CHICAGO — Cubs fans with tickets to Tuesday’s game will get a double-dose of major league sports as Chicago’s professional pickleball team will face off against St. Louis in an exhibition match at Gallagher Way ahead of the game.
Major League Pickleball’s (MLP) Chicago Slice will face off against the St. Louis Shock in a rivalry exhibition match that will be held outside of Wrigley Field on Tuesday, Sept. 17, ahead of the Cubs’ game against the Oakland Athletics.
According to officials, the match will take place between 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Gallagher Way and the event is free for ticket holders of that evening’s game.
The MLP format of Pickleball brings men and women together in four-game matches. The first two games are played as either women’s doubles or men’s doubles and the final two games consist of mixed doubles.
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MESA, AZ – JANUARY 26: Teammates of the Chicago Slice pose for a group photo during the MLP Mesa by Margaritaville Tournament held at Legacy Sports USA on January 26, 2023 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Bruce Yeung/Getty Images) -
MESA, AZ – JANUARY 26: Ryler DeHeart of the Chicago Slice hits a forehand drive during the MLP Mesa by Margaritaville Tournament held at Legacy Sports USA on January 26, 2023 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Bruce Yeung/Getty Images) -
PEACHTREE CORNERS, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 22: Ben Johns of the Chicago Slice returns a shot with teammate Erik Lange against during a MLP Atlanta Premier Level men’s doubles match against Jay Devilliers and James Ignatowich of the Dallas Pickleball Club at Life Time Peachtree Corners on September 22, 2023 in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
If the teams are tied up at the end of the matches, a singles tiebreaker match, called “DreamBreaker,” is played.
There are currently 22 MLP teams that are broken up into two categories. 12 MLP Premier Level teams and 10 MLP Challenger Level teams. MLP Premier Level teams consist of the league’s top 48 players.
The Slice was formed in 2023 by Ron Saslow’s firm Thirty-5 Capital, according to the league, and among the team’s co-owners are Cubs owner Tom Ricketts, supermodel Heidi Klum, Entourage producer Doug Ellin and tennis hall of famer Chris Evert.
After Tuesday’s exhibition match, the Slice will head to New York City for a three-day tournament in the heart of Central Park.
Visit the MLP website, or the Chicago Slice website for more information.