Major League Pickleball (MLP by Margaritaville) has announced the dates and formats for the upcoming 2024 Drafts for both the Premier Level – Tuesday, April 2, at 6 p.m. ET – and Challenger Level – Wednesday, April 3, at 6 p.m.
The Premier Level Draft will take place remotely and see 48 players selected – four per team, with two men and two women on each roster. A unique dynamic bidding process will be used and teams will have a budget to spend on a total of four winning bids to develop their roster.
To begin the draft, interested teams will submit bids for the first overall draft slot. Teams may bid more than once for the currently available draft slot. The team that has made the largest financial commitment at the conclusion of bidding will earn that draft slot and have three minutes to select any player from the available player pool. The process will repeat for each pick until 48 players have been selected and all 12 team rosters are filled.
The Challenger Level Draft will be held remotely, with 72 players to be selected – six per team, with three men and three women on each roster, which will allow for lineup decisions and substitutions during events for the first time. A snake format – where the draft order will reverse in even-numbered rounds – will be used for the Challenger Level Draft. Draft slots will be randomly assigned at least one week before the draft and teams will have three minutes to make each pick once they are on the clock.
About MLP by Margaritaville
MLP by Margaritaville (Major League Pickleball) is the preeminent team-based professional pickleball league, featuring over 100 of the best athletes across 24 teams, a unique coed format, easy to understand scoring, iconic team owners, and the most electric live events and fan experience in the sport. Founded in 2021, MLP named its first-ever title sponsor, Margaritaville, branding the league MLP by Margaritaville in December 2022. For more information on Major League Pickleball, visit the official website and follow MLP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
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