FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gilbert, Arizona – May 30, 2025 — In a bold move disrupting the status quo, Dope Pickleball announces that it will no longer design or manufacture paddles in compliance with USA Pickleball’s performance specifications. This declaration is not a publicity stunt — it’s a response to years of playing by the rules, only to realize those rules were never written for brands like us — or for the players we represent.

We Tried to Do It Their Way

We came into this sport with nothing but respect. We studied the rulebook, sourced the best materials, and engineered what we believed to be the future of high-performance pickleball design: a luxury paddle that met every technical spec but elevated the look and feel of the sport to another level.

The result? Our signature creation: the first electroplated chrome edge guard paddle in the world — a paddle that fused performance and innovation with a sleek, disruptively original design. We thought we were bringing something special to the game. Turns out, we were bringing something that made the rule-makers uncomfortable.

Then They Banned It — Because It Looked Too Good

USA Pickleball didn’t ban our paddle because it performed too well. They didn’t ban it for safety. They banned it because of how it looked.

Let that sink in.

We played by the book — only to be told we weren’t “legal” because our chrome edge didn’t fit their outdated, beige vision of the game. Then, months later, we watched other major brands copy our innovation — and get approved.

That’s not oversight. That’s hypocrisy.

USA Pickleball Isn’t the Law — It’s a Business

Here’s the truth: USA Pickleball is not a government agency. They are a self-governed, for-profit entity that sells certification and approval to brands while selectively enforcing their rules. They are not the end-all authority they claim to be — they are the gatekeepers of an echo chamber.

They’ve been called out over and over again by players, brands, and even professional leagues like the PPA, who were forced to create their own paddle standards due to inconsistent and erratic rulings.

So we asked ourselves: if we’re already banned for how our paddle looks, why are we still holding back on how it plays?

The Gloves Are Off. The Grit Is On.

As of today, we are no longer nerfing our designs. No more dumbing down the paddle surface. No more complying with arbitrary specs like 30-micron grit limits, spin caps, or anti-shine regulations.

We are now building paddles that do what you want them to do: hit harder, spin nastier, and look like nothing else on the court.

• More grit.
• More power.
• More durability.
• More freedom.

Our paddles are now unapologetically optimized for recreational domination. Not approval.

For the Few Who Hate This, We Hear You — But We’re Not For You

If you’re a rule-stickler, if you live for rankings and sanctioning bodies and badge-stamped gear, you’ve got plenty of other brands to shop from. We're not mad at you — we’re just not building for you anymore.

But for the rest of us — the 99% of players who hit the courts to have fun, compete with friends, and bring some damn personality to the game — Dope Pickleball is here to change the sport in your name.

The Paddle for the People

This isn’t about breaking rules for the sake of rebellion. It’s about building better paddles for the people who’ve been overlooked.

We build for the player who:

• Plays on local courts, not tour stops.
• Wants a paddle that feels like a weapon — not a toy.
• Doesn’t care about pleasing a certification committee.
• Wants to play better and look better doing it.

We’re not here to be legal. We’re here to be legendary.

And If Your Friends Complain? Cool. Tell Them to Buy One Too.

The beautiful thing about the pickleball court is that everyone plays by the same rules — so if you’re winning with a Dope paddle and they’re not? Well, they can buy the same one and level the hell up.

Or they can go cry about chrome to USA Pickleball — the same organization that banned a new wave of innovation, and in doing so, accidentally created the black sheep of pickleball.

We didn’t start this fire. We just poured gas on it.

Not For Everyone — But Everything to Those Who Get It

No, we’re not for everyone. We never will be. But the ones who rock with us? They ride hard. They don’t go back. They don’t switch. They rep Dope like it’s a badge of honor — because it is.

And if that makes us outlaws in the eyes of the powers that be? So be it. We’re not playing their game anymore. We’re playing ours.