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In the past, professional athletes were the stars while their trainers remained the unsung heroes behind the scenes. But with the rise of social media and personal branding, that dynamic has started to shift.
Today, celebrity trainers can become stars in their own right, turning their access, expertise and lifestyle into brand deals, digital content and live events.
Celebrity trainer, TV broadcaster and emcee Matt Manasse, AKA “Pickleball McNasty,” is a prime example. Manasse has parlayed his pickleball prowess into roles as a broadcaster on Tennis Channel and Pickleball TV, partnerships with brands like JOOLA and CÎROC, and a career as a pickleball trainer to the stars.
He’s traded pickleball rallies with everyone from Drew Brees to Katie Couric, and even met George Bush. Entrepreneur caught up with Manasse to discuss how he found success in an unconventional space.
Getting in on the ground floor
Before he discovered pickleball, Manasse was entrenched in the tennis world, using his skills as a former collegiate player to coach pros like Shelby Rogers. He was with Rogers at the Indian Wells Open in 2020, preparing for the main draw, when the pandemic hit, and the tour was canceled on the spot.
“I went home and had nothing to do,” Manasse recalls. “No one knew what was next.”
After a month of sitting at home watching the news and scrolling on TikTok, Manasse received an invitation that changed his life.
“Someone asked me to play pickleball,” he says, “and it immediately felt like a game I could love.”
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