Major League Table Tennis arrives this weekend at the Ocean Center: What you need to know

Jim Abbott, Daytona Beach News-Journal
·3 min read

Move over, pickleball, and tell all those tennis players the news.

Table tennis moves out of the family rumpus room this weekend with the debut matches of the inaugural season of Major League Table Tennis at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.

Major League Table Tennis will open its inaugural season with matches this weekend at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.
Major League Table Tennis will open its inaugural season with matches this weekend at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.

The league’s slate of teams in its opening year are divided into East and West divisions, a roster that includes the Florida Crocs, Carolina Gold Rush, Princeton Revolution and Chicago Wind in the east, and the Portland Paddlers, Seattle Spinners, Texas Smash and Bay Area Blasters in the west.

Here’s what you need to know about the big table tennis weekend in Daytona Beach:

East Division teams will be showcased at Ocean Center

The four teams from the East division will be featured in the Daytona Beach matches that start at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 1 p.m. on Sunday. That's the Florida Crocs, Carolina Gold Rush, Princeton Revolution and Chicago Wind.

The weekend schedule and tickets, starting at $15.75, are available at the league’s website, mltt.com.

What’s the story of the new Major League Table Tennis?

The new league was founded by software entrepreneur and table tennis fanatic Flint Lane.

According to the league’s website, Lane started playing the sport as a kid but really caught the bug when his wife, Kathy, surprised him with a birthday gift of table tennis lessons with three-time Olympian David Zhuang.

Although he was schooled by the Olympian (losing two matches by 11-0), Lane only became more entranced by the sport. He and his wife now own two state-of-the-art table tennis facilities, the Princeton Pong in New Jersey and Naples Pong in Southwest Florida.

Lane also manages a Facebook Group for table tennis club owners and managers and previously served on the USATT Clubs Committee.

According to the website, the league “is committed to advancing the sport of table tennis by providing the ultimate table tennis experience for all involved.”

There’s a link on the website to inquire about opportunities to potentially own a team.

How does the MLTT match format work?

During the regular season, division matches will be held at selected sites with four teams facing off against each other on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each head-to-head match will be worth 21 points with each point contributing to overall team standings.

Major League Table Tennis will open its inaugural season this weekend at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.
Major League Table Tennis will open its inaugural season this weekend at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.

The first half of the 2023-24 season runs through Dec. 3, according to the following schedule:

  • East Division, Sept. 15-17 at the Ocean Center, Daytona Beach.

  • West Division, Sept. 22-23 at the Kaiser Permanente Arena, Santa Cruz, California.

  • East Division, Oct. 13-15 at Myrtle Beach Sports Center, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

  • West Division, Oct. 27-29, Merrell Center, Houston.

  • East Division, Nov. 10-12, Wintrust Sports Complex, Chicago.

  • West Division, Nov. 17-19, Alamaeda County Fairgrounds, Oakland, California.

  • Cross Division, Dec. 1-3, Rock Hill Sports Center, Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Matches will be broadcast live on the league’s YouTube Channel, according to the website.

Is there league merchandise available yet?

There was no team gear for sale online, but the league’s site did offer an official MLTT shirt, “engineered to elevate your athletic performance so you can play like a pro.”  Cost: $39.95.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Major League Table Tennis opens its inaugural season in Daytona Beach