JOOLA has filed patent infringement litigation against 11 pickleball paddle brands, including Franklin, RPM, and Paddletek, alleging unauthorized use of its proprietary propulsion core technology. The action was filed with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) on April 7, 2026.
The case targets several major industry players, including Franklin Sports, Proton Sports, RPM Pickleball, Engage Pickleball, Friday Labs, Diadem Sports, Facolos, ProXR Pickleball, Paddletek, Adidas Pickleball, and Volair.
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In a media statement, JOOLA said the move reflected its “long-standing commitment to protecting the original engineering that has defined the modern era of pickleball paddle performance.”
Calling the decision a deliberate step, JOOLA CEO Richard Lee said, “This is a principled decision, not a reactive one. We take our responsibility to defend what we’ve built seriously. Our goal is to protect our innovation and encourage others to innovate as well.”
The company stated that it has invested years in research, development, and testing of its propulsion core technology, which it describes as a patent-protected innovation that has influenced paddle design and performance standards across the sport.
JOOLA added that protecting intellectual property is also tied to maintaining product quality and safeguarding competition from what it described as “counterfeits and copycats.”
“Protecting our innovation is not about limiting what others can do – it’s about ensuring the investment, creativity and engineering required to advance this sport are rewarded,” Lee said in the release. “The brands that will shape the future of this sport are the ones willing to innovate on their own.”
The company emphasized that it continues to support competition within the sport, while urging brands to develop independent technologies that contribute to pickleball’s evolution.
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The litigation marks one of the most significant legal developments in the pickleball equipment industry, with potential implications for paddle design and manufacturing standards going forward.
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(Written by Evince Das)
