Pickleball’s rapid rise has created a new battleground for visibility, and it is not the shop floor or Amazon listings that matter most anymore—it is the way generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) engines surface brands to curious players.
Fresh research from 5W shows that Selkirk Sport, JOOLA, and Paddletek are the names most frequently recommended by AI platforms when consumers ask about paddles, shoes, or equipment. This is striking because traditional giants such as Wilson and Babolat, dominant in retail distribution, do not even make the top 15.
The findings highlight a shift in influence. Smaller brands like Six Zero, Vatic Pro, and ProKennex are punching above their weight, gaining traction through strong editorial content, partnerships with professional players, and detailed product information. These factors appear to carry more weight in AI-driven recommendations than sheer retail presence.
The study analysed more than 50 common queries, from “best beginner paddle” to “what paddle do pros use,” across platforms including ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. The top ten brands by citation share were Selkirk, JOOLA, Paddletek, Engage, CRBN, Six Zero, ProKennex, Vatic Pro, Gearbox, and Diadem.
The report also points to a commercial impact. Brands in the top ten achieve nearly 50 per cent higher conversion rates from unpaid traffic compared with those ranked lower. In other words, visibility in AI search is now more closely tied to sales than traditional retail distribution—a reversal of the old logic.
For pickleball manufacturers, the message is clear. Building authority through credible content, keeping product specifications transparent, and maintaining up-to-date information are now critical to winning the attention of the sport’s 40 million players. Retail shelves may still matter, but in the age of AI, the first paddle many newcomers pick up is shaped by what the algorithms say.
The full report is available free at 5wpr.com/research/pickleball-ai-visibility-index-2026.
