FRANKLIN SPORTS SIGNS PICKLEBALL POWERHOUSE PLAYERS, THE JOHNSON FAMILY
#1-RANKED JW JOHNSON, #1-RANKED JORJA JOHNSON, #2-RANKED JULIE JOHNSON JOIN FRANKLIN FAMILY OF ATHLETES
Stoughton, Mass. (August 8, 2022) –
Franklin Sports, a leading manufacturer and retailer in the sporting goods industry, announced today that it has partnered with professional pickleball stars JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson and Julie Johnson. The deal comes as the Johnson family continues an astronomical rise through the
Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) rankings throughout 2022 and as Franklin Sports remains dedicated to growing the sport of pickleball at all levels. With the partnership, Franklin Sports becomes the exclusive paddle provider to the Johnson family. The partnership will also introduce a signature paddle designed in partnership with JW Johnson in 2023.
JW Johnson, 19, is currently the #1-ranked APP men’s pickleball pro,
medaling 47 times in 2022 alone while securing three triple crowns. Jorja Johnson, 15, is now the #1-ranked APP women’s pickleball pro, winning 26 medals and placing first in seven pro events during her first full season on the APP tour this year. Julie Johnson, 50, is the #2-ranked APP Senior Women’s pickleball pro, medaling 26 times and placing first, five times in senior professional divisions throughout 2022.
“The Johnson’s have quickly become the first family of professional pickleball with stellar performances throughout their careers, particularly in 2022,” said Adam Franklin, President of Franklin Sports. “We’re thrilled to partner with them as they continue climbing the ranks.
“We’re thrilled to announce that we have signed a deal with Franklin Pickleball. Beyond making great paddles, we feel that we share the same values and that we can always rely on their experience.” said Julie Johnson, “We’re looking forward to what’s coming next and excited for these two families to merge into one.”
Franklin is a leading sporting goods brand that has a catalog of over 10,000 products across 10 different sports. The company entered the pickleball market in early 2017 with the release of the
X-40 ball, the Official Ball of USA Pickleball, the governing body of the country’s fastest-growing sport. In just over five years, the Massachusetts-based company has become an equipment leader in the game, with a wide collection of pickleball products –
paddles, balls, nets, and more.
About Franklin Sports
Founded by Irving Franklin in 1946, Franklin Sports is a Stoughton, Massachusetts-based sporting goods brand that manufactures and sells over 10,000 products across 10 different categories. Franklin is the Official Batting Glove and Official PlayBall Equipment Partner of Major League Baseball (MLB), the Official Street Hockey Partner of the National Hockey League (NHL), and the brand is heavily involved with all of the leagues’ youth participation programs. Franklin also works with hundreds of elite athletes through sports equipment and apparel collaborations. Franklin is a multigenerational, family-owned business run by Adam Franklin, who succeeded his father, Larry, as president in 2019. Franklin’s rich history and trusted reputation as a quality sporting goods brand – from recreational sports all the way up to the professional level – has made it one of the perennial leaders in the industry. Celebrating its 75th year in business, Franklin continues to honor its tradition of providing athletes of all levels with excellent value across its full product collection, while also supporting various professional league’s growth initiatives and investing in popular emerging sports like pickleball. For more information on Franklin, please visit franklinsports.com or follow the brand on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @franklinsports. (
Source)
