Blue Note Bourbon announced a multi-year partnership as the official bourbon of Major League Pickleball (MLP), the preeminent professional coed team pickleball league featuring nearly 100 of the world’s best players participating in America’s fastest-growing sport.

The exclusive and first major sponsorship for the burgeoning brand will shine a spotlight on the award-winning whiskey portfolio during nine MLP events across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The brand will have a presence in both the VIP hospitality and sponsor village areas at three events this year – MLP Atlanta (May 9-12), MLP Miami (Oct 24-27) and MLP Playoffs: Round 1 in Dallas (Nov 1-3). Attendees will have the opportunity to learn all about the Blue Note brand and sample a variety of signature cocktails.

Additionally, the partnership affords Blue Note the following broadcast (TV/MLP livestreams) and on-court assets throughout 2024-25 season: brand logo, signage, advertisements, and public address announcements; presence on MLP’s website and social media channels; and rights to pour at all 2024-2025 MLP events.

“We’re thrilled to be the first official bourbon sponsor of Major League Pickleball,” Logan Welk, President and Chief Operating Officer, B.R. Distilling Company, said in a news release. “Like MLP and the sport of pickleball, Blue Note is experiencing unprecedented interest and growth. The sport aligns perfectly with the Blue Note drinker, and we look forward to introducing our award-winning bourbons to the players and fans alike.”

Launched in 2018, Blue Note is artfully crafted to honor the rich blues music that is synonymous with the soul of Memphis. The brand’s whiskey portfolio is distilled in partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company (parent company of Green River Distilling Company) and then aged just north of downtown where the Mississippi and Wolf Rivers collide. The long summers filled with infamous Memphis heat and cooler evenings forces the whiskey deep into the oak, creating an unmistakably rich flavor that’s bold yet smooth.

“Blue Note Bourbon and Major League Pickleball share many of the same core qualities for fans – they are both approachable while also being bold and smooth,” MLP Chief Executive Officer Bruce Popko, said. “We look forward to welcoming them to the MLP family, starting with MLP Atlanta.”