The Rose family of Scottsdale has purchased the Wiffle Ball brand, ending more than seven decades of ownership by the Connecticut-based Mullany family and placing an Arizona-based team in charge of one of the country’s best-known backyard sports names.
From neighborhood games to national brand
What began as backyard play led by two Scottsdale brothers during the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved into ownership of the company that introduced the signature yellow plastic bat and white perforated ball to American backyards in 1953. The deal transfers the Wiffle Ball name, its intellectual property and its iconic equipment to the Rose family. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Twenty-year-old Logan Rose, a sophomore at Southern Methodist University, will lead the brand, while his younger brother, Carson Rose, 17, will serve as chief growth officer. Their mother, Jordan Rose, founder of Scottsdale-based Rose Law Group, will be chair of the board.
“Almost everyone has a Wiffle Ball memory, whether it’s a home run derby in a cul-de-sac, turning your backyard into a field or playing at the beach with friends,” Logan Rose said. “It’s one of America’s great backyard traditions, and for my family, it’s always been part of our lives.”
Local roots, national reach
The Rose brothers’ project began in Scottsdale: Logan organized backyard Wiffle Ball games when he was 13, and the following year the family hosted a tournament at Scottsdale Stadium featuring 25 teams. That local competition helped grow Big League Wiffle Ball, a professionalized league with 10 franchises, celebrity ownership and television distribution.
The league has attracted high-profile participants and exposure beyond Scottsdale. Big League Wiffle Ball games have been carried on ESPN2 and ESPN+ and have drawn celebrity owners including actor Kevin Costner. Those developments positioned the Rose family as operators of a sports-entertainment property, and now as owners of the underlying brand.
- Acquired: Wiffle Ball name, intellectual property, signature bat and ball
- Former owners: Mullany family (73 years, three generations)
- New leadership: Logan Rose (brand lead), Carson Rose (chief growth officer), Jordan Rose (chair)
What this means for Scottsdale
The acquisition signals a rare transfer of a longstanding American recreational brand to a Scottsdale-based family and may carry implications for local commerce and community programming. The Rose family already has roots in the city through the Rose Law Group and through hosting tournaments at Scottsdale Stadium, and the brand ownership could expand that footprint.
As owners, the Roses control the Wiffle Ball trademarks and the look-and-feel of equipment that has been ubiquitous in American yards since the 1950s. With existing ties to professionalized play via Big League Wiffle Ball, the family is positioned to further develop events, licensing and media around the game. The degree to which operations, production or events will remain in or return to Arizona was not disclosed.
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Logan Rose | Brand lead; 20, SMU student |
| Carson Rose | Chief growth officer; 17 |
| Jordan Rose | Chair of the board; founder, Rose Law Group (Scottsdale) |
The Mullany family built the Wiffle Ball brand over three generations in Connecticut. The sale ends that lineage of ownership but preserves the product and trademarks that have been part of American recreation for more than 70 years.
For Scottsdale residents, the story is both a local business milestone and a continuation of a community enterprise that rooted itself in neighborhood play before gaining national attention. Local officials, business observers and residents will likely watch for announcements about product manufacturing, licensing plans or future events tied to the brand now owned by a Scottsdale family.
While specifics about investment, staffing, product manufacturing or new programming were not released, the acquisition places substantial control of Wiffle Ball’s brand identity with a family whose sporting and civic activities have become part of the Scottsdale community.
