Counterfeit paddles are a growing issue impacting player safety and the growth of the sport. A new campaign taps some top pros for a lighthearted look at a serious problem.
Leading industry organizations across pro and amateur pickleball today released a joint statement condemning the proliferation and widespread use of counterfeit paddles.
"This issue has aligned every organization," it reads. "There is no room for counterfeit paddles in the sport."
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Groups involved include:
APP Tour DUPR Major League Pickleball (MLP) PPA Tour The United Pickleball Association of America USA Pickleball World Pickleball Federation (WPF) Counterfeit paddles are increasingly becoming an issue.
Purchase paddles direct from brands or authorized retailers you can trust. pic.twitter.com/GzGfJ2WFDx
— UPA-A (@UPAApb) December 19, 2025
The goal is largely education, conveying the scope of the problem and the real costs to brands and players if left unchecked.
Through this initiative, the pickleball community is working together to educate players, support legitimate manufacturers, strengthen equipment standards, and discourage the sale and use of fraudulent paddles. Jason Aspes, president of the UPA-A, took to X to put the issue into perspective... FULL ARTICLE FOUND ON: https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/pickleball-pros-pose-in-new-professions-for-hilarious-dont-trust-a-fake-campaign/