MLP FAQ's

All MLP Events are streamed live. Championship Court matches are streamed both on Pickleball TV and via MLP’s YouTube channel on our Watch page while all Grandstand matches will be solely streamed on MLP’s Youtube Channel on our Watch Page. Following our events, all MLP 2024 Season Matches can be viewed and categorized on our Watch section of the site or on our official MLP YouTube Channel 

MLPlay™ is an innovative gameplay format that brings men and women together on a level playing court. In the MLPlay format team matches are composed of four games, with the first being women’s doubles, then men’s doubles, and the final two games consisting of mixed doubles. This unique dynamic means that teamwork as a skill is just as critical as speed or technique on the court and a big part of the community aspect of the sport!

Unlike traditional scoring, where a team can only score points when they are on the serving side, in rally scoring, a point is earned after every rally, whether it was won by the serving or receiving team. However, the first team to reach twenty points reverts back to the traditional format and needs to win by two. Rally scoring in pickleball benefits fans by providing faster-paced games, increased intensity, easier-to-follow scoring, and enhanced suspense, making the sport more enjoyable and engaging for spectators.

The league consists of 22 geography-based teams split into the MLP Premier Level and MLP Challenger Level. Premier Level is home to the top 64 players while Challenger Level boasts the next crop of 24 draftees looking to make their ascension to the top of the league. The creation of MLP Premier Level and MLP Challenger Level ensures the highest caliber of competition while providing a pathway and opportunities for the next generation of pro pickleball stars to break through!

If both teams are tied at 2-2 after the 4 games played, they’ll go to a Dreambreaker! In a Dreambreaker one person from each team plays singles against each other, switching every four points until someone gets to 21 and wins by two points. To level up the stakes, the home team has to present its singles line-up first then the away team gets the chance to counter that with their own configuration of their lineup to match and counter each player’s skills!

The 2025 MLP by Margaritaville season schedule will consist of a variety of events, spread throughout the country in MLP team markets to bring Major League Pickleball action to more places than ever before. The bulk of the 2024 season will consist of ten regular season events, each featuring a collection of the 22 MLP teams playing multiple matches. Remaining events include the Mid-Season Tournament, two rounds of MLP Playoffs, and the MLP Cup to close out the year.

The kitchen” refers to the non-volley zone, a seven-foot space on both sides of the net. Players cannot volley the ball, meaning hit it in the air before it bounces, while standing in this area. It’s a key strategy area in the game.

Dinking is the crafty, gentle arc shot aiming for the kitchen – it’s all about finesse, not power, landing softly in your opponent’s territory. This game changer adds a sprinkle of strategy to your pickleball play!