If you've played pickleball, chances are you've played with a Franklin X-40.
The USA Pickleball-approved ball is one of the most commonly-seen in recreational pickleball and has become the ball of choice for over 500 tournaments worldwide each year.
“Our propriety process begins right out of the gate when our custom powder blend is poured into the cavities of the rotation molding machine," says Director of Product Management Ryan Fritschy.
"The balls are then removed and placed into our patented robotic drilling system, which drills our specific 40-hole pattern in under 5 seconds. The balls are then tested, analyzed, and inspected to ensure each ball is built up to our standards before being packed and sent out the door. “
Franklin recently announced some major news for the ball and where it's being used in large-scale capacities.
APP's Official Ball
The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) announced they've renewed their partnership with Franklin in a multi-year agreement where the X-40 is now the official ball of the APP Tour and APP Next Gen Series events.
“Over the years we have found a shared foundational commitment to creating greater visibility for pickleball and providing exceptional pickleball experiences for all levels of pickleball athletes," says Adam Franklin, President of Franklin Sports.
"We are happy that experience will now see athletes of all levels utilizing the number one pickleball in the sport, the Franklin X-40, at all APP Tour and Next Gen Platform events.”
UTR Sports Partnership
UTR Sports, the pickleball and tennis ratings/events platform, has also announced Franklin as their official ball partner.
The UTR Sports Pickleball Amateur Series is a new year-round series of pickleball tournaments held across the United States throughout 2024.
Two of the Pickleball Amateur Series events are USA Pickleball Golden Ticket qualifiers, where players have a chance to earn the opportunity to pre-register for the 2024 USA Pickleball National Championships.
The UTR Sports Pickleball Amateur Series will offer multiple guaranteed games, competitive matches, and quality playing environments for registrants, according to a press release.
All participants in the Pickleball Amateur Series will compete with Franklin X-40 pickleballs, including at the Golden Ticket events.
The next UTR Sports Golden Ticket events will take place May 29-June 2, 2024 in Macon, GA, and July 10-14, 2024 in Arvada, CO. Divisions will include men’s and women’s singles and doubles, and mixed doubles, at multiple skill and age levels.
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