Johns Brothers Address, Players React: Controversial MLP Withdrawal

Citing “lighting concerns” Ben Johns, and his brother Collin, have withdrawn for the remainder of the Major League Pickleball (MLP) Columbus Presented by The James at Ohio State event.

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What Happened on the Court

Thursday

The MLP Columbus event began Thursday afternoon at 2pm with the Carolina Hogs facing off against the Phoenix Flames at the Pickle and Chill facility in Columbus, Ohio.

The match ended in a Dreambreaker, with the Flames winning, 23-21. 

As mentioned in the X post, Carolina played with Liz Truluck, instead of Kaitlyn Christian, who is dealing with a slight injury.

Friday

In the first match on Grandstand Court on Friday morning, The Carolina Hogs faced off against the Atlanta Bouncers. The match started at 11am.

The only game the Hogs won was women’s doubles. After that, Ben and Collin lost 7-11 to Todd Fought and Jaume Martinez Vich. 

In mixed doubles, Ben Johns and Tammy Emmrich lost 1-11 to Martinez Vich and Vivian Glozman. Johns was obviously disinterested in a not providing even close to normal level of effort. Some clips of his lack of trying were posted by the memesofpickleball IG account:

In the second mixed doubles match, Collin Johns and Liz Truluck lost 2-11 to Victoria DiMuzio and Fought. 

This meant the Hogs lost the match 3-1, with Ben Johns losing of his games.

The Withdrawal

Shortly after the Atlanta match ended, it was announced that Ben and Collin Johns were withdrawing from the rest of the MLP Columbus event, due to issues with the lighting at the venue.

Ramifications of the Withdrawal

Already playing in tough conditions, with Kaitlyn Christian out, the Carolina Hogs are facing a huge uphill battle for the remainder of the weekend.

MLP moved the remaining Hogs matches on the weekend to Grandstand Court, to “showcase our best product at all times”.

Within hours of Ben and Collin withdrawing, the Hogs had to play the Orlando Squeeze. In order to field a team, the Hogs had to use on-site alternates Martin Emmrich and Ross Whittaker. 

Whittaker is a recent UPA signed player and has never played MLP before and rarely plays on the PPA Tour. Emmrich served as an on-site alternate last weekend in Orlando as well. Of note, he is the husband of the Hogs’ Tammy Emmrich.

The Hogs lost the match 4-0 in regulation, with scorelines of 11-7, 11-4, 11-9, 11-3. They had to start the men’s doubles match down 0-1 and both mixed doubles matches 0-1, due to new rules involving on-site alternates:

Hogs Outlook Moving Forward

Liz Truluck had a previous conflict, so she is unavailable Saturday and Sunday. Instead, the Hogs will turn to Zoey Weil, the available female on-site alternate. So Tammy Emmrich, Zoey Weil, Martin Emmrich, and Ross Whittaker will be representing the Hogs on Saturday and Sunday. 

The Hogs have the following matches to play this weekend (all on Grandstand Court):

• Saturday, March 3 - 12:45pm ET - Chicago Slice
• Saturday, March 3 - 4:15pm ET - New York Hustlers
• Sunday, March 4 - 1:30pm ET - Miami Pickleball Club’

As a reminder, because of the new on-site alternate rule, Carolina will begin every single game down 0-1.

Of note, Ben and Collin Johns seem to have left the facility and were not seen on-site cheering on their teammates, despite withdrawing.

Needless to say, this has become a viral social media issue with plenty of takes all-around. We will break the reactions up by categories and keep threads together in order to provide clarity.

League Officials and MLP Itself

Major League Pickleball X post at 5:35pm ET:

Connor Pardoe - CEO of the UPA, X post at 5:49pm ET (14 minutes later):

Great play is happening this weekend. Let’s not let this situation take away from that. We have many of the worlds best giving best effort this weekend. Tune into @pickleballtv and catch the action! https://t.co/28EegeV47x

Ben and Collin Johns’ Statement

At approximately 5:26pm ET (less than 10 minutes prior to the MLP X post), Ben Johns (along with Collin Johns) made the following statement on Ben’s Instagram Stories:

Ben Johns' IG Story

Ben Johns' IG Story

Collin Johns added:

Collin Johns' IG Story

Plenty of players wanted to weigh in on the withdrawal. Zane Navratil, Will Howells, and Todd Fought all made statements.

Zane Navratil & Ben Johns Back and Forth

Zane posted on X:

After @BenJohns_pb blatantly tanks his mixed match against Atlanta this morning, Ben and Collin decide to withdraw from the rest of the tournament. Ben should be suspended - not from MLP because he clearly doesn’t want to play, but from the PPA tour.@connorpardoe_pb…

Ben’s response exactly one hour later:

I’ve made it clear to MLP that if we played outside or if the lighting were improved I would be more than happy to play the rest of the weekend. Based on light readings taken on court it is ~1/3 the amount that professional tennis is played at. Hot paddles + bad lighting = injury

Ben adds another response to the thread:

Again, I’m happy to play with my team and make up the matches at other events/venues. H just got hit in the face, can’t say 100% it was due to lighting, but definitely could have been. Change happens when players speak up, and hopefully this makes venues safer in the future.

Zane’s response:

That can certainly be true, but the bigger issue is clear tanking. I supported you and ALW when you pulled out of singles in NC due to the roll out courts, but I can’t support tanking

MLP Executive Reactions

Jimmy Miller - President and GM of the California Black Bears, and the co-host of the KOTC Podcast.

@SaminOdhwani thrown right in to the fire in his new position as MLP Commissioner. If Ben makes 2.5mm a year per the Forbes article. 1/26 events, should be around a $96,000 fine.

This decision by Ben and Collin also messes with the league competition. Huge advantage to play Carolina this week as opposed to in Orlando. Injuries part of the game but this is just blatant quitting.

Ben still has value. Let Collin go play in India or teach at the YMCA somewhere.

Jimmy Miller pointing out this venue has hosted ATP Tennis tournaments before, countering Ben's point that the light isn't good:

Interesting that the venue has hosted ATPs. https://t.co/9eGl7xPnb6 pic.twitter.com/ep86McCteF

Bens eye issue is not everyone else’s problem. If I have a bad knee and cant jump, should I be allowed to play on 6 foot hoops and everyone else 10 feet? Players across all professional sports have differing degrees of abilities and that actually includes eyesight. Something that…

Ritchie Tuazon -  Owner of the California Black Bears

If I were @connorpardoe_pb I would take firm action. No one person is bigger than the league. This can be a slippery slope.

Travis Rettenmaier - Owner and Player of the Florida Smash (in response to The Dink IG post)

Ross Chaifitz - Owner and GM of the St. Louis Shock (in response to The Dink IG post)

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