Major League Pickleball on Friday announced its expansion with the formation of the Palm Beach Royals. The new franchise will begin play in 2026, bringing the total number of teams to 23. The new team is owned by Zach Hunter and Taylor Meyer of Hyperspace Ventures.
Former UNC tennis players and accomplished tech entrepreneurs, Hunter and Meyer aim to bring their experience from the tennis courts to pickleball to make their franchise stand out in the highly competitive league.
“The addition of an expansion franchise at the highest team valuation in league history speaks loudly to what has been – and is continuing to be – built by MLP and the PPA Tour in just a few years,” said Samin Odhwani, UPA Chief Strategy Officer. “We greatly look forward to the contributions that Zach, Taylor, and their ownership group can bring to MLP.”
The Royals’ player acquisition process and other details pertaining to the franchise will be announced during the upcoming off-season.
Meanwhile, it has come to light that the Toray MLP Playoffs – San Diego will be held at Barnes Tennis Center, August 15-17, and will be followed by the MLP Finals – New York City, powered by Toray, at CityPickle at Wollman Rink in iconic Central Park, August 22-24.
The playoffs follow the league’s 10-event 2025 regular season and will showcase the top 10 Premier Level teams by regular season standings points, as well as all six Challenger Level teams competing at their respective level.
Major League Pickleball teams:
Atlanta Bouncers, Brooklyn Kings, Carolina Pickleball Club, Chicago Slice, Columbus Sliders, Dallas Pickleball Club, Los Angeles Mad Drops, Miami Pickleball Club, New Jersey 5S, New York Hustlers, Orlando Squeeze, Phoenix Flames, SoCal Hard Eights, St. Louis Shock, Texas Ranchers, Utah Black Diamonds and the new entrant Palm Beach Royals.