Dope Pickleball’s Gold Paddles: The highly anticipated Michelob Ultra Super Bowl ad has taken the pickleball community by storm, featuring Hollywood stars Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara as “pickleball hustlers.” While the commercial boasts celebrity cameos, including Randy Moss and Sabrina Ionescu, another unexpected star has captured attention—the distinctive gold-edged paddles used by the hustlers.
Birth of a Unique Paddle
These eye-catching paddles were created by Dope Pickleball, a company founded in late 2022 by Arizona entrepreneur Domenic Fotino.
Inspired by the luxury of Las Vegas high-roller rooms, Fotino wanted to create a paddle that was high-performing and visually striking. His vision led to the world’s first chrome gold-edged pickleball paddle, the High Roller.
Fotino worked tirelessly to perfect the paddle’s design. Manufacturing proved difficult, requiring countless adjustments to ensure durability and playability.
“This product was not that easy to make. Many think you just call a company in China and tell them to make a paddle like everyone else. We were online with the factory in the middle of the night, talking about manufacturing methods and testing, for months on end.” – (Fotino)
His commitment was tested further when he was laid off in early 2023. He sold personal belongings to fund another round of production tests. By September 2024, Fotino had successfully refined the design and was ready to introduce the paddle to the market.
“I got laid off while trying to launch this brand, and I found myself literally selling furniture and other items I had around the house in order to fund another paddle manufacturing test.” – (Fotino)
Hollywood Comes Calling
The opportunity of a lifetime arrived unexpectedly. Sean Bollettieri, son of famed tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, had taken an interest in Dope Pickleball’s paddles. As the owner of The Tennis Club at Newport Beach, Bollettieri was already involved in the pickleball scene and saw potential in Fotino’s innovative product.
Bollettieri was soon contacted by a Hollywood director searching for pickleball equipment for an upcoming Super Bowl commercial. Recognizing the gold-edged paddle’s distinctive look, he presented it to the production team. The director was immediately sold.
“I showed the paddles to the director, he wants it to be the main theme of the ad.” – (Bollettieri)
“They changed elements of the set design to align with the paddle,” Fotino recalled. “They invented the ‘Hustling’ theme and made the paddles a centerpiece.”
A Last-Minute Rush
Just before filming, Fotino received an urgent call. The production team needed five more paddles delivered to Newport Beach by the next morning. “It was Sunday night at 10 PM in Phoenix when I got the call,” he said.
“I need five more paddles in Newport Beach by 7am for the shoot. UPS had a courier pick them up from my house and drive straight through to the shoot. It cost us $1000s of shipping but they got there.” – (Fotino)
“I didn’t hear back from them for months. Was the commercial even happening? Was our product even featured? Then, we see the first ad on the internet and we’re like, ‘Holy cow we’re a centerpiece.’” – (Fotino)
After delivering the paddles, Fotino was left in suspense. Months passed with no updates. Then, the teaser ads hit the internet, confirming that Dope Pickleball’s paddles were a major feature in the commercial.
Aftermath and What’s Next
Since the ad’s debut, demand for the High Roller paddle has surged.
“It’s been chaos. We’ve had a streaming service reach out with an opportunity, we’ve had major advertisers who want to put it in their stuff, and support from people who are fans of the products.” – (Fotino)
Looking ahead, Fotino and Bollettieri are launching ‘The Disruptor Collection,’ a new paddle line celebrating innovators who break the mold. The first release, ‘The Hustler,’ pays tribute to those who challenge industry norms. With Super Bowl exposure and a growing reputation, Dope Pickleball is making waves in the sport.
“I still have not even seen the final cut; I’ll see it when everyone else does during the game.” – (Fotino)
News in Brief: Dope Pickleball’s Gold Paddles
Dope Pickleball’s gold-edged paddles star in Michelob Ultra’s 2025 Super Bowl ad, featuring Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara as pickleball hustlers.
Created by Domenic Fotino, the paddles gained Hollywood attention through Sean Bollettieri. Following the ad’s release, demand for Dope’s paddles has skyrocketed, with new products on the horizon.
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