It’s officially college football season, and if you’re hitting the pickleball courts at 6 a.m. on Saturday before gameday begins, you might need a branded paddle that shows your school pride. 

Rally Republic is the leading company for officially licensed pickleball paddles. Their paddles feature your favorite university logo from the Florida Gators to the Clemson Tigers.

These paddles are popular at campus bookstores across the country, and Chad Phillips, the President of Rally Republic, shared how their collegiate paddles became the top in the game.

“Rally Republic was founded in San Diego by TK Stollman and his wife, Lauren, who started the company during the pandemic. I come from a trademark licensing background, so we wanted to use licensing to bring together college, pro sports, and pickleball,” said Phillips. “People love to represent their team, so we’ve had a lot of success selling to pickleball clubs for fundraisers and to sports fans. Whether you’re playing with a paddle or you’re giving it as a gift, that’s kind of our niche for paddles. We sell to a lot of campuses and fan shops, so if you’re in your campus bookstore on your campus, in all likelihood we’re selling there, or will be selling to them in the future.”

At $99, these paddles ensure a high-quality experience for all skill levels. The paddles have a composite fiberglass face and a tight honeycomb polypropylene core for a large sweet spot. 

So why is a collegiate pickleball paddle so popular?

“I think what’s great about having your favorite college football, basketball, or baseball team represented on your pickleball paddle is that it shows your personality, helps start conversations with people on the court, and helps build that community of pickleball we all love,” mentioned Phillips. 

There’s something about wearing your alumni T-shirt or a polo with your team’s logo that instantly sparks conversations. People love to connect over sports, talking upsets or schedules, favorite teams, or rivalries - especially if you’re an alum.

Rally Republic has also started to expand into Greek life, with paddles that feature a few fraternities. 

Pickleball is so appreciated on college campuses across the U.S. that it’s no surprise these paddles have been a hit. Collegiate pickleball for rec play and competitive club teams continue to grow. Campuses are building more courts, more schools are forming club teams, and there’s a big movement to establish pickleball as an NCAA sport. 

With the high demand for pickleball paddles branded with your school’s logo, I think it’s safe to say that collegiate pickleball will continue its meteoric rise.  

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