MLP Champions Series Partners with PickleballTV to Air 2026 Season Matches
Partnership to Deliver 20 Broadcasts Throughout the 2026 Season, Culminating with Championship Coverage Across the 40s, 50s, and 60s Divisions
Palm Springs, CA – July 16, 2026– MLP Champions Series, the premier professional pickleball competition for players ages 40 and over, today announced a new media partnership with PickleballTV to broadcast matches from the 2026 season, bringing fans expanded access to the league’s top competition across the 40s, 50s, and 60s divisions.
As part of the partnership, PickleballTV will televise one featured TeamBattle from each session of every 2026 MLP Champions Series tournament, resulting in 20 total broadcasts leading into Championship Weekend. PickleballTV will also air the 40s, 50s, and 60s division championship matches, giving fans the opportunity to follow the biggest moments of the season all the way through the title matchups.
MLP Champions Series coverage will air on PickleballTV throughout the 2026 season. Regularly scheduled broadcasts air every Monday from August to November with additional original match windows on select Tuesday nights. The season culminates with the Championship matches for all three divisions presented on consecutive nights November 9, 10, and 11 on PickleballTV. Encores will air throughout the season giving fans multiple opportunities to catch the action.
The 2026 MLP Champions Series season begins in Chicago, July 23-26, and will feature elite competition from some of the sport’s most accomplished and recognizable players across three age-based divisions.
“We’re thrilled to partner with PickleballTV to bring MLP Champions Series to a wider audience and give fans a front-row seat to some of the best competition in professional pickleball,” said Rod Davis, CEO of MLP Champions Series. “Our players in the 40s, 50s, and 60s divisions are incredible athletes with great stories, and this partnership allows us to showcase both the intensity of the matches and the personalities behind them. It’s an exciting step for our league and an important part of continuing to grow the Champions Series brand.”
“Our goal at PickleballTV is to showcase the very best of the sport, and MLP Champions Series represents an important part of pickleball's competitive landscape,” said Adam Friedman, Director of Programming & Strategy at PBTV. “This partnership allows us to highlight elite competition from the 40 and up divisions while giving fans consistent access to exciting team matches throughout the season.”
The PickleballTV partnership marks another major step forward for MLP Champions Series as it continues to grow its national footprint and showcase the highest level of professional pickleball competition for the 40+ athlete market.
For more information on the 2026 MLP Champions Series season, including schedule, teams, and broadcast details, visit champions-series.com.
About MLP Champions Series
Champions Series Pickleball, formerly the National Pickleball League (NPL) is the premier professional league for Champions Pros. Entering its 4th season, CSP has some 330 Champion Pro players representing 16 teams across age group divisions for pros 40+, 50+, and 60+. For more information visit champions-series.com.
About PickleballTV
Co-owned and partnered with the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour, Pickleball TV is the 24-hour television home of America’s fastest growing sport. With coverage of more than 30 top-level PPA and Major League Pickleball (MLP) team tournaments throughout the year, the network offers more than 1,000 hours of live matches from the game’s top professionals and biggest stars – names like Ben Johns, Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright. PBTV also provides viewers with first-class instruction, exclusive lifestyle programming, studio news content and more.