Rally Republic and DUPR Team Up to Boost College Pickleball

Kevin Brown
March 11, 2024

Continued Momentum for DUPR Collegiate Pickleball As It Establishes Foothold as Leader in Collegiate Space

Austin, TX and Dallas, TX (March 11, 2024) – DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) and Rally Republic, the first California-inspired pickleball lifestyle brand, are teaming up to enhance DUPR Collegiate Pickleball events and bring more resources and support to college pickleball overall. 

The partnership marks another significant milestone for DUPR Collegiate Pickleball, the fastest-growing and largest collegiate pickleball tournament series. Pickleball’s growth continues to skyrocket, and the collegiate space is no different. With more and more colleges and universities developing pickleball club teams, DUPR’s Collegiate Pickleball tournament series offers the most regional and national opportunities for  individual and team collegiate competition, with the added bonus of competing for scholarship money. 

“We are thrilled to support DUPR Collegiate Pickleball and partner with DUPR to offer more incentives, perks and opportunities for student athletes to compete in the world’s best game,” said Chad Phillips, president of Rally Republic. “DUPR Collegiate is the sport’s premier college series and we are looking forward to exposing our brand in front of student athletes and fans, and generating even more excitement and buzz for pickleball among this audience.” 

Rally Republic’s line of licensed paddles featuring school and university names and mascots are incredibly popular with athletes, alumni and fans alike, not only for showcasing school pride but also for their high-quality handling and performance. As part of the partnership, Rally Republic will have an onsite presence at eight 2024 DUPR Collegiate Events, including the Super Regionals and both the Individual and Team Collegiate National Championships, to enable players and fans to engage with the brand and its paddles onsite.

“Both our organizations are dedicated to growing the game and building a global community of passionate players. It’s a natural fit to welcome Rally Republic onboard as partners of DUPR Collegiate Pickleball,” said Tito Machado, DUPR CEO. “DUPR Collegiate events are incredibly fun, high energy and the competition is top-notch. We are excited to build out activation opportunities for our players and fans with some of the best names in pickleball that will create an even more exciting environment for players and fans alike.”

DUPR has led the way in establishing competitive collegiate pickleball by creating compelling opportunities for players to compete, earn scholarship prize money and identify new pathways to continue to play. Since hosting its first college event in 2022, DUPR Collegiate Pickleball has hosted 16 events for 1300 athletes – including the largest collegiate pickleball tournament ever with over 350 players – and contributed over $250,000 in scholarship money and travel stipends for players.

As the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. with more than 48.3 million Americans playing pickleball, San Diego-based Rally Republic launched in 2023 as the first California-inspired lifestyle brand created specifically for pickleball enthusiasts. Founded by a team of successful entrepreneurs in the e-commerce, apparel, and licensed sports sectors, they saw an opportunity to bring their expertise to the world of pickleball and create a brand that offers high-quality yet design-focused pickleball paddles, which are now available for sale online at www.RallyRepublic.com and on Amazon.com, and in-store at U.S. college bookstores and sporting goods retail stores including Rally House and Gameday Spirit. Rally Republic’s product lineup will soon expand with plans to unveil apparel, equipment, and accessory lines.

For a full schedule of events, please visit dupr.com/collegiate 

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About DUPR 

DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) is the premier global pickleball rating system and technology platform, trusted by the world's leading clubs, tournaments, leagues and players. DUPR's dynamic rating system unifies pickleball across age, gender and location by analyzing match results to accurately evaluate all players across a 2.000 - 8.000 scale. Players and operators can visit www.dupr.com to sign up and learn more. 

About Rally Republic

San Diego-based Rally Republic is the first California-inspired lifestyle brand created specifically for pickleball enthusiasts. With a mission to provide both top-quality and design-focused pickleball paddles, apparel, equipment, and accessories, Rally Republic’s product lineup embodies the vibrant culture and laid-back spirit of the West Coast. Rally Republic also has licensing partnerships with most major U.S. colleges and universities, sororities, and fraternities, enabling pickleball players to showcase their college, sports team, and/or Greek spirit while on the court. For more information, visit Rally Republic:

Media Contact

Erica Annon / DUPR / erica@mydupr.com

More Posts For You

April 2, 2024

Cliff Drysdale Tennis and Peter Burwash International Have Joined Forces with Minor League Pickleball!

Cliff Drysdale Tennis and Peter Burwash International have joined forces with Minor League Pickleball to bring a new and exciting experience to racquet sports enthusiasts across the nation. This strategic partnership will see a series of innovative events and competitions hosted at various CDT and PBI managed properties starting this 2024!

Minor League Pickleball is an innovative team competition where teams of four players (2 women and 2 men) compete against each other in a novel and engaging format, with twists on traditional match-ups and scoring for games, matches, and tiebreakers. Teams compete against each other in Matches using the MLPlay™ format, featuring team matches that are composed of four 21-point games, one women’s doubles, one men’s doubles, and the final two games consisting of mixed doubles. Teams play in a round robin pool, with guaranteed matches and a playoff bracket to determine the winning team. All participating players must have a DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) account, and teams are formed by combining the DUPR ratings of all four players.

“We are thrilled to partner with Minor League Pickleball, a fantastic event concept that highlights many of sport’s most appealing qualities,” said Scott McCulloch, President and COO for Cliff Drysdale Tennis and Peter Burwash International. “Providing our members, guests and loyal community of pickleball players with engaging play options and competitive offerings is one of our top priorities, and Minor League Pickleball events will help strengthen our programs across the nation.”


“Minor League Pickleball is focused on providing amateur players with the most dynamic and exciting opportunities to compete. By partnering with Cliff Drysdale Tennis and Peter Burwash International, we’re able to reach even more players and host MiLP events at some of the most renowned racquet sports facilities in the world. We’re excited to work together to bring more people into this exciting game and create more engaging opportunities to play,” said Caroline Luelf, Director of Minor League Pickleball. 

Caroline Luelf, Director of Minor League Pickleball, expressed her excitement about working with CDT and PBI to expand the reach of the sport and create more opportunities for players to enjoy the game. The events will be held at select locations across the U.S., including private clubs, public facilities, and resorts, with a special travel experience planned for July at Omni Amelia Island Resort.

All players who compete in MiLP events will accumulate points to earn an opportunity to compete in the Minor League Pickleball National Championship, scheduled for December 13-15 and featuring a $50,000 prize purse.

Upcoming Minor League Pickleball events at CDT and PBI managed facilities:

April 13-14: JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa (Palm Desert, CA)
April 20-21: Esplanade Naples Golf and Country Club (Naples, FL)
May 4-5: Weston Racquet Club (Weston, FL)
May 18-19: Tyler Athletic and Swim Club (Tyler, TX)
June 22-23: John Newcombe Country Club  (New Braunfels, TX)
July 19-21: Omni Amelia Island Resort, Travel Package  (Amelia Island, FL)

To register for events and learn more about Minor League Pickleball, visit: www.dupr.com/minorleague

To learn more about Cliff Drysdale Tennis, visit: www.cliffdrysdale.com 

To learn more about Peter Burwash International, visit: www.pbitennis.com

Partners
Updates
Minor League
March 21, 2024

Honcho Pickleball League partners with DUPR to drive growth, unify league with global rating system.

Honcho Pickleball League, the premier national amateur pickleball league, and DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating), today announced a partnership to drive growth and local skill-based playing opportunities for players across the country. 

Honcho Pickleball League is one of the largest amateur leagues in the country with capacity to support up to 3,200 players across 12 states with 20 venue partners for this upcoming round of seasons taking place from late April through June, and has established itself as a leader in the grassroots growth of pickleball. As part of the partnership, Honcho will adopt DUPR as the official rating system of the league, and DUPR will support Honcho as it looks to enter into new markets and add new venue partners to offer even more opportunities for players to compete. 

“We are excited to dive into this relationship with DUPR,” said Chris Mott, Chief Revenue Officer, Honcho Pickleball League. “Their support not only provides us with one of the largest, most detailed player databases in the sport, but also aligns with our mission to provide exceptional pickleball experiences and development opportunities for our players. We look forward to a fruitful relationship that brings added excitement and competition to our communities across the nation.”

DUPR’s solution provides organizers with the ability to showcase their events to the most active and engaged community in pickleball, and enables players to find more opportunities to play at their level wherever they are. The foundation of DUPR is its industry-leading rating, which analyzes match results to provide an accurate, reliable evaluation of a players skill level across age, gender and location. With DUPR, organizers can create more competitive opportunities for players by organizing events and matches by player ratings, and players can know their level to find better, more fun competition. 

“DUPR is committed to democratizing pickleball, collaborating with teams, leagues and operators everywhere to give them access to technology that supports even better pickleball experiences,” said Tito Machado, DUPR CEO.  “We are excited to showcase Honcho Pickleball League to our community, support their players with a dynamic, accurate rating system, and aid their expansion into new markets to grow the game we all love.”

DUPR supports players, organizers and operators in pickleball with free-to-use tools to make the pickleball experience even more fun and ultimately driving the growth of the game. From its global rating system to its dynamic digital community where players can find and connect with matches, leagues, clubs and tournaments, DUPR is providing the fast-growing sport with the foundational framework to ensure enjoyment and fun for generations to come. 

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About DUPR 

DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) is the premier global pickleball rating system and technology platform, trusted by the world's leading clubs, tournaments, leagues and players. DUPR's dynamic rating system unifies pickleball across age, gender and location by analyzing match results to accurately evaluate all players across a 2.000 - 8.000 scale. Players and operators can visit www.dupr.com to sign up and learn more. 

About Honcho Pickleball League 

Honcho Pickleball League is the premier destination for pickleball enthusiasts who crave the perfect blend of competition, community and fun. Our league exudes confidence and swagger, providing consistent, fully administered game play on a weekly basis. We are the epitome of high-energy, fostering an electrifying atmosphere both on and off the court. Ranging from mid-season happy hours to championship gatherings to league merch to big winners pots and packages, this is not your standard local league and community!

We embody a winning spirit, striving to create an innovative and inclusive environment to continue to support in the greater effort of growing the sport of pickleball. Our league offers consistent weekly match play with multiple skill set divisions to choose from to ensure that players can excel in their passion for pickleball, week over week!. We proudly associate with top pickleball brands, ensuring an unparalleled experience for all. Visit www.honchopickle.com for more.

Events
Partners
Updates
March 20, 2024

DUPR and PlaySight Join Forces to Revolutionize Pickleball with Advanced AI Integration

[Austin, TX] – DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating), the leading global rating system in Pickleball, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with PlaySight, a pioneer in sports AI and analytics technology. This collaboration aims to elevate the pickleball experience for players, clubs, tournaments, and leagues worldwide.

DUPR, renowned for its unparalleled accuracy and global scale, assigns players a rating between 2.000-8.000 based on match results, regardless of age, gender, location, or skill level. Leveraging this expertise, the partnership will integrate DUPR ratings seamlessly into PlaySight's innovative platform, offering players increased access to advanced AI technology to gain a better understanding of their game play, and unlock advanced analytics and insights into their performance. 

The integration enables players to easily view their DUPR rating alongside their match footage, providing valuable insights into their performance and progression. It also introduces  "DUPR Moments" through PlaySight's AI automated highlights for pickleball. Players can relive their best moments of the match instantly, empowering them to analyze and improve their game efficiently.

"This partnership marks a significant milestone in the evolution of pickleball," said Tito Machado, CEO at DUPR. "By combining DUPR's accurate, global rating system with PlaySight's cutting-edge AI technology, we're delivering an all-encompassing solution that enhances the pickleball experience for players, organizers, and fans alike."

Chen Shachar, CEO of PlaySight, shared his enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, "We are excited to collaborate with DUPR to persistently introduce cutting-edge technology and innovation to the pickleball community. The integration of DUPR ratings into our platform not only provides players with invaluable insights but also amplifies their overall engagement with the sport."

This partnership between DUPR and PlaySight represents a significant step forward in the pickleball landscape. With the integration of DUPR ratings, statistics, and more into PlaySight's AI platform, the collaboration promises to redefine how players experience and interact with the game.

For more information about DUPR and PlaySight, visit www.dupr.com and [PlaySight website] respectively.

About DUPR 

DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) is the premier global pickleball rating system and technology platform, trusted by the world's leading clubs, tournaments, leagues and players. DUPR's dynamic rating system unifies pickleball across age, gender, and location by analyzing match results to accurately evaluate all players across a 2.000 - 8.000 scale. Players and operators can visit www.dupr.com to sign up and learn more. 

About PlaySight 

PlaySight is a global sports technology company that is pioneering the next generation of sports AI and analytics. Its innovative technology enhances the sports experience for players, coaches, and fans across various sports, including pickleball.

Updates