Major League Pickleball (MLP) presented by DoorDash will be using electronic line-calling for all its matches next season. This after the league recently sealed a deal with technology company Owl AI.
Under the MLP–Owl AI partnership, the former will be using the latter’s software to make real-time line calls in pickleball matches, effectively replacing human judges and promising “pennies-on-the-dollar” costs.
“We’re excited because we think this technology will take away the subjective nature of ball in, ball out in a really cost-effective way,” Bloom told Reuters.
Incorporating Tech into MLP’s Growth Trajectory
The MLP has been on an upwards trajectory and fully established itself as a force to be reckoned with in sports in 2025 as sponsor revenue more than doubled, ticket revenue soared by up to 94 per cent, and total attendance rose by as much as 52 per cent. Now, the league is looking to grow even more and has enlisted Owl AI for it.
“Technology is essential to any sports property as they look to grow,” MLP Commissioner Samin Odhwani told Reuters. “By providing our fans and players with clear, data-backed visualisation of our line calls, we will be able to move forward in a way that shows how quickly pickleball is advancing.”
Bloom made it clear, though, that the system Owl AI will be using for MLP isn’t hardware-based but is rather software-reliant. It is, therefore, unlike the widely used Hawk-Eye, which relies on specialised cameras and other hardware. According to Bloom, Owl AI’s system uses 4K video from smartphones or broadcast feeds to make decisions, thus lowering costs and increasing accessibility for leagues and venues.
“Our goal is to absolutely remove any degree of a game, an inning, or a play that changes because of human error,” Bloom noted.
