Articles
News, analysis and interviews from across pickleball — the people, the business, and the arguments shaping the sport.
Indoor Pickleball X Opens the Biggest Pro-Grade Pickleball Facility in NYC: Bringing 13 Courts and 40,000 Square Feet to Brooklyn
IPX Brooklyn opens in Greenpoint with 13 pro-grade courts: more than double any other indoor facility in the city.
Everything You Need to Know About Joola's Patent Lawsuit: Attorney Q&A
The Joola patent lawsuit has sent shockwaves through the pickleball industry, leaving brands, retailers, and players with more questions than answers.
Inside Selkirk's Acquisition of Bread & Butter: What It Means for Pickleball's Most Loyal Fanbase
Doug Sapusek and his family built a company in three and a half years that made people smile. Now, with Selkirk's backing, they're betting they can do a whole lot more.
Pickleball's Patent War: Will Joola's Sweeping IP Claim Kill Paddle Innovation?
Pickleball's Patent War: How Joola's Sweeping IP Claim Could Reshape the Sport A federal trade complaint against eleven brands, a fraud scandal heading into discovery, and a question the entire industry is now asking: who can still build a competitive paddle?
Major Brands Are Entering the Pickleball Market—And Smaller Brands Should Be Worried
After years of scrappy startups and specialty brands dominating the market, 2026 marks an inflection point: legacy sports giants are finally taking pickleball seriously. With their deep pockets, established distribution networks, and massive marketing budgets, these household names are poised to fundamentally reshape the competitive landscape. Not everyone will survive.
Selkirk lands $30m to fuel rapid Asia push; poised for acquisitions
First external investment deal values US sports brand at $200m as it seeks foothold in India, Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines
How 11SIX24 Signed Dekel Bar in 3 Weeks: Behind the Deal
How a chance connection, a last-minute paddle approval, and a founder's gut instinct came together in one of pickleball's most unconventional sponsorship deals
Friday Pickleball Signs YouTube Star Kyle Koszuta in Push Into Performance Market
Friday Pickleball has signed professional player and YouTube content creator Kyle Koszuta, also known as ThatPickleballGuy, marking the company's most significant move yet into the competitive performance paddle market.
Amazon Pickleball Paddle Sales Hit $44 Million in 2025: Here's What Players Are Buying
Amazon pickleball paddle sales hit $44 million in 2025, with revenue surging 55% while unit sales rose just 38%—revealing that players are abandoning cheap beginner sets for premium equipment.
Who is Anna Bright?
Anna Bright was a nationally-ranked tennis prodigy who never truly loved the sport her father obsessed over—until she discovered pickleball and became one of its brightest stars.
Best Pickleball Paddles of 2025 | Paddle Awards
From the paddle that shocked the pros to the accessory that revolutionized customization, discover which gear dominated 2025 and earned the title of year's best in our first annual SpeakPickleball awards.
Who Are Enhance Pickleball?
Enhance Pickleball is one of the biggest educational pickleball channels now building an impressive lineup of high performance pickleball paddles. How did they get to 290K YouTube subscribers and amass 163+ million views? And why did they start building paddles?
How Long Does it Take to Develop a Pickleball Paddle?
A paddle developer reveals the hidden 9-18 month journey behind creating a pickleball paddle, from initial concept through multiple rounds of prototyping, regulatory testing, and production planning. This complex process of research, iteration, and approval challenges explains why genuinely innovative paddles command premium prices while catalog paddles that skip the R&D phase can sell for much less.
Reload CEO Blasts UPA-A as ‘Manipulative Authoritarian Organization’
In a scathing blog post titled "I volunteer as tribute," Reload founder Nick Bićanić publicly questions UPA-A's approach to paddle regulation.
Who is Kyle Trenga?
The Making of Cupcake Destroyer, the Co-Host of the Pickleball Effect Podcast
Who is the Pickleball Studio's Chris Olson?
How a homeschooled kid became the authority on pickleball paddles
From Startup Burnout to 85-Pound Weight Loss: How Pickleball Saved a Tech CFO's Life
What Ethan Noblesala discovered next would reveal something profound about the particular cruelty of American success culture—and the unexpected places we find salvation.
How to Choose a Pickleball Paddle
A complete buyers guide: what actually affects performance, how to assess your own game honestly, and how to verify manufacturer claims before you buy.
Behind the Scenes with Brooklyn Pickleball Team's COO Adam Behnke
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Adam Behnke, Chief Operating Officer of the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, to discuss the growing pains and exciting developments of building a professional pickleball franchise from the ground up.
Who is That Pickleball Guy: Kyle Koszuta?
How a failed college basketball career taught Kyle Koszuta everything he needed to know about overcoming the most devastating injury of all: the one to your confidence
Who is Building Pickleball?
Brian Lim’s journey—from MMA fighter to baker to founder of Building Pickleball—is a search for identity, purpose, and belonging, told through the quiet craft of documenting a sport still defining itself.
Who Is Len Yang?
This is the story of Len Yang and his journey to becoming one of pickleball's brightest stars.
Is Foam the Future of Pickleball?
Foam-core paddles are the hottest topic in pickleball gear, but are they a breakthrough or just buzz? After a year of testing, teardown, and talking to the people leading the charge, we break down what foam really does, why it’s so hard to get right, and where the tech might take the sport next.
Will the UPA-A and USAP Converge? 6 Things We Learned at RacquetX 2025
Inside pickleball’s growing civil war over regulation, technology, and who gets to decide the future of the game.
Who the Hell is Gherkin Anyway?
Gherkin popped out of nowhere. We called them up to hear about their pickleball journey so far. Here's their story.
I interviewed the UPA-A and the PPL: 5 Things I Learned
Before attending USAP’s media day, I sat down with UPA-A President Jason Aspes and Pickle Pro Labs' Curtis Cruz to better understand how their testing program is shaping up. In this piece, I break down the differences between UPA-A and USAP’s approaches to paddle regulation—where they align, where they clash, and where each leaves room for questions.
USAP Media Day: 8 Things We Learned About PBCoR, Delistings, and Enforcement
USA Pickleball’s Media Day offered a rare, unscripted look at its testing methods, enforcement policies, and the controversies surrounding paddle compliance. With tensions high over recent delistings and the introduction of the PBCoR test, the event provided manufacturers and media a chance to challenge USAP directly—and revealed both progress and ongoing concerns.
Paddle News: Q1 2025
It's pickleball busy season. Let's explore all the paddles releasing early 2025.
The 6 Pickleball Archetypes: Which Playstyle Describes You Best?
This article reimagines the six most common pickleball playstyles as video game archetypes, complete with strengths, weaknesses, and stats. From the cerebral Trickster to the power-driven Banger, discover which character matches your game.
The Truth About Pickleball Paddle Metrics: What Do They Actually Mean?
Choosing a pickleball paddle isn’t as simple as comparing stats—it’s more like finding the perfect pair of shoes. While metrics like weight, balance, and spin provide a solid starting point, they only tell part of the story. This article breaks down what paddle stats really mean and how to use them to find your ideal match on the court.
How to Play Your First Pickleball Game at the Park: The Rules of the Court
Ready to hit the pickleball court but unsure how to navigate open play? This guide breaks down everything you need to know—from paddle stacking to court rules—so you can dive right in.
Ranked: the Best Designed Pickleball Paddles of 2024
We rank the best-looking pickleball paddles of 2024, focusing purely on style, bold designs, and standout aesthetics.
USAP vs UPA-A: Pickleball Organizations Explained
Learn everything you need to know about how pickleball is structured in North America. We dive into the role of USAP, the structure of the UPA-A, and the criticisms of both.
23 Best Pickleball Youtube Channels to Subscribe to Right Now
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of pickleball, these YouTube channels and podcasts offer everything from expert paddle reviews to insider stories and pro-level gameplay.
How to Choose Your First Pickleball Paddle: 2025 Edition
Navigating the world of pickleball paddles can feel like wading through a sea of buzzwords and price tags—this guide breaks it all down to help you find the perfect paddle without losing your mind.
15 Unique Approaches to Make Your Pickleball Brand Unforgettable
With new pickleball brands popping up constantly, standing out in this competitive market requires smart, unique strategies. This article covers 14 ways paddle brands can differentiate themselves, from innovative designs and community engagement to pricing tactics and product focus.