Major League Pickleball Tournament underway in metro Atlanta

It’s one of the fastest growing sports in the United States: pickleball is taking the country and especially the Atlanta metro area by storm.

This week, Major League Pickleball (MLP) kicks off its 2024 season with a tournament at Peachtree Corners.

Major League Pickleball Tournament underway in metro Atlanta (Chris Crawford | 95.5 BMS)

95.5 WSB’s Chris Crawford was on hand Friday as competition for the Atlanta Bouncers got underway. According to the MLP website, “Anheuser-Busch established the Bouncers in 2023 as an MLP expansion team for Atlanta.”

Major League Pickleball Tournament underway in metro Atlanta (Chris Crawford | 95.5 BMS)

“A collection of 17 of the MLP’s 22 teams will be in action over four days, with two levels of continued professional excitement with our Premier and Challenger levels,” said an MLP spokesperson.

This year’s MLP by Margaritaville season schedule will include a variety of events, “spread across the country to bring Major League Pickleball action to more places than ever before,” the spokesperson adds.

Major League Pickleball Tournament underway in metro Atlanta (Chris Crawford | 95.5 BMS)

The tournament is scheduled to end on Sunday, May 12.

Last month, a massive, one-of-a-kind pickleball entertainment venue opened in Atlanta.

Created by Justin Amick and William Stallworth, the Painted Pickle is a “competition” (a word invented by Amick to describe the atmosphere of the place) with live music, lawn games, poker, ping-pong, a indoor putting green, table shuffleboard and more,” Atlanta Magazine Carly Cooper writes.

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta Atlantans love their pickleball!

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta And now there’s a new place to play!

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta It’s the painted pickle!

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta Painted Pickle is a premium pickleball competition, play and entertainment venue located at 279 Ottley Drive in Armor Yards (known as “The Armor Ottley Loop”) between Buckhead and Midtown.

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta What is a company?

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta “In short, a competition is a place to compete, eat, drink and be social. We have successfully brought a new perspective to boutique bowling with The Painted Pin and reintroduced duck bowling to the mainstream with The Painted Duck Now we look forward to putting our mark on pickleball – the fastest growing sport in the country with Painted Pickle,” says Justin Amick, President and CEO of Painted Hospitality.

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta The 32,500 square foot space houses an indoor pickleball “court” with eight boutique courts individually surrounded by hedges with permanent netting and several original 36-foot-long industrial gates to make the courts “open air.”

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta Courts are allocated on a first come, first served basis, from 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and all day on weekends. Open Play, Top Dog Round Robins, tournaments, mixers, lessons/clinics and other competition-oriented programs are available. Cosmic pickles will be offered every Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta Separated from the courtyard, in the ‘food, drinks and games’ area, guests can enjoy a stage for live music and other competitive pub games and social amenities – all free – including putting indoor putting green and playing lawn, ping pong, bucketball, sub soccer tables, cornhole, tabletop shuffleboard, darts, strategy and board games, beach and lawn games and other gaming options unique competitiveness.

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta The menu, created by Painted Hospitality Executive Chef Thomas Collins, caters to the socially active lifestyle and aims to revitalize, restore and comfort.

Painted Pickle opens in Atlanta Visit paintpickle.com to learn more.