Vulcan Sporting Goods Pickleball Merger: Stack Athletics, a pickleball clothing brand owned by The Picklr, and The Chaifetz Group announced on May 29, 2025, that they are buying the pickleball part of Vulcan Sporting Goods. They will combine to create a new company called “Stack Vulcan.” The deal gives both companies more products and services for pickleball players. The Chaifetz Group is also investing money and will have a seat on the new company’s board.
This move brings together Stack’s fashion-forward approach and Vulcan’s long-time paddle and ball business. It helps both companies grow by offering more items to players and fans.
Background and Deal Details
The Chaifetz Group and Stack Athletics have worked together before. They also share some of the same partners, making this new partnership an easy fit. Stack Athletics is known for its fresh designs and branding, while Vulcan has been in the pickleball game for years with paddles and balls. Ross Chaifetz, Managing Director of The Chaifetz Group, said,
“We are bringing onboard a great, long-standing business in the sport in Vulcan into the fold. The Picklr and Stack’s ability to build brands is crucial here. Vulcan has a brand, but it’s a legacy brand and it could use a refresh.” – (Ross Chaifetz)
Ross Chaifetz explained that his company will help with the business side of things, using their experience in online sales and store partnerships.
“We have a combined 8-10 businesses in this partnership that can provide an end-to-end strategy. Most Pickleball brands are uni-channel, we’re omni channel.” – (Ross Chaifetz)
Jeremy Nef, President of Stack Athletics and the future leader of Stack Vulcan, added,
“The Picklr, Stack, and now Vulcan are among the best brand builders in the sport. Now you have a legacy brand in Vulcan that can be refreshed. We have a massive vision to breathe new life into a legacy brand that many know but which could benefit from more resources, more support, and a fresh new visions.” – (Jeremy Nef)
Vulcan’s History and New Goals
Vulcan started strong in pickleball. They made paddles in the U.S. with Statera Paddles, led by Randy Stafford, who was known for building racquetball courts. Vulcan also worked early with famous players like Jay Devilliers and Tyler Loong.
But in recent years, Vulcan had slowed down. The original owners stayed focused on old products and didn’t keep up with new tech and trends. Stack now hopes to bring fresh energy to the brand. Jeremy Nef, who once called himself a “Pickleball Sicko,” said,
“When we created Stack, one of our differentiators was to bring some energy and personality to this side of the industry. I think this acquisition is a great opportunity from a cross-marketing perspective. Vulcan immediately becomes the most fashion-forward, aspirational paddle line in the sport.” – (Jeremy Nef)
In 2024, Vulcan signed a $2 million yearly deal with the United Pickleball Association to become the official ball of the Professional Pickleball Association and Major League Pickleball. This helped launch their VPro flight ball. The new owners say they’ll look closely at that ball deal.
“We will have an opportunity pause, take a look at this business, redirect focus, and then decide how do we modify or improve our products.” – (Ross Chaifetz)
Plans for Pro Sponsorship and New Products
Vulcan plans to support professional players more in the future.
“It is always important for premier paddle manufacturers to be part of the pro game, so we’ll be in that space. We want to make a paddle that competes with the best. Our next paddles will compete with the best of the best.” – (Jeremy Nef)
Vulcan has already made sure their paddles are on the 2025 UPA approved paddle list, so they are ready to take part in professional play. News of the merger had been hinted at before. Jimmy Miller, known for his inside knowledge of pickleball, tweeted about a possible deal in January 2025. Four months later, the deal became official.
What’s next? Jeremy Nef and his team will likely launch new paddles, apparel, and sponsorships. They plan to give new life to Vulcan’s 1100 and 1200 paddles.
Why This Matters
This deal shows how top pickleball companies are growing. Many are buying or teaming up with others to sell more gear or reach more people. For example, Tom Dundon now owns Pickleball Central, Pickleball Tournaments, and Pickleball Brackets. He also bought the domain pickleball.com. His plan is to control how people play and buy pickleball online.
35 Capital owns the Major League Pickleball team Chicago Slice and paddle companies Paddletek and ProXR. Life Time fitness centers now make their own pickleball balls and use them at UPA events, even though Vulcan has a contract.
These big moves can raise concerns, like price control or too much power in one company’s hands. But they can also give players better products and more choices. With Stack Vulcan, fans and players can expect new energy and ideas from two experienced brands.
News in Brief: Vulcan Sporting Goods Pickleball Merger
Stack Athletics and The Chaifetz Group are teaming up to buy Vulcan Pickleball and launch a new company called Stack Vulcan. This move combines Stack’s branding skills with Vulcan’s paddle and ball lines. The new team plans to refresh the Vulcan brand and expand into pro sponsorships and new products.
ALSO READ: IPF and WPF Merger Moves Forward to Unite Global Pickleball Governance