DALLAS, TX - The PPA made headlines on Thursday with the announcement that the Vulcan Pickleball VPRO FLIGHT would be the Tour's new official pickleball for 2024.

The pickleball will debut at The Masters beginning on Jan. 9 in Palm Springs, CA.

The PPA had previously featured ONIX’s Dura Fast 40 ball in tournament play since its inception, so the switch is significant in nature.

Vulcan Pickleball CEO, Vince Signorelli, recently chatted with PPA reporter Hannah Johns to share some insight on the VPRO FLIGHT and what the future holds for the partnership.

“We’ve developed a ball that checks all the boxes,” emphasized Signorelli. “From the playability standpoint, this plays at an extremely high level. This ball plays very fast. It’s lively, it’s hard, and aerodynamically, it’s perfect.”

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“I think we hit the sweet spot,” said Signorelli. “I think it’s going to have mass appeal, even if you aren’t a top-level player. If you’re a recreational player and you play with your friends for fun, this ball allows you to play the game with integrity and play the game the way it’s intended to be played, while being durable, too. Those are important values for players.”

There’s one aspect of the pickleball, in particular, that Signorelli is especially excited about. 

“I love the bounce height because it’s consistent. If you’re hitting a third and you know you hit it right, and the ball drops where you wanted it to drop at the right pace and trajectory, there’s a certain bounce height that high-level players are expecting to achieve,” he mentioned. “An inconsistent bounce is going to be frustrating, and this one is consistent.”

How the Vulcan VPRO FLIGHT pickleball plays

According to Johns, who had the opportunity to play with the new ball, it's a winner.

“It’s really fun to play with. It feels hard, but it plays slightly slower than the traditional ONIX feel. You get this feeling that you’re hitting the ball really hard and that you’re almost playing like a pro, and you’re not smacking down on the competition in a way that wouldn’t be as fun,” she shared.

Signorelli has similar thoughts.

“At the highest level of players, they’re going to enjoy playing this ball because it plays like you want it to play. The performance and playability of the ball just makes the game competitive, fun, and entertaining,” he said.

 

The ball also promises to be enjoyable for amateur and recreational players as well.

“At the beginner and intermediate level, there are desires about the durability of the ball, and we’ve improved. While all balls are not indestructible, this ball lasts a little bit longer than some of the top-level balls that we’ve seen,” explained Signorelli.

And since there is no universal ball for pickleball, Vulcan sought to create a quality option that both pros and amateurs alike would appreciate.

How Vulcan Pickleball became the official ball of the PPA Tour

A slew of pro players participated in the development process of the Vulcan ball, including Ben Johns, Colin Johns, Jay Devilliers, Catherine Parenteau, Etta Wright, Anna Leigh Waters, and Irina Tereschenko, and they proved to be an invaluable asset along the way.

“They’ve been putting it through the rigors and in a variety of conditions, too, and the ball was put through the toughest test possible for a long period of time. The pro analysis provided by the pros was objective and very honest. They have serious opinions about these pickleballs. To emerge as the clear winner for playability and performance at the end of the day was one of the most satisfying moments for me as an equipment designer,” indicated Signorelli.

Vulcan durability

According to Signorelli, Tyler Loong said that he played with some pros for three-and-a-half hours with the same ball.

“We all know how hard the pros hit pickleballs, and the feedback from them is that this ball is lasting well long enough, but for the amateurs and novices like me, we’re going to get a long time out of a pickleball,” stated Signorelli. “In extreme weather conditions, the Vulcan ball tends to be more consistent. The ball is not going to play completely differently depending on the weather.”

The Future of PPA and Vulcan Pickleball

“We would like to see the sport of pickleball mature, for there to be reasonable attrition for the brands, leaders, and equipment makers in the space to begin to separate themselves in a more meaningful way,” offered Signorelli.

How much is the Vulcan Pickleball VPRO Flight?

Starting at $12.99 for a three-pack, Signorelli said: “It’s a premium ball, but it’s also an investment ball.”

Where to buy the official ball of the PPA Tour

The pickleballs can be purchased at Vulcan Sporting Goods and Pickleball Central.

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