2-14-2024 6:09pm

USA Pickleball Grants Official Paddle Approval and Certification for OWL Paddles to be Used in all USAP Sanctioned Tournaments, Leagues and Events

Donnella Tilery Editor

CHICAGO, Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The OWL pickleball paddle, an OWL Sport product, just received the USA Pickleball (USAP) certification that makes it 100% USAP tournament play-approved and certified for amateur and professional players to use at any event or competition in the world. The OWL is known for being the first USAP Quiet Category-certified paddle, delivering a 50% reduction in total noise profile while raising the bar on paddle performance. It was also announced that OWL is now an official paddle sponsor of the Association of Pickleball Players (APP), and currently the only one that reduces noise.

"The OWL is truly revolutionary as a paddle that meets players' competitive demands while also answering a need that sets it apart in the marketplace," said Tom Webb, APP chief marketing officer. "We are honored to announce the OWL as an official APP paddle, building on our commitment to get more people playing pickleball more often."

As part of the OWL Sport sponsorship, the brand will be integrated into APP Tour events, including on-site consumer activations, signage and hospitality opportunities, as well as promotion on social media and APP Tour livestream productions on CBS Sports, ESPN and other partners.

"The APP delivers a diverse portfolio of premier experiences for professional and amateur players of all ages. Partnering with the APP and its network of players will help showcase the performance of our OWL paddle while helping to grow the sport both on a national and global scale," said Rick Schwenk, chief marketing officer of OWL Sport. "This partnership, coupled with our new USAP approval and certification, has positioned OWL to make an even bigger impact on the growing sport."

The 1 million plus people that tuned in to watch the recent Pickleball Slam 2 event on ESPN (and other media partners) would have noticed legendary tennis star John McEnroe using the OWL in his battle with partner Maria Sharipova against Andre Aggassi and Steffi Graff. While McEnroe and Sharipova lost the heated tournament, the OWL won its first high profile, national play event, receiving multiple shout-outs while it was on prime display during the broadcast. McEnroe was part of the official paddle launch with fellow OWL Sport ambassador Drew Brees when it launched in November of 2023, and has been playing with the OWL exclusively ever since.

Since its launch, the OWL has helped clubs and groups across the country in sound-sensitive locations save their pickleball privileges. One recent story that made headlines came from Ojai, California, where the city threatened to shut down the City Hall campus courts entirely due to the noise complaints. The Ojai Valley Athletic Club Pickleball director worked with OWL Sport to secure a rush-order of paddles for a one-month trial as the solution to the sound issues. While the month-long trial is still in process, it has already received positive feedback from those involved. The goal is for the Ojai City Hall campus to become a pickleball quiet-approved site where only Quiet Category equipment, like the OWL, can be used. This adaptation would serve as an example that the rest of the country experiencing similar issues could replicate. So far, the OWL has seen similar success stories in Laguna Beach, Sacramento, Las Vegas, Hilton Head, Vancouver and many more communities across North America.

Aside from its noise reduction capabilities, the OWL paddle has been lauded for its many innovative and multiple patent pending features, including its vibration dampening layers for arm and elbow comfort, balanced 'anti-head heavy' construction for effortless maneuverability and proprietary Acoustene™ surface. The OWL paddles are currently available for order at owlpaddle.com and Amazon, in four SKUs to meet all players' needs including the Power series (PX) and Control series (CX) and more innovative products set to launch in 2024.

For more information on OWL Sport or to order the OWL paddle, visit owlpaddle.c om or follow @Owlpickleball on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.

ABOUT OWL SPORT

OWL Sport was created by a group of people who had a problem to solve: they wanted to play pickleball when they wanted, where they wanted and without having to worry about noise complaints. Much like nature has created the perfect predator of the skies, OWL's unmatched team of engineers have perfected an elite version of the pickleball paddle that not only reduces sound output by 50%, but also provides players with a best-in-industry performance paddle for all skill levels. OWL paddles are currently the only pickleball paddles on the market that are USA Pickleball Quiet category-compliant. OWL Sport plans to continue its advancement of the racket sports industry through a relentless and meticulous commitment to innovation and superior playability. For more information, visit owlsport.com.

ABOUT USA PICKLEBALL

USA Pickleball is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of pickleball in the United States. Its mission is to promote the development and growth of the sport while sanctioning events and providing annual members with premier tournaments, educational opportunities, player rankings, official rules and other exclusive benefits. USA Pickleball is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that is governed and operated by a Board of Directors and a national office staff, who provide the guidance and infrastructure for the continued expansion of the sport.

ABOUT THE APP

The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) provides opportunities for pickleball players of all ages and skill levels—professionals, amateurs and recreational—to compete in world-class pickleball events for the opportunity to win prize money and be seen on internationally televised broadcasts. The APP was founded in 2019 and operates the first and only tour fully and officially sanctioned by USA Pickleball. In 2023, it held 19 events across the country and supported five international tournaments. The APP prides itself on developing the next generation of pickleball champions through its APP Next Gen Series, the APP Next Gen National Team and other youth initiatives. The 2024 schedule, recent news and additional information about the APP are available at theapp.global and on Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok, Facebook and LinkedIn.