Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Story

This is no boring “pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America” documentary (well, they do cover that, but very quickly). Dreambreaker, which premiered on Max on Friday, April 11, goes full behind-the-scenes into the drama on the pro side of the sport. You get the inside scoop on the power plays, money wars, and all the personalities trying to take over the sport.

There are some moments that, in the interest of humor, could have emphasized the frivolity of the sport and derailed the more serious topic: a nudist pickleball community, a vendor excitedly talking about someone who died on court as she clutched her merch for the camera, and tennis pros saying pickleball is an “activity” not a sport, because you can drink while playing. Cut to Irina and Jessie slurping down comically oversized cocktails.

Even so, it effectively captures the gravity of contract disputes and the impact they can have on individuals caught in the crossfire of clashing egos.

Filmed from 2021 through 2023, the documentary dives into the drama surrounding the MLP-PPA merger, with Tom Dundon and Steve Kuhn at odds and Connor Pardoe caught in the middle. When asked about their feelings toward each other, there's a lot of "no comments" going around. During the peak of the Tour Wars, things get so heated that the film used voice distortion in conversations to protect the pros. You'll also hear from Jimmy, Tyler, and the KOTC pod, who are among the podcast hosts diving into the chaos of the contract disputes.

The humorous aspects of the documentary are not accidental; director and producer Ashley Underwood (married to Larry David) is known for her comedic films like Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and Sacha Baron Cohen’s Who Is America? Underwood said “Pickleball is commonly viewed as this folksy community sport that your grandparents play, and this film kind of takes that perception and flips it on its head. I hope audiences feel the heart and see the humor in it.”

Catch the documentary on truTV (record the next airing), or on demand on Max.

NEW EPISODE

The guys recap the NC Open and the venue’s sub-par conditions. Plus, watch as they get the raw reaction as they get real-time news of AL & CP’s breakup!

SPECIAL EPISODE

UPA pay restructure and what it means for the future of pickleball