The Beer City Open (BCO) is the best amateur pickleball tournament in the pickleball world, and it’s not close.

It is also hosting the Major League Pickleball (MLP) Mid-Season Tournament at the same time this year, for the second year in a row.

Initially, I had plans on being in Grand Rapids this week to cover the Beer City Open and the MLP Mid-Season Tournament, but life got in the way. I have had some serious FOMO this week.

History of the BCO The BCO started in 2018, with pro Andrea Koop, convincing Grand Rapids local, Paul Richards, to start running a tournament. Back then, there were 350 participants, and $12,000 in prize money. This was HUGE in those days.

This was before any of the pro tours existed, and the BCO instantly became one of the best pro tour stops each year.

Richards is very well known in the area for putting on some of the best pickleball amateur tournaments in the country, but the BCO is its own beast. The entire operation is a year-round project for Richards and his staff.

"Paul Richards is somebody that if he's going to do something, he's going to go all in, and that's just what he's done with the Beer City Open. BCO is consistently one of the best run tournaments of the year, and I love coming back each July." - Zane Navratil The Beer City Open has maintained its credibility, so much so that Major League Pickleball has partnered with the event in both 2024 and 2025. From 2018 to 2023, the Beer City Open was one of the very few tournaments that... FULL ARTICLE FOUND ON: https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/the-beer-city-open-one-of-the-best-events-in-pickleball/