The Story Behind the Station
High Energy. 90s Grit. All Pickleball.
Why I’m Here
I found pickleball exactly when I needed it. Coming out of the pandemic, I desperately missed playing tennis, but I was looking for something a little more forgiving on my lower back.
Spoiler alert: It wasn’t.
But by the time my back realized that, I was already hooked. My only real regret is that I didn’t discover it earlier when we were all working fully remotely. Once I finally got on the court, I didn’t just want to play—I smelled the opportunity in where this sport was heading. I leaned in hard, became a USA Pickleball Ambassador, and got my PPR Certification. I was all in.
The Soundtrack: Why Pickle Rock Radio Was Born
I spent my first years out of college working at a radio station, and if I’m being completely honest, I never really grew past 90s Alternative Rock. If anything, I’ve just leaned harder into the comfort of it. There is absolutely nothing better than seeing someone half my age—including my son and his friends—vibing to the exact same tracks I grew up on.
But as I bounced from indoor facility to indoor facility across Queens and Long Island, a glaring problem became obvious: the music was an absolute afterthought. The vibe of the entire court was entirely at the mercy of whatever Bluetooth playlist the 19-year-old at the front desk decided to throw on. Every now and then, a massive 90s banger would accidentally shuffle its way through the speakers, and I’d catch myself physically drumming on my paddle. The energy of the game would completely shift.
That’s when it hit me. Between my radio background and my time on the courts, I knew exactly what had to be done. The world’s fastest-growing sport deserved a better soundtrack.
Built for the Way You Play
Pickle Rock Radio is a broadcast hub designed to be with you everywhere:
- At the Facility: Providing a turn-key audio solution for courts that want professional, high-energy vibes instead of unpredictable shuffles.
- In the Car: Keeping the momentum going while you’re headed to your next match.
- At Home: Delivering the latest gear drops, pro tips, and pickleball news between the tracks.
A Note on How This Runs
Running a 24/7 global broadcast takes a massive production team. Right now, that team is just me.
To keep Pickle Rock Radio hitting hard and running smoothly, I lean into AI from time to time. As the station grows, AI helps me curate web content, optimize for search engines, and pull together the latest information for our court reports. Heck, you might even hear a short segment or station drop voiced by an AI until we grow big enough to add more humans to the roster.
But make no mistake: the heart, the soul, the attitude, and the playlist are 100% human. This entire project is just me combining two of my biggest passions so that you never have to suffer through a terrible front-desk Bluetooth playlist ever again.
Pickle Rock Radio is part of the Nice Life Media LLC family, alongside Pickleball Rookie. The goal isn’t just to start a station—it’s to build a community.
See you on the courts.
— Drew, Founder
Still loud. Just lower impact.
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