Get ready for an MLP whirlwind this summer. We have barely recovered from the first event of the season, MLP Dallas, and we are one day away from starting MLP Columbus.

Pickle and Chill is once again hosting the MLP Columbus event, a beautiful outdoor/indoor venue with many courts. 

Now that we have seen how MLP works by watching the Dallas event, I don’t think I need to get into the rules or format as much. 

Instead, let’s get into the top questions for the weekend.

Do the New Jersey 5s and St. Louis Shock Bounce Back?

The Shock and the 5s both dinished 3rd and 4th, respectively, in Dallas. Is that a bad result? Absoutely not, but I can tell you both teams wished they were playing for 1st place on Monday, instead of 3rd.

Which one of these teams can bounce back and make it to Super Sunday for the title match? I’d say the Shock have the easier route to do so.

Which Teams Playing in MLP Columbus for the First Time Will Stand Out?

The following teams are playing in MLP Columbus for the first time this season:

• Atlanta Bouncers
• California Black Bears
• Chicago Slice
• Miami Pickleball Club
• Florida Smash
• Las Vegas Night Owls
• Palm Beach Royals

The team on this list with the most pressure on them is the Palm Beach Royals (discussed below). Which team from the list of teams is able to step up and get some wins for their club this week?

Miami is looking hot with Nico and Yuta just winning gold in a Challenger last week, Atlanta’s men are really in form, and Chicago has a bunch of veterans on the team.

What Do the Hometown Columbus Sliders Do With Parris Todd Back?

Obviously Parris is a top five doubles player in the world (and still top 5 in singles, despite not playing it the past four months). Parris Todd was fined $50,000 and suspended two events before her return to competition at MLP Columbus. Danni-Elle Townsend performed admirably in Dallas, and so did Alix Truong. This a great problem to have if you are Columbus. 

What Do the Expansion Palm Beach Royals Do in Their First-Ever MLP Event?

There has been a lot of hype around the Royals since their expansion was announced last year. MLP Columbus is their first real test. They spent money in the offseason on Sofia Sewing, paid money for Dekel Bar and Tina Pisnik, and then paid for Tyson in the draft. They are betting on a lot of veteran leadership to help them in the 2026 year.

How to Watch MLP Columbus

All times are Eastern

Teams listed first are AWAY and the second team listed is HOME

All matches available on Pickleballtv and the Pickleballtv App, in addition to:

Sunday, May 31

• All day on MSG Network

MLP Columbus Pool Breakdown

Pool A:

• Atlanta Bouncers
• California Black Bears
• Chicago Slice
• Columbus Sliders
• Miami Pickleball Club
• New Jersey 5s

Pool B:

• Carolina Hogs
• Florida Smash
• Las Vegas Night Owls
• Palm Beach Royals
• St. Louis Shock

MLP Columbus Team-by-Team Quick Glance

Pool A

Atlanta Bouncers

• Roster: Jaume Martinez Vich, Jay Devilliers, Jessie Irvine, Kaitlyn Christian, Keilly Ulery, and Donald Young

California Black Bears

• Roster: Kiora Kunimoto, Sahra Dennehy, Anouar Braham, Michael Loyd, Emma Nelson, and Joey Wild

Chicago Slice

• Roster: Hunter Johnson, Zane Navratil, Jamie Wei, Mari Humberg, Jalina Ingram, and Tom Protzek

Columbus Sliders

• Roster: Andrei Daescu, Parris Todd, CJ Klinger, Danni-Elle Townsend, Alex Crum, and Alix Truong

Miami Pickleball Club

• Roster: Nico Acevedo, Yuta Funemizu, Estee Widdershoven, Isabella Dunlap, Clayton Powell, and Aiko Yoshitomi

New Jersey 5s

• Roster: Anna Leigh Waters, Jorja Johnson, Will Howells, Noe Khlif, Martin Emmrich, and Lina Padigemaite

Pool B

Carolina Hogs

• Roster: Brandon French, Samantha Parker, DJ Young, Alli Phillips, Connor Mogle, and Abbigal Hatton

Florida Smash

• Roster: Travis Rettenmaier, Martina Frantova, Cason Campbell, Paula Rives Palau, Chris Crouch, and Zoey Weil

Las Vegas Night Owls

• Roster: Zoey Wang, Liz Truluck, Blaine Hovenier, Roscoe Bellamy, Braden Jacobson, and Callie Smith

Palm Beach Royals

• Roster: Sofia Sewing, Tyson McGuffin, Dekel Bar, Tina Pisnik, Tammy Emmrich, and Grayson Goldin

St. Louis Shock

• Roster: Anna Bright, Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio, Kate Fahey, Elsie Hendershot, and John Lucian Goins

For context on how MLP Columbus fits into the 2026 season structure, the new MLP rules for 2026 covering full roster usage, event winners, and expanded playoffs is essential reading before the weekend begins. And if you missed the Dallas recap, St. Louis went undefeated in MLP Dallas to earn the No. 1 seed sets the stage for everything happening this weekend.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MLP Columbus?

MLP Columbus is the second stop of the 2026 Major League Pickleball season, hosted at Pickle and Chill in Columbus, Ohio. The event features 11 teams split across two pools competing over the weekend, with Sunday's action available on MSG Network in addition to PickleballTV.

Which teams are in MLP Columbus Pool A?

Pool A at MLP Columbus includes the Atlanta Bouncers, California Black Bears, Chicago Slice, Columbus Sliders, Miami Pickleball Club, and New Jersey 5s. The hometown Columbus Sliders will be playing with a full roster for the first time this season, including Parris Todd returning from suspension.

Which teams are in MLP Columbus Pool B?

Pool B at MLP Columbus features the Carolina Hogs, Florida Smash, Las Vegas Night Owls, Palm Beach Royals, and St. Louis Shock. The Palm Beach Royals are making their first-ever appearance as an MLP expansion franchise, while St. Louis enters as the No. 1 seed after going undefeated in Dallas.

How do you watch MLP Columbus?

MLP Columbus matches are available on PickleballTV and the PickleballTV app throughout the weekend, with Sunday's matches airing on MSG Network. All pool play and championship matches are broadcast live.

Who are the key players to watch at MLP Columbus?

Key players to watch include Anna Leigh Waters (New Jersey 5s), Hunter Johnson and Zane Navratil (Chicago Slice), Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin (St. Louis Shock), and Parris Todd in her return to the Columbus Sliders lineup. The Palm Beach Royals debut with Tyson McGuffin and Dekel Bar as their marquee veterans.