​Major League Pickleball, presented by DoorDash, headed to Grand Rapids this past weekend for its annual Mid-Season tournament, held in conjunction with the enduring Beer City Open. Pro touring veteran Andrea Koop continues to serve as the long-running tournament director for this event, staged at the fantastic Belknap Park, just a mile from downtown. Belknap Park consistently hosts an incredible community of players and fans, and this year’s Mid-Season event was well supported, incredibly popular, and delivered high-quality play across the weekend. For those tracking the action, there are key links featuring livestreams from the main courts at the facility on MLP’s YouTube channel and on PickleballTV.com, with additional data-centric links provided at the bottom of this recap.
The MLP Mid-Season Event home page offers a full bracket for both the Winner’s and Loser’s sides of the draw, and the league’s standings and player/team statistics are readily accessible. The 2026 MLP schedule, along with rosters for the 20 Premier League teams, is also available for fans who want an overview of the season ahead.
In the lead-up to the weekend, several transactions shaped the rosters. A trade between California and the Bay Area sent James Delgado and Kiora Kunimoto to the Breakers, while Pablo Tellez, Mya Bui, and cash moved to the Black Bears. California, by turning a waiver claim (Delgado) into a seasoned MLP veteran in Tellez, gained immediate value, while Kunimoto’s upside appears to be higher than the well-traveled Bui at this stage of their careers.
Last year’s mid-season tournament was hampered by player absences, with one notable departure contributing to the contract termination narrative (there was more to the QD situation than that, but the impact was clear). There was concern this year that, since only the top three teams earn points and prize money, the event could be treated as optional in some players’ contracts. As rosters rolled out, the field looked healthier than in the previous year, with only a few notable absences. Jack Sock did not participate, requiring Orlando to call up their bench player Yates Johnson, who had zero MLP 2026 experience prior to this event.
Brooklyn also faced significant roster gaps, with 75% of its starting lineup unavailable for the weekend: Alshon, Newman, and Rohrabacher were absent. Newman reportedly had a scooter accident, while Alshon was nursing a minor injury sustained in New York. Rachel’s absence was understandable, given her recent incident, and the remaining starters left Brooklyn to rely on singles specialist Haworth and onsite substitute Pesa Toni, a combination that made matching their seed more challenging.
By the end of the weekend, the league announced an extension to the Trade Deadline, now set for 7/20/26 instead of the originally scheduled 7/12, a decision that aligns with players traveling home after the tournament and meets the needs of the schedule. Belknap Park in Grand Rapids continues to impress and improve each year, providing an outstanding backdrop for the league’s mid-season showcase.
In a league comprised of 20 teams, structuring a knockout competition presents SEO challenges, but the Mid-Season event remains a cornerstone of the season, drawing devoted fans and strong media coverage alike. For those following the league closely, the weekend’s action offered plenty of compelling matches, roster moves, and a strong sense of the growing vitality of MLP as it expands its footprint across the country.