PPA Tour, MLP will begin renegotiating player contracts next month

Alex Lantz

Director of Content

Last Edited

Jun 24 2025

July 1-Aug. 15 (Priority Renewal Window)

• Open to all contracted players signed during the Fall 2023 window colloquially
known as the “Tour Wars."

• Players will have the opportunity to sign a new contract covering the 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons.

• Benefits include a minimum annual guaranteed compensation, access to an enhanced prize pool (Gold Contract Grid) and a clause ensuring that "No other player will receive access to a higher prize money structure during the term of their agreement."

Aug. 15-Sept. 23 (Standard Renewal Window)

• Open to all current contracted players.

• Players will have the opportunity to sign a new contract covering the 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons.

• Potential prize money earnings is less than the enhanced prize pool offered to players during the priority renewal window.

• Limited number of spots available for the Standard Contract Prize Money Grid.

Sept. 23-Nov. 1 (New Player Signing Period)

• Open exclusively to new players.

• Players will have the opportunity to sign a new contract covering the 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons.

• Players will have access to the same prize money grid as those signed during the Standard Renewal Window.

• Limited number of spots available.

After Nov. 1 (Futures Prize Pool)

• Players signed after Nov. 1 will remain on the Futures Prize Money Grid for a minimum of 6 months.

• To move up to the Standard Prize Money Grid, players must achieve a Top 25 ranking in at least one of the three divisions (Singles, Mixed Doubles or Gender Doubles), have a top 30 PPA Tour World Ranking (a composite ranking of all three divisions) or be moved up by the UPA professional player committee.

Note: Current signed players who do not extend during the open windows will remain
on their current contracts through the 2026 season. Most current contracts will expire on Dec. 31, 2026.

PPA Tour, MLP to restructure schedules moving forward

Outlined in the memo to players is a general schedule for when PPA Tour and MLP events will occur. Moving forward, the PPA Tour will operate from September through May, and MLP events will take place from May through August.

In prior seasons, including this year, PPA events and MLP events have been interspersed throughout the year, although this year MLP was condensed to an April-August window.

Under the new contracts, each player will be required to participate in a minimum of 25 PPA and MLP events:

• 15 PPA Tour events (3 slams, 4 Cups, 1 World Championships, 6 Opens, 1 international tour stop and the PPA Finals, if the player qualifies).

• 6 MLP events + MLP playoffs (if the player qualifies)

• 4 events selected by the player. These can include PPA Opens, PPA World Championship Series events, PPA Challenger events and international PPA Tour events.

Players who sign contracts will be required to compete exclusively in UPA-sanctioned events, which include PPA Tournaments and MLP Events. Players may not participate in any other pickleball-related activity (including tournaments, exhibitions, or
fundraisers) without prior written approval from UPA.

With the PPA/MLP transitioning to a prize money-based incentive model, the UPA is also committing to the following:

• Two referees per court to ensure fair and accurate officiating.

• Line calling technology implemented on six professional courts.

• Live streaming available on six professional courts

New prize money tiers

Gold Contract Grid

Note: This prize money grid is only available to current UPA players with active contracts who agree to extend under the new model. New players will not be eligible for this grid and will compete for standard or futures prize money. Players who do not agree to a contract extension during the summer of 2025 will lose access to this grid permanently. Aug. 15 is the last day the Gold Contract Prize Money Grid is available for signing a new deal. UPA is committing that this will be the minimum prize money offered. It only has the ability to grow, not decrease.

Standard Contract Prize Money Grid

Note: This prize money grid applies to pro players who signed a contract with the UPA after the Fall of 2023 (the conclusion of the “Tour Wars”) or currently signed UPA players who do not reach extension before the Aug. 15 deadline, and, as a result, are not eligible for the Gold Touring Pro Prize Money Grid.

Futures Contract Grid

Note: Players signed by the PPA Tour after Nov. 1 will be placed on the Futures Contract Pro Prize Money Grid. These players will remain on the Futures Contract Pro Prize Money Grid for 6 months. In order to move up to the standard prize money grid, players must achieve a Top 25 ranking in one of three divisions (Singles, Gender Doubles, or Mixed Doubles), have a Top 30 PPA Tour World Ranking, or be moved up by the UPA Professional Player Committee.