Fans Can Now Nominate Picks for The Dink Awards

For the first time in Dink Awards history, fans can now nominate their picks across a wide range of categories, helping shape who makes the final ballot when voting opens in January. If you’ve ever felt like an award missed the mark, this is your chance to fix it.

Last year, the Dink Awards drew more than 13,000 total votes, cementing them as one of pickleball’s true people’s choice awards. This season, we’re handing even more of the process to the community that lives and breathes the sport.

Nominations are officially live now at dinkawards.com.

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A Bigger Ballot Than Ever

The 120/Life Dink Awards feature 24 total categories, spanning every corner of the pickleball world — from the best players on tour, to the creators, facilities, gear, and moments that defined the year.

Of those 24 categories, 17 are fully fan-nominated, meaning the finalists won’t be decided behind closed doors or by a single panel. They’ll be built directly from the community.

The remaining categories use objective criteria — such as top player rankings, league rosters, or standout results — to ensure the best performances of the year are properly represented on the final ballot.

How the 120/Life Dink Awards will play out:

Step 1: Fan Nominations (Live Now)
Fans can submit nominations in eligible categories at dinkawards.com, spotlighting the players, teams, creators, facilities, and moments they believe deserve recognition.

Step 2: Finalists Selected
Once nominations close, The Dink team will review submissions and finalize nominees based on vote volume, eligibility, and category criteria.

Step 3: Fan Voting (January 5–21)
Final voting opens January 5 and runs through January 21. Fans will once again decide the winners.

Step 4: Winners Announced
Winners will be revealed by their respective category host

Introducing Category Hosts

New this year, the Dink Awards are introducing Category Hosts, respected experts, creators, and voices from across the pickleball ecosystem.

Each host is aligned with a specific award category and will:

Promote nominations and voting
Add context and commentary around their category
Announce the winner when the time comes

It’s another step toward making the awards more connected to the community and the culture driving the sport forward. Full host details can be found on the awards site.