Randall's Island/JMTA New York City

Hometown Brooklyn Pickleball Team to Play in Four Matches at MLP New York 
Brooklyn Pickleball Team to Host Open Practice and Media Availability at SPORTIME Randall’s Island, Thursday, June 12, Starting at 10 a.m. ET 

Brooklyn, NY, June 9, 2025 — Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) and the Brooklyn Pickleball Team (BKPT) - a Premier Level MLP franchise - are proud to announce that MLP New York will be hosted at SPORTIME Randall’s Island, July 3-6. 

The four-day event at SPORTIME will showcase the best pickleball professionals in the world across 30 coed team matches - including four featuring the hometown Brooklyn Pickleball Team - and bring a festival-style feel to SPORTIME Randall’s Island that will include food, beverage, music, an amateur pickleball tournament, and local and nationwide sponsors participating in the fun. All are welcome to join the festivities and can find ticketing information here and amateur tournament registration info here. 

BKPT is opening up a contest for any new followers of @brooklynpickleball.team on Instagram between today and Sunday, June 29, with a lucky winner earning a VIP ticket package for the event. 

“Being able to bring an MLP event to New York within months of announcing Brooklyn Pickleball Team is a major step forward in our mission to be a beacon of positivity and lasting impact in our community,” said Adam Behnke, Chief Operating Officer of Brooklyn Pickleball Team. “We are looking forward to continuing to work together with all key stakeholders to create programming surrounding the event that serves our pickleball-loving community and will shine a bright light on our city.” 
"SPORTIME Randall's Island was built to host world-class events, and welcoming Major League Pickleball to our flagship facility is exactly the type of opportunity we envisioned," said Ben Schlansky, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of SPORTIME. "With that, and our ongoing expansion of SPORTIME’s pickleball footprint, hosting this MLP event is a perfect fit. We're excited to showcase our venue, support the growth of pickleball and be a part of this major moment for the sport." 

Media is invited to join Brooklyn Pickleball Team players Rachel Rohrabacher, Dekel Bar, Jackie Kawamoto, Pat Smith, Hannah Blatt and COO Adam Behnke at SPORTIME Randall’s Island this Thursday, June 12, for team training from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET. Staff will be available to the media during training and players will be available after it concludes. To attend, please RSVP to pr@bklynpickleballteam.com. 

The 2025 MLP schedule features 14 total events - hosted in nine different states - showcasing ten regular season events, a Mid-Season Tournament, two rounds of the 2025 MLP Playoffs, and November's standalone MLP Cup. All MLP teams will appear in five regular season events playing a total of 25 matches, with a combination of Premier Level and Challenger Level teams in action at each event. The top four teams standing after the first round of playoffs in August will return to New York for the Semifinals and Championship that will take place at Wollman Rink, Central Park. 
###

About Brooklyn Pickleball Team
Brooklyn Pickleball Team (BKPT) is Brooklyn’s Premier Level Major League Pickleball (MLP) team. The BKPT ownership group includes Al Tylis, Sam Porter, Eva Longoria, Justin Verlander, Kate Upton, Rip Hamilton, Shawn Marion, Odell Beckham Jr., Cliff Avril and Mesut Ozil. 

The franchise’s first ever MLP Championship was won on November 5, 2023 in Dallas as DC Pickleball Team (DCPT). The current roster includes Rachel Rohrabacher, former D1 tennis star at the University of South Carolina, MLP Champion, and top four ranked pickleballer; Dekel Bar, former pro tennis player and world pickleball ranked #6; Riley Newman, world ranked #7 in pickleball and Champion; Jackie Kawamoto, former D1 tennis standout at the University of Dayton, and key player from the 2023 Championship roster; Hannah Blatt, former pro Canadian squash player and rising pickleball talent; and Pat Smith, Men’s Conference Player of the Year at UMKC and former pro tennis star. 

For more information about Brooklyn Pickleball Team, visit brooklynpickleballteam.com and follow on social media: X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and the Team Shop. Photos of the team from the MLP season opener in Orlando can be found here.

About Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) 
Founded in 2021, Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) is the preeminent, coed, team-based professional pickleball league, featuring over 100 of the best athletes across 22 teams, iconic team owners, and the most electric live events and fan experience in the sport. In 2024, MLP and the PPA Tour merged under the newly-formed United Pickleball Association (UPA), bringing together the leading pro pickleball organizations under a single entity. Visit the official website and follow MLP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for more information. 

About SPORTIME: 
Since 1994, SPORTIME has been proud to operate the finest tennis and sports facilities in the New York area. SPORTIME features 17 club locations, including its flagship on Randall’s Island in NYC, most recently expanded to include the iconic Port Washington Tennis Academy, now SPORTIME Port Washington, SPORTIME Pickleball Westbury and SPORTIME Pickleball Englewood. SPORTIME currently offers 192 indoor and outdoor tennis courts and 95 pickleball courts, as well as rinks, turf, camps, gyms and more, at sites across Long Island, in NYC, in Westchester, in the NY Capital Region and in New Jersey. SPORTIME clubs are state-of-the-art, yet affordable, and feature the best tennis, pickleball, sports and camp facilities and programs, including the John McEnroe Tennis Academy and SPORTIME Volleyball Club. SPORTIME clubs serve individuals of every age and athletic ability, 365 days a year. Learn more: www.sportimeny.com.

Join us this summer for Pickleball at SPORTIME Randall's Island - click here to see our Membership Special!

Over 600 students joined JMTP’s inaugural Community Day, while the sold-out Comedy Night raised more than $330,000 to support youth programming.

New York, NY - [May 27, 2025] - The Johnny Mac Tennis Project (JMTP), a non-profit dedicated to providing free, community-based tennis instruction to as many as 1,500 school children each week, many of whom come from New York’s under-resourced and underserved neighborhoods, recently hosted two dynamic events. The events brought together over 600 students from local area partner schools for the first-ever Community Day and raised over $330,000 at the 7th Annual JMTP Comedy Night to support ongoing youth programming.

Community Day was a vibrant, hands-on celebration of tennis, education, and civic engagement, featuring an impressive array of activities led by both brand and nonprofit partners. Students participated in tennis drills, robotics demonstrations, and wellness activities, with NYC FIRST Robotics leading STEM challenges and popular brands like Mezcla, It’s Nola, Brooklyn Bred, and Common Pantry offering snacks and educational experiences. HEAD/Penn, a key partner, provided insight into the professional equipment used by JMTP students and gifted hats the children happily wore throughout the day. YETI kept everyone refreshed with hydration stations and provided gift bags to the delight of the young players. 

Right on the heels of Community Day’s success, the 7th Annual JMTP Comedy Night brought laughter and generosity to the forefront at Sony Hall in the Paramount Hotel. Hosted by John and Patrick McEnroe and MC-ed by comedian Seth Herzog, the sold-out event raised over $330,000 and featured performances from all-star comedians Ricky Velez, Pete Lee, Mike Birbiglia, Ronnie Chieng, and Jeff Garlin. 

“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who came out to support JMTP at this year’s Comedy Night,” said JMTP Board Member and Event Founder Marci Klein. “A huge thank you to the comedians, supporters, and the entire JMTP community for helping us continue to provide life-changing opportunities to young tennis players across New York City.”

JMTP Executive Director Ryann Cutillo reflected on the night’s success: “We could not be prouder to have raised over $330,000 at our sold-out Comedy Night. The room was buzzing with energy and laughter, and the incredible performances from the comedians made our evening so special. These critical funds will help us expand opportunities to New York City kids on and off the court.”

#  #  #

Editor's Note: Photos of the Community Day and Comedy Night

• JMTP Community Day
• JMTP Comedy Night

Photo Credit - http://www.heritagehousephoto.com/ 

CONTACT:
Jennefer Witter                
The Boreland Group Inc.
917 532 9907
Jwitter@theborelandgroup.com 

 

Grand Opening of Largest Indoor Tennis Facility in the United States

April 30, 2025 (New York, NY) — SPORTIME Randall’s Island proudly celebrates the completion of its $55 million expansion, a transformative project two years in the making. Today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the latest milestone in the facility’s evolution, and firmly establishes its position as a world-class – and the largest – indoor tennis club and training facility in the United States.

One hundred percent funded by SPORTIME Clubs, this major investment follows the original $20+ million SPORTIME led project that brought SPORTIME Randall’s Island to life in 2009. With SPORTIME’s total capital investment reaching more than $75 million, the facility now stands as a testament to SPORTIME’s enduring commitment to New York City, reflecting its focus on excellence in sport, accessibility, and community impact.

“I am a lifelong New Yorker, I learned to play tennis in New York City public parks, including at Randall’s Island,” said Claude Okin, SPORTIME’s President & CEO. “So, there is no achievement more personal to me, or of which I am prouder, than SPORTIME’s flagship facility on Randall’s Island. Our goal, since 2004, has been to create a year-round tennis club and training center like no other in the world, right here in our hometown: NYC. And we have done that.”  

Best-in-Class Tennis Mecca
SPORTIME Randall’s Island now spans more than 260,000 square feet of tennis courts and support space. The expansion has elevated and diversified the year-round campus, which offers a scale and caliber of resources not previously available in the tri-state area—or anywhere beyond.

Now home to 33 courts—up from 20 at its inception—SPORTIME Randall’s Island features 15 Laykold hard-surface courts housed in two permanent buildings and in one seasonal air-structure, in addition to 14 Har-Tru soft-surface courts in one permanent and one seasonal air-structure. The facility also includes a dedicated Community Welcome Center with four 36’ red ball courts. All year-round indoor courts are fully air-conditioned, while all 12 seasonal outdoor courts are equipped with stadium-quality lighting for nighttime play. The result: elite playing and training conditions on multiple surfaces for athletes of all ages and skill levels.

To support the training, recovery, well-being and social interaction of players and athletes, the expansion added a second state-of-the-art clubhouse with direct viewing of 12 of the facility’s courts, and an enhanced athletic performance training and recovery center that rivals those found at elite professional venues. Amenities including lounge areas and classrooms, a wellness-focused café, and a full-service pro shop offering an unrivaled, world-class environment for players at every level.

The expansion also enhanced the facility’s special event and tournament hosting capabilities, including private lounge spaces, TV quality lighting, and electronic line calling on its hard-surface courts. The outdoor stadium court can be configured to accommodate up to 4,000 spectators, making it an ideal venue for competitions and showcases.

A Global Destination, Rooted in Public & Private Partnership 

SPORTIME Randall’s Island is parkland and the property of the City of New York and is operated by SPORTIME subject to a 25-year license agreement. It is both a commercial tennis club, open to the public, and a public park, with half of its courts, including lighted courts for evening play, accessible to NYC Parks Tennis Permit holders at a cost of $100 for the entire outdoor season. SPORTIME is a foundational partner of the Randall’s Island Park Alliance (RIPA), the nonprofit organization that redeveloped and maintains the Park, which features Icahn Stadium and over 60 playing fields, and is one of NYC’s premiere sports destinations. SPORTIME’s more $2.5 million in annual license fees provide critical funding for the upkeep and improvement of the Island’s facilities. 
SPORTIME Randall's Island has redefined what a public/private partnership can be and achieve in sport. The facility welcomes 50,000 players and guests annually, hosts weekly tournaments and events ranging from USTA league play to international showcases, and employs a team of over 100 New Yorkers.  

"It is thrilling to see the completion of this significant project that only elevates the offerings Randall's Island Park and SPORTIME bring to both the local and greater NYC communities," said Randall's Island Park Alliance President Deborah Maher. "These state-of-the-art, expanded facilities represent the commitment SPORTIME and the Alliance are making to continually improve Randall's Island for park patrons and sports-enthusiasts of all ages."

“The expansion of SPORTIME Randall’s Island is an excellent example of how public/private partnerships can activate our parks and expand access to recreational opportunities for New Yorkers of all ages,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “With over 400 diverse concessions citywide, NYC Parks is proud to partner with organizations like SPORTIME that not only generate vital revenue, but also enhance our parks through dynamic, year-round programming and meaningful capital improvements to our green spaces.”
Commitment to Community

Launched in the fall of 2010, the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) at SPORTIME Randall’s Island offers world-class, year-round coaching for junior players aiming to compete at the highest levels. Reflecting McEnroe’s vision of an urban academy, JMTA provides students with access to top-tier training while allowing them to live at home and attend local schools, thus offering access and opportunity to aspiring NYC-based athletes. Since its inception, over 200 JMTA players have earned college scholarships and preferred admission through their tennis. 

“When we launched the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at SPORTIME Randall’s Island in 2010, the goal wasn’t just to develop great players, it was to create access, to give New York kids real opportunity, and to build something lasting in the city I grew up in,” said McEnroe. “The expansion of this facility is a big moment. It means more courts, more kids, and more chances to do it right. And for me, that’s what it has always been about.”

SPORTIME Randall’s Island is also home to the Johnny Mac Tennis Project (JMTP), a non-profit offering free community-based instructional programs that welcome as many as 1,600 children weekly to the facility. More than 2,000 children participate in JMTP programs offsite, at schools and CBOs, as well as virtual programming. Many of these kids are from NYC’s most underserved and under-resourced neighborhoods. JMTP’s programs are designed to introduce tennis at an early age, as a life-long health and wellness activity. For some, JMTP’s school-year programs lead to JMTP’s Excellence Program, which provides a pathway to JMTA scholarships. 

"For over a dozen years, our third graders at Central Park East II have received weekly tennis lessons thanks to the unwavering support of the Johnny Mac Tennis Project” said Naomi Smith, principal, Central Park East II. “We are deeply thankful and appreciate its commitment to our students.”

James Sayer, principal at Our Lady Queen of Angels in East Harlem, is also appreciative. “JMTP has been an incredible opportunity for our students. The program has opened doors to high-level play, college scholarship opportunities, and unforgettable experiences—like meeting Billie Jean King! We’re so grateful for the access and excellence JMTP provides.”

A Vision Realized
SPORTIME Randall’s Island reflects a legacy of corporate and personal commitment, leadership and investment that has been sustained through two recessions and a global pandemic, and funded without the use of any taxpayer dollars. SPORTIME’s commitment to NYC and to its work at SPORTIME Randall’s Island is now 20 years in the making, with decades and generations more to come.

“We raised, borrowed and invested $75 million to build the largest and best publicly accessible indoor tennis facility in the world on NYC parkland, and owned by NYC, at which we welcome players and students of all ages, levels, and backgrounds,” said Okin. “We are very proud of what we have built, and even more excited about the opportunities that these world-class facilities will create for our players, coaches, and community members, and, most of all, for our kids.”

#  #  #
Editor’s Note – Here is DropBox with photos to accompany the release – Click HERE

Media Contact:
Jennefer Witter
The Boreland Group Inc.
917.532.9907
Jwitter@theborelandgroup.com
 

Café Mati is now open at SPORTIME Randall’s Island, offering a fresh and flavorful dining experience inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. Whether you're stopping by for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a quick snack, Café Mati provides a variety of wholesome meals and convenient grab-and-go options—perfect for athletes, families, and guests on the move.

Located on-site, the café is a great place to relax and refuel before or after your activities. Enjoy everything from light bites to hearty meals, all made with fresh ingredients and designed to keep you energized throughout the day.

Hours of Operation
Open Daily: 8:30 AM – 8:30 PM

Location
1 Randall’s Island, New York, NY 10035

Phone
(212) 871-5176

Ordering
Guests can place orders online or in person at the café.  View menu.