DinkyBalls Names Westbridge Licensing as Exclusive Global Licensing Agency

DinkyBalls, the character-driven pickleball lifestyle brand behind the Dinky Dozen, has named Westbridge Licensing as its exclusive global licensing agency

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, April 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Westbridge Licensing doesn't take on every brand that comes through the door. Over more than 30 years, the Westbridge team and its affiliates have represented some of the most recognized names in the world, including Disney, Coca-Cola, Marvel, the NFL, Star Wars, Harley-Davidson, Hello Kitty, and the U.S. Army, among many others. When Todd Lustgarten called, Lisa and Dustin DeMeritt listened.

WHERE IT STARTED: Lisa and Dustin DeMeritt spent three and a half years building Pickles Indoor Pickleball Club in Hanover, Massachusetts, a business they grew from the ground up and eventually sold in 2024. More than 8,000 registered players came through those doors. And every single one of them had a personality.

Standing behind the counter, watching matches, chatting between games, they kept seeing the same thing. Pickleball wasn't just a sport. It was personality. The one who introduced every newcomer before they could feel lost. The one who slammed every ball and didn't apologize for it. The one who lobbed with infuriating patience and a small smile. Every court. Every city. The same collection of characters.

In late 2022, Dustin sat down at the kitchen table and started sketching. He and Lisa began putting names to what they had been watching for years. They settled on twelve. The Dinky Dozen: twelve original pickleball personalities that anyone who has ever stepped on a court will immediately recognize.

Paddy the Ambassador. Banger the Whamm'er Slamm'er. Lobber the Airborne Ace. Legend the Nostalgic Noble. Coach the Endless Educator. Joy the Cheerful Champ. Swallz the Sweaty Swatter. Whacko the Fanatic. Blaze the Sporty Inferno. Wicked the Menacing Master. Buzzie the Guru-of-Gab. Noo'B the Playful Prodigy.
Not invented. Spotted.

THE PARTNERSHIP: DinkyBalls LLC has appointed Westbridge Licensing as its exclusive global licensing agency. Together, they will build a multi-category consumer products licensing program spanning apparel, accessories, gifts, novelty, sporting goods, home, and more, putting the Dinky Dozen in front of the millions of players who already live this sport. The partnership will be formally introduced at Licensing Expo 2026, the world's largest licensing trade show, May 19-21 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Booth A138.

"You show the Dinky Dozen to a pickleball player, and they don't need an explanation. They just start pointing. That's my partner. That's me on a bad day. That's the guy I refuse to play with. A brand that already lives inside its audience like that, that's what we look for. That's why we're here." Todd Lustgarten, CEO, Westbridge Licensing

WHAT IT MEANS: Lisa and Dustin are not naive about what comes next. Building a licensing program takes time, patience, and the right partners. They have built something from nothing before. They know what it costs. They know what it takes.

"We know this is just the beginning. We are going to make mistakes. We are going to learn things we don't know yet. But we are committed to this brand, to this community, to every player who has ever pointed at one of these characters and said that's me. Pickleball gave us so much. This is our way of giving something back." Lisa DeMeritt, Co-Founder, DinkyBalls

Manufacturers and retail partners interested in connecting at Licensing Expo can reach out to Todd Lustgarten at Westbridge Licensing to schedule time at Booth A138.

ABOUT DINKYBALLS: DinkyBalls is a character-driven pickleball lifestyle brand built around the real personalities of the sport. Founded by Lisa and Dustin DeMeritt, former owners of Pickles Indoor Pickleball Club, the brand is home to the Dinky Dozen, 12 original characters inspired by players everywhere. Every player knows them. Most players are them. Be YOU. Play your way. dinkyballs.com

ABOUT WESTBRIDGE LICENSING: Westbridge Licensing is a global brand licensing agency with more than 30 years of experience developing licensing programs for some of the world's most recognized brands. westbridgeinc.com

LICENSING REPRESENTATION: Todd Lustgarten, Westbridge Licensing | westbridgeinc.com | todd@westbridgeinc.com

Dustin DeMeritt
DinkyBalls LLC
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