​With a victory at their Major League Pickleball event on Randall’s Island in New York City two weekends ago, the New Jersey 5’s surged into first place in the league just in time to clinch the top seed for this year’s MLP mid-season tournament. The tournament will be held alongside the legendary Beer City Open at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year, the New Jersey franchise is pursuing more than just the top trophy in Michigan: they are partnering with a major national brand, the Kellogg Company from Michigan, renowned for Raisin Bran, to raise awareness and participate in the brand’s ongoing fiber and gut health initiatives.
Anna Leigh Waters is shown sporting the new-look Fibes jersey for this weekend’s event. For just this coming weekend, the 1st place New Jersey team will debut as the “New Jersey Fibes,” marking a first-of-its-kind collaboration for any MLP property. According to Ryan Harwood, the New Jersey co-owner and general manager, this partnership stands as “one of the best in MLP history.” In the parties’ joint press release, fans traveling to Grand Rapids will experience The Fibes live and in person through player integrations, interactive experiences, and programming inspired by one of pickleball’s most iconic locations—the kitchen. Kellogg will bring Sunny, the Raisin Bran mascot, to onsite photo ops. The weekend promises to be fun and interactive, with T-shirt giveaways, cereal samples, and meet-and-greets with the stars of the New Jersey team, including No. 1 ranked female Anna Leigh Waters and her teammates Jorja Johnson, Noe Khlif, Will Howells, captain Martin Emmrich, and Lina Padegimaite.
Doug VanDeVelde, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran chief growth officer, notes, “Pickleball has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, with a passionate community that loves to participate and have fun. Partnering with the New Jersey 5s to become The Fibes gives us a playful, unexpected way to put fiber in the spotlight and bring the conversation to fans both on and off the court.” This kind of partnership also demonstrates a path forward for MLP teams seeking additional revenue streams from major companies. The New Jersey 5s have been at the forefront of this effort, now counting multiple Fortune 1000 companies as partners, and are among the franchises pushing the envelope in terms of creativity and uniqueness. Their confident approach stems from a rabid fan base—eager to chant “1-2-3-4 … Fives!”—and the high level of engagement they maintain with traveling fans at every MLP venue. This deal exemplifies the kind of revenue generation that could help make the league more profitable in the future.
The New Jersey men’s team, including Will Howells and Noe Khlif, are pictured in their new gear during a practice session ahead of the mid-season event. This brand collaboration represents a strategic shift toward new sponsorship opportunities, underscoring how teams can capitalize on broader consumer brands to strengthen the league’s financial foundation while expanding its appeal to fans and families alike. The unfolding partnership between the New Jersey Fibes and Kellogg’s Raisin Bran signals a broader trend in professional pickleball: teams leveraging distinctive branding to create memorable fan experiences, attract new sponsorships, and drive sustainable growth for the sport.