Austin, TX — April 15, 2025 — DUPR is expanding the Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) program for 2025, adding new formats and new ways for players to compete and boost their pickleball ratings. The biggest change? A new team-based format called MiLP v3: Gendered 3v3 Team Pickleball, designed to bring even more structure and variety to the MiLP circuit.

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This expansion creates a clear path for players of all skill levels to move from local team play to the national stage. The MiLP ecosystem now includes mixed 4-player teams, gendered 3v3 events, and gendered 4-player events under the MiLP v4 label. On top of that, State Pro Leagues will act as a direct pipeline into DUPR’s elite divisions: DUPR 22 and DUPR 20.

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“MiLP started as a way to bring high-quality, team-based pickleball to more players across the country,” said Caroline Luelf, Director of Minor League Pickleball at DUPR. “This expansion takes it to the next level — offering more formats, more pathways, and a national championship worthy of the fastest-growing sport in America.”

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Expanded Pathways for Team Competition

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Minor League Pickleball will now offer the following event formats for amateur players:

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• MiLP: 4-Player Mixed Teams
  
• MiLP v3: Gendered 3v3 Events (new for 2025)
  
• MiLP v4: 4-Player Gendered Events (part of the v3 pathway)
  
• State Pro Leagues: A direct pipeline to the elite DUPR 22 and DUPR 20 divisions

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The season will finish with the biggest amateur team pickleball event ever held: the 2025 MiLP National Championship. The championship runs across five days, with 50+ divisions opening the week, the new MiLP v3 (3v3) Championship landing on Friday, and the traditional MiLP mixed team divisions closing out the weekend. 

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The Friday event is open to any team that competed in a sanctioned 3v3 or 4v4 event during the 2025 season and registers in time. It’s designed to open the door for more players and give clubs a new event to host, while adding a fresh income stream for organizers.

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The Minor League Pickleball National Championship will follow the following schedule:

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• Wednesday/Thursday: 50+ Divisions
  
• Friday: MiLP v3 (3v3) Championship — a brand new single-day competition designed to create additional access and new registration opportunities. Players will be excited to play for additional prize money opportunities!
  
• Saturday/Sunday: Standard MiLP Divisions

How to Qualify for the MiLP v3 Championship

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Players interested in competing on Friday must:

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1. Compete in at least one MiLP v3 event during the 2025 season, or
   
2. Participate in any 4v4 event between January 1 – October 20, 2025, and
   
3. Register for the Friday Championship on a first-come, first-serve basis (must meet one of the above criteria).
   
4. Players who qualify to play at the MiLP National Championship will also qualify to play at the v3 National Championship.
   
   

Why This Expansion Matters

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• New Growth Opportunity: MiLP’s new gendered team format widens the competitive landscape for clubs and players.
  
• New Revenue Stream: Friday’s dedicated 3v3 Championship creates fresh income opportunities for host venues and organizers to offer locally.
  
• Greater Competition: The 2025 National Championship will be the most inclusive and competitive team pickleball event ever hosted.
  
  

This update is about more than just new brackets. It creates more room for competitive growth, more chances for players to get ranked and improve their pickleball ratings, and more energy around team-based pickleball — which has become one of the sport’s fastest-growing formats. DUPR’s goal is simple: to give players clear pathways from local courts to national competition.

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For details on how to join a MiLP event this season, head to https://www.dupr.com/minorleague.

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