Join over 1 million DUPR rated pickleball players in playing matches, building community, and improving as a player.
DUPR is free and anyone can have a rating. One match result is all it takes to have a DUPR rating, and with 10-20 match results you will have an even more accurate rating.
The DUPR rating system provides clubs and organizations with universal, real time ratings for it’s players. It is a rating based solely on the players results therefore making it extremely objective. Leagues, organized play, tournaments, and round robins can be easily run and monitored with DUPR.
I enjoy teaching immensely, but it’s always difficult when people sign up for the wrong skill level clinic. They simply don’t know any better. I’m excited to have a way for your every day player to know where they stand so that they can learn and compete with people of their own skill level.
I love DUPR because it’s a transparent rating system available to everyone! It’s adaptable so it will keep updating to ensure accuracy. Tournament and rec players can easily get their 3 digit rating and find compatible partners for play!
Some people play their best games at tournaments and others play theirs in rec play. DUPR captures all that data to make sure your rating reflects what it should: Your game. This is a game changer for the sport of Pickleball.
I'm so excited that there is finally a framework to accurately measure skill level. Not only is DUPR accurate, but you no longer have to be a tournament player to be rated, making ratings more attainable than ever.
The DUPR rating system does not lose out on any information or data. They incorporate everything into their algorithm, making it the most accurate and effective method for ratings.
Telling Pickleball’s greatest stories through the lens of data.
For the 2024 season, NPL Will Adopt DUPR as Official Rating and Support Efforts to Enhance the League With Level-Based Play, More Opportunities to Compete and Grow Participation
The National Pickleball League® (NPL) www.nplpickleball.com is pleased to announce it has entered into a partnership with DUPR, (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) to develop the league and further enhance the competitive experience for players.
DUPR offers organizers the ability to use its accurate, reliable rating to organize competitive, level-based matches, and use its community platform to reach hundreds of thousands of pickleball players to highlight their leagues and upcoming events. Most importantly, players benefit from competing against others at their level for an even better experience.
“DUPR is the most accurate and reliable pickleball rating, and its team prioritizes collaboration and partnership to grow the game together. We are excited to bring DUPR’s rating and technology to our league, provide an even better experience for our players and partners, and showcase NPL to DUPR’s large community of pickleball players to bring more competitors into the league,” said Paul Bamundo, Chief Executive Officer of the National Pickleball League®. “Integrating DUPR also benefits our players beyond league play. DUPR provides connectivity to the entire global pickleball community, uniting all players across a common rating and standard. Now, our participants have the ability to know their level, find more opportunities to play wherever they are, and be a part of the global pickleball community.”
“We are honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with the National Pickleball League® and support their exciting formats for professional players ages 50 and up,” said Tito Machado, DUPR CEO. “NPL has built a dynamic and exciting professional league that showcases talented athletes and reminds everyone that age shouldn’t be a barrier. These players are the heart of the game and we hope that our rating and technology platform will help to make the experience even better, and offer more connections and opportunities to players to participate and achieve at the highest levels in pickleball.”
All results from NPL will be submitted to count for a player’s rating. Players can also follow the NPL league page on DUPR for updates on competition, scheduling and league standings.
The 2024 season will consist of 12 teams representing cities from across the country. Each team will have a roster of 14-16 players, equally split between women and men, with more than 200 pickleball professionals playing in the NPL this season.
The 2024 regular season kicks into high gear with competition event weekends taking place once per month beginning May 17-19 in Chicago, with $150,000 in prize money on the line, culminating in the season-ending Championships in October. The season opener will be livestreamed on the National Pickleball League® YouTube Channel @nationalpickleballleague with additional coverage of NPL events on CBS Sports this season.
National Pickleball League® is among the many leagues worldwide adopting DUPR to enhance the experience for its players, and to support the growth and global unification of the game, joining Honcho Pickleball League, National Team Pickleball League (NTPL), World Pickleball Tour (WPT) and La Cocina, and others. DUPR’s solution provides organizers with the ability to showcase their events to the most active and engaged community in pickleball, and enables players to find more opportunities to play at their level wherever they are. The platform is built on DUPR’s industry-leading rating, which looks at match results to provide an accurate, reliable evaluation of a players skill level across age, gender and location.
About National Pickleball League®
The National Pickleball League® was founded in 2022 by Champions Pro players Rick Witsken, Beth Bellamy, and Michael “Hammer Mike” Chen. NPL Pickleball™ is a nationwide team competition for Champions Division (age 50+) professional pickleball players and made up of twelve teams in metropolitan locations in Indianapolis, Austin, Boca Raton, Naples, Denver, Oklahoma City, Houston, Seattle, Kansas City, Columbus, Coachella Valley and Princeton. National Pickleball League® is owned by National Pickleball League, LLC. The NPL is dedicated to expanding the reach of pickleball, fostering community engagement, physical and mental health, and elevating the sport to new heights. Companies interested in sponsorship opportunities with NPL Pickleball™ can email info@nplpickleball.com for more information or visit the league’s website at www.NPLpickleball.com.
For more information and to sign up for DUPR’s free platform, visit www.dupr.com.
Pickleball player demographics, tight court dimensions and easy accessibility is making it a popular
addition to cruise liners and riverboats
Pickleball's unique blend of fun, friendship, fitness and accessibility has attracted millions of older people to the court in the last few years. These players can now combine their new favorite hobby with another activity beloved by retirees - cruises.
As well as hitting the demographics bullseye, pickleball is an attractive proposition for the cruise industry because of the low price of installing courts and their compact 20mx44ft dimensions, far easier to accommodate compared to those of tennis, squash or padel.
Many cruise ships already contain pickleball courts either indoor or on deck, but Pickleball International is taking its offering several stages further. The company was founded by former professional basketball player Eric Dailey Sr, who is now applying his 15 years' experience in basketball training, competitions and tours to the sport he fell in love with almost as soon as he picked up a paddle.
His sports travel enterprise included a partnership with cruise industry giants Caribbean International, which he is now expanding. Pickleball International offer cruises which include pickleball tuition from top pros, competitions and off-court physical preparation including yoga, spin classes, strength and agility training in top-of-the-range gyms and aqua training in the ship's swimming pools - in addition to all the usual cruise attractions: dinners, parties, casino nights and much more.
Eric says: "The training is an important part of the offer for this demographic of pickleball players. We can't play like we're 17 any more! We have a world-class yoga instructor and facilities to prepare our players' muscles for four hours of fun on court each day."
Caribbean International's ship, The Odyssey of the Seas, has three indoor pickleball courts. Five-day cruises set sail from the UK, Greece and the USA (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) to the Caribbean, Australia, Hong Kong and Alaska. A maximum of 24 players go on a single trip and all standards are catered for by Pickleball International's roster of highly qualified pro coaches ('Z' Orano, Pedro Penteado, Jay Jaudon and Fiona Edwards).
"These cruises are for guys who want to improve," says Eric. "If you're a DUPR 3.0, that's fine, go have fun and learn. If you're a 5.0, there will be plenty of competitions to get your teeth into. It's a great opportunity for anyone who loves pickleball and loves to travel."
UK-based Amadeus River Cruises have pickleball courts on their Amadeus Cara and Amadeus Silver III and offer pickleball-themed cruises on which you can take on locals at clubs along the way.
AmaWaterways, headquartered in Calabasas, California, has also spotted pickleball's potential. Last year, they added a full-size pickleball court on the 21m-wide deck of the AmaMagna riverboat which cruises along the Danube through Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey.
Pickleball activity led by on-board coach Damian fuses perfectly with the ship's large gym and Zen Wellness Studio (offering circuit training, resistance bands and core training, yoga and Pilates). “More people want to stay active when they’re on holiday. Pickleball is really easy to pick up and you can quickly start playing a game,” says Damian.
As more cruise companies capitalize on pickleball's popularity, we are sure to see the trend for dinking on deck spread across the globe.
With pickleball's rising popularity, there's a growing demand for local tournaments catering to amateurs.
The Dink Minor League Pickleball (formerly known as Minor League Pickleball) gives players an exciting way to compete, emphasizing teamwork, strategy, and camaraderie.
Following Major League Pickleball’s innovative format involving teams of four players (two women and two men), teams compete against other teams in four events: women’s doubles, men’s doubles, and two mixed doubles matches. A singles-based tiebreaker format, called a dreambreaker, is used when teams are tied 2-2.
The Dink Minor League Pickleball’s National Pathway allows teams to compete locally to pursue a spot at the national championship. A national leaderboard is utilized to display ranked players, allowing you to easily view their standings.
Its first official season was in 2023, and its director, Caroline Luelf, is tasked with growing the organization.
Luelf's journey with the league began as a participant, along with her husband, in a one-day event in Kansas City. The convenience of these short events appealed to the couple, balancing their passion for pickleball with family commitments.
As Luelf says, “When you have four kids, planning the logistics, getting all the kids to where they need to be and us being gone three or four days for a tournament, that's not easy.”
After participating in several Minor League Pickleball events and experiencing firsthand the thrill of competition and community, Luelf was inspired to bring the experience to her hometown in Oklahoma. Her first event sold out and received rave reviews. Luelf shares, “This one team posted on Facebook that it was their favorite tournament ever. They didn't even win a match!”
People were hungry for more events, and Luelf decided to reach out directly to the league saying, “I love everything about Minor League Pickleball, and I have all these ideas on how to grow it.” A few weeks later, they offered her a job.
What sets the league apart is its emphasis on the team concept.
Unlike traditional tournaments, where players compete individually, The Dink Minor League Pickleball encourages collaboration and support among teammates. With rally scoring and opportunities for coaching between points, players are fully engaged both on and off the court, creating an electrifying atmosphere for participants and spectators alike.
"The Dink Minor League Pickleball is for everyone,” Luelf notes. It’s for any player — from amateurs to non-contracted pros, regardless of age. Events have seen players as young as 12 and as old as 70. The family-friendly nature is obvious, with Caroline herself cherishing the opportunity to play alongside her husband and 18-year-old son and create lasting memories on the court.
Looking ahead, The Dink MiLP's goal is “to be in all 50 states” (they are currently in 29 states) and “continue to expand globally,” according to Luelf. With events planned across the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Puerto Rico and beyond, it’s poised to become the premier destination for amateur pickleball enthusiasts worldwide.
Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the game, The Dink Minor League Pickleball welcomes you to find a team, join the fun, forge new friendships, and experience the thrill of pickleball like never before.
Written by Alana Jackler
