Pickleball Highlights: Brooklyn Dominates, UPA Asia Launch & Gear Updates

Here's today's pickleball news for you wonderful pickleballers.

You can listen to it in our Deep Dive or carry on reading below.

Brooklyn Dominates Phoenix MLP: 5-1 Record Secures Wildly Successful Weekend!

Phoenix, USA – The Brooklyn Pickleball Team showcased a "wildly successful weekend" at Edward Jones MLP Phoenix, wrapping up the event with an impressive 5-1 record and five regulation wins. Their only defeat came at the hands of the still-undefeated Dallas Flash. The team capped off their performance with a decisive 4-0 sweep of the Phoenix Flames, bringing their overall 2025 season record to 7-4 (23pts).

A notable moment for Brooklyn involved Riley Newman being sidelined by a right leg injury earlier in the day. In his 2025 MLP debut, Pat Smith stepped in and "shined," winning both of his matches alongside Dekel Bar and Jackie Kawamoto, ensuring the team's continued success despite the lineup change. The Phoenix Flames, in contrast, struggled in their hometown event, finishing with a 1-5 record. Both teams are set to return to action at Edward Jones MLP San Clemente, scheduled for June 26-29.

UPA Asia Unveiled: New Pickleball Powerhouse to Oversee PPA & MLP in Asia!

International Pickleball Community – A significant development for global pickleball saw the formation of UPA Asia announced on Monday, November 25, 2024. This new entity will strategically oversee both PPA Tour Asia and MLP Asia, aiming to bridge the sport between the continent and the United States. Kimberly Koh, previously Partnerships Director at World Table Tennis, has been appointed as UPA Asia’s Managing Director.

Further solidifying its presence, UPA Asia unveiled its inaugural 2025 PPA Tour Asia schedule on May 7, 2025, featuring five tour stops across four different countries: the Panas Malaysia Open, Hong Kong Open, Sansan Fukuoka Open, China Slam, and Kuala Lumpur Cup. Complementing this, the Trailblazers program was launched on February 1, 2025, offering Asia's top up-and-coming players an all-expenses-paid, three-month training trip to the United States. This initiative aims to provide world-class coaching and competition, with the ultimate goal for these athletes to return to Asia and spearhead the growth of pickleball in their home countries.

Bancroft Battles for $100K: Pickleball Club Aims for 'Canada's Most Active Community' Title!

Bancroft, Canada – The Bancroft Pickleball club is spearheading an ambitious effort to have their town named Canada’s Most Active Community in the nationwide ParticipACTION Community Challenge, with the enticing prize of $100,000 for local recreation hanging in the balance. The club is actively engaging residents of all ages and skill levels to contribute to the town's physical activity totals.

To achieve this goal, the Bancroft Pickleball club is inviting participation in weekly league play, held on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 a.m. until noon. Additionally, a beginner-friendly pickleball tournament is scheduled for June 7, offering newcomers a perfect opportunity to try the sport and boost Bancroft’s challenge score. Communities across Canada are vying for the national title, with success measured by logged physical activity on the ParticipACTION website.

Pickleball Power Play: Stack Athletics & Chaifetz Group Acquire Vulcan, Rebrand as Stack Vulcan!

Pickleball Industry – A significant business move in the pickleball world was announced with Stack Athletics, a subsidiary of The Picklr, and the Chaifetz Group acquiring Vulcan Sporting Good’s Pickleball product lines, now rebranded as Stack Vulcan. Stack Athletics is recognized for its apparel, while Vulcan has been a pioneer in high-quality paddles and balls.

The Chaifetz Group brings a substantial pickleball portfolio to the table, including the St. Louis Shock of the MLP, shares in UPA and DUPR, and investments in The Picklr and Pickletile. Ross Chaifetz emphasized the goal of "breathing new life into a legacy brand" that could benefit from more resources and a fresh vision. The Chaifetz Group will leverage its experience in e-commerce, selling, and distribution to support the new omni-channel brand. This acquisition positions Stack Vulcan to capitalize on pickleball's continued growth.

New Official Ball Announced: Vulcan VPRO Flight Ball Takes Center Stage for MLP & DUPR!

Pickleball Industry – In a direct outcome of the recent acquisition of Vulcan Pickleball by Stack Athletics and the Chaifetz Group, a new standard for competitive play has been set: the Vulcan VPRO Flight ball will now serve as the official ball for key organizations and events. This strategic move is part of the broader deal that saw Vulcan's product lines rebranded as Stack Vulcan.

The Vulcan VPRO Flight ball is designated as the official ball for Major League Pickleball (MLP), the DUPR rating system, and all their affiliated events. This comprehensive adoption includes High School Pickleball, Minor League Pickleball, Collegiate Pickleball, and The Picklr indoor pickleball franchise. Vulcan has a long-standing reputation as one of the first equipment manufacturers of high-quality paddles and balls in the sport, making this integration a natural fit for expanding its legacy within professional and amateur play.

Pickleball Fashion Forward: DAPS Aims to Be Both a Performance and Lifestyle Brand!

New York, USA – Brothers Rich and Dave Goldstein, alongside childhood friend Keith Goldberg, have launched DAPS, an innovative new brand of high-performing pickleball shoes. After years of design and playtesting, their first two models, the Desi low and Desi mid, have just been released. The creators, seasoned in the shoe business, observed a gap in the market where many "pickleball shoes" were simply repurposed tennis shoes.

DAPS took a different approach, building their shoes "from the ground up" specifically for the doubles game. Their design prioritizes performance, comfort, and aims to alleviate common player issues like foot, knee, and back soreness from long play sessions. Key features include a traction-tuned rubber sole, a carbon fibre shank stabilizer for superior stability, ETPU midsole foam for energy return, and Blumaka NonSlip insoles for maximum control. Lab tests at Heeluxe Performance Lab showed DAPS shoes outperforming competitors in metrics like faster starts and quicker stops. Beyond performance, DAPS aims to be a "lifestyle brand," creating shoes that look great both on and off the court.