Major League Pickleball (MLP) is quickly taking the world by storm as the sport continues to blow up with new players and interest in following the pickleball all-stars.
But as the sport gets off the ground and more people tune in, you might be wondering: is there a MLP team near me? Who are the current stars of the sport. And what is the growth potential of professional pickleball?
Here’s everything you need to know about Major League Pickleball, the teams, and the standout stars that are the first to play the sport professionally!
What is Major League Pickleball?
The premier competitive arena for professional pickleball is Major League Pickleball. Although the sport took a long while to gain traction, its recent years have witnessed an explosive rise in interest with the MLP’s 24 professional pickleball teams spread across the United States, “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!” Furthermore, since the MLP merged with the Pro Pickleball Assocation (PPA), professional pickleball has transformed thanks to significant funding.
The inaugural draft for Major League Pickleball took place in October, 2021. Steve Kuhn, a business mogul and genuine pickleball enthusiast, launched the league with the conviction that pickleball can improve the world.
What 24 Teams Make Up Major League Pickleball?
Major League Pickleball has top-tier professionals playing pickleball in cities / states across the country. Follow along to find your local team to root for as the sport continues to blow up!
The league is broken up between two skill levels, with 12 professional teams in each tier: the Premier League and Challenger League.
Premier League MLP Teams
The 12 Premier League pickleball teams and their players include:
- Atlanta Bouncers (Georgia): Parris Todd, Hunter Johnson, Pablo Tellez, Simone Jardim
- Arizona Drive (Arizona): Dekel Bar, Julian Arnold, Vivienne David, Vivian Glozman
- Bay Area Breakers (California): Lea Jansen, Etta Wright, Connor Garnett, Rafa Hewett
- Brooklyn Aces (New York): Catherine Parenteau, Andrea Koop, Hayden Patriquin, Tyler Loong
- Chicago Slice (Illinois): Ben Johns, Jessie Irvine, Lacy Schneemann, Erik Lange
- Columbus Sliders (Ohio): JW Johnson, Meghan Dizon, Maggie Brascia, Collin Johns
- D.C. Pickleball Team (Washington D.C.): Riley Newman, Jackie Kawamoto, Jade Kawamoto, Christian Alshon
- Dallas Pickleball Club (Texas): James Ignatowich, Callie Jo Smith, Allyce Jones, Jay Devilliers
- Miami Pickleball Club (Florida): Federico Staksrud, Tyson McGuffin, Hurricane Tyra Black, Mary Brascia
- Orlando Squeeze (Florida): Rachel Rohrabacher, Anna Bright, Andrei Daescu, Zane Navratil
- Texas Ranchers (Texas): Dylan Frazier, Jorja Johnson, Lauren Stratman, Travis Rettenmaier
- Utah Black Diamonds (Utah): Anna Leigh Waters, Irina Tereschenko, Thomas Wilson, AJ Koller
Challenger League MLP Teams
And the Challenger League boasts 12 great teams from the following regions / states, along with their 2023 rosters:
- Austin Pickleballers (Texas): Tamaryn Emmrich, Daniel De La Rosa, Milan Rane, Ben Newell
- BLQK Bears (California): Marshall Brown, Tina Pisnik, Alix Truong, Anderson Scarpa
- Florida Smash (Florida): Dominique Schaefer, Collin Shick, Brendon Long, Michelle Equivel
- Frisco Pandas (Texas): Andre Mick, Bobbi Oshiro, Martina Frantova, Ryler Deheart
- Las Vegas Night Owls (Nevada): Susannah Barr, Emily Ackerman, Spencer Smith, Yates Johnson
- Los Angeles Mad Drops (California): Jordan Kinney, Gabriel Tardio, Brooke Buckner, Olivia McMillan
- Milwaukee Mashers (Wisconsin): DJ Young, Rianna Valdes, Christa Gecheva, Pesa Teoni
- NJ 5S (New Jersey): Alli Phillips, Stefan Auvergne, Shelby Bates, John Cincola
- New York Hustlers (New York): Jaume Martinez Vich, Jill Braverman, Kyle Yates, Sarah Ansboury
- Seattle Pioneers (Washington): Patrick Smith, Lina Padegimaite, Megan Fudge, Wes Burrows
- Socal Hard Eights (California): Ewa Radzikowska, Carson ‘CJ’ Klinger, Yana Grechkina, Todd Fought
- St. Louis Shock (Missouri): Martin Emmrich, Rob Nunnery, Judit Castillo Gargallo, Gene Erokhina
How Do Major League Pickleball Matches Work?
The MLP follows the rules set in place by the USA PIckleball Association, which reviews feedback from the public and makes changes to the evolving sports’ rulebook on an annual basis.
Match formats for Major League Pickleball are comprised for 4 games with to 21 played between the co-ed teams as follows:
Game 1: Doubles (Women’s)
Game 2:Doubles (Men’s)
Games 3 & 4 (Mixed Dubles)
In MLP tournaments, the first team to win 3 games wins the match (if the first 3 are a sweep, the match is over!) and advance to the next round. If 4 games are played and end in 2-2 draw, the two teams kickoff what’s known as the Dreambreaker round. As explained by Pickleheads, “this is a unique tiebreaker system that starts with one team selecting an order for their four players to play. Next, the opposing team chooses their rotation, after seeing the first team’s order.The players then battle it out in singles pickleball in the agreed order, playing four points before rotating and letting the next player take over.”
Players are competing for a prize pool, which is in the millions of dollars.
Major League Pickleball is comprised of 6 multi-day events across the nation over the course. of two yearly seasons
Who Are the Star Major League Pickleball Players?
The highest ranking players in MLP as of October 2023 include:
Best Mens Players in the MLP:
Ben Johns (Chicago Slice), JW Johnson (Columbus Sliders, Riley Newman (D.C. Pickleball Team), James Ignatowich (Dallas Pickleball Club) and Federico Staksrud (Miami Pickleball Club)
Best Womens Players in the MLP:
Anna Leigh Waters (Utah Black Diamonds), Anna Bright (Orlando Squeeze), Jackie Kawamoto (D.C. Pickleball Team) and Catherine Parenteau (Brooklyn Aces)
How Are Major League Pickleball Players & Teams Ranked?
MLP uses the Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) methodology for rating its players and teams. As explained on the official DUPR website, this “rating is calculated by:
- Margin of Victory (points won)
- Type of Result (recreational play vs. league, sanctioned tournaments, etc.)
- Outcome (Win or Loss)
All players are rated between a 2.00-8.00 score, with the premier pickleball players in the MLP ranking in the high sixes, low sevens on their DUPR score.
Keep Up With the Latest Major League Pickleball News
Pickleball Savant is keeping up with the latest happenings in Major League Pickleball to keep the hardcore fans in the know! Follow along for the latest pickleball news on MLP, the Pro Pickleball Tour, and beyond. And if you’re trying to make it to the MLP yourself, explore these helpful pickleball tips.