In April 2025, a unique ownership swap occurred in Major League Pickleball between the D.C. Pickleball Team and the Brooklyn Aces. While trading players and picks is standard, trading team ownership is much rarer. Rich Kleiman and Kevin Durant, formerly the owners of the Aces, now own the D.C. team, while Al Tylis and his group take over the Aces. The last similar ownership exchange in professional sports occurred in 1978. Kleiman remarked on the novelty of the situation, stating it felt enjoyable to participate in such an unconventional move in a growing league.
When you say it, it does sound kind of cool to think about. And I think the idea of it, when you own a team in an emerging league like this, it's all very new as you're doing it.
Tylis called Kleiman with the idea about two months ago. I wasn't expecting that call, and I didn't necessarily know how possible that was.
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