What Major League Pickleball does

Major League Pickleball (MLP) is a professional co-ed pickleball league operating 20 franchise teams across a 13-stop U.S. event circuit, serving professional players, spectators, franchise owners, and corporate sponsors. The league is anchored by a gender-parity team format, a regular season with playoffs culminating in a New York City finals, and signature IP including the DreamBreaker tiebreaker. MLP functions as the premier competitive platform within the broader Pickleball Inc. ecosystem, which also encompasses the Carvana PPA Tour, Junior MLP and Minor League Pickleball development pathways, the new MLP Champions Series for players 50+, the Paddletek One Point Challenge, and stakes in facility and ratings businesses (The Picklr, DUPR).

The league's product surface combines live events with a digital and media stack. Live events run May through August across Dallas, Columbus, St. Louis, Austin, St. Petersburg, New York, Grand Rapids, San Diego, Chicago, and Orlando, with playoffs in Dallas and Newport Beach and Finals in New York. AI-powered officiating (Owl AI) and line-calling (PlayReplay, ITF Silver Certified) are deployed using broadcast cameras and cloud processing, and content is distributed through the Pickleball TV joint venture with Tennis Channel plus YouTube. New 2026 product launches include the Super Sunday Belt championship tradition, the expanded 24-team Mid-Season Tournament with international representation, and the Life Time LT Pro 48 official ball partnership.

MLP generates revenue from a diversified mix: title and category sponsorships (DoorDash as title sponsor, plus Carvana, Life Time, Waterdrop, Paddletek, SXY, JOOLA, Once Upon a Coconut, Cleary Gottlieb, Engine, Park Place Technologies), franchise ownership sales to investors and athletes, ticketing through Tixr, media and streaming rights via Pickleball TV, and merchandise through Pickleball Central. The 2026 season operates under a new unified rulebook issued by the United Pickleball Association of America (UPA-A), formalizing a governance split from USA Pickleball. The parent entity, Pickleball Inc., was formed in May 2026 following a $225M Apollo Sports Capital-led round at a $750M post-money valuation, with projected 2026 revenue of $140M, and is pursuing U.S. facility development plus international expansion via a Singapore office and 11 Asia/Australia events.

Name

Major League Pickleball

Legal name

Major League Pickleball, Inc.

Website

https://majorleaguepickleball.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Major League Pickleball operates a professional co-ed pickleball league with 20 franchise teams competing across 13 U.S. event stops annually, serving professional players, spectators, franchise owners, and corporate sponsors under the Pickleball Inc. umbrella.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports League

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Lacrosse Leagues (MPAKAAAO)

Keywords

• Professional pickleball league
• Sports entertainment events
• Team franchise competitions
• Live event broadcasts
• Corporate sponsorship activations

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships and Title Sponsorships: Major corporate brands pay for title sponsorships and official partner designations. DoorDash serves as the title sponsor (MLP presented by DoorDash), with other sponsors like Waterdrop Filter (MLP Austin title sponsor), Paddletek (One Point Challenge), SXY (team uniforms), Once Upon a Coconut (coconut water), and Cleary Gottlieb (MLP New York).
2. Event Ticket Sales: Live event attendance generates revenue through ticket sales, distributed through platforms like Tixr. MLP hosts 13 event stops annually.
3. Media and Streaming Rights: Joint venture with Tennis Channel for Pickleball TV broadcasts and YouTube streaming, generating revenue from broadcast and streaming rights.
4. Franchise Ownership: Sale of team franchises to investors and celebrities. Teams are owned by high-profile individuals like NBA star Trae Young.
5. Merchandise Sales: MLP branded merchandise sold through Pickleball Central partnership and e-commerce channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) is a professional co-ed pickleball league operating 20 team franchises that compete in a 13-stop regular season across U.S. cities, culminating in playoffs and finals. The league sells event tickets, broadcast/streaming rights, corporate sponsorships, team franchises, and branded merchandise, while running amateur and youth feeder programs (Minor League Pickleball, Junior MLP, MLP Champions Series).

Product overview

Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) is a professional co-ed pickleball league featuring 20 team franchises competing across a 13-stop regular season with nine U.S. city events, a Mid-Season Tournament, and three-stage playoff series culminating in the Finals in New York City. The organization operates as part of the Pickleball Inc. unified ecosystem, which also includes the Carvana PPA Tour, retail operations (Pickleball Central), technology platforms (Pickleball Play Solutions), infrastructure (Just Courts), media (Pickleball TV), and investments in facility franchising (The Picklr) and player ratings (DUPR). MLP complements its core league with youth development through Junior MLP, amateur competition via Minor League Pickleball, senior professional play through the MLP Champions Series, and side events like the Paddletek One Point Challenge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Major League Pickleball Events (MLP presented by DoorDash) Professional co-ed pickleball league featuring 13 regular season event stops across U.S. cities (Dallas, Columbus, St. Louis, Austin, St. Petersburg, New York, Grand Rapids, San Diego, Chicago, Orlando) plus a Mid-Season Tournament, two playoff stops, and Finals in New York City, targeting spectators and pickleball enthusiasts.
• MLP Team Franchises (20 Professional Teams) Sellable ownership stakes in 20 professional co-ed pickleball franchises including Atlanta Bouncers, Bay Area Breakers, Brooklyn Pickleball Team, California Black Bears, Carolina Hogs, Chicago Slice, Columbus Sliders, Dallas Flash, Florida Smash, Las Vegas Night Owls, LA Mad Drops, Miami Pickleball Club, New Jersey 5s, Orlando Squeeze, Palm Beach Royals, Phoenix Flames, SoCal Hard Eights, St. Louis Shock, Texas Ranchers, and Utah Black Diamonds.
• MLP Champions Series Coed competitive tournament for senior players aged 50 and above, integrated into the MLP 2026 schedule with 16 teams across multiple venues.
• Official Ball of MLP (Life Time LT Pro 48) Official competition ball (Life Time LT Pro 48), a 48-hole precision-molded pickleball used across all MLP league events for the 2026 season.
• Paddletek One Point Challenge Side event at the Mid-Season Tournament where amateur players compete for $25,000 in prize money by winning a single point against MLP professional players.
• Pickleball TV Streaming Service Streaming service (joint venture with Tennis Channel) distributing live and on-demand MLP event content to global audiences via Pickleball TV and YouTube.
• Super Sunday Belt Championship Trophy Championship trophy tradition for MLP event winners, designed to be passed between winners to create a continuous storyline throughout the season.

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship/title, core, secondary and minor.

• DoorDashflagship/titleGTM or Marketing PartnerDoorDash is the title sponsor of MLP (MLP presented by DoorDash). This is the primary and most prominent sponsorship designation for the league, providing significant brand visibility and marketing support.
• Tennis ChannelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner for Pickleball TV, the streaming platform for MLP content. Tennis Channel provides broadcast expertise and media distribution for pickleball content.
• Life TimecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLife Time is the Official Ball of MLP, providing LT Pro 48 pickleball balls for all league events. Life Time also operates fitness facilities that host MLP events.
• Owl AIcoreTechnology or IntegrationAI officiating system provider for MLP events, enabling automated and accurate decision-making during matches.
• PlayReplaycoreTechnology or IntegrationAI-powered line-calling technology used during MLP events for accurate in/out call determinations.
• Waterdrop FiltersecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Sponsor of MLP Austin event, providing event-specific branding and marketing support.
• Park Place TechnologiessecondaryTechnology or IntegrationOfficial Technology Partner of MLP, providing technology infrastructure and support for league operations.
• EnginesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Travel Partner of MLP, providing travel services for athletes and league personnel.
• SXYcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Team Uniform and Official Headwear Partner of MLP, providing apparel for all teams and players.
• Once Upon a CoconutsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Coconut Water of MLP, providing beverages for athletes and event hydration.
• PaddleteksecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the One Point Challenge, where amateur players can win $25,000 for winning a single point against MLP pros.
• Cleary GottliebminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of MLP New York team, providing financial support and brand association.
• JOOLAsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Brooklyn Pickleball Team for youth events, supporting youth development and grassroots pickleball.
• Champions Series PickleballcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for senior league (50+) providing competitive pickleball opportunities for older players.
• Pickleball Inc.flagship/titleStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company formed by merger of MLP and PPA Tour, unifying the professional pickleball landscape under single ownership.
• Pickleball CentralcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorE-commerce partner for MLP merchandise sales, distributing league-branded products to consumers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Major League Rugby: Emerging professional team league with a franchise-based model, tour stops, and broadcast distribution challenges. Comparable as a privately backed pro league in an emerging US sport chasing mainstream viewership.
• Association of Pickleball Players (APP Tour): The principal competing professional pickleball tour in the United States, running its own tournament circuit, rankings, and sponsor relationships. Most directly comparable competitor to MLP for top players, sponsors, and broadcast rights.
• World TeamTennis: Co-ed team-format professional racquet-sport league featuring similar franchise and mixed-gender competition structure. Direct analog in racquet-sport team-league format, though at materially smaller scale.
• Premier Lacrosse League: Tour-based professional team sports league that built a similar franchise-owner model, celebrity/investor ownership, and tour-stop event format. Comparable in growth stage, athlete economics, and reliance on emerging-sport fandom.
• Carvana PPA Tour: The other major US professional pickleball tour, recently merged with MLP under Pickleball Inc. Historically a direct competitor on the professional circuit; now a sister property under common ownership, making it the closest structural analog.

Broad incumbents

• Life Time Group Holdings: Operator of upscale fitness and recreation facilities that supplies MLP's Official Ball and hosts MLP events. Comparable as a strategic partner and the dominant physical-facility infrastructure provider in the pickleball ecosystem.
• Drive Shack: Operator of golf-centric entertainment venues (Topgolf-style) and course venues. Comparable as a venue-based leisure/sports entertainment business chasing experiential consumer spend, with shared sponsorship and ticketing dynamics.

Others

• USA Pickleball: National governing body for pickleball in the US. Comparable as the sport's official rule-making and sanctioning authority, directly relevant given the 2026 UPA-A governance split with MLP and PPA Tour.
• DUPR: Universal pickleball rating system in which Pickleball Inc. holds an investment. Comparable as a pickleball data and ranking infrastructure provider on which MLP and PPA Tour competition, betting, and player-development products increasingly depend.

Emerging players

• Athletes Unlimited: Innovative athlete-centric professional sports league operator across multiple sports (volleyball, softball, lacrosse, basketball). Comparable as an emerging-league operator experimenting with non-traditional formats and player-led economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MajorLeaguePickleball
• Instagraminstagram.com/majorleaguepb
• TikToktiktok.com/@majorleaguepb
• Xx.com/majorleaguepb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/major-league-pickleball

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Major League Pickleball