Major League Pickleball Finals on CBS Set All-Time League Viewership Record

Major League Pickleball Finals with New York City skyline in background.
September 2, 2026

Second-Most Watched Pro Pickleball Event in History Generated 773,000 Average Viewers for New Jersey Fives vs. St. Louis Shock on Sunday, Aug. 30, Up 55% vs. Last Year’s MLP Finals

Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) set an all-time league viewership record this weekend, with 773,000 average viewers tuning in to the DoorDash MLP Finals – New York City powered by Toray on CBS, Sunday, Aug. 30, (Noon-1 p.m. ET), making it the second-most watched pro pickleball event in history on any network.

Sunday’s average viewership represents a 55% increase vs. last year’s MLP Finals coverage, also on CBS.

The 2026 MLP Finals culminated a record-breaking 2026 MLP season – nine regular season events, the Mid-Season Tournament, and early round playoff events in both Dallas and Newport Beach ahead of the NYC Finals. The No. 1-seeded New Jersey Fives, led by 2026 MLP MVP Anna Leigh Waters and owned by a group led by Gary Vaynerchuk, secured their first-ever season-long championship with a two-matches-to-none victory over the No. 2 seed St. Louis Shock.

The event – hosted at CityPickle at Wollman Rink in Central Park, the third straight year that the league hosted an event at the iconic venue – shattered the previous MLP single-event record for attendance with over 10,000 total fans across three days (five sessions), capping the league’s biggest and best season to date.

Aerial view of Major League Pickleball tournament in Central Park with city skyline.

About Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash)

Founded in 2021, Major League Pickleball (MLP presented by DoorDash) is the preeminent, coed, team-based professional pickleball league, featuring over 100 of the best athletes across 20 teams, iconic team owners, and the most electric live events and fan experience in the sport. In 2024, MLP and the PPA Tour merged under the newly-formed United Pickleball Association (UPA), bringing together the leading pro pickleball organizations under a single entity. Visit the official website and follow MLP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for more information.