- Gray Media (GTN, Financial) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) form local media partnerships for the 2025 season.
- The partnership will broadcast MLP matches across Gray's local networks in multiple markets.
- Gray Media reaches about 37% of U.S. TV households, enhancing MLP's visibility.
Gray Media (GTN) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) have announced a strategic partnership to expand the distribution of MLP events across multiple team markets for the 2025 season. This collaboration marks a significant enhancement in the availability of professional coed team pickleball to local audiences.
The partnership will see matches of the Atlanta Bouncers, Carolina Hogs, St. Louis Shock, and Columbus Sliders broadcasted through Gray's extensive local network channels. The coverage will kick off with events in Orlando (April 24-27) and Columbus (May 1-4), with matches aired on Peachtree Sports Network, Palmetto Entertainment and Sports Network, Matrix Midwest, and Rock Entertainment Sports Network.
The 2025 Major League Pickleball season promises an exciting schedule featuring 10 regular season events, a Mid-Season Tournament, and two weeks of playoffs from April to August, culminating with the MLP Cup in November. This expanded coverage supports MLP's growth by capitalizing on pickleball's rising popularity among over 20 million players.
Gray Media, the largest owner of top-rated local television stations in the nation, reaches approximately 37% of U.S. television households across 113 markets. This reach includes 78 markets with the top-rated television station and 99 markets with the first or second-highest rated stations as of 2024, cementing its strong position in the broadcasting industry.
This partnership not only broadens Gray's sports content portfolio but also leverages its robust market position to bring high-demand sporting events to a growing fanbase. However, the financial terms of this agreement have not been disclosed, and initial coverage will focus on four team markets.
