Franklin Sports announced that it officially signed Parris Todd, the professional pickleball player, to a multi-year contract to expand its presence in the pickleball and influencer markets.
In a media release, Franklin noted, that as part of the contract, Todd will co-design a signature paddle and other performance accessories with Franklin Sports, leveraging her success on-court, knowledge, insights and fashion design sense to help create top-tier pickleball products.
Adam Franklin, president of Franklin Sports, said, “Parris’ passion for the game, her performance—along with her strength as a pickleball pro—are the qualities that most resonate with our team when adding a professional athlete to our family. We’re excited about this partnership and what it will bring to the Franklin brand, especially as Parris continues to impact the pickleball community and climb the ranks within the professional game.”
Since joining the sport in 2020, Todd has climbed the rankings, currently holding the No. 8 spot in Women’s Singles in the PPA Tour Rankings. With a winning record of over 43 medals on the APP and PPA Tours and two Major League Pickleball (MLP) titles in 2022, the 26-year-old has “solidified her place among pickleball’s professional elite,” not Franklin Sports. In 2023, she won the Triple Crown at the US Open Pickleball Championships.
“I’m thrilled to announce my multi-year partnership with Franklin Sports,” said Todd. “With its rich history and strong reputation in professional sports, I’m excited to collaborate with their team in being a part of developing and designing innovative, high-performance products, especially in the pickleball space where I feel there is a void of women’s fashionable products. Together, we aim to shape the future of their pickleball offerings and elevate the overall experience for high-performance and fashionable products.”
Franklin Sports entered the pickleball market in 2017 with the introduction of its X-40 Ball, the Official Ball of USA Pickleball, the APP Tour and the US Open Pickleball Championships. Since then, the company offers a wide range of pickleball products, including paddles, balls and nets.
Image courtesy Franklin Sports
