Pickleball participation increased 56% in 2024, according to the National Sporting Goods Association, marking the third year in a row that the sport has seen annual growth of 50% or more. While the number of new pickleball-related licensed product initiatives seems to have died down a bit compared to earlier in the sport’s short lifespan as a mainstream participation activity, deals are still being announced regularly:
- The Professional Pickleball Association’s PPA Tour licensed FarSight Studios for PPA Pickleball Tour 2025, billed as the first licensed videogame based on the sport and the most realistic pickleball-themed game on the market, in June 2024. The title launched on the XBox, PS4 and PS5, and Steam platforms, with plans to debut on the Nintendo Switch in 2026. Sixteen pro players; pickleball gear brands such as FILA, Paddletek, and others; and official PPA Tour venues appear in the game.
- Parris Todd, a pro pickleballer and influencer, collaborated with Franklin Sports, one of her sponsors, in December 2024 for a line of signature paddles and other performance accessories co-designed by Todd. The products were touted as both high-performance and fashionable, with the latter characteristic addressing a gap in the marketplace, the collaborators said. Todd’s other sponsors include Alo Yoga, skincare line Elta MD, and energy drink Reign Storm.
- Two pro athletes, Tyson McGuffin and Catherine Parenteau, announced a collaboration with Skechers in April 2024 for the latter’s first-ever pickleball apparel collection. The capsule was designed for all levels of players, with the two athletes contributing their thoughts during product development on how to integrate comfort, functionality, performance, and style. The collection included shorts, skorts, paddles, watches, and sneakers.
- There seems to be no end to the number of IP owners that continue to lend their names and imagery to pickleball paddle surfaces. A few examples of recent ageements include Lamborghini pairing with Babolat in April 2025 (for a second high-performance paddle, after the success of a first released in 2024), the Keith Haring estate partnering with Volair Pickleball in March 2025, and Guy Harvey, Inc. collaborating with Diadem Sports in June 2024 for paddles featuring its marine art.
It should be noted that while licensing agreements and product collaborations continue to be forged with regularity in this space, other types of partnerships—including promotions, sponsorships, and other non-product-centric relationships—remain more frequent. Pro player Connor Garnett paired with Warren Street Wealth Advisors as an endorser, for example, while USA Pickleball’s recent promotional partners include Sandals and Beaches Resorts and QVC. The latter serves as both a broadcast partner and a retail outlet for official products from the organization’s licensees. These types of alliances mutually raise awareness for both partners and help elevate the sport in general. But they typically do not yield any new licensed merchandise, although limited-edition items may occasionally be part of the mix.
Review the trajectory of pickleball-related licensing in our previous posts in July 2024, June 2024, September 2023, and November 2022.
And watch for Raugust Communications’ next monthly e-newsletter in your inbox next Tuesday, May 20, 2025. The Licensing Topic of the Month will discuss innovation in location-based entertainment and experiential initiatives, while the Datapoint research spotlight will provide information on how celebrities’ branding strategies are evolving over time. If you are not yet receiving this free publication, please subscribe here.
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