Major League Pickleball (MLP) has made its first international expansion, bringing the popular sport to Australia through a partnership with the Pacific Pickleball League (PPL). The strategic collaboration involves rebranding PPL’s team format to Major League Pickleball Australia, showcasing the best players in the country and offering record prize money.
Pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the United States with over 36 million players, has been gaining significant popularity in Australia, where an estimated 25,000 individuals are already playing the game. The partnership between MLP and PPL aims to capitalize on this momentum by standardizing and professionalizing the sport in the country.
With the launch of Major League Pickleball Australia, the Pacific Pickleball teams, namely Sydney Smash, Melbourne Mavericks, Brisbane Breakers, and Gold Coast Glory, will now operate under the MLP banner. Additionally, the teams’ events will align with the MLP format, while the Pacific Pickleball brand will continue to be used for open and masters events in the traditional tour format.
MLP CEO Julio DePietro expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, This partnership is a landmark moment for the sport of pickleball. Major League Pickleball is at the forefront of standardizing the best professional pickleball league, not just in the U.S. but globally. He added that the MLP format would create even more excitement at the already vibrant team events.
Adam Thompson, CEO, and co-founder of Pacific Pickleball, emphasized the impact of the collaboration, saying, By partnering with MLP, we will set record levels of prize money and host world-class events, supporting the growth of the sport in Australia. With close to a million dollars in cash prizes set to be awarded over the next year, MLP Australia aims to attract elite players and provide them with a platform to showcase their skills.
The inaugural season of Major League Pickleball Australia will commence in Brisbane from September 8 to 10, followed by events in Melbourne and Sydney later in the year. These highly anticipated series will not only showcase the highest level of the sport but will also offer the most prize money in the southern hemisphere.
Recognized as the official professional pickleball league of Australia, Pacific Pickleball, in partnership with the Pickleball Australia Association, aims to harness the sport’s growing popularity in the country. Brendan Lee, from Pickleball Australia Association, highlighted the need for professional events, stating, The explosive popularity of the sport in Australia has created a strong need for professional events. Participation in the sport currently exceeds 25,000, and membership has doubled in the last 12 months.
Major League Pickleball (MLP), founded in 2021, is the premier team-based professional pickleball league in the United States. It features nearly 100 top athletes, a unique co-ed format, notable team owners, an innovative draft format, and the largest payouts in prize money across all professional pickleball leagues. In December 2022, MLP named Margaritaville as its title sponsor, adding to the league’s credibility and reach.
By expanding to Australia in collaboration with Pacific Pickleball League, MLP aims to continue growing the sport’s role in society and impacting the global pickleball business. With its commitment to professionalizing the sport and providing exciting team events, the partnership between MLP and PPL envisions a bright future for pickleball in Australia.
