Are Proton Paddles Really Banned? Here's the Truth

Short answer: your paddle is fine. Here's what's actually going on.

If you've been seeing posts about Proton paddles being "banned," you're not alone. We've been getting questions about this all week. Let's clear this up once and for all so you can get back to playing with confidence.

The UPA (which oversees the PPA Tour and MLP professional leagues) charges paddle companies a marketing fee to have their paddles used by pros on tour. This is a business dispute between Proton Sports and the professional tour. Nothing more.

Proton Sports is in good standing with USA Pickleball (USAP), the official governing body for pickleball in the U.S. Their paddles remain on the approved paddle list. There are no plans to remove them.

• Proton paddles are NOT banned from rec play
• Proton paddles are NOT banned from USAP-sanctioned events
• The issue is strictly between Proton and the PPA/MLP pro tour
• Amateur and recreational players are completely unaffected

Grab your Proton paddle and play your game. You have nothing to worry about.