Major League Pickleball (MLP) introduced an Artificial Intelligence (AI) officiating system developed by Owl AI, bringing machine-assisted line calling into the 2026 season of the league which started on May 22. The Owl AI will do the job without installing a single piece of specialized hardware on court.
No additional sensors. No dedicated line-calling cameras. No expensive infrastructure overhaul would be required. Instead, the system relies entirely on existing broadcast cameras. Match footage is processed through a cloud-based AI platform that delivers officiating decisions in real time, turning regular production equipment into a fully operational review system.
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For a sport built on speed, tight margins and frequent disputes over close calls, the move addresses one of racquet sports’ oldest frustrations – consistency under pressure.
MLP commissioner Samin Odhwani explained why the league viewed the partnership as an important step forward.
“It is paramount for MLP to strategically align with innovative companies like Owl AI to enhance the reliability of our challenge system and the overall production quality of the on-court product,” Odhwani said.
“Major League Pickleball has shown remarkable growth since inception in 2021, and we are constantly striving to make improvements and showcase the best version of MLP for our current and future fans, players, and teams,” he added.
What Is Owl AI?
Founded in May 2025, Owl AI may still be a young company, but it has already begun building a presence in sports technology.
Before entering pickleball, the company deployed its AI systems at X Games Aspen 2025, where the technology was used for real-time scoring and commentary in professional snowboarding competitions.
Now, that same software-first approach has arrived in pickleball.
According to the company, the existing broadcast-camera setup used for line calling can also support future features such as player analytics, match insights and broadcast augmentation – all without requiring changes to the production infrastructure already in place.
For Owl AI chief executive officer Josh Gwyther, the collaboration with MLP represents a much larger vision for the future of sports broadcasting.
“Owl has become the AI intelligence layer behind every sports broadcast,” Gwyther said.
“It’s extremely exciting to be the leader in sports AI. Owl AI is opening up a whole new world of possibilities. What we are doing today is just the tip of the iceberg of what is to come.”
MLP’s investment in AI officiating also arrives during a period of rapid commercial growth for the league.
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In 2025, MLP reported record figures across multiple areas, with sponsor revenue more than doubling year-over-year, ticket revenue increasing by 94 per cent, total attendance rising by 52 per cent, linear TV hours more than doubling and social media impressions growing by more than 400 per cent.
Against that backdrop, the adoption of AI technology feels less like an experiment and more like a statement of intent.
Professional pickleball is growing quickly – and it increasingly wants to look, operate and innovate like a major modern sports league.
