Tournament Sanctioning

• The calculated player rating, based on tournament win/loss results and opponents UTR-P.
• UTR-P compared to UTPR
• Has both a 4-digit calculated rating and a rounded down 2-digit skill level.
• The official USA Pickleball rating for sanctioned tournament play. Players may have a doubles and singles rating.
• The UTR-P ratings are used to register for sanctioned tournaments

General Liability covers volunteers, staff and first responders that you have at your tournament.  Depending on the number of players and number of days of your tournament, this insurance, if purchased separately, could run between $100 to $700 and more

Secondary Accident coverage is secondary to the players primary insurance but available to the USA Pickleball members who participate in a sanctioned tournament.  If a player does not have primary insurance, this will be used as their primary insurance.  If purchased separately, the cost is generally the same, $100 to $700 and more.

Insurance Request

USA Pickleball sanctioned tournaments are insured by a General Liability Policy and Participant Accident Policy. The general liability insurance provided with USA Pickleball sanctioning is in effect when the Tournament Director requests a certificate for proof of insurance (Click here). The certificate should be requested at least 30 days before the start of the tournament. 

USA Pickleball Right of Refusal

USA Pickleball reserves the right to refuse to sanction tournaments, list tournaments on the USA Pickleball website/calendar, or accept advertising where a tournament director has:

• Not complied with USA Pickleball policies or rules
• Disparaged USA Pickleball
• Created deceptive or confusing forms, advertising or promotional materials wrongly implying or stating USA Pickleball involvement in the tournament or making other factual misstatements that could mislead players on significant matters. This includes duplicating major USA Pickleball tournament names, with terms such as “National”, “Regional”, etc. where USA Pickleball deems the term is in direct conflict with an existing USA Pickleball event.

Player requirements

• USA Pickleball member in good standing.
• *NOTE – If you are planning on playing in a USA Pickleball sanctioned tournament and your membership expires before the end of the tournament you will need to renew your membership before you can register.

TD Requirements

• Submit Requirements
• Confirm that all players are USA Pickleball Members
• Submit the Tournament Director Checklist
• Declare and use a USA Pickleball Approved Tournament Ball
• Agree to follow all USA Pickleball Rules
• Must use Approved Tournament Format & Guidelines

Tournament Scoring Options

The recommended tournament scoring option is best two of three games to 11 points, win by 2 points. Other options include:

• One game to 15 or one game to 21
• All formats win by 2 points
• Round Robins may also use one game to 11, win by 2, as long as the bracket has six or more teams.
• (Provisional Rule) Rally Scoring Option. The Tournament Director shall have the option to use rally scoring. This includes singles and doubles round-robins, team play and singles double-elimination. Also, for doubles, double-elimination is not a rally-scoring option. For 2025, all USAP Golden Ticket events and the USAP National Championships will use side-out scoring.

Six(6) tournament formats may be used:

1. Single Elimination with Consolation Bracket
2. Double Elimination
3. Round Robin
4. Pool Play
5. Non-Pool Play
6. Team Play

For detailed information on each approved format, please utilize the USA Pickleball Rulebook

Approved Formats 

• Agree to use Approved Formats
• **STRONGLY SUGGESTED - Do not open registration more than 90 days before the tournament start date

MMP Referee Requirements for ALL MMP Tournaments 

• Medal matches in a single or double-elimination bracket.
• Plus, the two matches leading up to the medal matches. In the single or double-elimination format, it is the final match in the winner’s bracket and the match leading up to the bronze medal match in the consolation bracket.
• If a USA Pickleball trained referee (Trainee, Level 1 or Level 2 referees) requests to referee a match(es), the TD or Referee Coordinator will ask players if they want a referee for their match. If all four players agree to have a referee and one is available, the referee will be granted the opportunity to referee those matches without pay. This will be applicable for the earlier round matches which are not required to be refereed.
• The TD must list the referee’s name for each required match. Please get in touch with sanctioning@usapickleball.org if needing assistance to provide this referee information.
• Tournament Directors must provide an opportunity for referee training before and during (e.g. shadowing) the event. USA Pickleball recommends a referee training class conducted by a certified referee or registered trainer prior to the event with an option of referee shadowing during the event.

What is Medal-Match Plus (MMP) Sanctioning?

MMP (Medal Match Plus) allows a modified referee requirement for USA Pickleball sanctioned tournaments. You must have a referee for the winner bracket and consolation bracket finals as well as the Gold/Silver and Bronze medal matches.

• If a USA Pickleball trained referee (Trainee, Level 1 or Level 2 referees) requests to referee a match(es), the TD or Referee Coordinator will ask players if they want a referee for their match. If all four players agree to having a referee and one is available, the referee will be granted the opportunity to referee those matches without pay. This will be applicable for the earlier round matches which are not required to be refereed.
• The TD must list the referee’s name for each required match. Please contact sanctioning@usapickleball.org if needing assistance to provide this referee information.
• Tournament Directors must provide an opportunity for referee training before and during (e.g. shadowing) the event. USA Pickleball recommends a referee training class conducted by a certified referee or registered trainer prior to the event with an option of referee shadowing during the event.

*For suggested referee compensation, please contact our Director of Officiating

*Please make sure you contact us before establishing your tournament budget*

The Tournament Director or sponsoring club must complete and submit a USA Pickleball Tournament  Sanctioning Application at least 30 days prior to the registration opening date. The USA Pickleball Tournament Coordinator is responsible for approving or denying all sanctioning requests.

It is suggested you do not open tournament registration until the tournament status has been updated from 'pending' to 'sanctioned.'

THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET AND CONFIRMED BY USA PICKLEBALL IN ORDER FOR USA PICKLEBALL TO CONSIDER THE TOURNAMENT ELIGIBLE FOR SANCTIONING:

1. The Tournament Director has consulted with local government officials and has been advised accordingly that this tournament may be held so long as all applicable government requirements have been satisfied and are maintained throughout the duration of the tournament. 

2. The updated USA Pickleball activity release must be signed by all players prior to check-in.  Tournament Directors will be given a copy of the activity release in advance.

3. Items required before tournament is updated from 'pending' to 'sanctioned'

• Declare USA Pickleball Approved tournament ball
• Submit Tournament Director Checklist

USA Pickleball Sanction Application

After the sanctioning request has been approved by the USA Pickleball Tournament Coordinator, the Tournament Director may advertise that they are sanctioned by USA Pickleball. USA Pickleball will advertise the tournament on the USA Pickleball calendar and will display the sanctioning logo. The “USA Pickleball Sanctioned Event” logo will be supplied via email to the tournament director and may be used in all tournament media.

Tournament Director Checklist

The Tournament Director must agree to complete and submit the Tournament Director Checklist.

Tournament Director Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Tournament Director to be certain that players are competing in the correct events based on age or rating. List of approved events can be found here. Allowing ineligible players to compete in a bracket impacts the sanctioning. Questions about combining brackets can be addressed to: USA Pickleball Tournament Results Chair. If any players join or renew USA Pickleball membership at the tournament, please let us know. A player’s age in a sanctioned tournament will be determined by the player’s age on December 31. An exception will be made if a state senior games organization mandates a different date in their tournament.

*For suggested referee compensation, please contact the Director of Officiating. 

*Please make sure you contact us prior to establishing your tournament budget*

Tournament Rules

The tournament director must follow all USA Pickleball Official Tournament Rules.

Results Reporting

Within one week of the end of a tournament, completed results must be reported to the Tournament Results Chair. USA Pickleball member numbers and expiration dates must be included to ensure accurate identification. If results are not received within 2 weeks of completion of tournament they may not be accepted for UTR-P calculations.

USA Pickleball Membership Forms

Arrange for a USA Pickleball Ambassador to be available during the duration of the event to promote the sport, answer questions regarding membership for players who wish to join USA Pickleball or renew their memberships and field any other questions from players and/or spectators. New memberships and membership renewals along with their checks must be sent to: 8901 E Mountain View Rd, Ste 110, Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Players

The tournament shall be open to all players who meet the general requirements of any tournament, such as age or skill level. Entries may be limited by geographical locations such as city, county, regional, or state residency. Draw sizes in events may be limited because of court availability, but must take entrants in the order they are received.

Wheelchair Players

In accordance with the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act, USA Pickleball will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs or activities.  Rules for wheelchair players are in the USA Pickleball Rulebook. 

Junior Competition 

For Junior competitive divisions please use the following approved format

• Three age divisions: 12U, 14U, 18U
• Round Robin Non-Elimination Draws

*Juniors may play up in the junior age divisions or participate in the 19+ only adult division

NOTE: They may not enter into any other older age events, however, if brackets have to be combined:

• The 19+ bracket can only be combined with a 35+ bracket if there is a junior team in the 19+ bracket
• If there are not enough teams in the 19+ and 35+ bracket the junior team would need to play up in skill to the next 19+ bracket. i.e. 3.0 19+ to 3.5 19+
• In the event that there is one player who is a junior and one who is not, they can play in the 19+ bracket and the next age bracket that needs to be combined.  i.e. Team A 14yrs old & 54yrs old / Teams B, C and D, 52yrs old and 52yrs old combine the brackets 19+ and 50+.  You have one player who is eligible to play in the 50+ bracket, but is playing down in the 19+ bracket with a younger player which allows them to play 19+.
• If there is a juniors team playing in the 19+ age group then 50+ and up age brackets cannot be combined down to play with the 19+ bracket.
• Juniors may not play in both junior and adult divisions in the same tournament.

**Juniors Tournaments will not utilize a system of player ratings for category/skill differentiation.