Pickleball’s next shot: Rules, IP rights and the road to the Olympics
April 24, 2026 | By Janina Lim
In the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, pickleball began as a way to pass time on an old badminton court. Today, the sport has cemented its status as the fastest-growing in the United States for five consecutive years, with a surge few modern sports have matched and an expansion now felt worldwide.
In the Philippines, pickleball was barely known a decade ago. Today, roughly 400 clubs operate across the country, with courts appearing in malls and across neighborhoods. Major hubs and facilities are now being developed to meet demand. Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) Treasurer and Philippine Pickleball Federation (PPF) Chairman Mike Johnson said he now receives four to five calls per day from groups wanting to form a league, mount a competition or build their own pickleball court.
Seeking for long-term sustainability, pickleball is eyeing inclusion in the Brisbane 2032—if not as a full sport, then at least as a demonstration event. “This is possible,” Johnson said with optimism.
The Olympic Charter requires sports to demonstrate global reach, institutional stability and standardized rules. Intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement will play a role in serving up some pickleball energy in the Olympics.
Governance and trademarks
Johnson admits that Pickleball’s biggest challenge is its own rapid growth as multiple international bodies have emerged. This fragmentation could be a major obstacle as a single governing body is a foundational requirement or International Federation (IF) recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Encouragingly, recent collaboration between the GPF and the United World Pickleball Federation (UWPF) toward unification signals movement in the right direction.
Trademarks could further translate the shared vision into reality. Official federation names, tournament brands and league identities can be legally protected across jurisdictions, functioning as signals of legitimacy that distinguish sanctioned competitions from unofficial ones.
In the Philippines, concerns on legitimacy are starting to play out. The PPF, the sport’s national federation recognized by the Philippine Sports Commission, has encountered tournaments marketing themselves as “national” events without official sanction. The group has responded with cease-and-desist orders, requiring organizers to either rebrand or secure proper certification.
Without consistent enforcement, these incidents risk fragmenting the sport’s identity and erode efforts to standardize the rules, both critical for Olympic recognition.
Innovation and fair play
Paddle materials, surface textures and ball design are evolving rapidly to improve performance and durability. Companies invest in research and development and file patents to protect these innovations.
Patents and utility models which cover innovations, as well as industrial designs which cover appearances, protect innovations for a limited time, ensuring that companies can recoup investments from R&D and commercialize new technologies without immediate imitation.
(L) By choosing an official ball, the Philippine Pickleball Amateur Nationals highlights how design, innovation and strong branding help ensure consistent, world-class play. (R) Mike Johnson hits some shots at the first Philippine Pickleball Championship held in May – June 2025.
For Olympic aspirations, standardized, high-quality equipment that meets consistent and regulated benchmarks is essential. But counterfeit equipment floods the market and disrupts fair play especially in fast-growing sports.
Keeping the game clean will require a whole-of society approach, from certified equipment manufacturers to regulators and enforcement agencies. In the United States, leading pickleball groups have united to combat counterfeits.
“Counterfeit paddles undermine competitive integrity and can pose real safety risks due to unregulated materials and performance. Authentic manufacturers invest heavily in research, testing, and innovation to meet established standards, counterfeit products do not. Through this initiative, the pickleball community is working together to educate players, support legitimate manufacturers, strengthen equipment standards and discourage the sale and use of fraudulent paddles,” the groups’ statement read.
From community game to commercial deals
Major brands have entered pickleball, like Nike when it signed a contract with Anna Leigh Waters, who holds the world No. 1 ranking in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Target, as well, teamed with iconic tennis and lifestyle brand Prince in April 2024 to launch an exclusive, limited-time pickleball collection.
In the Philippines, Skechers emerged as an official sponsor of the first-ever Philippine Pickleball National Championship in 2025. Meanwhile, major retail brand Toby’s Sports has launched its Pro Pickleball line and actively sponsors major tournaments as the official organizing partner.
Through licensing, federations and sports leagues can authorize the use of official marks on merchandise and equipment.
Behind every broadcast of a play are broadcast rights that protect the game coverage, ensuring creators, organizers and athletes benefit from how the sport is shared with the public.
Meanwhile, broadcasting rights, grounded in the legal framework of copyright and related rights, allow leagues to license who can film, stream and distribute matches.
Revenues from both commercial deals and broadcast contracts could support grassroots programs and officiating systems while helping the sport gain visibility in events like the Asian Games or World Games, a key step to demonstrating global reach and meet Olympic qualifications. The National Basketball Association, for example, generates bulk of its revenues from broadcast and streaming deals. Pickleball could follow a similar path.
In the Philippines, early growth has been fueled by livestreams, social media and influencer content. But the media landscape is evolving. In 2025, Cignal TV became an official media partner for the Philippine Pickleball League (PPL) Metro Manila Championship and official coverage partner for an intercollegiate championship.
IP draws the lines
This year, the GPF has completed its by-laws, a two-year feat that firms up efforts to standardize governance and reshape the future of pickleball. In the coming months, it will be looking into other areas where IP-related negotiations will contribute to speeding up progress, such as securing officiating program rights from established leagues.
“On the court, the game works because the lines are clear. Off the court, intellectual property does the same thing by telling people what’s official, what’s innovative and what’s worth investing in,” Johnson said.
“Our Olympic ambitions will take more than skill. In the years ahead, what we need to build are strong systems to keep not just the ball in play, but the rules, rights and reputation of the sport and its supporting community across the world intact,” he added.