SCOTTSDALE, AZ (January 18, 2023) — USA Pickleball, the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball, today announced a three-year partnership with sports surface company Sport Court®.
The agreement, which went into effect January 1, 2023, designates Sport Court as an Official Supplier and the Official Modular Tile Surface Partner of USA Pickleball.
“With the demand for pickleball facilities higher than ever, we are thrilled to partner with a sports industry leader like Sport Court to help meet the ever-growing need,” said Stu Upson, USA Pickleball CEO. “This partnership will be critical in helping local communities, entrepreneurs and individuals build courts of the highest quality. We are excited for Sport Court’s commitment to deliver safe, custom-designed pickleball courts to further expand our sport across the country.”
Dedicated to providing lasting, safe, quality courts that create memories and foster talent for over 45 years, Sport Court supports the world’s largest network of CourtBuilders™. Every court is custom-designed and installed by a local CourtBuilder who helps identify exactly what’s important to the customer in order to deliver high-caliber sports flooring.
“As a leader in sport surfaces, we are thrilled to partner with the authority on pickleball,” said Ryan Day, Managing Director, Sport Court. “We are proud to be the Official Modular Tile Surface Partner of USA Pickleball. This partnership will allow us to bring the sport of pickleball to more families and communities around the country.”
Through the partnership, USA Pickleball members are eligible for an exclusive $500 discount on any Sport Court full-size pickleball playing surface (with a minimum size of 30 feet by 50 feet). Sport Court’s partners include the NCAA, Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and USA Volleyball.
Update from January 30, 2023
Please see below for some frequently asked questions on SportGame PB, Sport Court’s product exclusively designed for pickleball:
How are the tiles on the new SportGame PB surface better suited for pickleball than previous tiled surfaces, including grip and traction?
The SportGame PB pickleball surface was engineered specifically for pickleball with a focus on ball bounce and safety. Due to our unique material chemistry, geometry and texture process, the SportGame PB pickleball surface provides a ball bounce that is more optimal for pickleball than any other modular tile on the market. Furthermore, the traction of the surface tests at the same levels of a traditional acrylic surface when both wet and dry. There is no other modular surface on the market that can make this claim and it is apparent as soon as players play or walk on the surface.
What was the testing process that USA Pickleball used to determine Sport Court had a product suitable for pickleball?
The USA Pickleball team had a chance to test SportGame PB, Sport Court’s new product, in 2022. Staff members recorded objective bounce tests identical to that of its lab (satisfactory – between 30-34′ bounce height), and tested the surface with a range of play and skill levels. This process would reveal friction and bounce consistency characteristics at high speeds, as well as bounce characteristics at critical low speeds around the kitchen. After such tests, members of USA Pickleball were confident in making SportGame PB the exhibition court recommendation for a National Recreation and Park Association conference at a later date.
How safe is a SportGame PB surface to play on, as it relates to injuries, slips and impact on joints?
SportGame PB was engineered with safety in mind. Integrated Lateral Forgiveness™ and vertical shock absorption lessen strain on the body upon impact and lowers the risk of injuries. SportGame PB’s textured surface and material formulation provide a better balance between wet and dry traction and low skin abrasion compared to other modular surfaces as well as compared to traditional acrylic surfaces.
Have high-level pickleball players tested this surface?
Pickleball players of all skill levels have played on and enjoyed the SportGame PB pickleball surface.
How does the SportGame PB surface address inconsistent bounce patterns and dead zones that may have occurred with previous tiled surfaces that were not designed for pickleball?
The geometry of the SportGame PB surface was designed with ball bounce in mind. Sport Court thoroughly tested several options to determine the optimal tile geometry that allowed for consistent play and water drainage. As with any surface, the subbase is critical. SportGame PB should only be installed over a flat, hard subbase, ideally a concrete slab or other acceptable solution. If there is too much damage to the subsurface or if the subsurface is too soft this will impact play and particularly ball bounce on the uneven surface. This impact to ball bounce is comparable to a poorly maintained acrylic court that has cracks in the concrete.
What type of play is SportGame PB best suited for?
SportGame PB is suited for all types of pickleball play from recreational to competitive games. The most common applications currently are in backyards where families can play together for hours at a time with less strain on the body and knowing they are minimizing their risk of longer term injuries, at HOA communities, pay for play facilities, and since the SportGame PB surface can be installed and removed on a temporary basis, at exhibits and events where a temporary solution is needed.
