A closer look at what’s happening with the APP

Tour conversations, smarter upgrades, and community courts designed to last.

Author

Empower Pickleball
January 13, 2026

By now, you’ve probably seen the news about Anna Leigh Waters joining Franklin Sports. It’s a big moment for the sport, and one that fits. Franklin’s focus on family and accessibility paired with the top female player in pickleball says a lot about where they see the game heading. Congrats to both sides!

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Inside:

  • What’s really going on with the APP

  • Breaking bad pickleball habits without replacing them with worse ones

  • The only accessories that actually matter in 2026

  • How community courts are being built to last

  • Why a tech company partnering with pro pickleball matters

🏓 What’s Going On With the APP?

If you’ve been around pickleball long enough, you’ve already seen at least one tour war.

As the sport continues to professionalize, questions around money, schedules, and opportunity tend to surface publicly. That’s where the APP now finds itself, following comments shared on X by Jimmy Miller citing multiple reliable sources suggesting financial losses last year, canceled Q1 events, and an ongoing effort to raise capital. APP has pushed back on those claims and maintains that the tour is in a strong position moving forward.

So what’s actually happening? And why does it matter to player?

Why This Is Coming Up Now

Timing is everything.

While APP has gone quieter on domestic events early in the year, the PPA has continues to improve Challenger events. Those events aren’t new, but they’ve become increasingly relevant as a place where strong, recognizable players can compete, earn prize money, and stay active without needing to break through a main-draw bottleneck.

For players outside the main draws, Challenger events offer consistency, reps, and a paycheck.

How Players Are Thinking About It

For professional players, this moment is less about loyalty and more about logistics.

Most are weighing:

  • confirmed schedules

  • reliable prize money

  • opportunities to compete consistently

  • pathways that make sense for where they are in their careers

With multiple tours and formats available, players have more agency than they did even a few years ago. That choice comes with trade-offs, but it’s still choice.

Where This Leaves the Tours

This kind of tension usually shows up when multiple tours are operating at once.

APP has long played a critical role in supporting international players, developmental pros, and markets outside the traditional U.S. pipeline, helping broaden access to professional opportunities as the sport has grown. Alongside that, PPA Challenger has become another domestic option for players looking to stay active and competitive. The presence of both reflects a professional landscape with more pathways than ever before.

Right now, the space between vision and delivery is what everyone is watching.

This is a wait-and-see moment. Statements matter less than schedules. Promises matter less than payouts. The answers will come through follow-through, not speculation.

If anything, this feels like another chapter in pickleball sorting itself out—not quietly, not perfectly, but in full view.

If you were a touring pro right now, what would matter most?

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🌎 Around the Picklesphere

👀 What James Ignatowich is doing in Asia
⭐ A 10-year-old’s first pickleball dream
💪 What changed for pickleball players in 2025
🌏 Pickleball’s global moment in Hainan

🧠 Breaking Bad Habits (Before They Break your Game)

BRING THIS TO THE COURT: Bad habits don’t come from laziness. They come from things that work just enough to survive. A shove-serve that sneaks in. A dink that floats but still wins the point. Six months later, your mechanics are a mess and you’re not sure how you got there.

Neil Friedenberg breaks down why bad habits stick, the biggest mistake players make when trying to fix them, and how to rewire your game without replacing one problem with another.

👉 Read how to fix habits the right way.

👟 For Players Who Never Say No to One More Game

If you’re squeezing in every rally you can, VKTRY insoles are built for the way you play. Made with carbon fiber technology (yes, the aerospace kind), they help absorb impact, return energy, and reduce joint stress—so you can stay out there longer without feeling wrecked after. No slipping, no shifting, just support that actually holds up.

👉 Get 20% of your first pair by clicking here.

🧤 The Only Pickleball Accessories You Actually Need in 2026

Most pickleball gear promises performance. Very little of it helps you feel better after long days on the court.

Instead of chasing upgrades you don’t need, this article looks at three practical accessories that reduce strain, support comfort, and help prevent common overuse injuries—without replacing your paddles or overthinking your setup.

👉 See the three accessories that actually matter.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Pickleball Goes International (Before Anyone Was Calling It That)

Contributed by Jennifer Lucore, Pickleball Hall of Famer and historian — author of History of Pickleball — More Than 50 Years of Fun! • Visit allpickleball.com 

🏗️ How Community Courts Can Actually Keep Up With Pickleball Growth

On busy days in Eugene, Oregon, pickleball players know the routine. Paddle stack up fast, games move quickly, and wait times stretch longer than anyone would like.

As participation surged across Lane County, shared spaces and temporary setups stopped being enough. The need shifted toward courts designed for how people actually play day to day.

That’s where Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation comes in—focusing on long-term planning, accessibility, and facilities built to stay playable well beyond opening day.

👉 See how this community-first approach is taking shape.

💻 Why a Tech Company Partnering With Pro Pickleball Actually Matters

Pickleball sponsorships used to live in the obvious nes. Gear. Apparel. Hydreation. That’s changing.

The new partnership between Park Place Technologies, the Professional Pickleball Association, and Major League Pickleball signals a shift toward infrastructure, systems, and long-term thinking in the pro game.

The real impact shows up behind the scenes, as professional pickleball builds the systems it needs to grow.

👉 Why this partnership signals what’s next for the pro game.

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