MLP Launches The Dink MiLP Regional Showdowns for Amateur Players

Major League Pickleball is creating a new bridge between the amateur and pro games.

MLP and The Dink Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) announced the launch of The Dink MiLP Regional Showdowns, a new series of amateur team competitions that will take place alongside select 2026 MLP tour events.

Registration is now open through MLP’s official website.

The events are designed to give amateur players a clearer pathway into high-level competition while experiencing the atmosphere of professional pickleball.

Regional Showdowns will feature The Dink MiLP’s signature team-based format, with players competing either in four-person coed teams (two men and two women) or in MiLP’s three-player gendered team format, known as MiLP v3.

According to Waseem Mansoor, MLP’s Director of Team Business & Operations, the goal is to bring the grassroots side of the sport closer to the professional stage.

“This partnership is about community first — creating a structure where aspiring players, local markets, and professional teams all operate within the same system."

The Showdowns will run alongside seven MLP tour stops in 2026:

Dallas, TX — May 22–25
Columbus, OH — May 28–31
Austin, TX — June 11–14
New York, NY — June 25–28
Newport Beach, CA — July 16–19
Chicago, IL — July 23–26
San Diego, CA — Aug. 13–16

Players of all ages and skill levels can participate, with divisions organized by DUPR rating. Teams may enter independently or compete under an affiliated MiLP team umbrella.

The stakes go beyond the individual events. Division winners will earn a “Dream Ticket," automatically qualifying them for the The Dink Minor League Pickleball Championships in early 2027.

Every match will also contribute to the MiLP National Leaderboard, and because the Showdowns are designated marquee events, participants will receive double leaderboard points based on their team’s finish.

DUPR VP of Revenue Cesar Clemente said the initiative strengthens the development pipeline that connects grassroots players with the sport’s top stage.

“Minor League Pickleball is building the base and Major League Pickleball is building the spotlight,” Clemente said.

“When you connect a true grassroots pathway with a real pro stage, you don’t just grow a sport — you build a system.”

For amateur players, the concept is simple: compete in the same team format used by the pros — and do it at the same events where the sport’s biggest stars are playing.

Learn more and register to participate here.