James Ignatowich Was TERMINATED and Now Sells 10,000 Paddles a Month

James Ignatowich Was TERMINATED and Now Sells 10,000 Paddles a Month

From PicklePod by The Dink Pickleball

March 3, 2026 · 1h 21m

About this episode

James Ignatowich discusses his contract termination and successful paddle sales amidst the chaotic Major League Pickleball offseason.

PicklePod 2.0 is presented by Marek Health. Use our code THEDINK for 10% off your $299 Intake Assessment at https://MarekHealth.com/ The MLP draft just BROKE the internet… and we’re unpacking all of it. From Anna Bright going for over $1 million to the Dallas Flash meltdown, this Major League Pickleball offseason might be more entertaining than the actual matches. We break down the bidding wars, the strategy behind youth vs. win-now rosters, whether Jack Sock is still a “fool me three times” situation, and why MLP might desperately need a salary cap (and floor). Then things get unhinged. James Ignatowich returns to the pod to talk about: - His UPA contract termination - Building RPM from scratch - Selling 10,000 paddles in a month - Why he’s moving to China - Getting blocked by the PPA - Whether he’s ever playing pro again - And yes… the Johnson siblings rumors We also dive into: - The new post-match cheating fines system - Why more transparency could grow the game - Whether one superstar pro is worth the ROI for a paddle brand - And the wild reality of manufacturing in China - This one is chaotic, honest, and surprisingly insightful. Be the first to try Zane's new course here…

People in this episode

Host: The Dink Pickleball

Guest: James Ignatowich

Topics covered

Keywords

Sponsors

Marek Health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MLP, PPA, RPM

Products: paddles

Places: China

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