Adidas becoming more involved in pickleball industry, will release new paddles later this month
Last Edited
Apr 08 2025
Category
News
Adidas has been involved in pickleball for the past couple years, but 2025 has a different feel to it.
The iconic apparel and equipment brand made it clear earlier this year that it was ready to expand its footprint in the sport by signing then-No. 1 men’s player Federico Staksrud following a dominant 2024 season in which Staksrud won nine singles titles, five men's doubles titles and medaled in at least one division in all 24 PPA Tour events.
That announcement was followed up soon after with the signing of women’s pro Mari Humberg, who had a breakout season in MLP last year with the New Jersey 5s.
They joined Rafa Hewett – a longtime adidas player – to form a roster of pros that rivals what other major pickleball brands have at the game’s highest level.
While those moves generated a lot of buzz earlier this year, the brand is only continuing to gain momentum in the sport and could be on the verge of a major breakthrough at both the pro and amateur level. On April 22, the company will release its new line of paddles designed in conjunction with Staksrud, Hewett and Humberg – and if the early chatter from the pros is any indication, these paddles are going to be popular.
Adidas set to release new pickleball paddles
Adidas is coming to the market with a “tight but right” line for 2025, with a paddle for every player type the brand identified in its market research. Building on the innovative Metalbone, which launched in late 2023, adidas expanded the Metalbone line to include 4 models with differing incorporation of materials.
In addition to Metalbone, adidas simplified its product offering with two additional distinct pillars known as RX and MATCH.
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Bryan Ogle, Chief Commercial Officer at All Racquet Sports USA, which designs and produces paddles for the sports of pickleball, padel, beach tennis and pop tennis under the global license of adidas. “Pros recognize the level of engineering and innovation that went into these paddles, and amateurs appreciate the combination of quality and accessibility. Many players have told us they’ve never seen this level of detail and technology applied to pickleball paddles before.”
Ogle said exploring the whole line of products is worth the playing public's time, as there are unique characteristics each paddle brings to the court.
In manufacturing the new paddles, adidas leaned on its experience in the padel world, which uses similar materials in its equipment.
“Padel and tennis, like pickleball, all began with products for playing the game. As time progresses there is always ongoing innovation and exploration with different types of designs and material utilization. At the outset of these sports, we were playing with wood paddles!” Ogle said. “Our group has deep experience in working with a multitude of materials and the interaction those materials have with one another. Additionally, our experience in other paddle sports has allowed us to think a bit differently about what could be possible in paddle development.”
With paddle technology changing rapidly in recent years, Ogle said adidas has been able to adjust quickly and is well-positioned with its upcoming launch.
“Pickleball is evolving at a rapid pace,” he said. “Product innovations are happening quickly, and we are evolving our product line just as quick. Our group operates around an engineering first type of mindset. We want to be at the cutting edge of what is happening with products.”
Adidas Pickleball expanding roster at pro and amateur level
Ogle said it’s important to adidas at this stage to continue making strides at the pro and amateur level.
“Our brand is uniquely situated to bring innovation and best in class products to every player across the entirety of their pickleball needs,” he said. “The relationship with adidas enables us to fully understand the commitment needed to develop what an athlete needs. Adidas is committed to bringing that passion to every level of the game. While we all cannot play like Rafa, Fede and Mari, we can see ourselves playing with their products and furthering our own journey.”
He said the company is putting more of an emphasis this year on expanding its athlete lineup to any players who “embody adidas’ values and performance mindset.”
“We’re growing our ambassador program to engage with passionate players across all levels,” he said. “We want a mix of top-tier professionals and grassroots influencers who can authentically represent the brand.”
Ultimately Ogle hopes that the pickleball public will recognize the adidas brand is investing in pickleball.
“We are not just here to sell paddles and other items,” he said. “We are interested in seeing pickleball continue to grow in popularity in the United States but also around the globe. Our interest is in the entire ecosystem, and I think we can all agree that having a global brand like adidas putting some chips on the table is good for all of us working in pickleball.”
Join Pickleball’s Greatest Community
Subscribe to our FREE newsletter to be the most well-informed pickleball fan on the court, featuring news, giveaways, and much more!
