New owners include Patrick Mahomes, Naomi Osaka, Devin Booker, Heidi Klum, Eva Longoria, Michael Phelps, and Mark Cuban.
MLP by Margaritaville (MLP) announced today new ownership groups for its expanded 24-team league. The owners join as the league approaches a transformative year, bringing expertise across entertainment, media, and sports. From Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes to four-time tennis Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, from supermodel and cultural icon Heidi Klum to award-winning actress Eva Longoria, from World Cup champion Mesut Ozil to NBA game-changer Jeremy Lin, the new owners bring an array of experience unrivaled in professional sports ownership.
The diversity in the backgrounds and expertise of our fantastic new owners is an incredible asset as we aggressively expand Major League Pickleball to reach more fans than ever. We always say pickleball brings people together, and this roster of leaders from across a wide variety of industries is a strong testament to that philosophy.
Brian Levine, Interim CEO, MLP by Margaritaville
The owners selected their teams in the MLP Challenger Level draft, with full rosters, team names, and locations revealed today. In 2023, these 12 teams compete in the Challenger Level in the first half of the year and switch to the Premier Level in the second half; the previously announced group of 12 teams starts in the Premier Level and switches to the Challenger Level on the same timeline. All 24 teams start on equal footing in 2023, fighting for position for the 2024 season, which brings a promotion and relegation system to major U.S. sports for the first time.
With the expansion to 24 teams, MLP is offering up to $5 million in prize money and payouts to its players in 2023. With the first pick of the Challenger Level draft, the D.C. Pickleball Team, owned in part by Eva Longoria, Mesut Ozil, Kate Upton, and Justin Verlander, selected Sam Querrey. Querrey, who recently retired from professional tennis after winning 10 ATP Tour titles and reaching a Wimbledon semifinal, begins his journey into pro pickleball with MLP.
The 2023 MLP by Margaritaville calendar features six events across Arizona, Florida, California, and Georgia, divided into two seasons of three events each:
Major League Pickleball (MLP) is the premier team league and standard-bearer for the fastest-growing sport in the United States. With iconic team owners, a coed team format, an innovative draft, easy-to-understand scoring, and the highest prize money events in pro pickleball, MLP's goal is to elevate and grow the sport in everything it does.
Margaritaville, a state of mind since 1977, is a global lifestyle brand inspired by Jimmy Buffett, with over 25 lodging locations and an extensive suite of food, beverage, hospitality, and real estate experiences. margaritaville.com