Former PSE executive Bruce Popko named COO of pro pickleball league

Bruce Popko has been named chief operating officer for MLP. He departed PSE as its COO in 2019 as part of a few-year leadership shakeup by the company that runs the everyday affairs of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres for owners Terry and Kim Pegula.

He, and newly named CEO Julio DePietro, will be tasked with leveraging their experience in finance, media and sports business to grow new business sponsorships and revenue streams for MLP, while helping the league appeal to new audiences. Pickleball is ranked as America’s fastest-growing sport.

Since the league was founded in 2021, MLP has expanded from eight to 24 teams, and has an array of celebrity and professional athlete team owners, including Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who is part of the Los Angeles Mad Drops ownership group.

“The additions of Julio and Bruce signify another landmark step forward in the evolution of Major League Pickleball,” said MLP Founder Steve Kuhn. “They both bring an incredible pedigree, leadership ability, and valued perspective to MLP and the sport of pickleball.”

Popko has worked in the sports industry for 30 years, specializing in revenue generation, merchandise and licensing, media rights and marketing integration. He will also strategize with the league’s franchises to establish best practices and in additional business development.

“One of the things that I’ve learned over the years in sports is that the most avid fans are those fans that participate in the sport directly, and that’s why I love this sport so much, because we have such a great running start,” Popko told CNBC.

After departing PSE, Popko went on to become COO at Gioia Capital, a capital investment firm focused on acquiring and managing local, family-owned businesses through a shared-service model.

He had joined the Bills in 2009 from International…