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 and Pickleball Equipment

New York, NY – PingPod, the radically fun new 24/7 ping pong concept, has announced a multi-year deal with JOOLA to be its exclusive table tennis equipment and performance apparel supplier. As part of the deal, JOOLA will become a Title Sponsor for PingPod Leagues and PingPod and JOOLA will collaborate on co-branded apparel and accessories.

Tom Nguyen, JOOLA Chief Marketing Officer, says “This partnership marks our biggest investment in ping pong in the US, but more than that, it creates a deeper relationship between two innovative, tech-forward partners.” The two companies will celebrate the deal at an activation event February 15 at PingPod’s newly opened Downtown Brooklyn location.

PingPod has been a smash since its 2020 launch in New York City on the Lower East Side, quickly meeting customer demand by adding additional NYC locations on West 37th Street; Williamsburg; Astoria; East 86th Street; and the newest location in Downtown Brooklyn. The company recently opened a location in Philadelphia and a private pod at The Strand in Chatham NJ. More NYC locations and expansion to other cities are coming, with more than 20 Pod locations expected by year end 2023. “We believe JOOLA is the perfect partner for our expansion across multiple disciplines,” said PingPod CEO Max Kogler. “This deal will be able to keep pace with our rapid growth. We are thrilled to have a partner aligned with our mission to make ping pong accessible to everyone.”

JOOLA is a storied brand in table tennis and has recently added a leading position in the fast-growing sport of Pickleball. For table tennis, the company provides next generation equipment including tables, rackets, blades, rubbers, balls, apparel, nets, and robots. “The PingPod concept – Ping Pong for Everyone – is aligned with JOOLA’s core values: Inclusion, Innovation, and Inspiration,” said JOOLA USA CEO Richard Lee. “We are thrilled to partner with PingPod and, together, elevate the sport of table tennis.”

The PingPod business model is unique – a network of the world’s first tech-enabled autonomous (no onsite employees) table tennis “pods,” open 24/7. Pods are typically highly visible street-level retail spaces with one to six tables, available to rent in 30-minute increments through PingPod’s app.

The PingPod formula has proven popular for everyone from casual players seeking fun date nights and expert players training for their next table tennis tournament, to those seeking afterschool classes for kids and fun spots for private parties. Since opening, PingPod has registered more than 36,000 people to play, with new customer sign-ups closing in on 3,500 per month.

How PingPod Works: Using the PingPod app, you register online with your credit card and reserve a table 24/7 at the street-level storefront “pods”. Entrance to the light and airy space comes via digital access on your phone. At your table, you’re provided with a full basket of high-quality balls and free paddles to use, if you don’t already have your own. Want to capture a great rally for posterity? Push a button alongside the table and you’ll get the “instant replay” by email. Looking for partners? Join PingPod’s #OpenMatching Slack channel and you’ll find community. Seeking competition? Join PingPod’s leagues and compete in divisions organized by skill. Winners compete for prizes and bragging rights in the robust PingPod community. Safety and security are handled through proprietary 24/7 security video monitoring.

PR Contact: Carol Klenfner, carol@klenfner.com

Hi-Res Images available

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As part of JOOLA’s sponsorship, the brand will immerse itself at all APP Tour events, including on-site activation spaces, signage, and hospitality opportunities, as well as promotion on social media and APP Tour livestream productions.

“We are pleased to partner with JOOLA as the Official Paddle of the APP Tour.” Said APP Founder & CEO Ken Herrmann. “They are a world-renowned brand making major traction in the world of pickleball, and we could not be more excited to grow together.”

“The APP Tour has an excellent series of events and we’re excited to grow the sport of pickleball together.” said Richard Lee, President of JOOLA.

The APP Tour continues its summer circuit with the APP New Jersey Open on August 10-14 in Hamilton Township, N.J. The tournament will be livestreamed on APPTV, available on YouTube and the APP Tour Facebook page.

About the APP Tour

Founded in 2019, the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) serves amateurs, professionals, and senior professionals in one of the fastest growing sports in the country. It is the first and only officially sanctioned tour of USA Pickleball. The APP also prides itself on developing the next generation of champions through its Next Gen Series and other youth initiatives.

About JOOLA

JOOLA has been a pioneer in table tennis since its establishment in 1952. In 2022, its expansion into pickleball quickly attracted the biggest names in the sport. As an official table tennis sponsor for three Summer Games and the sponsor of the APP Tour and top athletes in pickleball, the team at JOOLA combines its expertise with fresh perspectives to bring synergy and innovation to both sports. JOOLA creates a variety of equipment, apparel, and accessories for table tennis and pickleball players, both professional and recreational. JOOLA is based in Rockville, MD and is owned by Sport Squad, Inc. Learn more about JOOLA and see why the sport’s best are joining Team JOOLA by visiting www.joolausa.com.

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Media Contact:

Daniel Sagerman

dsagerman@intersport.global

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“We are delighted to welcome such a high-caliber player to Team JOOLA and to have him put his trust in our products as he continues his journey to becoming one of the world’s best table tennis players,” said JOOLA President Richard Lee. “Zhou Qihao is on the path to accomplishing great things. We strongly believe in him and are humbled to be by his side, supporting him as he builds his legacy.”

Zhou was most notably the 2021 Champion of the All-Star Chinese WTT and Olympic Simulation Trials, where he defeated Grand Slam Champion Ma Long in the semifinals and went on to defeat current World Champion Fan Zhendong in the finals match. Zhou has been able to go toe-to-toe with the absolute best Chinese players in the world and is now venturing into the international table tennis scene.

“I am incredibly happy to join Team JOOLA. After trying JOOLA’s products and meeting their team, I believe this partnership will help me take the next step in pursuing my goals to win the highest-level tournaments in the world,” said Zhou, after the signing in Houston.

As JOOLA continues to innovate and further establish itself in the table tennis community, the team is ecstatic to be collaborating with an athlete from the Chinese National Team and looks forward to seeing Zhou Qihao’s progress on the world stage. The JOOLA team hopes the new partnership and support will have a positive impact on Zhou’s career and help him advance in his goals.

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This year’s Teams features a 3-day long live stream of all the matches. This is one of the first table tennis events to feature remote production combined with Mixed Reality. The event is to be streamed on JOOLA Global’s YouTube channel and all-new JOOLA Infinity app. Real-time Mixed Reality allows JOOLA to step outside of the traditional sponsorship toolkit and activate its sponsorship in an innovative and contextual way.

Richard Lee, President of JOOLA, stated, “We are committed to the sport of table table tennis and to delivering the best-in-class table tennis equipment and experiences to our customers. Working with OSAI on the Mixed Reality live stream of Teams helps us to take table tennis viewing to the next level. Real-time Mixed Reality allows us to engage table tennis fans with live exclusive insights and attract new audiences with immersive, digitally-native content that explains the game and gets them excited about the sport. Crucially, we are able to produce the event remotely.”

OSAI powers the entire remote production of JOOLA Teams streaming, delivering an end-to-end solution that includes broadcast-quality video, commentary, Mixed Reality, and analytics. OSAI aims to turn every match of the JOOLA North American Teams Championships into an immersive and engaging experience for both the viewers and the players.

“We are thrilled to partner with JOOLA and deliver cutting-edge viewing experiences to all Teams followers. OSAI Mixed Reality enters the USA market with a strong case of remote virtual production of one of the leading table tennis events in the country. OSAI uses Computer Vision and AI to collect & analyze performance data that is then transformed into immersive animations. Combing live data with sports entertainment means that OSAI live streaming engages all segments of fans and unlocks new digital assets for sponsorship activations,” said Nish Sehgal, Global Managing Director of OSAI.

Real-time Mixed Reality by OSAI engages viewers with dynamic on-screen animations and deep game insights, otherwise unavailable to fans. The Teams live stream will include ball tracking, player positions, zones occupied, and ball speed – to name a few. 

About Teams:

The 23rd annual JOOLA North American Teams Championships is a USATT sanctioned 4-star event and will be held at the Gaylord National Resort in Washington, DC for the 6th year in a row. The always highly anticipated three-day competition boasts players from all over the US as well as entrants from around the world, giving players a chance to mingle and learn new techniques from a broader table tennis community. The tournament features a team component in an otherwise individual-focused sport in the US.

About JOOLA:

JOOLA has been a leader in table tennis since 1952. The global company offers a selection of premium quality table tennis equipment from tables to blades. JOOLA is also a proud sponsor of several major table tennis tournaments, including the JOOLA North American Teams Championships.

About OSAI:

OSAI is an AI-powered technology that unlocks real-time Mixed Reality video streaming for live sporting events. OSAI analyses the video feed to gather the performance data, analyze it and overlay the video with on-screen animations in real-time. Mixed Reality enhances the viewer experience with game insights, explanations and gamification. OSAI transforms the live streaming of sports, connecting the traditional broadcast with digital on-demand culture.

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North American Table Tennis (NATT), which has run JOOLA’s North American Teams Championships in Washington, DC for over 20 years, as well as the U.S. Open and U.S. Nationals in the past, will be running the new four-day tournament.

JOOLA Global Championships is expected to attract more than a thousand entrants from around the world and will feature over sixty Singles and Doubles events. Players can enter in up to eight tournament events. More than bragging rights will be up for grabs as the tournament will be handing out one-hundred thousand dollars in prize money.

In partnership with the American Youth Table Tennis Organization (AYTTO) and the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA), there will be special age events for elementary through high school students, as well as collegiate U22 events.

The expansive tournament hall will boast more than one-hundred and fifty ITTF-approved JOOLA competition tables. Outside of the tournament hall, the Gaylord Palms Resort welcomes guests to a luxury experience. With its own water park and an exciting lineup of family-friendly activities and entertainment, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Players are encouraged to bring along friends and family members to enjoy everything that Orlando has to offer. From theme parks and water parks to award-winning restaurants and designer outlet stores, Orlando is guaranteed to have something for everyone.

The regular entry fee for JOOLA Global Championships is $499, but several tiers of limited early bird deals are available. $399 club pricing is also available to members of JOOLA-sponsored table tennis clubs. This is a tournament you won’t want to miss out on.

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