Archive
Pulse Archive
Browse past Pulse rankings and see what the pickleball community was talking about. All articles are fully indexed for search engines to help players discover trending topics.
Browse past Pulse rankings and see what the pickleball community was talking about. All articles are fully indexed for search engines to help players discover trending topics.
Major League Pickleball introduced Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) Regional Showdowns, giving amateur players a clear pathway to high-level competition at pro tour stops. This creates the sport's first structured development system, potentially transforming how players progress from recreational to professional levels.
Read articleThe NCPA implemented new rules making contracted professional players ineligible for college competition, addressing the sport's rapid growth and professionalization. This creates clearer boundaries between amateur and professional play, similar to traditional college sports regulations.
Read article11Six24's new Power 2 paddle line features proprietary silicon-carbide HexGrit surface material designed to provide superior spin while lasting the paddle's lifetime. This innovation addresses one of pickleball's biggest equipment challenges - maintaining consistent surface texture for spin generation.
Read articleThe SFIA's latest participation report shows pickleball reached 24.3 million American players in 2025, adding nearly 4.5 million new participants. This explosive growth reinforces pickleball's position as the fastest-growing sport in America and demonstrates its mainstream appeal across demographics.
The PPA Tour introduced a comprehensive anti-cheating policy targeting bad line calls and unsportsmanlike conduct. This move addresses growing concerns about integrity at the professional level as prize money and stakes continue to rise in competitive pickleball.
Major League Pickleball's second trade window resulted in significant player movement following the 2026 draft, with several high-profile transactions reshaping team rosters. These trades demonstrate the league's growing sophistication and the increasing value of top talent in professional pickleball.
A new USAP-approved paddle features an edgeless design, massive throat holes, and alien-like construction with a $400 price tag. This extreme innovation highlights how equipment manufacturers are pushing creative limits to gain competitive advantages in the rapidly evolving paddle market.
Multiple charity and local tournaments are happening across the country, from Little Rock literacy fundraisers to New Mexico nonprofit events. This surge in community-organized competitions demonstrates pickleball's grassroots strength and its power to bring people together for good causes.
The Veolia Texas Open is attracting massive crowds of over 20,000 fans to McKinney, demonstrating pickleball's incredible live event appeal. This attendance milestone shows the sport has evolved from niche recreation to must-see entertainment, rivaling traditional sports tournaments.
The Carvana PPA Tour announced a groundbreaking partnership with JOMA Sport as their official footwear supplier. This marks a major step in pickleball's equipment evolution, bringing specialized athletic footwear to the professional level and legitimizing the sport's athletic demands.
New indoor pickleball facilities are opening from North Carolina to Washington, while existing spaces add pickleball alongside golf simulators and entertainment options. The infrastructure expansion reflects sustained demand despite concerns about market saturation in some regions.
Read articleThe PPA Tour has implemented a new anti-cheating policy targeting repeat offenders who make bad line calls, marking a significant shift toward accountability in professional pickleball. This comes as the sport faces growing scrutiny over integrity issues at the highest levels of competition.
Read articleThe PPA's Veolia Texas Open presented by Proton begins March 9-15 in Dallas, featuring professional draws across all five divisions. The tournament represents a key stop on the 2026 tour as players compete for crucial ranking points mid-season.
Read articleMultiple charitable pickleball events are raising funds for medical treatments, student support, and community organizations across the country. These tournaments showcase pickleball's growing role as a community-building tool that extends far beyond recreational play.
The Nepal-Britain Friendly Pickleball Tournament exemplifies the sport's global expansion beyond its North American stronghold. These international partnerships suggest pickleball could become a legitimate global sport rather than just an American phenomenon.
Major League Pickleball's second trade window is producing significant roster moves following February's draft, with teams reshuffling talent to optimize their lineups. These trades could dramatically impact team chemistry and championship odds heading into the 2026 season.
Equipment manufacturers are pushing paddle technology forward with Gen 4 innovations, creating confusion for players choosing between older and newer designs. The rapid evolution reflects pickleball's maturing equipment market as performance demands increase at all levels.
Spanish athletic brand JOMA Sport has partnered with the Carvana PPA Tour in a significant footwear sponsorship agreement. The deal signals growing corporate investment in pickleball as brands recognize the sport's marketing potential and player influence.
Tennis legend Andre Agassi explains how pickleball has transformed his perspective on racket sports in the latest Pickleballers podcast episode. His endorsement adds serious credibility to pickleball's claim as a legitimate athletic pursuit, not just a recreational fad.
The world's top-ranked men's singles player Hunter Johnson reveals his strategies for maintaining dominance in an increasingly competitive field. His insights offer a rare glimpse into the mental and physical demands of staying number one as pickleball's talent pool deepens.
Anna Bright has signed a record-breaking deal that makes her the highest-paid professional pickleball player in history. This landmark contract signals the sport's explosive growth and sets a new ceiling for player compensation. The timing coincides with her recent MLP draft selection and strong tournament performances.
Read articlePhotos surfaced showing Andrei Daescu play-testing a new CRBN paddle, fueling months of speculation about his departure from Proton. This potential sponsor switch could signal a major shake-up in paddle endorsements among top pros. Equipment changes at the pro level often influence recreational player choices.
Read articleThe 2026 Major League Pickleball draft wrapped up with St. Louis and New Jersey emerging as big winners according to analysts. Players are already feeling pressure with one saying "I am going to feel pressure to play like GOD." The draft filled 66 roster spots and reshaped team dynamics for the upcoming season.
Read articleAnna Bright and Hayden Patriquin defeated the #1 seeded team of Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns in the mixed doubles final at the Carvana Mesa Cup. This major upset breaks the dominance of the typically unstoppable Waters-Johns partnership. The victory adds momentum to Bright's already record-setting year.
Read articleThe Carvana PPA Tour released its full 2026-2027 season schedule featuring new U.S. and international stops. The expansion includes marquee events and signals continued growth in professional pickleball. Players and fans can expect more opportunities to compete and spectate at the highest levels.
Read articleThe SXY Newport Beach Open presented by JOOLA begins March 2nd with storylines focusing on the overall top 5 players across all divisions. The tournament features comprehensive coverage of singles, doubles, and mixed doubles categories. This event serves as an early season test for player rankings and form.
Read articleThe Palm Beach Royals completed their inaugural roster draft, becoming Palm Beach County's first professional pickleball team. This expansion brings MLP action to South Florida and reflects the league's geographic growth. Local fans now have a home team to support in professional competition.
Read articleHigh-end pickleball facilities are exploding with an $11.3M luxury district coming to Bee Cave in 2027 and a $100M River Oaks condo project in Houston. These developments signal pickleball's evolution from recreational sport to luxury lifestyle amenity. The trend reflects the sport's appeal to affluent demographics.
Read articleMultiple charity pickleball tournaments are raising funds for causes from Alzheimer's research to diabetes breakthrough and children's hospitals. The sport's community-building nature makes it ideal for fundraising events. These tournaments demonstrate pickleball's positive social impact beyond recreation.
Read articleA new Black-owned pickleball facility in Oakland aims to diversify the sport and make it more accessible to underrepresented communities. This initiative addresses ongoing conversations about pickleball's demographics and inclusivity. The facility represents efforts to expand the sport beyond its traditional player base.
Read articleA controversial analysis reveals most referees deliberately avoid calling illegal serves unless they're 'super obvious.' The piece argues this inconsistent enforcement is currently the right approach, but highlights a major gap in competitive play standards that affects every tournament player.
Two Michigan players shattered the pickleball singles marathon world record with an epic 28-hour match that left one saying he 'blacked out for the middle 20 hours.' This viral feat showcases the sport's growing culture of extreme endurance challenges.
The Xcaliber paddle features a radical pistol grip design that promises better wrist positioning and security through long matches. This USAP-approved innovation could signal the future of paddle ergonomics as equipment continues evolving rapidly.
The engineer behind Apple's iconic stylus has turned his attention to reimagining pickleball ball machines. This crossover from premium tech to pickleball equipment highlights how top-tier innovation is flowing into the sport's gear ecosystem.
Times Square is getting a colossal pickleball facility that will dwarf most existing venues. This represents pickleball's boldest move into premium urban real estate, potentially setting a new standard for metropolitan pickleball destinations.
Notable players including Jorja Johnson and Anna Bright surprisingly weren't kept by their MLP teams, creating a blockbuster free agency class. These unexpected drops could reshape team dynamics and player values heading into the 2026 draft.
More information has surfaced about a Florida pickleball court fight that led to multiple arrests on battery charges. The incident highlights growing tensions as court availability remains tight and competition for playing time intensifies.
The top-seeded duo of Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns captured another mixed doubles championship, defeating Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin in a three-game final. Their continued dominance reinforces the challenge other pairs face in breaking through at the highest level.
The lottery giant has signed on as title sponsor for PPA's state-level tournament series, bringing mainstream recognition and funding to regional competitive play. This partnership could significantly elevate the profile and prize money for amateur tournaments nationwide.
PICKLEHEADS, a mockumentary following a disgraced ping pong star's return via pickleball, releases soon. The film taps into pickleball's cultural moment while potentially introducing the sport to comedy audiences who haven't picked up a paddle yet.
A heated pickleball match at a Florida country club escalated into a 20+ person brawl, with one player allegedly hitting an opponent in the head with a paddle. A married couple now faces felony battery charges in what's become a viral cautionary tale about court conduct and sportsmanship.
The United Pickleball Association is seeking massive funding to build a vertically integrated platform merging leagues, commerce, software, and facilities. This could reshape the entire pickleball ecosystem and challenge existing power structures in professional pickleball.
The Dink breaks down the most crucial shot in pickleball - the midcourt forehand reset - calling it the deciding factor between winning and losing points. This technical guide targets the shot that separates recreational from competitive players.
JOOLA is launching a revolutionary hybrid paddle that fuses their popular Perseus and Scorpius shapes into one. Part of next month's Pro V launch, this could signal a new trend in paddle design as manufacturers chase the perfect balance of power and control.
The PPA Tour returns with the Carvana Mesa Cup beginning February 16th, featuring all five professional divisions. After the Cape Coral Open wrapped up, players and fans are eager to see how the new tournament season unfolds with fresh matchups.
The sport's biggest star opens up about her groundbreaking paddle sponsorship deal with Nike in the latest Pickleballers podcast. This marks a major milestone for pickleball's mainstream appeal as traditional sports giants invest heavily in the sport.
Pros Tanner Tomassi and Zane Navratil discuss whether pickleball needs a mercy rule to prevent lopsided matches from dragging on. While it sounds extreme, the idea highlights ongoing debates about game format optimization in competitive play.
Major League Pickleball has released team schedules and competition format changes for 2026, with nine regular season events planned. The league continues evolving its format as it seeks the optimal balance between entertainment value and competitive integrity.
The lottery giant becomes title sponsor of the PPA's state-level competition series, bringing significant mainstream visibility to amateur competitive play. This partnership could dramatically expand pickleball's reach to casual lottery players nationwide.
A new racket sport called Typti is being positioned as a quieter alternative to pickleball, directly addressing the noise complaints that have led to court bans in many communities. This could become significant if noise issues continue plaguing pickleball expansion.
The worlds top player continues his dominant run with another triple crown at the PPA Tour Championship.
The highly anticipated paddle release crashed the website as players rushed to purchase.
Major League Pickleball is doubling down with expansion in Miami, Atlanta, Denver and Nashville.
New deflection and surface roughness tests will go into effect next month.
The 18-year-old has signed the largest individual sponsorship deal in pickleball history.
A comedic kitchen violation compilation has taken over social media this week.
The premium paddle line receives updates including new core material and weight distribution.
The biggest prize in pickleball history will be awarded at the season-ending event.
A landmark case about court noise in residential areas will set nationwide precedent.
The popular pro is launching a nationwide coaching program with camps and online instruction.