How to Run a Pickleball Tournament
Eight steps, no spreadsheet, no headache. Works the same way for tennis if that's your sport.
Count your players
Get a real headcount before you open the app. Odd number? Doesn't matter, Ballsy handles byes automatically, rotating who sits out so nobody's benched twice before everyone else has had a turn. Up to 16 players is completely free, no signup, no catch. Past that, a one-time $20 unlock covers the whole tournament (and includes the printable PDF at no extra charge).
Figure out your courts
Count how many courts you've actually got for the day. This is the number that decides how many matches run at once, which decides how many rounds you'll need. More courts, fewer rounds, same amount of tournament.
Pick a format
Round Robin means everyone plays everyone (or as many rounds as you set), best when you want a clean, fair ranking. Ladder Mixer shuffles matchups each round based on how people are doing, more casual, better for social sessions where variety beats a strict standings sheet. See the full comparison if you're on the fence.
Decide team or individual
Solo glory or team glory. Individual mode ranks each player. Team mode pairs people up (manually, auto-generated, or shuffled) and ranks the pairs instead. Covered in the team mode guide if you're running doubles.
Set your scoring
Game to 11 or 15, win by 1 or 2, rally scoring, or standard tennis sets. Pick whatever your group already plays. You can set a different format for playoffs and the gold match if you want the final to feel like a final.
Generate and go
Hit Generate and the full schedule appears instantly, every round, every court, every matchup. No spreadsheet, no coin flips, no one arguing about who plays who.
Run it live
Enter scores as matches finish and standings update in real time. Share the QR code or link so players can check their own schedule and the live scoreboard from their phones, no account needed. Want paper instead? There's a printable schedule option too.
Crown a winner
Once scores are in, standings calculate themselves: wins, losses, point differential, tiebreakers. Running pool play or playoffs? The bracket seeds itself from the standings. Last match is the gold match. Someone goes home with bragging rights, everyone else goes home anyway.
Ready to actually run this thing?
Free for up to 16 players. No signup, no app, no excuses.