Major League Pickleball 2025 Free Agency Drafts FAQ

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the 2025 Premier (Sun, Mar. 2) and Challenger (Mon, Mar. 3) Free Agency Drafts. Follow along on the MLP website & social media, and tune-in to Pickleballtv at 7 p.m. ET for a full recap on both days.

Q: What are the 2025 MLP Free Agency Drafts?
A: The Free Agency Drafts are how Premier and Challenger teams will complete their rosters for the 2025 season. Each of the Free Agency Drafts will use a dynamic bidding process, the same process used for the 2024 Premier Level Draft. Teams will bid for draft slots, then select from the pool of available players. There is no spending cap for the Drafts.

Q: How many players will be selected in the Drafts?
A: In 2025, Premier Level teams will have rosters of six (three males, three females). On Feb. 16, all teams had to declare their player keepers – who were carried over from 2024 (there were some eligibility requirements) – and drop at least one player. A total of 40 Premier players were kept and all kept players must slot into a team’s top four roster spots.

All teams will have to fill out their first four (4) roster slots during the Draft before bench players are able to be selected.

That means a total of 56 selections will be made in the Premier Free Agency Draft (24 spots to fill out starting fours for all 16 teams, then 32 more picks to build out bench players).

The six Challenger teams will remain at four players (two male, two female) per roster. A total of 13 players were kept, leaving 11 open roster spots for the Challenger Free Agency Draft.

Q: How does Premier Free Agency work?
A: On Sunday, March 2, Premier teams will complete their roster of six players. Teams will acquire between three and six players, and all teams will have three males and three females.

Q: Are there bidding minimums?
A: There will be a minimum bid of 10,000 draft points for every draft slot until all teams have four players. Once all teams have two men and two women, bid minimums will then lower to 1,000 for each of the final 32 picks (each Premier team’s 5th and 6th roster slot).

Q: How do I follow along?
A: The Drafts will start at Noon ET, with selections shared to MLP’s website and social media accounts. 

A comprehensive draft recap and 2025 season preview show will air LIVE on Pickleballtv from 7-8:30 p.m. ET. Join hosts Dave Fleming and Matt Manassee for a full rundown of the draft process and outlook for the season ahead.

Q: What about Challenger Free Agency?
A: Challenger teams will complete their rosters on Monday, March 3, filling up to four spots (two males, two females). Teams will acquire one-four players, depending on how many players they kept. Challenger Free Agency bidding starts at 1,000 Draft Points per selection.

Q: How do I follow along?
A: The Draft will start at Noon ET with selections shared to MLP’s website and social media accounts. 

A draft recap and 2025 season preview show, hosted by Will Daughton and Blaine Hovenier, will air on MLP’s YouTube show at 7pm ET.

Q: Who is eligible to be drafted?
A: Only UPA contracted players are eligible to be drafted and play in MLP events in 2025.

Q: Can players be kept by teams after Free Agency?
A: Yes! Players acquired via 2025 Free Agency can be kept in eligible future years for a dollar amount equal to the number of Free Agency points spent on their selection, as long as they are on an MLP team roster throughout the season without being  dropped or claimed on waivers.