Pickleball Leaders Clash Over Regulation: Six industry leaders gathered at RacquetX in Miami on March 23 to discuss the fragmented regulation of pickleball. The panel, titled Pickleball at a Crossroads: Navigating the Wild West of Equipment, Standards, and Regulations, explored the divide between the United Pickleball Association of America (UPA-A) and USA Pickleball (USAP) in governing the sport.
Dueling Governing Bodies
The UPA-A, established last year, oversees professional pickleball, while USAP continues to regulate amateur and recreational play. The panel, moderated by Reload Pickleball CEO Nick Bicanic, included Jason Aspes (UPA-A), Tom Barnes (Selkirk Sport), Nick Bicanic (Reload Pickleball), Rafael Filippini (Gearbox Sports), Gordon Kaye (JOOLA), and Carl Schmits (USAP).
Bicanic asked if there were two competing governing bodies. Schmits responded, “The short answer is, there is only one national governing body (USA Pickleball).”
Barnes was critical of the UPA-A, saying, “It’s just there to make money, and it’s just there to assist the bottom line of the UPA.” Filippini also dismissed the idea of two governing bodies: “I don’t recognize two. I’ll be straight up with that.”
However, Kaye offered a different perspective, stating, “I don’t fundamentally have an issue with the idea that there’s a pro standard and there’s a wider standard.”
Confusion Between Pro and Amateur Standards
A key issue discussed was the different equipment standards for professional and amateur players. UPA-A allows paddles with more grit and spin potential than USAP, raising concerns that these paddles are being sold to amateurs.
Bicanic pressed the issue, asking, “How can we claim this is just about the professional game when in reality these paddles… will immediately make their way into the amateur hands?”
Kaye responded, “The reality is that a lot of people want to play with what the pros play with.” Bicanic countered, “By that logic, this standard is not about pro play, this is about selling paddles.”
Aspes defended the UPA-A’s approach, stating, “We have brought the power down below USAP’s level.”
The Push for a Unified Standard
The panel also debated the possibility of merging USAP and UPA-A standards. Bicanic asked Schmits whether standards could co-exist or if one needed to go away.
Schmits replied, “I think they should merge… There’s really no reason from a technical standpoint that we couldn’t merge.” Aspes agreed, saying, “I think we could easily get to the same standard because it’s not that big of a difference.”
Concerns Over UPA-A’s Independence
Barnes questioned the UPA-A’s independence, asking if Aspes reported to UPA President Connor Pardoe.
Aspes denied this, saying, “From an ownership organization, we fall under the UPA… I don’t report to anybody, I report to the Board.” Barnes challenged him, saying, “That’s clearly not true, but you can say that.”
Aspes defended UPA-A’s operations, stating, “I feel very good about the way we act internally.” He also noted that the organization is taking steps toward becoming a non-profit, adding, “We said that we would do that this year, and we are actively taking steps to do so.”
Manufacturers Seek a Single Standard
With multiple certification standards, paddle manufacturers face challenges in compliance. JOOLA was the first company to receive UPA-A certification while also maintaining USAP approval.
Bicanic asked Kaye whether manufacturers preferred one standard. Kaye responded, “I think everyone would. That’s the goal here: convergence.”
Bicanic added, “Two men enter – one man leaves.” Kaye replied, “No, two men enter – twenty million people benefit.”
Future of Pickleball Regulation
Barnes had the final word, expressing concerns over the sport’s long-term future. He emphasized that pickleball’s Olympic aspirations require unified standards, stating, “We cannot do that with the current fragmentation of standards.”
He warned against industry conflicts, saying, “We don’t want it to go in the ways of racquetball and be crushed via conflicts of interest and infighting.” He concluded, “Fragmentation of standards is one symptom of that.”
News in Brief: Pickleball Leaders Clash Over Regulation
At RacquetX in Miami, pickleball leaders debated regulatory challenges, with USAP and UPA-A differing on governance and equipment standards. Panelists discussed industry fragmentation, paddle certification issues, and the need for unified rules. Concerns over private interests shaping the sport’s future highlighted the urgency of standardizing pickleball regulations.