Laura Gainor

Pickleball in the Sun + Mahjong in the Sun | Experiential marketing, brand activations, destination events | Pickleball in the morning. Mahjong in the afternoon

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

Mahjong is perfect for college sports. This fandom is helping mahjong grow faster than the hype of the pickleball boom, from my experience.

[Ellyn Briggs @EllynBriggs]

As mahjong surges in popularity, it's increasingly finding a place alongside college sports—both as a tailgate activity and an outlet for fandom. 

A crop of small businesses—all women-owned and based in the South—are cashing in on the crossover with officially licensed collegiate mahjong sets.

Their intricately designed tiles retail for ~$400+ and sell out almost immediately whenever they're dropped. But keeping up with demand can be a challenge: "I get requests nearly every day for schools people want to see next," one boutique owner tells @FOS.

My latest on the newest sports merch frontier: https://t.co/0iQZjD1bNx

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

Mahjong is BOOMING! The biggest opportunity isn't just the game. It's the Community.
Our Jacksonville area league grew from 57 to 147 players in months. Brands, resorts & businesses are taking notice.
What pickleball's boom taught me about what's next https://t.co/LCVLwboBcW

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

Excited to collaborate with @KendraScott Jacksonville for TWO upcoming Mahjong in the Sun events!

Oct. 7: Kendra Scott Night at Sunset Mahj Wednesday in Nocatee
Oct. 18: Mahj, Sip + Shop at Kendra Scott Jax

🎟️ Reserve your seat at https://t.co/a0hYwIZJkj

[Anna Leigh Waters @AnnaLeighWaters]

.@majorleaguepb CHAMPIONS 🏆

I am so proud of @the5spickleball. The heartbreak of the last two years was real. It can be easy to let those thoughts creep into your head.

But we shut out the noise.

I’ve been lucky to compete in the biggest stages that this sport has to offer, but winning an MLP title was something that was missing.

The 5’s fought for every point. Starting with our amazing ownership and management, to our coaches, and roster. If you want to wear the red, be prepared to fight!

@NoeKhlif @federicostak @WillHowells_pb Milan, and Jorja… what a weekend. We were a UNIT! Couldn’t be more honored to fight alongside each one of you all.

Thank you to the MLP staff for putting on an amazing season. We are so appreciative.

And to the crowd this weekend… we felt every yell, scream, and cheer. This weekend showed what this sport can be. Let’s continue to grow it together.

Thanks to the best sponsors I could ask for @FranklinSports, @Nike, Pilla Sport, and @ultabeauty.

Oh… and that paddle ❓👀

To my amazing family and support team; thanks for riding along with me. This schedule has no breaks and it means so much to be in this together.

[Todd Boss @toddeboss]

Wrapping up the @MajorLeaguePB Media Pundit Pick'em Contest for 2026.

Thomas Shields of The Dink wins the season. This feat is even more impressive than it sounds at first, because Shields finished the first week dead last. He sewed up the season title even before the finals were done with another solid performance in NYC.

Podium:
1. Thomas Shields, The Dink, 89 points
2. Chris Cali, Sorry Not Sorry, 87 points
3t. Alex Weaver, The Dink, 84 points
3t. Nico the Lefty, Picklepod, 84 points

2025's defending champ Jim Kloss made a spirited run up the board late but finished tied for 5th, along with yours truly Todd Boss and HeyShay.

Other useless information about our contest this year:
- 3 of the top 4 finishers associated with The Dink
- We didn't have a repeat winner until Week 7
- 13 of the 17 competitors won at least one week
- Thomas Shields and Todd Boss each won 3 individual weeks to lead the field
- Only three people got perfect 11-for-11 weeks this season: Chris Cali, Hannah Johns, and Nico the Lefty all went 11-for-11 in Week 6.
- 3 tied for last place for the season: Jane, Laura, MattyP
- Best pundits at getting their picks to me each week: Tice, Lantz
- Worst at getting in their picks: Shields, Hannah. Shame shame! :-)

Special thanks to MattyP for inventing this competition and to Matt Spencer at Picklekey for creating and maintaining the standings XLS:
https://t.co/DcnE1VXaAs

Thanks to everyone for playing; i hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

We'll organize for next year's competition sometime next spring, but if you're in the "Pickleball Media" space or you're an influencer and want to be considered for next year's high stakes competition, drop me a DM and i'll put you on the wait list. We may also leverage some of the cool tools now in the space, as noted by @chriscantino earlier today.

Tagging all the participants: @azetice @AlexLantz @NicoTheLefty @readmynewslettr @ChrisCaliSNS @alexeweaver @PickleKeyStats @HannahJohnspb @pickleball_jim @Johnny5pointOH @matty_pickles @Meesh_McMahon @NmlPickleball @QueenPickle13 @LauraGainor @Obsessedwithpb_ @MajorLeaguePB #pickleball

[Todd Boss @toddeboss]

At this weekend's @MajorLeaguePB finals, the @the5spickleball and @KelloggCompany are running back the Fibes concept; if you missed out on the merch, they'll have it in spaces in NYC and online. Here's a quick analysis of the partnership, how it came to be, and how it lays a blueprint for other MLP teams to emulate. #pickleball @ForbesSports https://t.co/GwjGRiFLwa

[Major League Pickleball @MajorLeaguePB]

POV: The Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball is a PICKLEBALL. 🔥

#MLPFinals #MLP2026

[Major League Pickleball @MajorLeaguePB]

The stage is set for NYC. 🗽🏆

Your match schedule for the DoorDash MLP Finals is HERE.

Four teams enter the Semifinals on Friday. By Sunday, one team will be crowned the 2026 MLP Champions. 👑

📍 @CityPickle at Wollman Rink
📅 August 28-30

Save the schedule and get ready for the biggest weekend of the season. 🔥

#MLPFinals #MLP2026

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

After 7 years of marketing + helping grow pickleball, I learned mahjong & immediately thought: this game is going to have its pickleball moment. 7 months later, I’m personally obsessed with playing and helping grow the game.
And now: https://t.co/8blltDquRY is LIVE #mahjong

[Todd Boss @toddeboss]

Media Pick'em Contest for @MajorLeaguePB Week 11/Quarterfinals recap:

For the first time all season, yours truly won the weekend, winning several of the over/unders and spread-based bets to inch closer to the top. However, the contest is still @readmynewslettr (Thomas Shields)'s to lose. He's in first place for the season by 4 points and we need him to collapse next week to get the win.

Tagging all the participants: @azetice @AlexLantz @NicoTheLefty @readmynewslettr @ChrisCaliSNS @alexeweaver @PickleKeyStats @HannahJohnspb @pickleball_jim @Johnny5pointOH @matty_pickles @Meesh_McMahon @NmlPickleball @QueenPickle13 @LauraGainor @Obsessedwithpb_ @MajorLeaguePB #pickleball

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

@toddeboss @MajorLeaguePB @readmynewslettr wow! I finally had a good week.

[Todd Boss @toddeboss]

My @MajorLeaguePB Pre-Season Power Rankings Versus Final Regular Season Standings

A comparison of my pre-season Power rankings of the 20 Major League Pickleball teams versus how they finished the regular season. TL/DR: I got the top 8 right, in nearly the right order, but missed wildly on a couple of teams down ballot. #pickleball @ForbesSports

https://t.co/o1Oa6JmQvX

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

Excited to host our first-ever Sunset Mahj Wednesdays Open House tonight and kick off this new weekly tradition for the Jacksonville & Ponte Vedra mahjong community!

More than 50 players are joining us at Really Good Beer Stop 6-9pm. Details: https://t.co/v9rWNoLwvb

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

@toddeboss I had a great week at @MajorLeaguePB Orlando! Don't sort the spreadsheet by total points.

[Todd Boss @toddeboss]

MLP Media Pick'em Contest Week 9/Regular Season Results.

A 3-way tie for the week between Cali, MattyP, and Shields. This is only fitting in that the Regular Season title was coming down to either Shields or Cali, and a solid week by the Dink's leader gives him the Regular Season title.

We're not done yet though; the Playoffs will feature less pure match picking and more "prop bets" as we get creative to try to dethrone the Dink stranglehold on the competition. Stay tuned.

Tagging all the participants: @azetice @AlexLantz @NicoTheLefty @readmynewslettr @ChrisCaliSNS @alexeweaver @PickleKeyStats @HannahJohnspb @pickleball_jim @Johnny5pointOH @matty_pickles @Meesh_McMahon @NmlPickleball @QueenPickle13 @LauraGainor @Obsessedwithpb_ @MajorLeaguePB #pickleball

[Major League Pickleball @MajorLeaguePB]

Buckle up for the greatest mixed doubles point ever. 👏

@Amway #MLPOrlando #MLP2026

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

Hosting our Inaugural International Mahjong Day Tournament in Ponte Vedra was such an honor. The community continues to explode. Much like pickleball a few years ago, people are simply looking for a way to learn, join in, and become a part of something bigger.

[Todd Boss @toddeboss]

MLP Media Pick'em for @MajorLeaguePB Week 9. It's the final regular season week of the 2026 season, and we have a race at the top to see which @Pickleball Dink representative will win the regular season title.

As for this week's matches, 100% picking @stlshockmlp and nearly 100% picking @the5spickleball to win their groups and meet in the final, but nearly a coinflip to see who wins and secures the top seed in the playoffs.

By the time you read this, the first matches of the weekend will be underway from Orlando.

Tagging all the participants: @azetice @AlexLantz @NicoTheLefty @readmynewslettr @ChrisCaliSNS @alexeweaver @PickleKeyStats @HannahJohnspb @pickleball_jim @Johnny5pointOH @matty_pickles @Meesh_McMahon @NmlPickleball @QueenPickle13 @LauraGainor @Obsessedwithpb_ @MajorLeaguePB #pickleball

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

This Saturday is International Mahjong Day and Mahjong in the Sun is incredibly excited to be hosting our mahjong tournament here in Nocatee! Then I'm off to @MajorLeaguePB on Sunday! Pickleball + Mahjong = perfection. https://t.co/8YtkxFIwr4

[Laura Gainor @LauraGainor]

@toddeboss @QueenPickle13 @NicoTheLefty What do we win for getting last place? A mahjong set, perhaps?