JOOLA and Proton settle patent dispute over Flamingo paddle</final
JOOLA and Proton settled the Flamingo dispute, but manufacturing stops now. The paddle can still be sold only through the end of summer.
JOOLA and Proton Sports have settled their patent fight over the Flamingo Series 3 paddle, ending one of the most closely watched equipment disputes in pickleball and putting a hard stop on new Flamingo production. Proton can keep selling the paddle through the end of the summer, but every unit now has to carry JOOLA’s Propulsion Core patent numbers and a “Powered by JOOLA” sticker on the packaging.
For players shopping premium paddles, or for retreat operators stocking demo gear, the practical takeaway is simple: the Flamingo is not disappearing from shelves overnight, but its remaining life is limited. Manufacturing stops immediately, so the line now depends on existing inventory rather than fresh production. The settlement also narrows the message around the paddle itself, since the packaging now has to acknowledge the JOOLA patents tied to the dispute.
The case grew out of JOOLA’s April 7 filing at the U.S. International Trade Commission, which was later amended on April 17 and supplemented on May 19. The commission instituted its investigation on June 4 into certain pickleball paddles allegedly infringing JOOLA patents. Before resolving the Proton matter, JOOLA also settled with Paddletek Group and ProXR on May 13, but eight ITC cases remain active against other brands.
That broader fight is why this settlement matters beyond one paddle model. Proton’s Project Flamingo line is still marketed in elongated 15mm, square 15mm, and elongated 13mm versions, and Proton describes it as the latest evolution of its Series Three line with high-density performance foam and a polypropylene honeycomb core. Proton also says the paddle is approved for both UPA-A and USA Pickleball competition. JOOLA, meanwhile, continues to market its 3S line around Propulsion Core technology, which is the feature at the center of the legal fight.
JOOLA said it was pleased to reach a constructive resolution and would keep pursuing fair outcomes with other defendants while protecting the technology it says defines the modern game. Proton said it respected JOOLA’s intellectual property and was glad to resolve the dispute constructively. For buyers and retreat hosts, the message is clearer than the patent filings: the Flamingo can still be bought for now, but its future is measured in weeks, not seasons.
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