St. Pete Man Secures Athletic Shoe Deal

Ernie “Dink” Dunkelschwanz, an elderly St. Petersburg resident and avid pickleball player, has secured an athletic shoe endorsement deal with Nike.

“You know how the vast, overwhelming majority of people who wear Air Jordan’s don’t play basketball but want to look like they might? That’s what we’re going for here with the new Air Ernie line,” said Nike spokesperson Kevin Gsnnx. “As popular as pickleball has become, everybody isn’t playing it.”

“The Dinkman logo symbolizes and represents that lifestyle,” he said. “Pickleball enthusiasts and people too lazy to play pickleball alike.”

The contract, believed to be the first, and therefor highest-paying, ever awarded to a pickleball player, calls for Dunkelschwanz to be paid $225 a year for the use of his name and likeness on Nike shoes, apparel and merchandise for the rest of his life. 

“So about three years,” said Gsnnx.