UTR Sports announced Franklin Sports as the official ball supplier for its amateur pickleball events. Consequently, all 2024 UTR Sports Pickleball Amateur Series players will use Franklin X-40 balls. The said partnership is expected to enhance further the players’ experience in the fastest-growing sport in the United States.
The Franklin X-40 is also the official ball of the US Open Pickleball Championships and USA Pickleball. Franklin Sports was founded by brothers Irving and Sydney Franklin in 1946 and has been manufacturing high-quality sporting goods products since then. The company is also the official equipment partner of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Hockey League (NHL).
“Franklin Sports is the ideal partner for UTR Sports as we continue to innovate the sport and improve the player experience with our rating, technology solutions, and the newly launched UTR Sports Pickleball Amateur Series,” Mark Leschly, CEO and Chairman of UTR Sports said in the press release.
“The partnership between UTR Sports and Franklin Sports will provide players at all levels with the industry’s highest-quality balls and the best possible on-court experience.” He added.
"Franklin Sports is thrilled to become the official ball partner of UTR Sports. Franklin Sports and UTR Sports are aligned in supporting the growth of pickleball and providing players with the opportunities to compete and succeed. Together, we aim to cultivate a world-class playing environment for amateurs across the U.S. and look forward to seeing Franklin pickleballs in action throughout the Series.” Franklin Sports President Adam Franklin said.
The 2024 UTR Sports Pickleball Amateur Series kicks off on March 15-17, 2024 in Rome, Georgia. Interestingly, despite being a newly established pickleball tournament series, two of its events this year are among the 11 Golden Tickets for the prestigious 2024 USA Pickleball National Championships. They are the UTR Sports Macon Open (May 29-June 2) and the UTR Sports Denver Open (July 10-14).
All the upcoming events are USA Pickleball-sanctioned and will use the UTR Pickleball Rating (UTR-P) to rate the players. To register, visit the UTR Sports app.
