Steve Kuhn's Game Plan

As we gear up for CNBC x Boardroom’s Game Plan conference this summer, let’s learn more about one of the event’s featured speakers, Steve Kuhn.

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, and Boardroom, Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s premier media brand covering the business of sports, music, and entertainment, are teaming up to produce CNBC x Boardroom Game Plan, an all-new, high-powered event taking place on July 25 in Los Angeles. Today, we’re highlighting featured speaker Steve Kuhn, founder and CEO of Major League Pickleball. Click here to view the full list of CNBC x Boardroom Game Plan speakers.

Across America, pickleball is the sport of the summer. From Fenway Park to Central Park, enthusiasts are preparing their paddles for fierce competition. Meanwhile, Major League Pickleball by Margaritaville is teeing up for the second half of its 2023 season.

This year has been a breakout one for the nascent organization, which merged with VIBE Pickleball to create a 24-team league. The exciting play is made only more impressive by the laundry list of celebrity investors that it has attracted. Everyone from Tom Brady to Naomi Osaka, Odell Beckham Jr. to Rich Kleiman and Kevin Durant’s 35V have gotten into the team ownership game.

The man behind the rapid growth? Steve Kuhn. Introduced to the game in 2015 by his young nephew, Kuhn first envisioned a professional opportunity when hosting a celebrity game with Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi in 2018. Through his tenure as founder and CEO of MLP, Kuhn has championed innovation in the sport, including making it the first American pro league to embrace promotion and relegation. The league has also brokered a media rights deal with ESPN.

Learn more about Steve Kuhn’s Game Plan below.