News & updates
Short, dated notes and weekly roundups — pro tours, league news, and paddle launches — that affect what US shoppers see in stores. For deeper buying advice, browse ourguides (start withpaddles under $100 orfoam cores explained).
Inside MLP's Biggest Franchises: Valuations, Growth, and the Teams to Know
Major League Pickleball's top franchises are now valued in the eight figures, with league-wide revenue and viewership climbing fast. Here's a look at the teams driving that growth.
- mlp
- teams
- business
- feature
Where to Play Pickleball in Los Angeles Right Now
Six verified LA spots to play pickleball, from free lighted public courts to dedicated clubs, with addresses, court counts, and links to each venue's own site.
- guide
- los-angeles
- where-to-play
- courts
MLP Dallas Playoffs Results, and a 15-Year-Old to Watch
Four teams punched their tickets to Newport Beach out of the MLP Playoffs in Dallas, and 15-year-old Cailyn Campbell gave fans one more reason to watch the SoCal Hard Eights.
- results
- mlp
- one-to-watch
- rising-star
US Pickleball: PPA Goes Global, MLP Playoffs Begin
The PPA Tour unveiled a worldwide ranking system and launched PPA Tour Europe, while the MLP Playoffs opened in Dallas with a stacked Round 1 field.
- weekly-roundup
- ppa-tour
- mlp
- rankings
Gear Roundup: Onix Theory Foam Under $100
Onix launched the Theory foam-core paddle as a sub-$100 play, 11SIX24 teased Jelly Bean 2 for late August, and budget foam continues to redefine what recreational buyers should expect from mid-tier specs.
- roundup
- paddles
- foam-core
- onix
- budget
- gear
US Pickleball: Nationals Ahead, Foam Paddles Win
A look at the biggest US pickleball storylines this week — the Veolia National Championships coming to North Carolina, why foam-core paddles keep showing up on the winner's podium, and the sponsor move still shaping the pro tour.
- weekly-roundup
- ppa-tour
- gear
- sponsorships
Selkirk acquires Bread & Butter
Selkirk Sport acquired Bread & Butter Pickleball in May 2026. The brands say they will keep designing paddles independently while sharing Selkirk's distribution and operations — a clear signal of consolidation in a crowded paddle market.
- brands
- selkirk
- bread-and-butter
- industry
Engage ships its second full-foam paddle, the X2
Engage followed 2025's Profoam with the X2, a full-foam paddle built around a Quad Density foam core. Pro Eric Oncins switched to the X2 in early 2026 and climbed into the top 10 in men's and mixed doubles on the PPA Tour — a useful signal that foam-core designs keep gaining traction at the competitive end of the market.
- paddles
- foam-core
- engage
- pro-tour
JOOLA Refreshes the Pro V Line for 2026
JOOLA's 2026 Pro V update — Ben Johns' signature series — adds KineticFrame technology designed to flex and store energy on contact, then release it into the ball. The refresh keeps JOOLA in the premium all-court conversation even as foam-core competitors push durability claims.
- paddles
- joola
- pro-v
- ben-johns
Li-Ning enters the U.S. pro paddle market
Chinese sporting-goods giant Li-Ning launched two paddles aimed at competitive U.S. players in early 2026. The entry is part of a wider wave of new-brand and crossover athletic brands testing the pro paddle market this year.
- paddles
- brands
- li-ning
- pro-tour
Anna Leigh Waters leaves Paddletek for Franklin
The sport's top women's player ended her longtime Paddletek sponsorship and signed a long-term deal with Franklin Pickleball in early 2026 — one of the biggest sponsor moves of the year. Franklin plans to build signature gear around Waters, including paddles in its C45 carbon-fiber line.
- sponsorships
- paddles
- pro-tour
- franklin
