Detroit Disruptors Launch as the City’s First Professional 40+ Pickleball Team

New Champion Series Pickleball franchise brings pro-level competition, community programming, and sponsorship opportunities to metro Detroit.

DETROIT, MI, UNITED STATES, July 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Detroit Disruptors, the city’s first professional 40+ pickleball team, today announced their official launch as a team competing in Champion Series Pickleball, the premier professional tour for players age 40 and over. The team enters competition during the 2026 season, played in conjunction with Major League Pickleball (MLP).

The launch arrives as pickleball continues a historic run as the fastest-growing sport in the United States. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, U.S. participation reached an all-time high of 24.3 million players in 2025, growth of roughly 172 percent over three years, and the sport has been named the country’s fastest-growing for four consecutive years. The 40-and-over bracket represents one of the fastest-growing and highest-spending segments of that audience.

The Detroit Disruptors are positioned to serve that audience in a major professional sports market. Detroit is one of only a handful of U.S. cities supporting teams in all four major professional leagues, with a metro population of approximately 4.3 million and a multigenerational sports culture spanning the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings. The team aims to lean into that fan loyalty and create an amazing sports venture for players and fans
“Detroit has always been a city that competes, and the Disruptors are built on that same DNA,” said Reuben Levinsohn, Partner, Detroit Disruptors. “The team gives the region its first professional 40+ pickleball team at a moment when the sport, and this age bracket in particular, is growing faster than anything else in American athletics.”

The Disruptors completed their foundation phase earlier in 2026, holding team try-outs in March and Play-with-the-Team training sessions in May, establishing the initial roster and brand. The team is led by a group of experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and sport-development professionals, including General Manager Daniel Howard, a National Coach Developer with Selkirk Sport, and Partners Reuben Levinsohn, founding partner in Lansing, Michigan based Washington Avenue Advisors, Tony and Kristin Orlando, entrepreneurs in health optimization and owners of DEXASCAN.COM. The team’s ambassador group includes four-time Stanley Cup champion and Detroit Red Wings figure Kris Draper, athlete-entrepreneur Emily Breunig, and Detroit music producer Chris “Filthy” Gholson Jr.

“Our goal is to build something that belongs to Detroit, not just to the sport,” said Tony Orlando, Partner, Detroit Disruptors. “That means local partnerships, community pickleball programming, and a brand that represents the city.”

The Disruptors are competing in the 2026 Champion Series season in conjunction with MLP, with events scheduled in Chicago, Dallas, Austin, Phoenix, and Columbus, and the championship set for late 2026 in Dallas. The team will host community events and sponsor activations in the Detroit market through the season.

About the Detroit Disruptors

The Detroit Disruptors are Detroit’s first professional 40+ pickleball team, competing in Champion Series Pickleball in conjunction with Major League Pickleball. Built on Detroit’s culture of grit and competition, the team operates as both a competitive team and a community-focused brand platform, with programming, events, and partnerships across the metro Detroit region.

For More Information Please Contact:
Reuben Levinsohn
Email: Reuben@detroitdisruptors.com

Kristin Orlando
DEXA Plus
korlando@detroitdisruptors.com

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