用具ブランドのJOOLAが、7月24日にApple TVで配信が始まったコメディ映画『The Dink』とタイアップし、劇中でジェイク・ジョンソン演じる主人公が握るパドルを実物として売り出した。商品名は『Da Hammer』、価格は99.95ドル（1ドル≈157円換算で約1万5,700円）。配信開始と同時に予約を受け付け、出荷は8月10日に始まる。映画公開に合わせて劇中モデルを即座に商品化する速さは、パドル選びが性能スペックの比較から物語や体験と結びつく買い物へ広がりつつあることを示している。
An elongated Perseus shape named after the lead character's nickname
The Dink is a comedy about a washed-up former tennis pro who looks for a way out in pickleball, with Ben Stiller among the producers. Jake Johnson's character, Dusty Boyd, goes by the nickname Da Hammer, and the paddle carries that name. JOOLA uses the same elongated Perseus shape seen on screen and says it is finished with the company's Astral technology. It measures 16.5 inches long and 7.5 inches wide with a 14mm core. The face is a sandblasted carbon and fiberglass build, and it carries USAP (USA Pickleball) approval. It wears the film's world while keeping the bearing of a paddle built to play with.
Preorders opened on the July 24 streaming debut, shipping August 10
The timing is deliberate. Preorders opened on July 24, the day the film started streaming on Apple TV, funneling the heat of that first wave of attention straight into orders. Setting shipping on August 10 locks in the orders before viewers who watched and thought “I want that paddle” drift away. The release calendar of the entertainment and the preorder path of the merchandise were overlapped on purpose.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Product name | Da Hammer（JOOLA） |
| Price | $99.95 (about 15,700 yen at roughly 157 yen to the dollar) |
| Shape | Elongated Perseus shape / Astral technology |
| Booking | Opened to coincide with the streaming debut (July 24) |
| Shipping | Scheduled to begin August 10 |
Pricing under $100 to reach newcomers
JOOLA has long put top players on its marquee and has kept its name in the conversation even through disputes over approval. This time it inserted a paddle into the context of entertainment rather than competitive results. Top competition models often sit above $200, but Da Hammer comes in under $100. For newcomers who touch the sport because of a film, around 15,700 yen for a first paddle is within the range where people can commit. Lock in existing players with the premium line, catch newcomers with an accessible limited edition. The stance goes after both reach and price. Equipment brands reaching beyond their core business is not limited to this case, and Pickle Times has covereda paddle company stepping into apparel with 15 items. The tighter the performance race in gear becomes, the more brands shift the source of value toward story and lifestyle.
Even a novelty model carries USAP approval
Even for a limited edition built on buzz, JOOLA states that it has USAP approval. Pickleball equipment standards tighten year by year, starting with spin limits, and approval decides whether a paddle can be used in sanctioned play. Pickle Times has examinedwhat an “approved” label actually guarantees. Keeping eligibility for sanctioned play while playing along with a film tie-in shows a brand calculating not to let its product turn into a toy.
The “watch it, then start” path can reach Japan
This will not arrive in Japan as is. The Dink is an Apple TV title that requires a subscription to watch, and getting the limited model will for now mostly mean overseas mail order. Two things still carry over. Paddle choice can be driven by a connection to a story rather than only by comparing specs, and the entry point to the sport can be built from the experience of watching. A path where someone learns about the sport from a drama or a film and buys a paddle to start applies to how the sport is promoted in Japan too. If you run clinics or events, it is worth looking at tie-ins with film and video, not only tournament broadcasts and player exposure, as a channel for reaching newcomers. If you handle equipment, it is worth taking stock of what kind of experience your brand can carry.
Da Hammer price, specs, and streaming date
- Product: JOOLA Da Hammer (limited model tied to the film The Dink)
- Price: $99.95 (about 15,700 yen at roughly 157 yen to the dollar)
- Preorder and shipping: preorders opened July 24 with the streaming debut; shipping begins August 10
- Specs: elongated Perseus shape, 14mm core, USAP approved
- Film: The Dink streams on Apple TV from July 24
