The short answer: the list of USA Pickleball sponsors grew by two health companies on the same day. On September 10, 2026, the governing body named DePuy Synthes its Official Orthopaedics Sponsor, built around a knee injection for osteoarthritis pain, and launched a COVID-19 vaccine campaign for older adults with Sanofi. Add them to what is already on USA Pickleball’s partner page and I count eleven health, medical or body-care brands. That tells you exactly who the sport’s money thinks is holding the paddles.
The 30-second version
- DePuy Synthes is now USA Pickleball’s Official Orthopaedics Sponsor, focused on “early intervention” treatments, starting with a single-injection product for osteoarthritis knee pain called MONOVISC.
- Sanofi launched “Serve Up Protection,” a campaign promoting its COVID-19 vaccine to adults 65 and older.
- Both show up in person at the Oceanview USA Pickleball National Championships, Oct. 31–Nov. 8 in San Diego.
- The New England link: DePuy Synthes is headquartered in Raynham, Mass., and MONOVISC is made by Anika Therapeutics in Bedford, Mass.
- Our take: sponsor education is marketing, not a diagnosis. Bring the questions to your own doctor.
You can learn a lot about a sport by reading its sponsor list. Tennis has watches and banks. Golf has private jets and wealth managers. Pickleball, as of this week, has a knee injection, a COVID vaccine, a joint-replacement company, a blood pressure monitor and a hearing aid. Nobody who plays a Tuesday morning open play in New England will be surprised. But it is worth looking at closely, because it changes what you will be pitched on and around the court.
What did USA Pickleball announce on September 10?
Two partnerships, both announced on September 10, 2026, and both aimed at older players.
- DePuy Synthes, Official Orthopaedics Sponsor. According to USA Pickleball’s announcement, the deal has an “exclusive focus on Early Intervention Orthopaedic Treatments.” In practice, that means education about joint health and about MONOVISC, a single-injection treatment for osteoarthritis knee pain. DePuy Synthes is part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech.
- Sanofi, “Serve Up Protection.” The Sanofi campaign promotes NUVAXOVID, which Sanofi describes as the only protein-based, non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine approved by the FDA. It is aimed at adults 65 and older. Sanofi says nearly 70 percent of that group remains unvaccinated.
Both companies will be on site at the 2026 Oceanview USA Pickleball National Championships, Oct. 31–Nov. 8 at Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego. USA Pickleball’s partnerships chief, Christian Portaro, framed both deals the same way: resources that help players “stay active and on the court.”
Which health brands are USA Pickleball sponsors now?
I went through the logos on USA Pickleball’s corporate partners page as of September 11, 2026 and pulled out every company whose business is the body, then added Sanofi, whose campaign is a day old and not on the wall yet. Where I found a formal announcement, I have given the date. Where I did not, I have left it blank rather than guess.
| Company | What it sells | Announced |
|---|---|---|
| Zimmer Biomet | Medical devices, including joint replacements | April 2024 |
| Numotion | Mobility equipment (Wheelchair Nationals title sponsor) | May 2026 |
| Vizual Edge | Vision training | July 2026 |
| DePuy Synthes | Orthopaedics (knee osteoarthritis injection) | Sept. 2026 |
| Sanofi | COVID-19 vaccine campaign | Sept. 2026 |
| OMRON Healthcare | Blood pressure monitors | — |
| Phonak | Hearing aids | — |
| Ro | Online telehealth | — |
| neo G | Braces and supports | — |
| TRZ Recovery | Recovery products | — |
| Le-Vel (Thrive) | Wellness products | — |
Zimmer Biomet got there first. Its April 2024 announcement billed it as the “first and only” official medical device partner of USA Pickleball, the PPA Tour and the APP. Two and a half years later, it has company.
What do USA Pickleball sponsors say about who plays?
Sponsors buy audiences. A company does not pay to put a knee injection, a hearing aid and a vaccine for 65-year-olds in front of pickleball players unless it believes that is who pickleball players are. Look at the name on the biggest event, too: Nationals is the Oceanview USA Pickleball National Championships, and Oceanview Life and Annuity sells retirement products.
None of that is a knock on the sport. Older players built pickleball in New England. They filled the church gyms and rec centers long before the pros and the TV deals, and they are still the backbone of nearly every open play I have been to. Here is the catch, though. The more of the sport’s money that comes from treating aging bodies, the more pitches you will see around the court for things that are, fundamentally, medical decisions.
Why do two of these companies lead back to Massachusetts?
This is the part that caught my eye as a New England site. DePuy Synthes is headquartered at 325 Paramount Drive in Raynham, Mass., down in Bristol County. And the product it is promoting has its own Massachusetts address: MONOVISC is developed and manufactured by Anika Therapeutics of Bedford, Mass. Anika licensed U.S. rights to DePuy Mitek in December 2011, and Johnson & Johnson MedTech markets it in the United States today.
So a knee product made in Middlesex County, marketed from Bristol County, will be pitched to players in San Diego. Throw in Stoughton’s own Franklin Sports, which is also on USA Pickleball’s partner wall, and Massachusetts has a bigger hand in the business side of this sport than most people realize.
Should you trust a sponsor booth for health advice?
Treat it as what it is: a starting point from a company that sells the product. Both announcements send you the same way, to a doctor or pharmacist, and you should go. A few things worth knowing:
- Knee pain is a conversation, not a booth visit. An injection is one of several options for osteoarthritis, and only your own doctor can tell you if any of them fit.
- Read the fine print about getting back on court. MONOVISC’s own safety information says to avoid activities like jogging, tennis and heavy lifting for 48 hours after an injection. Ask your doctor specifically when pickleball is OK.
- The boring stuff still does the most. A real warm-up, proper court shoes and knowing when to let a ball go prevent more injuries than anything sold at a tournament. Start with our pickleball warm-up routine, our guide to common pickleball injuries and the best pickleball shoes.
- Playing into your 70s and 80s is the goal. Our guide to pickleball for seniors and the best paddles for seniors are written for exactly that.
For the record: Regan Family Pickleball has no relationship with any company named in this post.
Frequently asked questions
Who is USA Pickleball’s official orthopaedics sponsor?
DePuy Synthes, a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company, was named Official Orthopaedics Sponsor on September 10, 2026, with a focus on early intervention treatments such as the knee injection MONOVISC.
What is the Sanofi Serve Up Protection campaign?
It is a Sanofi and USA Pickleball education campaign about COVID-19 and Sanofi’s NUVAXOVID vaccine, aimed mainly at adults 65 and older. It runs through the respiratory season and includes Nationals in November.
Where are the 2026 USA Pickleball Nationals?
The Oceanview USA Pickleball National Championships run Oct. 31 to Nov. 8, 2026 at Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego. For our New England guide to qualifying, see Golden Ticket tournaments 2027.
Is DePuy Synthes a Massachusetts company?
DePuy Synthes is headquartered in Raynham, Massachusetts. MONOVISC, the product featured in its sponsorship, is manufactured by Anika Therapeutics in Bedford, Massachusetts.
Does Zimmer Biomet still sponsor pickleball?
Yes. Zimmer Biomet, which became the first official medical device partner of USA Pickleball, the PPA Tour and the APP in April 2024, still appears on USA Pickleball’s corporate partners page.
Sources: USA Pickleball’s announcements of the DePuy Synthes, Sanofi, Vizual Edge, Numotion and Oceanview partnerships; USA Pickleball’s corporate partners page; Zimmer Biomet’s April 2024 release; and Anika Therapeutics’ 2011 licensing release. This post is news, not medical advice.
— Jason Regan, Regan Family Pickleball.