The nation's Pickleball Capital is getting an energy infusion this weekend with the arrival of the Major League Pickleball (MLP) Austin Tournament taking place Friday, May 22, through Monday, May 26 — all the way through Memorial Day Weekend. It'll be held at the Austin Pickle Ranch in North Austin near where I-35 meets Braker Lane.

A total of 11 selected teams will compete, including Austin's seventh-ranked hometown team, the Texas Ranchers. All teams feature six people; three men and three women, which is up one each from when the league launched in 2021. Teams will come from Dallas, both coasts, and not much in the middle except Las Vegas and Nashville. There will be 25 matches overall.

This is only the third time MLP has held a tournament in Austin, so many attendees will likely be experiencing pro pickleball for the first time.

Teams are divided into Challenger and Premier levels, and teams in each level only play each other. Challengers hope to rise to the Premier Ranks, with 24 Challenger players and 64 Premier players across the league. Since the Texas Ranchers are a Premier team, they'll go up against some combination of the Dallas Flash, Miami Pickleball Club, New Jersey 5s, and Orlando Squeeze.

The excitement extends beyond the court, with a professional beach volleyball tournament, live music by local cover bands, food trucks, a vendor village, and a bounce house and face painting for kids.

Tickets are available for single days (starting at $30.35) as well as a four-day pass (starting at $91.83).

Visitors to the Pickle Ranch may be used to air-conditioned indoor courts, but both pro tournament courts will be outside. Presumably the non-pickleball activities will be held outside, too. There will be water stations for spectators to use with personal containers. The Austin Classic amateur tournament will be played inside.

Parking will be available for a $20 fee and purchased online or upon arrival. Drivers can use Lots B, C, D, and E, using the parking entrance off Middle Fiskville Road. Doors open an hour before each day's matches start.

Those who can't make it in person can watch the matches on Pickleballtv (Championship Court matches) and the Pickleballtv app (Grandstand Court matches). Anyone can tune in live online.