Owners

Ritchie Tuazon

Ritchie Tuazon is a founding owner of the California BLQK Bears. His journey in pickleball started in early 2021 while trying to stay active outdoors. He met MLP founders Steve Kuhn and Brooks Wiley in the summer of 2021 and immediately agreed on the vision of Major League Pickleball. While not thinking about pickleball, Ritchie is a fixed income portfolio manager. He also is an avid golfer. Ritchie holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley as well as an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and a Masters In Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Jorge Barragan & Austin Wood

Jorge Barragan and Austin Wood are the co-founders of The Picklr, a rapidly growing indoor pickleball facility chain that was established in April 2021. With seven locations already in operation, they have set their sights on opening 100 indoor facilities by 2026. Jorge and Austin are dedicated to growing the game of pickleball at all levels. They are investing in Major League pickleball as part of their commitment to growing the sport. They are excited to be teaming up with Ritchie Tuazon to continue the winning tradition of the Californa BLQK Bears.