Landmark MLP News

Since its founding in 2021, a main pillar of Major League Pickleball’s overall mission has been – and remains – to create the best possible culture, atmosphere, and opportunity for professional pickleball players throughout the MLP ecosystem.

To date, that vision has focused on staging best-in-class MLP events with amazing energy and the most player-friendly environment in pickleball. This player-focused culture has allowed MLP to create a schedule, playing format, prize money pool, and overall experience that is unmatched in the sport.

It’s been a remarkable couple of years already, and it is about to get better.

To that end, MLP very proudly announces that it has begun to sign top players to multi-year, guaranteed contracts and embarked on a plan to sign many additional current pros to such agreements. Innovative elements of these contracts include a player off-season and enhanced financial security, in response to player feedback. The players spoke, and we listened.

We are confident that this revolutionary strategic shift will provide the best chance for long-term success.

Here’s why:

1. It’s 100% consistent with Steve’s Kuhn’s mission and vision for leveraging the power of the MLP brand to create a unique, mutually beneficial collaboration between the League, its owners, and its players;
2. It’s in the best interest of the sport of professional pickleball – both now and in the future – as MLP continues to define the standards for pro pickleball athletes;
3. It’s what the players want, need, and deserve; and
4. It provides the platform for MLP players to lead the way in spreading the joy of the game to the broader ecosystem of pickleball players across the globe.

There is no future for the sport without the players, and as the sport continues to professionalize, MLP is committed to setting the gold standard for players. All of these efforts will help create long-term value for MLP players, teams, and owners.

Steve’s vision has always been to build and grow MLP and the sport of pickleball thoughtfully and with all important stakeholders in mind. This decision is a response to feedback and conversation with our player community about what they need to earn a professional living and continue pushing the sport forward.

Steve deeply believes that pickleball can unite people and help save the world. So far, we believe that he has been proven right, and today marks another important step in that direction.