Major League Pickleball Announces 2024 Divisions

Fresh off their thrilling playoffs, Major League Pickleball announced its teams for the upcoming season. The league’s Premier Level, featuring players taken in the top half of their draft, will feature the top two finishers from the previous regular season – the Orlando Squeeze and D.C. Pickleball Team. Also returning to the top division are the Arizona Drive, Columbus Sliders, Utah Black Diamonds, Texas Ranchers and Dallas Pickleball Club.

Noticeably missing from the top division are the Chicago Slice, who won last season’s title in dramatic fashion – the team dropped to the second-tier Challenger Level.

The Premier Level will also feature newcomers the New York Hustlers, Los Angeles Mad Drops, Seattle Pioneers, St. Louis Shock and New Jersey 5s.

How the Divisions Were Set

The divisions were determined by a descending-price auction, with the 12 highest bidders getting a spot in the top tier. According to league Chief Operating Officer Bruce Popko, the competition to earn a spot in the top tier shows just how quickly the sport is growing.

“Through this process, we are seeing the unwavering commitment and investment of MLP’s owners - some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders - as sponsorship revenue, audience viewership, and franchise values all continue to grow,” Popko said in a statement released Monday.

MLP Going Forward

The top six teams from each tier will qualify for their respective division’s playoffs. Starting next season, the top four teams from the Challenger Level will be promoted to the Premier Level. The league said that they will release team schedules and details about their draft shortly.

The announcement comes in the middle of MLP’s merger with the Professional Pickleball Association, as the two leagues figure out what their partnership will look like in the future.

As far as professional pickleball tournaments go, all eyes are are on Major League Pickleball. As they say in the biz: let's play pickleball!