UPA-A halves paddle certification fees and transitions to a non-profit organization, reshaping the future of pickleball for brands, manufacturers, and players worldwide.
Explore the growing trend of personalized and customized pickleball paddles. Learn how U.S. manufacturers are responding to player demands for performance, design, and innovation.
The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) has launched a global professional league, marking a new era for pickleball. Discover its impact on brands, manufacturers, and the growing international market.
The 2025 First Half Key Trends Report on Sports Participation reveals that pickleball continues to grow at a rapid pace, emerging as the biggest highlight in the sports industry. This article delves into market trends, brand opportunities, and manufacturer strategies to help pickleball paddle brand owners and purchasing managers seize the future.
In 2025, professional pickleball faces a “contract shuffle” as UPA transitions from guaranteed million-dollar contracts to a prize-based system. Signing time determines prize tiers, with early signees accessing the Gold Grid and late signees relegated to Futures. Star players Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters’ decisions are crucial, while the WPPA adds complexity. International talent and global expansion make this transformation even more significant.
Apple’s acquisition of the pickleball comedy The Dink highlights the sport’s rapid growth and cultural breakthrough. With Jake Johnson and Ben Stiller leading the cast, and legends like Andy Roddick and John McEnroe joining, the film is set to bring pickleball into the global mainstream. This move signals both Apple’s content strategy and pickleball’s potential to become the next worldwide sports phenomenon.
The GNG pickleball paddle testing machine, certified by DUPR, UPA-A, and PickleballTournaments.com, delivers 60-second paddle deflection checks to ensure fair play and equipment compliance worldwide.
The 2025 Asia Junior Pickleball Open in Vietnam gathered 246 young athletes from 10 nations for 874 matches, signaling a booming youth movement across Asia.
The launch of the World Pickleball Players Association (WPPA) marks a historic moment in pro pickleball. Led by Tina Pisnik and top players like Collin Johns and Jessie Irvine, WPPA aims to give athletes an independent voice on scheduling, prize money transparency, and player welfare. While the UPA maintains its official player committee, WPPA could reshape the sport’s power dynamics and push professionalism to the next level.
The Paddletek Bantam GTO isn’t just a paddle — it’s a precision weapon for aggressive players. Featuring aerospace-grade PT700 carbon fiber, cold-pressed construction, and a meticulously engineered hybrid shape, the GTO offers explosive power, fast hands, and brutally honest feedback. This is not a control paddle — it’s a performance machine designed to amplify your strengths and expose your weaknesses. Should you get it? This in-depth review breaks it down.
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