The Seagram Building to Host First-Ever Pickleball Match on its Landmark Park Avenue Plaza

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Seagram Building at 375 Park Ave., one of New York's most prized office buildings, will host a celebration of pickleball – the nation's latest sports obsession – Sept. 20 on its landmark Park Avenue Plaza.

The Seagram Building's top pickleball doubles teams will kick off the event by competing in a championship match beginning at 1 p.m. The hour-long showdown on the plaza will determine the victor of the Seagram Playground's summer-long pickleball league.

Following the match, the plaza will be opened to the public to experience the fast-paced fun of pickleball. The event is cosponsored by RFR, owner and manager of The Seagram Building, and Selkirk Sport, an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of pickleball paddles and gear based in Hayden, Idaho.

Selkirk brand ambassadors, certified by the Professional Pickleball Registry, will share the sport's finer points. Mason Tennis, located on Park Avenue across from The Seagram Building, will present a coveted Selkirk Power Air paddle to each member of the winning team and Evo paddles to the runners-up.

Mike Barnes, who co-founded Selkirk Sport and serves as co-CEO with his brother, Rob, characterizes pickleball as "a sport that fosters camaraderie, competition, a healthy lifestyle and is consistent with RFR's goal to create a better work environment."

The pickleball match will represent the plaza's first use for a sporting event. This month also marks the first anniversary of The Playground + Conference Center, The Seagram Building's $25 million, 35,000-square-foot fitness and events space.

The Playground, conceived by RFR and designed by Studios Architecture, offers more than a dozen recreational and fitness activities in addition to pickleball, including basketball, volleyball, soccer, yoga, spin, kickboxing, the martial arts and wall climbing.

(NOTE: In the event of inclement weather, the pickleball event will be postponed until Sept. 28.)

About RFR

RFR is a Manhattan-based, privately controlled real estate investment, development and management company founded in 1991 by Aby Rosen and Michael Fuchs. The company has built a world-class portfolio of commercial and residential real estate, including many of New York's signature office towers, ultra-luxury condominiums, hotels and high-end retail developments.

About Selkirk Sport

Selkirk Sport, a family-owned and operated, made-in-the-USA manufacturer of pickleball paddles and accessories, is based in Hayden, Idaho, in the shadow of the Selkirk mountain range. Founded in 2014 by Rob and Mike Barnes along with their father, Jim Barnes, Selkirk Sport believes in always pushing the limits and is committed to manufacturing products that deliver the highest performance with unmatched quality and service.

SOURCE RFR Holding LLC