Major League Pickleball's midseason tournament is under way at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, running alongside the legendary Beer City Open. According to Forbes, the New Jersey franchise entered the tournament as the first-place side in the league after winning their Week 6 MLP event on Randall's Island in New York City. FOX Sports has been broadcasting pool play live from the venue, with Thursday and Friday premier sessions already in the books.
For pickleball players and gear followers, a midseason tournament of this profile is more than a results story. It is a moment when paddle choices get maximum scrutiny, sponsor deals get announced, and the secondary market quietly shifts.
Why this tournament matters beyond the scoreboard#
The MLP format puts mixed teams of men's and women's singles and doubles players on the same court in the same event. That means a wider spread of playing styles, body types, and paddle preferences on display in a single weekend than you get at most PPA singles draws. Sponsors use these events to showcase new paddle lines in front of TV audiences on FOX Sports, and pros who switch gear between the regular season and a high-profile tournament rarely do it quietly.
For the watching buyer, that is useful information. When a top-ranked player is spotted switching from one paddle to another mid-season, or when a brand puts out a limited colourway for an event, the previous model often softens in price on the pre-owned market. The Beer City Open co-location adds extra footfall and amateur competition - more players getting their first serious look at pro-level paddles in person, which historically accelerates demand at the entry and mid-range tier.
What the pre-owned paddle market looks like right now#
Pickleball paddles are solid-faced - no strings, typically a polymer honeycomb or foam core with a fibreglass or carbon-fibre face. Because there are no strings to replace and re-tension, wear is concentrated on the face texture and edge guard. A lightly used paddle from a credible brand can play almost identically to a new one, which makes the pre-owned case for pickleball particularly strong compared to, say, a heavily used tennis frame.
MLP exposure tends to follow a familiar pattern for gear demand:
| Stage | What typically happens to gear prices |
|---|---|
| Tournament announced | No movement yet |
| Pool play broadcast | Paddle brands get TV visibility; new model interest rises |
| Finals weekend | Winning player's paddle searched heavily online |
| Week after finals | Previous-gen models appear pre-owned as players upgrade |
| 4-6 weeks later | Pre-owned prices normalise at 20-35% below new |
If that cycle holds here, the window to pick up a current mid-tier paddle before post-tournament demand spikes is roughly now.
What to look for if you're shopping#
A few practical pointers for anyone using the MLP midseason buzz as a prompt to buy:
- Face texture matters more than headline weight. A paddle with a worn-smooth face will feel slower and less spin-friendly regardless of spec. Check seller photos for surface condition.
- Edge guard chips are cosmetic, not structural. Don't let minor edge damage talk you out of an otherwise clean frame.
- Brand-event colourways depreciate fast. Limited tournament editions look good on the shelf but hold no premium on resale once the event ends.
- Carbon-fibre faces scratch easily. Light surface scratches on a carbon paddle are normal and do not affect playability.
The MLP midseason tournament is the kind of event that reminds a lot of recreational players they have been meaning to upgrade their paddle for months. If that is you, the pre-owned market right now is well stocked and the timing, relative to the post-finals upgrade cycle, is about as good as it gets.
Browse what's available now at EpicRackets pickleball, or list your own paddle if you are one of those players already eyeing something new after this weekend's action.
