Over the course of the past 24 hours, the Frisco Pandas have made two landmark moves that will have a significant impact on the franchise’s future in Major League Pickleball.

Firstly, the team is relocating from the North Texas suburb to Nashville, TN.

This is the franchise’s first big move since The Kitchen Pickleball assumed responsibility for the team’s marketing, operations, and sponsorship sales back in November.

A potential team rebrand is also in the works, with more details expected in the coming weeks.

“We’re excited to bring Major League Pickleball to Nashville, a city known for its passion for sports, entertainment, and community,” said Jared Paul, Pandas' General Manager and founder of The Kitchen Pickleball. “This move will allow us to build a stronger, more engaged fanbase and leverage Nashville’s vibrant culture to grow the team’s presence in the sport.”

The Pandas will also host a first-of-its-kind ‘open tryout’ for players without United Pickleball Association (UPA) contracts. In accordance with the new Major League Pickleball rules for 2025, only UPA-signed players are eligible to compete in MLP.

Thus, the ‘winners’ of the try out (one male and one female) will receive a UPA contract, a paddle from Proton Pickleball, and a DAPS pickleball shoe deal.

The event is set to take place on Feb. 22 in Austin, TX during the PPA’s Carvana Mesa Cup.

With the Pandas leading the way, it will be interesting to see if more teams opt to hold open tryouts in their home cities to further connect with their local markets.