Major League Pickleball Announces Partnership with Sports Tech Company Owl AI

League Joins Trailblazer Program for Automatic Line Calling and Challenge System in 2026, Bringing Fairness and Equity to Sports Officiating via AI

Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) today announced that they have partnered with Owl AI – a sports technology company that is transforming how sports are judged, coached, and experienced – as a pioneer member of Owl AI’s trailblazer program, in which proprietary technologies will be used for automatic line calling and the league’s in-match challenge system during the 2026 MLP season.

These technologies will be used in partnership with the league’s existing match referees to provide accurate, faster, and more consistent turnaround times for challenged plays and will debut at the upcoming Carvana PPA Tour event in Zion, Utah in March 2026.

“It is paramount for MLP to strategically align with innovative companies like Owl AI to enhance the reliability of our challenge system and the overall production quality of the on-court product,” said MLP Commissioner Samin Odhwani. “Major League Pickleball has shown remarkable growth since inception in 2021, and we are constantly striving to make improvements and showcase the best version of MLP for our current and future fans, players, and teams.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Major League Pickleball, a league that shares our vision for the future of sports technology,” said Josh Gwyther, CEO of Owl AI. “MLP’s selection of Owl AI is a testament to their innovative spirit. Our AI platform is built to deliver the speed and accuracy that a fast-paced sport like pickleball demands. This partnership will not only enhance the integrity of line calls and challenges for players but will also create a more engaging and transparent experience for the millions of fans watching.”

Owl AI’s intelligence system will sit behind standard cameras to make judging decisions. In contrast to expensive hardware systems used in other sports, the Owl AI platform leverages advanced generative AI and computer vision to analyze video delivering human-level accuracy in judging and data analytics. As a 100% software-based solution, Owl AI integrates seamlessly with existing broadcast cameras, eliminating the need for expensive, proprietary hardware and making elite-level insights accessible to any sport, at any level.

Major League Pickleball generated a host of record-breaking metrics during the 2025 season, highlighted by sponsor revenue more than doubling year-over-year, 94% growth in ticket revenue, a 52% bump in total attendance, linear TV hours more than doubling via national broadcaster and local partnerships, and over 400% gains in social media impressions. MLP also set new all-time league highs for multiple team valuations in 2025, including the LA Mad Drops ($13 million – majority stake sale record) and Palm Beach Royals ($16 million – expansion franchise record).

Founded in May 2025, Owl AI is the world’s first end-to-end AI platform designed to bring fairness, clarity, and immersion to judged and referee-influenced sports. Built by elite athletes and top technologists, Owl AI delivers real-time scoring, global commentary, and intelligent insights — transforming the athlete, fan, and league experience forever. The technology is built to serve as a new layer of intelligence and objectivity for athletes, fans, coaches, and officials alike — across all sports. Since its debut at X Games Aspen earlier this year, where it made headlines for its ability to judge, predict and commentate professional snowboarding performance, Owl AI is experiencing unprecedented demand.

About Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash)

Founded in 2021, Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) is the preeminent, coed, team-based professional pickleball league, featuring over 100 of the best athletes across 22 teams, iconic team owners, and the most electric live events and fan experience in the sport. In 2024, MLP and the PPA Tour merged under the newly-formed United Pickleball Association (UPA), bringing together the leading pro pickleball organizations under a single entity. Visit the official website and follow MLP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for more information.

About Owl AI

Founded in 2025, Owl AI is a sports technology company building the future of officiating, coaching, and fan experience. The Owl AI platform leverages advanced generative AI and computer vision to analyze video delivering human-level accuracy in judging and data analytics. As a 100% software-based solution, Owl AI integrates seamlessly with existing broadcast cameras, eliminating the need for expensive, proprietary hardware and making elite-level insights accessible to any sport, at any level.