The 2025 Major League Pickleball (MLP) season is drawing closer, and the league’s owners, general managers (GMs), and key personnel are gathering for important meetings on Monday and Tuesday at the UPA headquarters in Dallas.
These meetings are expected to finalize crucial details about the upcoming season, including roster changes, player retention rules, and salary structures.
Key Changes and Decisions
Several things are already confirmed for the 2025 season, most notably the roster adjustments that each team must make.
Roster Cuts: Each team is required to drop at least one player before the 2025 season begins. While teams are allowed to drop more than one player, they must make at least one cut. For instance, the Dallas Flash, the 2024 champions, will have to part ways with one of their players—JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, Hurricane Tyra Black, or Augie Ge—despite having kept the same roster throughout the 2024 season.
View this post on Instagram
Waiver and Trade Rules: Players who were acquired after the initial 2024 draft cannot be retained by their teams. For example, Quang Duong, who was picked up by the Texas Ranchers during the 2024 waiver period, cannot be kept by Texas for the 2025 season. Instead, he will enter the free agent pool.
However, players who were drafted in 2024 but later traded to different teams are eligible to be retained by their final team. An example of this is Jay Devilliers, who was traded twice during the 2024 season.
After starting with Orlando, he was traded to Utah, and later to the Columbus Sliders. Despite his injury at the end of the season, Devilliers is eligible to stay with the Columbus Sliders.
Salary Structure for 2025
A significant shift in how player salaries are handled will also take effect in 2025. Under the new structure, teams will no longer directly pay their players’ salaries; instead, the UPA (United Pickleball Association) will handle player contracts. However, teams will still be required to contribute financially to retain their players.
The cost to keep a player is tied to the 2024 Draft Points used to acquire them. Teams must pay half of the player’s 2024 Draft Points in dollars to MLP. For example, Ben Johns, who was drafted for 840,000 Draft Points by the Carolina Pickleball Club in 2024, will cost Carolina $420,000 to keep for the 2025 season.
View this post on Instagram
What to Expect After the Meetings
The upcoming MLP owners meetings will provide further clarity on the final details of the 2025 season. These include the confirmation of player roster requirements, the draft points payment system, and any additional financial adjustments to maintain competitive balance among teams.
Fans and players will be eagerly awaiting the results of the meetings to understand the full scope of changes coming to Major League Pickleball.
News in Brief: 2025 Major League Pickleball
The 2025 Major League Pickleball season will introduce roster cuts and changes in how teams retain players. Teams must drop at least one player, with trade and waiver rules in place. Player salaries will be managed by the UPA, with teams paying half of their 2024 Draft Points to retain players.
ALSO READ: MLP Cup 2025, A Thrilling Conclusion to the Major League Pickleball’s Most Anticipated Event