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Al boost for pro pickleball line calls
The Straits Times
|December 06, 2025
Major League Pickleball (MLP) is set to introduce electronic line-calling for its matches in the 2026 season, following a deal with technology firm Owl AI, the company’s founder Jeremy Bloom said.
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Owl Al’s software-based system will be used to make real-time line calls in pickleball matches, replacing human judges and promising “pennies on the dollar” costs.
The move comes as pickleball, one of United States’ fastest-growing sports, seeks greater accuracy and fairness in officiating.
“We're excited because we think this technology will take away the subjective nature of ball in, ball out in a really cost-effective way,” Bloom said.
MLP further established itself as a force in sports in 2025, with sponsorship revenue more than doubling, ticket revenue up 94 per cent, and total attendance rising by 52 per cent.
This story is from the December 06, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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