Building the JOOLA Experience
By Carl Foster • September 23, 2026 • 15 min read
Chief Experience Officer Gordon Kaye on innovation, global growth and building a pickleball brand that extends far beyond the paddle.
IN THIS WEEK’S People Shaping Pickleball feature, I had the privilege of speaking with Gordon Kaye, Chief Experience Officer of JOOLA, one of the leading paddle companies in pickleball.
Gordon shared his insights on the paddle battles at our recent World Pickleball Conference during the US Open last April in Naples, Florida. He was also the recipient of one of our 2026 Golden Pickle Business Awards presented by DUPR.
He has also been a strong supporter of our mission with the Veterans Pickleball Association, and we’ve developed a partnership that provides our veterans with new JOOLA paddles at our events. JOOLA recently launched a new ball and is now the official ball of our VPA Tour and the Paddle Battle of the Branches. Our next stop is October 16–18 in Palm Beach for the VPA Tour Armed Forces PickleBOWL.
Here’s my latest conversation with one of the busiest people in pickleball, caught between his trips to Asia and China.
Inside JOOLA With Gordon Kaye
CARL: How did your background lead you into the pickleball world with JOOLA?
GORDON: I spent years in professional sports before joining USA Table Tennis as CEO in 2014, where I met JOOLA’s owner, Richard Lee, one of our key partners at the time. What struck me about Richard was his refusal to accept “this is how it’s always been done.” Over our five years working together in table tennis, whether we were hosting the US Open Finals in a Las Vegas nightclub or running the 2018 World Veterans Championships with 4,000+ players from 100 countries, his answer was always “let’s do it.” So when Richard called in 2022 to say he was getting into pickleball, it was an easy yes. That same can-do, consumer-first mentality is what makes JOOLA what it is today.
CARL: What are your key responsibilities with JOOLA as the Chief Experience Officer?
GORDON: I oversee our consumer-facing functions, sales, partnerships, community and events, while working closely with strategy, marketing, product, merchandising and operations here in North America and with our regional teams globally.
CARL: Why do you feel JOOLA has been so successful signing and developing paddles for some of the top players in the world?
GORDON: Two things: First, we never stop innovating; and equally important, our pros are an integral part of the process. Being a JOOLA athlete isn’t just a paddle and a paycheck. It’s a genuine reciprocal relationship built on a shared goal of moving the sport forward. That team-first mentality is at the core of everything we build.
CARL: With so many paddle companies now in the marketplace and new competitors popping up daily, what sets JOOLA’s strategy apart and has allowed it to become so dominant so soon in the pickleball industry?
GORDON: Belief in the future of this sport. We invest heavily in growing the global pickleball community beyond just JOOLA and our products. Whether it’s our partnership with the RacketPro coaching platform, empowering facilities globally, or supporting 200+ community events in the US alone, we strongly believe a thriving global pickleball ecosystem is good for everyone. Our first question is always “what can we do to help?” It’s in our DNA. That’s who we are.
CARL: Give us a peek behind the doors of JOOLA and your vision for 2027.
GORDON: As we head into 2027, our vision remains the same: be a catalyst for the growth of the game. Empower people and players to feel joy through memorable experiences. Share the love of the sport and continue to bring people together to play pickleball!
CARL: What are the biggest challenges in continuing to innovate with paddle technology? You’ll also be launching your first all-foam paddle later this month.
GORDON: We’re excited for the launch of POWER FX on September 30th, JOOLA’s first foam paddle, built for effortless power at an accessible $179.95 price point. We’ve worked with foam since 2022, starting with HyperFoam in the original Hyperion CFS, but POWER FX is our latest evolution, built on our patented Propulsion Core technology. The biggest challenge is pace. This category moves fast, and the barrier to entry for new brands is low. Our job is to stay close to what our community wants and needs and ensure we are always relevant in their pickleball journey.
CARL: How important are the other JOOLA products in your marketing strategy alongside paddle sales, including bags, apparel, nets, shoes and now the JOOLA ball?
GORDON: JOOLA’s footprint goes well beyond paddles, including bags, apparel, shoes, courts, nets and our HC-40 ball. Every one of those is part of how people experience the JOOLA brand. Whether it’s a Pro V paddle, our new R4lly shoe (made specifically for and by pickleball players), or the ball in their bag, we want players to feel excited and confident every time they step on court.
CARL: With the tremendous growth of pickleball in Asia, India, Canada and Australia, how does your global growth look for JOOLA? Is the USA still the key sales leader? If not, who is, and which countries do you project may grow fastest?
GORDON: Our global growth has been incredible. We now have offices in 14 countries, and it feels like a new market takes off every time we look up. That unpredictability is part of what makes this sport special and a fun place to work. It’s always moving forward. Today it might be Malaysia or Vietnam; tomorrow, who knows. There’s still a lot of runway both in North America and globally.
CARL: How important is the signing of top men’s and women’s pro players in selling JOOLA signature paddles to rec and amateur players?
GORDON: Our professional players are essential to everything we do. They’re not just paid promoters. They’re part of our development pipeline on and off the court. Ben Johns, with his materials science background, has been genuinely instrumental in shaping our technology. Our JOOLA Forward mentorship program, pairing touring pros with junior athletes, is a great example of that influence extending past the paddle. Beyond product, we see our athletes as an extension of not just “what” we are, but “who” we are.
CARL: How important are partnerships with the pro tours and tournaments for JOOLA? You also support several charities, including the Veterans Pickleball Association. Is that a key part of your giving back?
GORDON: Every partner, from Andre Agassi to a pro or amateur tour, a pro player, a facility, a community program, is a part of our shared mission to grow the game at all levels. That’s what makes them a partner: a mutual trust that we’re building something together. Whether it’s the Veterans Pickleball Association partnership, our Pickleball in Prison program, or the hundreds of events and initiatives we support, we’re in this as one community.
Shaping What Comes Next
JOOLA’s presence in pickleball now extends well beyond the paddle. From professional athletes and product development to global expansion, community programs and partnerships, Gordon and his team are helping shape how players experience the sport at nearly every level.
Take a look around local clubs and tournaments and the JOOLA imprint is difficult to miss. As pickleball continues to grow in the United States and around the world, Kaye’s focus remains on what brought him to JOOLA in the first place: challenging the way things have always been done and looking for new ways to move the game forward.
About Carl Foster
Carl Foster is the Chairman of the World Pickleball Conference and the CEO of Foster Events Group, LLC, where he specializes in the production and management of high-profile sports and entertainment events. With over 50 years of experience in broadcasting, fundraising, and event leadership, he produces Inside WORLD Pickleball and serves as a lead moderator for industry summits. He is a central figure in the professionalization of pickleball, connecting technology experts, organizational leadership, and the player community to elevate the sport’s presence on a global scale.
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