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THE PADDLE
COMPANY Finding World of Opportunity
12/8/03
From the beaches of Italy to the gymnasiums of Japan to the heartland
of the U.S., sporting goods dealers would be hard-pressed to find
a more reliable performer than paddle sports. And according to Jerry
Brown, president of The Paddle Company, the category's
popularity is growing.
"The market for paddle sports is totally international," she says.
"In fact, Paddle Tennis debuted as a demonstration sport at the
1998 Goodwill Games. These sports are an extremely inexpensive way
to exercise. All you need is a paddle, balls and shoes."
Nobody handles the first item on that list better than The Paddle
Company. Founded in 1995, the company helped revitalize the category,
and today stands as the nation's leading manufacturer and supplier
of equipment for Paddleball, Paddle Tennis, Platform Tennis and
Padel. Paddles range in price at retail from $38 to $124. The Paddle
Company's top seller is the Odonata, a graphite paddle laced with
titanium that is lightweight, yet amazingly powerful.
"Several years ago we made the jump from wood to graphite, then titanium,"
says Brown. "All of our paddles are molded one-piece designs. The
head of the paddle absorbs shock, which lessens the strain on a
player's shoulder and elbow."
Brown describes The Paddle Company's latest offerings as clean, fresh
and fun. All—including the Bat Ti and Cheetah Ti—incorporate an
animal theme. She adds that the company has also introduced platform
tennis balls and paddleballs for one-wall paddleball.
Brown is equally excited about The Paddle Company's upcoming appearance
at The Super Show. The company returned to the sporting goods extravaganza
in 2003 after a seven-year hiatus.
"It never ceases to amaze me who we pick up as clients from The Super
Show," she says. “Celebrity Cruises became a client, and a private-label
deal with Budweiser materialized. Our distribution channels include
everyone from The Sports Authority to Paddlepro.com. We're always
interested in talking to new dealers."
For further information, Brown suggests retailers visit The Paddle
Company at www.thepaddlecompany.com. "Paddle sports are so addictive,"
she adds. "Stop by our web site, or make plans to see us in Orlando."
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