Franklin Sports Named Official Ball Sponsor of Pickleball Australia

STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS (August 22, 2023) – Franklin Sports has signed a multi-year partnership agreement with Pickleball Australia, the National Sport Organization of the country’s fastest growing sport. As part of the agreement, Franklin’s signature X-40 and X-26 balls have become the Official Balls of Pickleball Australia via member associations, clubs, individual members and sanctioned tournaments.

Pickleball athletes across Australia will have opportunities to compete with Franklin pickleballs in sanctioned tournaments, leagues and club events annually, including the 2023 PPL Brisbane in September, GemLife Australian Pickleball Championship in October and the 2023 Australian Masters Games-Adelaide in October. Joining forces with Franklin Sports, Pickleball Australia is the most recent territory to select Franklin as an official ball partner, joining USA Pickleball, Pickleball England, the Indian Pickleball Association, Japan Pickleball Association, Pickleball Mexico, Singapore Pickleball, Pickleball Venezuela, Puerto Rico Pickleball Association, Swedish Pickleball Tour, and earlier this summer, Pickleball Canada.

During the partnership, Franklin Sports and Pickleball Australia will focus on growth initiatives for the sport, supporting PAA’s member clubs and the grassroots efforts across the country to collaborate on ways to help pickleball athletes play recreationally at affiliated venues, and for those competing in Pickleball Australia’s pinnacle events the ability to play with the Franklin X-40 and X-26, which have always been the favored ball to use “down under.”

“The growth and popularity of pickleball continues to take over the sporting world,” said Jared Franklin, Head of International Pickleball Expansion, Franklin Sports. “We are proud to lead the charge globally with our amazing partners like Pickleball Australia, and our innovative pickleball products. The ability to bring our X-40 and X-26 signature pickleballs to athletes of all ages and backgrounds will provide countless opportunities for all to enjoy what the great game of pickleball has to offer. The Franklin and Pickleball Australia partnership will bring the sport to the next level and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of this exciting growth story that’s only just beginning in Australia.”

Pickleball Australia has seen a significant increase in participation in 2023 and it is estimated more than 25,000 people are playing pickleball across Australia today. Membership has grown to nearly 7,000 members and because of the demand, Pickleball Australia has worked with their State Member Associations, local clubs and associations and local government to help build courts throughout the country.

“The announcement of our partnership with Franklin Sports is a significant moment for Pickleball Australia and one which will benefit our entire community across the nation,” said Brendan Lee, Executive Officer of Pickleball Australia. “Pickleball Australia looks forward to working with such a distinguished brand like Franklin Sports to help increase participation, nurture our growth and professionalize our sport across the nation.”

Franklin Sports, a global sporting goods brand that manufactures and sells thousands of products across many different categories, entered the pickleball market in early 2016 with the release of the X-40 ball. Seven years later, the Massachusetts-based company offers a wide collection of pickleball products – paddles, balls, nets and more – and has partnerships with several professional pickleball players, including top U.S. pickleball athletes JW and Jorja Johnson, as well as European champion pickleball athlete, Louis Laville.

For more information about Pickleball Australia, visit pickleballaus.org. Pickleball players interested in learning more about Franklin Sports’ collection of pickleball products can visit franklinsports.com/pickleball.

In 2022, there were 6.4 million pickleball participants in the United States, according to NSGA’s 2023 Sports Participation in the US report. For more information on NSGA’s pickleball or sports participation research go to www.nsga.org/research/.