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JOOLA Unleashes Patent Infringement Litigation against 11 paddle brands
The paddle maker accuses brands of unauthorized use of its proprietary propulsion core technology
The pickleball paddle wars have hit a breaking point with JOOLA filing a lawsuit against 11 paddle brands.
According to Joola, the action, filed with the International Trade Commission (ITC) on April 7, 2026, reflects JOOLA's long-standing commitment to protecting the original engineering that has defined the modern era of pickleball paddle performance.
JOOLA has spent years investing in the research, development, and testing behind its propulsion core technology. It’s become a patent-protected innovation that is standard in competitive pickleball.
However, it seems that it's also become standard for other brands as well. JOOLA accuses the following brands of using this technology without authorization:
- Franklin Sports
- Proton Sports
- RPM Pickleball
- Engage Pickleball
- Friday Labs
- Diadem Sports
- Facolos
- ProXR Pickleball
- Paddletek
- Adidas Pickleball
- Volair
"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 sustained," said Richard Lee, CEO of JOOLA. "The brands that will shape the future of this sport are the ones willing to innovate on their own. We encourage every brand to bring their own ideas, their own engineering, and their own creativity."
Over the past few years, pickleball paddle competition has become more and more heated. The market has been flooded, not only with legit brands, but also knockoffs from China. JOOLA is trying to maintain control of their technology that has made them an industry leader and hopes to enforce their patents in a court of law.
Companies will have to choose between settling out of court or fighting the lawsuit. One thing is for sure, this will shake up the industry with a renewed focus on proprietary technology.
