Major League Pickleball (MLP) New Owner Gary Vaynerchuk

“It’s so obvious to me as a macro thing,” said Vaynerchuk. “Obviously I hope the MLP is the big winner, but I would be flabbergasted if there wasn’t a substantial league that was a viable business in 15 years in America and around the world in pickleball.” Vaynerchuk’s investment is part of MLP expanding from eight teams to 12 for the '22 season.

Major League Pickleball: "We believe pickleball makes the world a better, more joyful place. From thrilling events and experiences to high-quality live broadcasts for fans around the world, our goal is to elevate and grow the sport we love in everything we do."  MLP is the elite professional pickleball competition that sees teams of two women, two men, compete in a unique format that has set new standards in the fastest growing sport in America. MLP’s first-ever event, which took place in November, 2022, raised the bar for pro pickleball, introducing broadcast and event production innovations that saw MLP awarded the title “Event of the Year” by The Dink. In addition to MLP’s goal to create engaging new platforms to showcase the best professional female and male pickleball players worldwide, MLP is also focused on helping build the grassroots of the sport, attracting both new participants and fans to pickleball in the USA and worldwide. 

MLP will host its 2022 player draft on May 28 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in N.Y. amid the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) Tour’s New York City Open. The league has also now finalized plans for its first event of the year, which will take place in June at the Dreamland facility in Dripping Springs, Texas. The draft and first competition will both be livestreamed across MLP digital and social channels, and the tournament finals will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.

“MLP is the most exciting brand in pickleball, a sport that I’m very excited to be coming into at such an important stage of its development,” said new MLP Team Owner, Gary Vaynerchuk. “I’ve been watching the growth of the sport over the last couple of years, and waiting for the right opportunity to jump in. What MLP is creating is precisely what I think pickleball needs - innovation, equality, great competition, and a central focus on the social community that this sport creates.”“