James Ignatowich of the New Jersey 5s received the ProXR Pickleball Sportsmanship Award at the event . next-day Season One Championship on Monday night , June 19 . Season two is highlighted by the following stops — Sept . 21-24 in Atlanta , Georgia , at Life Time Peachtree Corners ; Nov . 2-5 in La Quinta , California , at La Quinta Resort & Club ; Dec . 7-10 in San Clemente , California , at Life Time Rancho San Clemente and the Season Two Championship on Monday night , Dec . 11 . Both season-ending championships will feature the top two teams in each level . Life Time is the country ’ s largest owner and operator of dedicated pickleball courts and its magnificent Rancho San Clemente athletic club will play host to both championship events .
As with all professional sports leagues , quality leadership at the top is critical for the sport ’ s success and Major League Pickleball has chosen an outstanding individual to lead the way through this incredible period of growth and expansion . Brian Levine , a 25- year veteran and former partner at Goldman Sachs , is the captain steering this pickleball ship . “ I ’ m honored to take the helm of Major League Pickleball and lead our fantastic organization through this transformative period ,” said Levine . “ With the explosive growth of this sport , we ’ ve witnessed the remarkable positive impact pickleball has had in creating a vibrant community , bonding people from all walks of life . I am extraordinarily excited to continue to innovate how we bring this sport to more people around the world .”
Bell Bank Park in Mesa has quickly established itself as one of the top sports venues in the country . A 320-acre facility that plays host to numerous youth , adult and amateur sports teams , it also stages special events , concerts , youth sports tournaments and fitness opportunities . MLP Mesa by Margaritaville was the property ’ s first venture in hosting a professional sports event . With 41 dedicated pickleball courts and a stadium court that seats 2,000 spectators , Bell Bank Park is one of the country ’ s finest pickleball facilities , boasting an impressive commitment to the sport . “ All of us at Bell Bank Park were very excited to win the bid to host the first tour stop of 2023 . Major League Pickleball is a great organization and they run amazing events ,” said Ryan Trefry , director of pickleball , Legacy Sports USA . “ We have never seen a sport explode like we have seen with pickleball .”
Situated in the east valley of metropolitan Phoenix , Bell Bank Park welcomed more than 4 million visitors in 2022 , surging beyond everyone ’ s expectations and ranking as high as 16th in total attendance among major sports facilities in the country , of which there are close to 1,000 . It placed just behind iconic baseball stadiums Yankee Stadium , Dodger Stadium and Fenway Park . Bell Bank Park also secured its standing as the top sports venue in the state of Arizona in terms of overall attendance , overtaking sites like State Farm Stadium ( 2.7 million ), home of the NFL ’ s Arizona Cardinals , NBA ’ s