Major League Pickleball has signed new local media partnerships with Gray Media that will result in the matches being broadcast over the air in four markets across the United States. The deal applies to the upcoming 2025 season, which begins later this month with an event taking place from the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. The teams included within the partnerships and expanded event distribution consist of the Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock and Columbus Sliders, and games will be televised both in home and surrounding marketplaces on different regional channels. These outlets include the Peachtree Sports Network (Atlanta), Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network (Carolina), Matrix Midwest (St. Louis) and Rock Entertainment Sports Network (St. Louis).
“Growth in pickleball has been incredible over the past few years with the sport now being played by over 20 million people,” Samin Odhwani, chief strategy officer of the United Pickleball Association, said in a statement. “We are excited to continue serving that audience and others by bringing Major League Pickleball to the masses and working with an incredible partner like Gray Media to serve fan bases in our local MLP team markets.”
The 2025 MLP season spans from April to August, and it is going to include 10 regular-season events, a Mid-Season Tournament and two-week playoff, but the MLP Cup will be a standalone event in November. Information surrounding match scheduling and distribution will be revealed about 30 days before each event, and it will also be covered in full on Pickleballtv and the Pickleballtv App.
“Gray is constantly adding new options to our free, over-the-air broadcast sports networks and we are excited to bring this coverage to the passionate and fast-growing Major League Pickleball fan base,” Sandy Breland, chief operating officer of Gray Media, said in a statement.
This new deal further bolsters the Gray Media portfolio, which renewed all ABC station affiliate agreements towards the end of last year and has also engaged in select local simulcasts of New Orleans Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks NBA games. In addition to these presentations, which also includes the St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals under deals with these teams, Gray Media rebranded to its current name after it had previously been known as Gray Television.
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