NEWS

USA Pickleball and UTR Sports have announced a partnership establishing UTR as the technology, software, and ratings partner of USA Pickleball, which includes their events, tournaments, leagues, and recreational activities.

This is interesting because UTR comes from the world of tennis and is relatively new to the world of pickleball, but does have a strong reputation as being a leader in the world of tennis.

This announcement comes just a week after DUPR announced a similar partnership with UPA, the newly formed entity overseeing the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball.

With this decision, USAP is vacating their antiquated rating system, UTPR, which was not able to keep up with the times.

Related: One of the Biggest Partnerships in Pickleball History Just Announced

This was never more apparent than at last year’s USAP’s National Championship in Dallas where players with DUPR 5+ ratings were being forced to play in 3.5 brackets.

It is good to see USAP ripping the band aid off and making a decision to go with something other than UTPR. However, it feels like we are in for another battle with UPA siding with DUPR and now USAP choosing to go with UTR.

• DUPR is better positioned in the marketplace, having a couple of years head start in pickleball
• That doesn’t mean UTR can’t mount a viable defense and compete for the crown
• When it comes to ratings, the sport would really benefit from having a single rating system as there is enough confusion in the marketplace as it is

We hope this is a case of good old fashioned capitalism and the competition makes them both better, catering to the needs of the players and organizers of tournaments, leading to a better experience for us all.

Premier level Major League Pickleball team, the Utah Black Diamonds, will build a $25 million pickleball facility in South Jordan, Utah -- the league's first team home base and club for members.

The team partnered with GCTM Investments and The Picklr for the development, which is slated to complete in summer 2025.

Located just south of Salt Lake City off of I-15, the facility will feature a slate of impressive specs:

• 36 pickleball courts
• 1,500-seat Championship Court with VIP box seating
• Two grandstand courts
• Full gym & recovery center
• Café, bar, and social centers
• Pickleball Central Pro Shop

Unlimited pickleball play and access to all of these amenities will be available for one price. 

Programming will include open play, clinics, tournaments, league play, ladders, and more.

Construction begins this October.

Read Next: Grading the 2024 Major League Pickleball Draft Picks

Some of the biggest names in organized pickleball have announced a landmark partnership that could stand to change the landscape of ratings and tournament experience in the sport.

Pickleball Inc., the United Pickleball Association (UPA, a.k.a. the parent company of Major League Pickleball & PPA Tour), and DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) have announced a partnership to "provide pickleball players with a best-in-class experience when engaging...in tournaments, leagues, club and recreational play," according to a press release.

Whew. We're glad we didn't have to read that part out loud. There's a lot going on here.

So: what does this all actually mean?

Breaking Down the Partnership

UPA has designated DUPR as the official rating system across its properties and competitions.

It's no secret the UPA - and, more specifically, Connor Pardoe and the PPA Tour - favors the DUPR rating system. 

Pardoe himself even left this post in our Facebook group just days before the announcement went live:

It’s time for everyone to understand the best thing for pickleball is to universally adopt DUPR as the ONLY rating system. Anything else hurts the sport. DUPR is by far the best and has the most market share. We all have things to improve on but anyone not using DUPR is silly. It took us awhile to find a path forward but at the end of the day we need to make decisions that help us grow the sport and move it forward. Adopting DUPR does just that.

While the main competitors to UPA, USA Pickleball and the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) have taken the side of DUPR's rating competitor UTR, it seems PPA/MLP have chosen DUPR for the long term.

This new deal also means Pickleball Inc. will adopt DUPR as the exclusive rating provider for its software and technology, including Pickleball Brackets, Pickleball Tournaments, and Pickleball.com’s club, league and ladder software.

When DUPR was cut off from the data at pickleball brackets, it lost key data points, making some question the app's overall accuracy.

Now, in striking this relationship between all of these brands, DUPR has the lion's share of tournament data which will ultimately fuel the efficacy of the app's algorithm.

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DUPR does allow for recreational games to be included, with a different (read: lighter) weight of importance given to such games. 

Ultimately, consolidation over basic aspects like player ratings should help keep pickleball on a steady growth trend and eliminate confusion across the board.

You’d be (partially) forgiven for assuming that the PPA North Carolina Cup 2024 was just another pro event. After all, it’s a busy month for the PPA and pro pickleball in general.

But there were some serious standout moments during the event that made for a very entertaining – and unexpected – watch.

Here are a few important moments from pro pickleball last week:

She Did It

In our “3 Reasons to Watch” preview article, the headlining story was that the young GOAT, Anna Leigh Waters, was going for her 100th PPA Tour title.

Naturally, she did. But let’s examine what makes this such an achievement, regardless of the 17-year-old’s age:

• ALW holds more Triple Crowns (winning singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the same event) than anyone in the sport with an astounding 24
• Her totals in each category now consist of 36 singles titles, 31 women’s doubles titles, and 33 mixed doubles titles
• She is the all-time leader on the women's side in PPA Tour titles
• Her 100 total gold medals is 63 more than her nearest competitor on the women’s side (doubles partner Catherine Parenteau is next with 37)
• ALW has won at least one gold medal in 41 of 45 PPA Tour events played

Watch the moment she defeats Catherine Parenteau for 100 titles (swipe right):

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Key Upsets from New Faces

It feels like 2024 will be the Year of Upsets on the PPA Tour - and not necessarily just among the cream of the crop. 

Some new personalities are stepping into pickleball's Big Leagues. Augie Ge, recently drafted to MLP's Premier League, teamed up with Jaume Martinez Vich for a finals run where they claimed a game (but not a match) against the Johns Brothers.

Genie Bouchard, the celebrated former tennis player, hadn't shown much result prior to this tournament. She beat Lauren Stratman for her first win on the PPA Tour.

See that match here:

Audrey Banada and Sarah Ansboury, the #15 seeds, got the win over Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher in the round of 16. 

For more pickleball updates…

Did you know we recently revamped our entire newsletter? We call it The Kitchen 2.0…But we hope you’ll think it’s 5.0. 

Click here to subscribe. It’s free, it won’t take up much of your inbox, and it’ll have something for every pickleball fan inside, every week (not to mention some giveaways). 

ALSO: Two of The Kitchen’s founders just started experimenting with a new short-form video recap series called “The Pickleball Report.” 

Check out the first episode below:

If you've played pickleball, chances are you've played with a Franklin X-40.

The USA Pickleball-approved ball is one of the most commonly-seen in recreational pickleball and has become the ball of choice for over 500 tournaments worldwide each year.

“Our propriety process begins right out of the gate when our custom powder blend is poured into the cavities of the rotation molding machine," says Director of Product Management Ryan Fritschy.

"The balls are then removed and placed into our patented robotic drilling system, which drills our specific 40-hole pattern in under 5 seconds. The balls are then tested, analyzed, and inspected to ensure each ball is built up to our standards before being packed and sent out the door. “

Franklin recently announced some major news for the ball and where it's being used in large-scale capacities.

APP's Official Ball

The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) announced they've renewed their partnership with Franklin in a multi-year agreement where the X-40 is now the official ball of the APP Tour and APP Next Gen Series events.

“Over the years we have found a shared foundational commitment to creating greater visibility for pickleball and providing exceptional pickleball experiences for all levels of pickleball athletes," says Adam Franklin, President of Franklin Sports.

"We are happy that experience will now see athletes of all levels utilizing the number one pickleball in the sport, the Franklin X-40, at all APP Tour and Next Gen Platform events.”

UTR Sports Partnership

UTR Sports, the pickleball and tennis ratings/events platform, has also announced Franklin as their official ball partner.

The UTR Sports Pickleball Amateur Series is a new year-round series of pickleball tournaments held across the United States throughout 2024.

Two of the Pickleball Amateur Series events are USA Pickleball Golden Ticket qualifiers, where players have a chance to earn the opportunity to pre-register for the 2024 USA Pickleball National Championships.

The UTR Sports Pickleball Amateur Series will offer multiple guaranteed games, competitive matches, and quality playing environments for registrants, according to a press release.

All participants in the Pickleball Amateur Series will compete with Franklin X-40 pickleballs, including at the Golden Ticket events. 

The next UTR Sports Golden Ticket events will take place May 29-June 2, 2024 in Macon, GA, and July 10-14, 2024 in Arvada, CO. Divisions will include men’s and women’s singles and doubles, and mixed doubles, at multiple skill and age levels.

Read Next: Jorja Johnson’s Achievement is a Familiar Story in Pro Pickleball

Major League Pickleball just completed its 2024 Premier Level draft, meaning we're starting to understand where professional, team-based pickleball is headed this year.

Before I dive in to the grades, a few surprising things that I want to mention...

Notable veteran players not drafted: Rafa Hewett (MLP DAWG), Pat Smith (who has been playing great lately), Irina Tereschenko (5-time MLP champion), DJ Young (though was Challenger last year too), AJ Koller (could be injured), and Travis Rettenmaier (also might be injured).

Notable up-and-comers not drafted: Jaume Martinez Vich (he's a beast and improving by the day), Jack Munro, Roscoe Bellamy, Daniel De La Rosa, Collin Shick (thought Jack would draft him maybe), Ewa Radzikowska (winning machine at MLP), Vivian Glozman, Brendan Long, and I'm sure I'm missing others.

The draft format and production must be better: No one had a clue what was going on leading up to the draft. The format was confusing. It should have been $1M dollars for everyone.

Not sure why they needed to do yet another cash grab from owners. The production was really lacking. When will they learn?

MLP 2024 Draft Results & Grades

Seattle Pioneers (Ben Johns, Andrea Remynse Koop, Jessie 'Trinity' Irvine, Collin Johns) = B+

I don't know how teams allowed Ben to get Collin. Someone should have bit the bullet. This team has by far more pickleball reps than any team in the league and there's something to be said about old trusty vets who have played A LOT together and against each other.

Ben and Collin might lose a couple of games all season, and while Jessie and Andrea aren't spring chickens, they are smart, solid, and will hold down the fort.

I think Collin and Andrea make for a great mixed team and obviously Ben and Jessie will be dangerous. Jessie will know her role and is as smart as any player out there. Actually, the IQ level of this team is off-the-charts.

Columbus Sliders (Riley Newman, Meghan Sheehan-Dizon, Connor Garnett, Brooke Buckner) = B+

The men's duo of Riley and Connor is different and potentially very strong. I'm surprised Connor dropped to the third round. Meanwhile, Meghan seems to be at her best in MLP.

I don't know a ton about Brooke, but if she can hold her own, then this team could definitely be holding the trophy when all is said and done.

Dallas Pickleball Club (JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, Tyra Black, Augie Ge) = B+

JW and Jorja together is a total home run, and the combo of Tyra/Jorja is going to be lethal.

I haven't seen a ton of Augie, but he's definitely been a name to watch lately and having three solid all-stars will definitely make him more comfortable in his first go-around at MLP.

JW hasn't been at his best in the team format since the early MLP days, but with Jorja by his side, I think we'll see the upside of JW.

DC Pickleball Club (James Ignatowich, Rachel Rohrabacher, Dekel Bar, Allyce Wilson-Jones) = B-

I love this mix of young blood in James and Rachel with the old guard in Dekel and Allyce.

James and Dekel will be a force at the baseline and the kitchen while Rachel and Allyce will play with more heart than any women's duo out there.

I also love the potential mixed pairs of James with Rachel and Dekel with Allyce. Dekel hasn't been great at MLP since I can remember, but I think this might be the right mix to get him there.

Arizona Drive (Andrei Daescu, Dylan Frazier, Lacy Schneemann, Kaitlyn Christian) = B-

Andrei Daescu might be the best player in the world right now, and Dylan Frazier might have as much potential as any player in the world.

Dylan has never truly shined at MLP, and if it's going to happen, it might very well be with Andrei. Their hands are going to be tough to get a single ball by.

The women's side of things is a bit more of an unknown. Lacy has had moments of greatness at MLP, but I've also seen her look a bit lost. I don't know much about Kaitlyn, but she's one of the hot names on tour, so perhaps she's this year's Rachel Rohrabacher.

New York Hustlers (Jack Sock, Jackie Kawamoto, Lea Jansen, Carson Klinger) = B-

The combo of Jack Sock and CJ Klinger are going to be fast, odd, and furious. You won't find two more athletic guys on the same team, and I can't wait to see Jack try to bring more personality out of the 'youngin.

I surely hope they face-off against the Johns bros. Jack and Jackie or Lea is going to be dangerous. I think Lea could soar with Jack by her side as he'll keep her positive and Lea will likely respect Jack's pedigree.

Jackie is as solid as they come, so whether she's with Jack or CJ, she'll absolutely be the rock. Lea and Jackie also will be an interesting duo and could cause some serious static.

LA Mad Drops (Catherine Parenteau, Thomas Wilson, Jade Kawamoto, Hunter Johnson) = B-

This team is gonna be real fun to watch. Catherine Parenteau and Thomas Wilson are proven MLP entities and won a championship together with the Mad Drops.

Hunter Johnson was a Premier League fill-in before last season and got dealt a bad hand with his former team. Thomas and Hunter are great friends and played excellent pickleball at PPA Austin, so I expect big things out of them.

Jade, like her sister, will be a rock for this team and will pair nicely with Hunter or Thomas.

St. Louis Shock (Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, Gabriel Tardio, Kate Fahey) = B-/C+

I am really torn here on their grade. On one hand I don't know ANYTHING about Kate Fahey, but on the other hand I trust Anna Bright to pick diamonds in the rough. She proved she could do it with Viv Glozman and Rachel Rohrabacher.

Anna Bright and either Hayden or Gabe are going to bring some potency, and Gabe and Hayden together will be as fun to watch as any men's team.

Gabe seems to be really coming into his own right now and Hayden is an MLP beast. Their grade ultimately will come down to if the masked woman Kate Fahey can hold her own.

Orlando Squeeze (Federico Staksrud, Vivienne David, Parris Todd, Jay Devilliers) = C+

On paper this team looks good, but I think what happens in reality is anyone's guess. Federico Staksrud has come leaps and bounds since this time last year, and Parris Todd has won two MLP championships.

With that said, Parris took time off from MLP and hasn't fully come back to form since then. Vivienne David will be all smiles and I think a fun partner for Parris. I'm guessing she'll play mixed with Jay.

I really don't understand why Fed didn't choose his homie Pablo or Jaume. It doesn't make any sense. Jay is a weird one. He still has all the tools, but I can't remember the last time he sat atop a podium. With that said, I'll always root for the Flying Frenchman, and this team as a whole is very easy to root for.

EDIT: Jason Aspes just informed me that "Parris and Viv both right side players. Fed couldn’t pick Pablo because he’s a lefty and neither girl comfortable playing left with Pablo."

New Jersey 5's (Anna Leigh Waters, Zane Navratil, Mari Humberg, Will Howells) = C-

It's hard to give any team with ALW a C-, but I'm struggling to find matchups that this team will win beyond maybe ALW and Zane.

Anna Leigh has been streaky in the MLP format, and while Zane has had a ton of success at MLP, I'm curious how they would be as mixed partners.

I know next to nothing about Mari and Will except for the fact that Will trains with Anna Leigh in Florida, and one must guess that she didn't draft these two without knowing a thing or two about their abilities.

At the very least, this will be an interesting team to keep an eye on.

Utah Black Diamonds (Tyson McGuffin, Callie Jo Smith, Tyler Loong, Alix Truong) = C-/D+

There are so many question marks with this team:

1) Is Tyson McGuffin healthy?

2) Is Callie still able to be the beast that she once was?

3) Will Tyson and Tyler kill each other?

4) Is Alix Truong ready for primetime?

It really feels like owner Connor Pardoe may have been trolling pickleball fans with this team. Callie and Tyler make sense given the Utah connection, but Tyson and Tyler have been known enemies and had a couple of run-ins.

Perhaps this is just what they need to squash their beef, and in theory, they could be quite good together.

Callie and Alix will be an interesting combo as well. Who knows, I could be totally wrong here, but my gut says the three leaders on this team are on the back half of their careers.

Texas Ranchers (Christian Alshon, Marietta Wright, Tina Pisnik, Pablo Tellez) = D-

From the beginning of this draft, this team had me scratching my head.

Christian is a great player, no doubt, but felt like a reach at #7 and for $560k. I believe he could have absolutely been had in the 2nd round, and while he's had a ton of success at MLP, he's always been on great teams with Alphas or amazing women.

I'm not certain he's ready to be the leader of a Premier team, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

I love Etta. She is a beast. Nothing to fault with this pick.

Tina Pisnik felt like a massive reach as well. She went ahead of a TON of talented women and I wouldn't have been surprised if she dropped to Challenger.

I'm guessing the Ranchers know something I don't know. Pablo Tellez feels like a steal in the last round, and he and Christian did win Challenger together a couple of seasons ago.

But that was against much lesser talent. I struggle to see how this team will win any matches. I think they are going to have to stack the lineup with Christian and Etta and hope the rest can eek out some wins.

Now, we await the Challenger Picks. Find a full MLP event schedule here.

Watching pro pickleball can be overwhelming, even for those who already consider themselves enthusiasts. So we’ve taken note of some of the most exciting or otherwise interesting storylines, rivalries, and projections for upcoming matches to bring you “3 Reasons to Watch.”

Here are some moments to look forward to during the PPA North Carolina Cup this week, from Thursday’s qualifiers through Championship Sunday.

Will Pickleball’s GOAT Earn 100 Triple Crowns?

Anna Leigh Waters, the number one pro pickleball player, currently has 99 PPA Triple Crowns under her belt, among many other distinctions.

But that means this weekend, she could walk away with a record-breaking 100.

Here’s the breakdown on her stats thus far:

• 35 titles in singles
• 30 titles in women’s doubles
• 32 titles in mixed doubles

McGuffin & Ignatowich Return

We haven’t seen Tyson McGuffin in a while due to an injury that left him out of the last two tour stops. This week, however, he’s cleared to play in all three events.

Meanwhile, James Ignatowich is also back from injury.

At the last PPA event in Austin, James’ friend and regular drilling partner Andrei Daescu took two titles in his place, most notably defeating Anna Leigh Waters & Ben Johns with Jame’s usual partner Anna Bright (more analysis on that match here).

We’re eager to see if James & Anna can pull off a title of their own.

Doubles Partners to Battle in Singles

Genie Bouchard, a notable tennis player and relative newcomer to pickleball, will take on Dominique Schaefer – the same player she’ll partner with in the women’s doubles event.

Potentially awkward for them, but exciting for us.

Bonus: Celebrity Pro-Am

A celebrity pro-am match will take place Saturday, April 6 from 2-3pm ET featuring Carolina Hurricanes Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour, former players Cam Ward and Justin Williams, and UNC Basketball Legend Tyler Hansbrough. Learn more here.

Where to watch the PPA North Carolina Cup: Catch the action starting 11am ET Wednesday on Amazon Prime and Pickleballtv.

Some of North Carolina's most important sports icons will compete against Genie Bouchard, Jack Sock, and other top PPA Tour pros during the North Carolina Pickleball Pro-Am on Saturday, April 6 from 2-3pm ET at Cary Tennis Park.

Carolina Hurricanes Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour and former players Cam Ward and Justin Williams will join UNC Basketball Legend Tyler Hansbrough in the exhibition, which will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.

• Rod Brind’Amour has served as the Hurricanes’ head coach since 2018-19. He became the first head coach in franchise history to win the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s Coach of the Year.
• Cam Ward won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP during the Hurricanes' memorable championship run in 2006.
• Justin Williams is a three-time Stanley Cup Champion, winning titles with Carolina in 2006 and Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014.
• Tyler Hansbrough is a UNC Basketball legend - an NCAA Champion, NCAA Player of the Year and 3x First-Team All-American. 

The event comes on Semifinal Saturday of the Fanatics Sportsbook North Carolina Cup, a stop on the PPA Tour.

Tickets and registration are available at ppatour.com. Broadcast coverage of the Fanatics Sportsbook North Carolina Cup will be hosted across Amazon Prime Video, ESPN2 and PickleballTV.

That's the number of college campuses which have either installed pickleball courts or even instituted competitive pickleball clubs. 

Ben Van Hout at DUPR told KWTX News that it’s not just the big schools that take the sport seriously. "From 17 schools to 130 in a year is pretty tremendous. I probably see it doubling or tripling next year.”

Pickleball Scholarships? 

The NCAA hasn't officially recognized pickleball - yet - but regardless, every new semester brings more reports of schools offering scholarship money for pickleball players.

Drury University's pickleball program will be one of the first in the U.S. with a full-time head coach, scholarships for student athletes and an on-campus facility.

Drury University's new on-campus pickleball facility.

NCAA's regulations state at least 40 schools must sponsor a sport before "championship" consideration. Only a percentage of that 130 schools who currently have pickleball clubs have done that - but surely 2024 will be the year that benchmark is met. 

Read Next: Pickleball in Africa Just Reached a Major Milestone

If you haven’t already heard, the best-performing doubles team in pro pickleball was recently taken down for the first time in over a year by Anna Bright and Andrei Daescu. 

We caught up with Andrei after the win to glean more on how he and Anna defeated Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters – a pair who previously hadn’t lost a single gold medal match. 

Following are some insights from Andrei:

The winners’ mantra was simple: stick to the plan

“We respected them, but knew we had a chance for victory if we executed our plan,” Andrei says. 

In game 1, the pair’s plan seemed to stick. Even when they were on the defensive, they doggedly pursued resets to shape the course of the point. 

One amazing example of this: 

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“We put together a tactic that played to our strengths,” Andrei tells us. “And we stuck to it.”

It all hinged on game 2

Take a look at the scores for all three games played in this match: 11-3, 11-9, 11-3. Where game 1 was a closeout for Daescu/Bright, game two was critical. 

Some early misjudged speedups on Anna Leigh by Andrei and several lead changes slowed the pair’s progress.

“Game 2 was tough, I was getting shut down by Anna Leigh. But Anna was great at coming in and taking timeouts at the right times, talking to me and telling me what I needed to hear.” 

An unsuccessful point challenge by Anna Leigh Waters at 9-9 ultimately set favor back on Daescu/Bright, and it wasn’t long until they clinched game 2.

Takeaways for recreational or competitive players

We tend to think of the pro and recreational scenes as completely different beasts. But are they? 

“The court is the same dimension and the balls and paddles are more or less the same no matter the level of play,” Andrei says. “Really, the only difference might be overall athleticism.”

And while that can only be gained by intense training, there are some things Andrei says players at all skill levels can glean from watching this match: 

Stay focused, even when you gain momentum. Two out of three games were easy wins for Daescu/Bright – not that it was easy to do, just that they stayed locked onto their mission and stuck to the strategy they set for themselves. 

But they also knew they’d face some points that wouldn’t go their way, so they had to be ready to accept pressure and reel it in when it counted.

We asked Andrei if there was a particular moment during the match that he felt most confident in securing their victory…in hindsight, that may have been a stupid question.

“You gotta go in believing you can win. It would be arrogant to expect it, but you have to believe,” Andrei says. “If you start thinking about winning while you’re playing, you’re not playing anymore, you’re spectating.”

Understand your team’s strengths. “A lot of players play kind of randomly. We were prepared for most situations knowing what to do when things didn’t go our way because we knew we’d picked a strategy that played to our strengths.”

A great example of the theme of this match: Daescu floats a ball that could be wide, but the team takes advantage of ALW hitting it anyway, staying locked-in during the reset to ultimately pounce on a speedup:

No, you shouldn’t expect a recurring Bright/Daescu partnership

Many may now wonder: will the Bright/Daescu team strike again? Andrei wants to get ahead of any rumors that could spark now that the pair achieved such a momentous win.

“There’s no intention whatsoever of me getting in the way of Anna’s playing partnership with James. I live less than 30 minutes away from them and we practice together often. I’m confident they’ll dominate together once James is healed.”

Read Next: A Hot Take Re: Pickleball Line Call Etiquette

Pro pickleball's team-style league, Major League Pickleball (MLP), will hold their 2024 Drafts for both Premier Level and Challenger Level early next month.

The news comes just about a week after the league announced their 2024 schedule of events.

The Premier Level draft will take place Tuesday, April 2 at 6 p.m. ET. The Challenger Level draft will go down on Wednesday, April 3 at 6 p.m. ET. 

Both drafts will be held remotely.

Differences between Premier and Challenger drafts

The Premier Level draft of 48 players will, as always, feature four players per team with two men and two women on each roster. 

Here's how the Premier process works:

• Interested teams submit bids for the first overall draft slot
• Teams may bid more than once
• The team with the largest financial commitment has three minutes to select any player from the available player pool
• The process will repeat for each pick until 48 players have been selected

"A unique dynamic bidding process will be used and teams will have a budget to spend on a total of four winning bids to develop their roster," according to an MLP press release.

Meanwhile, the Challenger team draft is a bit different this year.

This time, 72 total players will be drafted: six per team, three men and three women, allowing for lineup decisions and substitutions during events.

A snake format, where the draft order will reverse in even-numbered rounds, will be used for this draft.

Draft slots will be randomly assigned at least one week before the draft and teams will have three minutes to make each pick once they are on the clock, MLP says in their release.

Read Next: Riley Newman's Decision Means We'll See Less of Him on the PPA Tour

The pro pickleball world witnessed history unfold this morning as Anna Bright and Andrei Daescu achieved what many deemed impossible - they toppled Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns in a gold medal match.

Even more remarkable: they did so without conceding a single game.

Seeded at number four, Bright and Daescu staged an awe-inspiring performance, outmaneuvering the top-seeded Waters and Johns with scores of 11-3, 11-9, 11-3 to clinch the title. 

See the final point here (scroll right): 

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The matchup marked Bright and Daescu's debut as partners in a PPA event, with Daescu filling in for James Ignatowich, who is currently recuperating from a shoulder injury. 

For Waters and Johns, accustomed to dominance on the court, the defeat served as a stark reminder of the sport's unpredictability. It marked the first loss for the Waters/Johns duo in nearly a year.

Weather conditions added an extra layer of complexity to the encounter, with gusts of wind favoring Bright and Daescu.

Read Next: Jorja Johnson’s Achievement is a Familiar Story in Pro Pickleball

Despite a fleeting opportunity for Waters and Johns in the second game where they held an 8-4 lead with the serve, Daescu and Bright swiftly regained control.

We’ll have more analysis on this historic match once PPA Tour has uploaded it in its entirety. Stay tuned.

There’s something familiar about pickleball pro Jorja Johnson making headlines at last week’s APP Sacramento Open.

The 17-year-old made APP Tour history as the third woman to win a triple crown, and simultaneously, the youngest to do it. 

Only Simone Jardim (at Delray Beach in 2022) and Parris Todd (at Newport Beach and Punta Gorda in 2023) had achieved the distinction before her.

"It was an incredible feeling to earn the Triple Crown,” Jorja told The Kitchen. 

“It’s been one of my goals for a long time and to be able to do it while I’m still a teenager makes it even more special.”

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Jorja’s presence in the sport, in addition to other high-ranking young people like World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters or Hayden Patriquin, no doubt paves the way for the next generation of elite pickleball players.

But her arc to success is remarkably similar to those of other recent pros:

The irony of us writing this article and talking about the effects of media attention on young people is not lost on us. But as the world takes pro-level pickleball more seriously, we’ve seen coverage of its athletes skyrocket, even from outside the pickleball media sphere.

Forbes, for example, has an entire profile on 17-year-old Anna Leigh Waters, who’s made countless headlines in national publications already; another commonality between young pros.

But so far, Johnson seems to be taking the attention humbly and with a healthy outlook.

“The media attention was definitely never something I anticipated Going through but I’m just really thankful for everyone who cheers me on through tough matches and most importantly, my family and friends who are always there to keep me humble,” she says.

MLP by Margaritaville (Major League Pickleball) have updated their 2024 schedule of pro pickleball events.

Fans of pro pickleball have likely waited on this news for some time. It marks the first official announcement from the league since it finalized its merger with the Carvana PPA Tour (PPA Tour).

MLP's new 2024 schedule

The 2024 MLP schedule will feature 11 total events, hosted across 10 different states.

The schedule comprises eight regular season events, a mid-season tournament, and two rounds of playoff events.

All MLP teams will appear in four of eight regular season events, with a combination of six Premier Level and six Challenger Level teams in action at each event.

According to a company press release, more details on the 2024 MLP competition structure, individual 2024 MLP team schedules, and the 2024 Premier and Challenger Level Drafts will be announced soon.

Based on the new event timeline, we can only assume a draft will take place within the month or early next month -- though that is only conjecture at this point.

(Image: La Presse)

Two-time golf champion Bernhard Langer will miss this year's Masters event for only the second time in 40 years due to an Achilles tendon tear sustained while playing pickleball.

We guess he wanted to keep that last part a secret for a while. When he first announced the injury last month, he said it was sustained during a "training exercise." 

Side note: if pickleball trains you for golf, we should all expect to receive invites to next year's Masters. But I digress.

Langer admitted it was actually due to a pickleball injury on a recent Musings on Golf podcast episode.

"I play all sorts of sports to stay fit, and this was part of my fitness regime. I was playing pickleball and somebody was trying to lob me. I did a few steps backward and hit an overhead, and as I landed on the ground with my feet I heard this huge pop, very loud, like a gun shot. I knew right away it was a torn Achilles."

Langer had surgery and expects to recover in time to play in May events.

Last year, the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) announced broadcast deals with CBS Sports and ESPN. Now, the league is doubling down on distribution. 

Live coverage of all standard 2024 events will be broadcast by CBS Sports, ESPN, and FOX Sports in a slate of deals that ultimately doubles the amount of live coverage from 2023, according to an APP press release.

Over 40 hours of live pickleball plus over 200 hours of livestream coverage for three of the five competition days will be broadcast at every APP Tour event.

“Our events are exciting, engaging and feature some of the world’s best talent," APP Chief Marketing Officer Tom Webb says.

"We’re excited to showcase these players and additional stories that exemplify what pickleball is all about. We’re grateful for the support from CBS Sports, ESPN and FOX Sports for providing the APP and the sport of pickleball with a platform to share these stories with the world.”

Read Next: Real Clear Stats – “Pickleball by the Numbers”

The APP also dropped a full calendar of broadcast events for 2024. Find that below:

The “not in my backyard!” mentality we’ve seen countless communities take up against pickleball and its noise doesn’t seem to phase homebuyers.

In the housing market, pickleball has instead become a feature, not a detraction, from a home’s worth.

Zillow, the home buying, selling, and renting website, just dropped its 2024 Hottest Home Trends report, which examined about 300 home features and design styles mentioned in for-sale listing descriptions on Zillow. 

They identified keywords showing up far more frequently than they did a year ago…lo and behold, pickleball made the list.

This fast-paced paddle sport is becoming a sought-after amenity in backyards and neighborhoods. In New York City, StreetEasy is seeing a 100% increase in the share of for-sale listings highlighting a home’s proximity to public or private pickleball courts. Nationwide, pickleball references are up 64% on Zillow compared to last year. – Zillow report

“Pickleball courts have become a great selling feature because they appeal to athletes of all ages,” says Joy Kim Metalios, a Zillow Premier Agent. 

“I’ve seen homeowners converting their driveways into courts by using portable nets. Players with ultra-luxury homes are painting new pickleball lines on their sport courts or tennis courts.

Related: Pickleball is Getting Dangerous

"Since pickleball is such a social sport, an at-home court has become the latest entertaining feature, like an outdoor kitchen or a pizza oven.”

Tips for pickleball-loving home buyers

Now that the housing market is catching on to pickleball-as-a-feature, finding something that either has or is close to a court may become challenging. 

Metalios suggests those looking to add a pickleball court to their own space should keep an eye out for other keywords in listings:

• Basketball courts: even a half-court may be placed in an area where there’s enough space for a full pickleball court to replace it.
• Tennis courts: whether the property in question has its own tennis court or is close to a municipal or school court, consider the possibility of buying a pickleball net (see our nets here) and some tape.
• Squash: you won’t see in-home squash courts as often as you will basketball or tennis, but it is a popular pastime in some areas. Regardless, these spaces transition easily for pickleball.

“There’s lots of spaces where one could place a court,” Metalios says. “You just have to keep an eye out.”

Riley Newman, ranked number 2 in Men’s and Mixed, likely won’t continue playing on the PPA Tour this year – at least not as frequently as he did last year.

Instead, he’s chosen to keep his original contract with Major League Pickleball (MLP), which has certain implications involving his schedule. 

More from Riley Newman:

Back in August of 2023 when I agreed to my original MLP contract I was very excited about the next 3 years of my pickleball career.

The MLP deal allowed me to play my favorite events in pickleball (team tournaments), teach engaging clinics across the country, and continue to travel all over the US and beyond spreading the love of pickleball.

When PPA made their offer, I was grateful and appreciative, but at the end of the day I wanted to do what I thought was best for me and my future (both on and off the pickleball court). 

I have thoroughly enjoyed competing on the PPA Tour since the start of 2020, but I’m ready to look ahead and embark on a new pickleball journey with MLP! 

More on what’s changed

Riley’s statement above is phrased very carefully. He didn’t say he won’t play in PPA events – just that he’s excited to play in MLP. 

Months ago, before the two tours consolidated under one company, the PPA Tour asked pros to take voluntary pay cuts in order to keep the merged business model sustainable. This was after both tours engaged in a bidding war for players’ exclusive contracts (some of which reportedly came with big sign-on payouts).

The renegotiation allowed MLP players to fold in to PPA events with all expenses paid – as long as they renegotiated their contracts.

We can only assume the original deal Riley struck with MLP might be more lucrative than if he’d won every single PPA event in the calendar year.

The landscape of pro pickleball has changed dramatically over the last few years. Most recently, it was war-torn as Major League Pickleball (MLP) and the PPA Tour jockeyed for dominance in the pro scene. But an agreement has been struck that could bring order to (and inject some much-needed cash into) the sport.

The two former competitors have announced they’ve closed the deal on their merger, consolidating themselves into a unified pro pickleball holding company.

The deal is backed by $75 million in investments from private equity firm SC Holdings, D.C. Pickleball Team owner Al Tylis, PPA Tour owners Tom Dundon and the Pardoe Family, and some existing MLP team owners, according to a joint press release.

We did it! Today is an exciting day for everyone involved in the world of pro pickleball, the @PPAtour & @MajorLeaguePB merger is complete! We are ready to get to work and create a sustainable, viable, and healthy ecosystem in which the best players in the world can be showcased.

— Connor Pardoe (@connorpardoe_pb) February 29, 2024

Wait, why does this matter?

Regardless of your interest in watching pro pickleball, this deal matters for a few reasons:

• It brings a significant amount of money to the pro scene, which serves as a platform for some of the most talented players in the world
• The more money and unification in the pro scene, the more large-scale exposure pickleball as a sport can afford to invest in
• The merger combines two formats of play – geographically-defined teams (think NFL, NBA, etc.) & individual (like PGA) – under one umbrella
• The investment and harmony brought by a merger should make it more accessible and easier to tune in to different types of high-level matches 

Players no longer have to take sides

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the PPAxMLP merger closing is that over 150 professional pickleball athletes no longer feel pressured to pick a side or sign their life away in some exclusive contract.

According to the release, the players have now signed multi-year contracts with the new conjoined entity, with many agreeing to play within an expanded slate of events that will combine individual, PPA-style matches with team-based MLP matches. 

The players will also stand to earn more than ever before. 

“Combined annual player payouts under the new unified organization in 2024 are expected to increase by nearly 250%, compared to 2023, which will provide more players with the opportunity to approach the sport as a full-time career,” the press release says.

Following the completion of the merger, the 2024 Carvana PPA Tour will include a calendar of events that began on January 9 at PPA Tour: The Masters in Palm Springs, California, and will feature 25 tournaments culminating with the PPA Tour Finals in San Clemente, California, on December 5-8. 

The 2024 MLP season schedule will feature a collection of regular season events, in addition to the 2024 MLP Mid-Season Tournament in July, and the 2024 MLP Playoffs in November. The league’s 24 teams will be divided across two levels - Premier and Challenger - with each team appearing at numerous regular season events.

Side note: we’d be remiss if we did not mention that this newly-unified entity is technically not the first pro pickleball league to offer both team- and individual-style play. 

Last year, the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) – traditionally an individual-style format – announced it will add team-based events to its 2024 roster.

UPDATE 3/27/2024: The holding company representing the merged entities of PPA Tour and MLP has announced its name and logo, as well as a new tour called United Pickleball State Championship Series.

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A post shared by United Pickleball (@unitedpbassoc)

No further details have been announced in regards to the United Pickleball State Championship Series, though we can only assume it will build on the amateur experience built by the PPA Tour.

India’s foremost media mogul wants pickleball to be a worldwide phenomenon – or at least, more of one.

The Times Group, an Indian news and entertainment company, has announced its Pickleball World Series. The series of six events will begin in the United States and travel across different continents.

The Times Group touts this as the “first tournament with global ambitions” (for the record, one could argue that title already belonged to one of a few international competitions like the inaugural APP Atlantic Cup set to premier this year). 

The World Series events aims to “provide action-packed competition along with scintillating entertainment built around the game,” according to a press release. 

Pickleball World Series format

In the first year, the Pickleball World Series will comprise 64 players in the individual format and six teams of four players each, from the US and the rest of the world, including India.

Individuals representing their respective countries will compete in individual Series events. Top players will then split into teams led by owners as opposed to countries. 

Pranav Kohli of Pickleball Asia and new Series CEO, says the format is also based on a complementary points-based rating system called Pickleball World Rankings, a system categorizing amateur and professional players from around the world.

“This year, we will see widespread adoption of Pickleball World Rankings across the globe. We aim to sanction 1000-plus PWR events next year. So there will be plenty of points available in 2025.”

Kohli says once teams form, Pickleball World Series will ensure owners are “diverse and global.”

A global vision

While pickleball was invented in the United States and gained most of its initial popularity there and in Canada, we were curious to know if Kohli felt that it was important to show North Americans that other parts of the world take the sport just as seriously. 

But he had a different take:

“I do not think that we need to show it to anyone. One country has to really take lead and adopt a sport fully for other countries to follow suit and this is what happened to Pickleball during pandemic and post. The sport has faced its own challenges, with opposition…questioning whether the sport has the capability to hold crowds – both in the stadium and on TV.  

“I think we, the pickleball community, are answering these questions from every corner of the world. Pickleball World Series is the embodiment of this spirit of the community. It is the tour and league Pickleball deserves.”

More details about the Series’ initial schedule are expected later this year.