NPL Media Release
The inaugural season of Professional Pickleball in Australia – National Pickleball League Season 1, completed on Sunday 2nd June, with The Jalapenos from Victoria being crowned champions and earning the largest ever prize money seen in Pickleball in the southern hemisphere.
The first season of professional Teams Pickleball in Australia consisted of 108 players, across 18 teams in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Each team played 5 rounds of regular season games (10 matches) in their state conference, before the Top 8 teams battled it out in the finals series held at NPL’s venue – The Jar in South Melbourne, over June 1st and June 2nd.
The #1 Seed – Jalapenos, who went undefeated in the Victoria conference faced off against the #2 Seed – Aliens, who went undefeated in the New South Wales conference in the Grand Final. On the show court at Australia’s only dedicated indoor venue , the Jalapenos ultimately prevailed 3-1 after winning the final Gender Doubles set – 21 to 17. The Jalapenos took home the grand prize of $50,000 with the Aliens taking home $20,000 in 2nd place.
In the 3rd place match, the Turtles from NSW defeated the Iguanas from QLD, taking home $10,000. All 8 NPL Season 1 finalists received a prize pool of at least $3,000.
Fresh off the back of the great success of NPL Season 1, NPL announced Season 2, starting on August 17th, 2024 with another $100,000 Prize Pool and 18 teams returning across the three states. The NPL Season 2 Draft will be held on July 14th, where 144 players will be selected to compete in the 2nd official season of Professional Pickleball in Australia. More information can be found online at: https://www.nplpickleball.com.au/npl-season-two
Six Zero Pickleball & Squealing Pig Wines were proud major sponsors of the NPL and will continue to be a driving force behind NPL Season 2. Pictured is NPL S1 winners – The Jalapenos with their cheque & Squealing Pig winning prizes.