Ben and Collin Johns Forfeit $78,000 After Withdrawing from MLP Columbus Over Lighting Concerns
In a surprising turn of events at MLP Columbus, professional pickleball stars Ben and Collin Johns have chosen to forfeit their event payouts following their controversial withdrawal from the tournament. The announcement came Wednesday evening via a statement released by Major League Pickleball.
The Johns brothers, who represent the Carolina Hogs, played two matches at the Columbus-based Pickle & Chill venue before citing serious concerns about the facility’s lighting conditions. According to Ben, the lighting was well below professional standards, referencing tennis lighting guidelines as a benchmark. He further explained on X (formerly Twitter) that the inadequate lighting posed a risk, especially given his pre-existing eye condition from a childhood sledding accident.
With the sudden exit of the Johns brothers, the Carolina Hogs were forced to rely on alternates Martin Emmrich and Ross Whittaker to finish the event. Despite their efforts, the team lost all six matches over the weekend, bringing their season record to 0-8—a disappointing start for the franchise.
Ben and Collins Johns withdrew from MLP Columbus after just one match, citing safety concerns around the indoor lighting levels.
A source has confirmed to The Dink that Ben has agreed to forfeit $60,000 while Collin will forfeit $18,000. These figures represent their respective event payouts for the four matches they missed. @thedink
Though Carolina is not scheduled to return until MLP Salt Lake City in June, fans won’t have to wait long to see the brothers back in action. Both Ben and Collin Johns are set to compete at the Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships next week.
This incident highlights growing concerns over venue standards in professional pickleball, with increasing pressure to align with established norms from other racket sports. As the sport continues to gain traction, player safety and playing conditions will undoubtedly remain in the spotlight.
