Tyson McGuffin “The Most Electric Man in Sports” (as we are reminded every single time he is on a livestream) is the latest big-time pickleball player to join a Joola team that includes the top men’s pro in Ben Johns and a top 3 women’s pro in Anna Bright.
This move makes sense for Tyson as Joola has some of the biggest pockets in pickleball and is rumored to pay the best to its top athletes.
Was Tyson so sick of losing to Ben Johns that he decided to join Team Joola to get closer to the fountain of pickleball royalty?
Tyson McGuffin and Selkirk have been linked for the entirety of my pickleball career and probably 90% of people’s pickleball careers.
He was the poster boy of Selkirk Sports and it will be strange seeing him in Joola Gear.
Why did Tyson McGuffin leave Selkirk?
In both the Joola press release and the Selkirk press release there was no mention of why he switched sponsors.
That isn’t surprising because most big-time athletes don’t want to burn bridges as it hurts their brand.
Tyson released a statement saying all the great things about Selkirk, so let’s speculate on the reason he left.
- The first reason is the most obvious and most likely. Joola paid him more money and offered a longer contract. We know Ben Johns has a lifetime contract with Joola, so could Tyson potentially have a lifetime contract? As he is getting to his mid-30s in a sport filled with more talent entering he knows his time is limited to cash in on his play and brand.
- The second reason could just be purely equipment-based. Joola has taken the pickleball world by storm and quickly established itself as a top seller in pickleball equipment and they seem willing to make paddles that their top pros want. Selkirk seemed to work with their pros too, but their paddles have been lagging the competition lately.
Did Selkirk Ditch Tyson McGuffin?
Tyson had an up-and-down 2023 with wins in all 3 events at various times during the year, but some low lows at the same time.
He has also suffered a lot of injuries and sometimes seems disinterested while playing. Selkirk recently signed former tennis professional Jack Sock who has long been rumored to be playing pro pickleball full-time in 2024.
Did Selkirk realize that Jack Sock would bring more fans than Tyson?
It does seem logical for Selkirk to only need one flagship man and one flagship woman as it isn’t proven how much return on investment these big sponsorships produce.
Big changes lead to excitement for me, so I’m excited to see the new partnership between Tyson McGuffin and Joola.
The reasons for the switch may never come out or we could learn them tomorrow. The facts are Joola now has two of the most recognizable players in pickleball on
their roster.
Tyson McGuffin’s Joola Signature Paddle
Joola announced that Tyson McGuffin will have a signature paddle, Magnus, launching in early 2024. He has already been spotted playing with it, so it should be sooner than later we see the new paddle go on sale. When Joola signed Ben Johns the Hyperion was the biggest paddle launch of the year. Will the Magnus be the same?