“We’re not solely making an attempt to construct the most important pickleball firm,” CEO Mike Barnes mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to construct a world-class sports activities firm.”
Selkirk Sport, one in every of pickleball’s most acknowledged tools manufacturers, simply took a significant step in scaling its enterprise.
The corporate introduced a $30 million progress fairness funding from New York-based Bluestone Fairness Companions, experiences Forbes, marking Selkirk’s first exterior capital elevate and valuing the enterprise at about $200 million.
Based in 2014 by the Barnes household — brothers Mike (31), Rob (33) and Tom (29) together with their father, Jim — Selkirk has grown from making 25 paddles a day to a totally vertically built-in model that manufactures paddles, balls, nets, sneakers and attire each abroad and within the U.S.
Selkirk merchandise are broadly obtainable on-line and thru mass retailers like Goal, Costco and Amazon.
Since 2019, Selkirk’s income has reportedly elevated by 1,900 %.
Amazon Pickleball Paddle Gross sales Up 55% in 2025, Surge to $44 Million
For gamers in any respect ranges, Amazon has advanced right into a authentic vacation spot for high quality pickleball gear, not simply price range paddles
An eye fixed towards worldwide enlargement
Selkirk expects to generate not less than $100 million in income this yr and has expanded to greater than 200 full-time and part-time workers.
The Barnes household nonetheless runs the corporate — Mike and Rob as co-CEOs, Jim as president, and Tom heading analysis and growth.
The Bluestone partnership is designed to assist Selkirk broaden internationally (particularly in Asia) and proceed investing in know-how and product growth whereas holding it tightly targeted on pickleball quite than diversifying into different sports activities.
Try Selkirk’s full line of pickleball merchandise, together with their new CourtStrike 2.0 and CourtStrike Professional 2.0 pickleball sneakers.
BUY NOW >>
“Selkirk needed to companion with one firm that will take a minority stake quite than search a number of traders and quit management of the corporate,” experiences Forbes.
Bluestone, led by founder Bobby Sharma and based in 2023, invested in Selkirk by means of the agency’s $300 million debut fund, Bluestone Capital I.
Stories Forbes:
Selkirk is Bluestone’s first pickleball portfolio firm, however Sharma mentioned he expects that Bluestone will make different investments within the sport that complement Selkirk.
Pickleball has “crossed from pattern into a permanent, mass participation sport,” Sharma added.
Selkirk not too long ago collaborated with Tesla to create a one-of-a-kind pickleball paddle that is since offered out a number of occasions over. We’re giving one away… enter under.
Win the Extremely-Uncommon Tesla Plaid Pickleball Paddle that Offered Out in Minutes
That is the paddle each pickleball participant wished they grabbed. The limited-edition Tesla Plaid Pickleball Paddle by Selkirk flew off cabinets proper because it launched. Smooth, aerodynamic, tech-driven, and insanely restricted – now you’ve received an opportunity to win one for FREE. Enter earlier than the chance disappears!
A singular give attention to pickleball
In Could 2025, Selkirk debuted a high-tech, million-dollar analysis and growth lab at its headquarters in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Inside, there are high-tech machines with robotic arms, a financial institution of 3-D printers used for speedy prototyping, a CT scanner to have a look at how a paddle’s core adjustments over time, and a ball-cannon used to imitate intensive game-play in a managed surroundings.
“Pickleball is just not going to be on a hockey stick progress curve ceaselessly, however we predict we’ll have the ability to adapt and have the ability to give attention to the trade for the long run,” Mike Barnes instructed Inc. on the time. “And we’ve no plans of entering into different sports activities.”
Selkirk’s $1 Million Excessive-Tech Testing Lab Is Placing the Business on Discover
The Barnes brothers talked to Inc. concerning the magic sauce behind Selkirk’s 1,900 % income surge over 5 years, and why superior know-how and speedy prototyping is the important thing to their continued success.
This singular give attention to pickleball has helped the model change into one of many few marquee tools producers on the beginner and professional ranges.
Selkirk’s cope with Bluestone displays the game’s broader momentum: pickleball stays the fastest-growing sport within the U.S., with participation surging year-over-year — a pattern that’s now attracting severe institutional capital alongside larger manufacturers getting into the house.
It was simply final week that Nike signed its first-ever pickleball professional in Anna Leigh Waters.
“We’re not solely making an attempt to construct the most important pickleball firm,” Mike Barnes mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to construct a world-class sports activities firm from an infrastructure course of. In our minds, we’re constructing the following era of how sporting items corporations can function.”
Function picture by way of Selkirk
