Franklin Sports and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) announced a collaborative partnership. Anchoring the partnership is the newly launched Franklin Cup, an award that will go to the top players across each PPA division for men and women.
Similar to the points-based ranking systems in other professional sports, the Franklin Cup will go to the player in each division who has accumulated the most points in tour events during a calendar year.
Franklin Sports now has the naming rights on the PPA’s player ranking system, which highlights the top players across all of the men’s and women’s professional divisions. The Franklin PPA Player Rankings will be updated after every tour event to reflect player performance during the season, and the system will be published across all PPA web, social and broadcast channels.
“The PPA Tour is home to a group of incredibly talented athletes who deserve recognition, so Franklin is proud to be involved in any initiatives that highlight the work that these players put into their craft,” said Adam Franklin, president of Franklin Sports. “We’re very much looking forward to watching the pro players climb the Franklin PPA Player Rankings in pursuit of the Franklin Cup, a first-of-its-kind trophy in the pickleball world. The competitive spirit on tour, along with the general growth of the sport, is really exciting to see, and we’re just happy to be a part of the movement.”
The collaborative partnership with the PPA builds on Franklin Sports’ strong presence within the sport. The Stoughton, MA-based company started designing its first pickleball product, X-40 Ball, in 2016. The brand has since partnered with five professional pickleball athletes, including the top-ranked men’s player, Ben Johns, and has launched a collection of pickleball paddles, nets, balls, and other products.
“Franklin Sports is a big player in the pickleball industry, and we’re confident that our new partnership will bring additional attention and prestige to the PPA Tour as we move through 2021,” said PPA Commissioner Connor Pardoe. “We’re thrilled to do something that celebrates the success of our pro players on a cumulative basis and helps generate more excitement than ever before.”
The Franklin Cup runs from April 2-5 at the Newport Beach Doubles Shootout in Newport Beach, CA.
Photo courtesy PPA
