate in PBX experiences, including the PBX Tour, PBX Pro-Ams, PBX Dream Weekends, and PBX Corporate Events. Fans will have the opportunity to play pickleball with and against Allen at select events.
Allen joins other top-tier athletes, including Hall of Famer John Smoltz, 7x All-Star and World Series Champion Matt Holliday, NFL Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champ Golden Tate, 4x World Series Champ Tino Martinez, 4x Stanley Cup Champ Kris Draper, and Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry. PBX Pros have a range of pickleball experience from beginner to expert.
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 can take the pickleball courts with PBX Pros, who excelled in baseball, hockey, football, basketball, and other sports.
Allen played in the NFL for 12 seasons and led the league in sacks twice. In the 2004 NFL draft, he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played four years before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings. Allen ranks third on the Vikings all-time sack list, having racked up 83.5 sacks for Minnesota. He joined the Chicago Bears as a free agent in 2014 and was traded to the Carolina Panthers during the 2015 season when he played in Super Bowl 50. Allen was a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro selection, having tallied 136 sacks in his career. In addition to pickleball, Allen took up curling after retiring from the NFL.
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