2024 Recap: USA Pickleball News Highlights
In 2024, USA Pickleball (USAP) made headlines with a series of controversies surrounding paddle testing. The year started with the implementation of new rules, which didn’t cause much stir among players. However, things took a turn when USAP decided to move its Nationals event to Mesa, Arizona, breaking ties with the PPA.
In April, Joola released its Gen3 paddle line, which raised eyebrows due to its controversial technology. USAP also announced a partnership with UTR and the APP for rankings and software, signaling a shift in the industry.
The biggest controversy came in May when USAP banned the new Joola Gen3 paddles from competitive use, citing an administrative error. This led to Joola filing a $200 million lawsuit against USAP for damages.
In response to the Joola ban, USAP also banned paddles from Vatic and Ronbus in June. The organization also increased its membership pricing in July, causing backlash among members.
In August, USAP announced its Paddle Exit Velocity Testing, which would go live in Q4 of 2024. The year ended with USAP decertifying paddles from Joola, Gearbox, and ProKennex due to PBCoR testing.
Overall, 2024 was a tumultuous year for USAP, with paddle controversies dominating the news cycle. Stay tuned for more updates as we wrap up the 2024 season.
