A debate over the future of Major League Pickleball (MLP) has intensified after St. Louis Shock owner and general manager Ross Chaifetz and California Black Bears owner Ritchie Tuazon expressed differing views on team spending and the possible introduction of a salary cap and floor.
The discussion comes as reports suggest MLP could introduce a salary cap and/or salary floor as early as next season. The proposal has started a wider conversation about whether spending limits would make the league more competitive or reduce the advantage of teams that invest more in their players.
Ross Chaifetz believes that teams spending more money does not automatically make the league unfair. In a series of social media posts, he pointed out that the MLP Mid-Season Tournament has had three champions, and the MLP Playoffs have had two. He also said that no. 1 seed has won either event. According to him, these results show that different teams are still winning despite differences in spending.
Chaifetz also argued that every team had the same chance to build a strong roster. He said teams could have joined the Premier level earlier, drafted top players or traded for star players. While he said he is “not opposed” to a salary cap and salary floor, he believes teams that spend more should be rewarded rather than having their advantage reduced by spreading top players evenly across the league.
For context, St. Louis spent $325,000 to retain Kate Fahey, Hayden Patriquin and Gabe Tardio for the 2026 season before spending an additional $1.23 million to acquire Anna Bright in the draft. That brought the team’s total roster spending to $1.555 million for the season. California, meanwhile, spent $85,000 in the draft, although that figure may have increased after making several roster changes through trades.
California Black Bears owner Ritchie Tuazon disagreed. He said the playing field is not equal when some teams can spend much more money than others. He supported a system in which the salary cap would be set at twice the salary floor, saying it would create fairer competition while still allowing teams to invest.
Former California Black Bears general manager and current team president Jimmy Miller also joined the discussion. He said Chaifetz had made some valid points but felt the comments were delivered too aggressively. Miller agreed that owners who invest more should receive some advantage, but he also believes a salary cap could be better for the league in the long run because it would help keep more teams competitive.
The exchange highlights the different opinions among MLP owners as the league considers possible changes to its financial rules. While no official decision has been announced, the discussion around a salary cap and salary floor is likely to continue ahead of next season.
Written by Aditi Jain
