the abc's of MLP
This is Major League Pickleball. Major league thrills with the top-ranked pro players and most influential team owners in any professional sport. Major league fan pride with 24 hometown teams competing across six bombastic events nationwide for up to five million dollars in prize money and the bragging rights that come from leaving the court a legend!
MLPLAY Format
MLPlay™ is an innovative gameplay format that brings men and women together on a level playing court. In the MLPlay format team matches are composed of four 21-point games, with the first being women’s doubles, then men’s doubles, and the final two games consisting of mixed doubles. This unique dynamic means that teamwork as a skill is just as critical as speed or technique on the court and a big part of the community aspect of the sport! Access the full rules document here.
one league,
two levels!
The league consists of 24 geography-based teams split evenly into the MLP Premier Level and MLP Challenger Level. Premier Level is home to the top 48 players drafted while Challenger Level boasts the next crop of 48 draftees looking to make their ascension to the top of the league. The creation of MLP Premier Level and MLP Challenger Level will ensure the highest caliber of competition while providing a pathway and opportunities for the next generation of pro pickleball stars to break through!
two seasons
six bombastic competitions
The 2023 MLP calendar features six events across Arizona, California, Florida, and Georgia. The year will be divided into two seasons of three events. In the first season, 12 teams will compete in the MLP Premier Level and 12 will compete in the MLP Challenger Level. The teams will then flip levels and re-draft players for the second season. See MLP Schedule.
MLP season
super finals
On the Monday after the third and final event of the season, the top two ranked teams in each level based on the total event points earned from all three events combined will face off against each other in the season’s Super Finals for the title of Season Champ!
it's all about
rally scoring
Unlike traditional scoring, where a team can only score points when they are on the serving side, in rally scoring, a point is earned after every rally, whether it was won by the serving or receiving team. However, the first team to reach twenty points reverts back to the traditional format and needs to win by two. Rally scoring in pickleball benefits fans by providing faster-paced games, increased intensity, easier-to-follow scoring, and enhanced suspense, making the sport more enjoyable and engaging for spectators.