The Springfield Thunderbirds, a professional ice hockey team from Springfield, Massachusetts, are delighted to announce that the team will be hosting its first-ever Pickleball Palooza in partnership with Joola Pickleball.

Players Of All Ages And Ability Welcome

The event will take place at the MassMutual Center Exhibition Hall from 2 to 6 p.m., just before the T-Birds’ 7:05 p.m. game against the Laval Rocket.

The T-Birds welcome players of all ages and abilities to take part in this first-of-its-kind event. The festival will comprise an afternoon of open play inside the Exhibition Hall, with courts divided into beginner, intermediate, and competitive levels.

Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa said, “As an organization, we are always trying to stay up to date with the latest trends, and the universal love for the sport of pickleball made this idea especially intriguing to us. 

“When we had the chance to work with the Happy Pickleball team and also provide an amazing T-Birds’ branded paddle with the most-known brand in the industry – Joola – as part of this unique event, it was a no-brainer.”

A Free JOOLA Paddle

For $65, players receive:

• Four hours of pickleball open play (beginner to advanced)
• If you’ve never played before, a one-on-one introduction to the sport from local celebrities for pickleball first-timers
• A T-Birds game ticket for Saturday, March 2 (Defense Zone)
• A free JOOLA USA paddle with Springfield Thunderbirds logos ($70 Value)

Chief Experience Officer with Joola Pickleball, Gordon Kaye, said, “We are excited to be partnering with the Springfield Thunderbirds for their Pickleball Palooza and know the fans are going to love these unique commemorative paddles.

“We know the Thunderbirds are going to deliver a fantastic experience to their fans and look forward to being part of this event for many years to come.”

Read our article about Joola Pickleball.

Happy Pickleball

Happy Pickleball, known for promoting the game at the grassroots level, will provide beginners and pickleball first-timers with an opportunity to learn the fundamentals.

“Somebody who loved playing the game showed it to me,” said Todd “Happy” Boynton of Happy Pickleball. “I loved playing, so he showed it to Andrew. Andrew loves playing, so he’ll show it to the next person, and so on. Pickleball Palooza is just that concept but on steroids.

“There are a whole bunch of people who love it, and we hope to teach it to a lot of new players.”

Registration Information

Interested Pickleball Palooza participants can sign up online by clicking on this link or by calling Andrew Buchanan of the Thunderbirds’ front office at (413) 417-2284.

Please note: You will receive 2 emails. The first is a confirmation of the order. The second will come once the order is processed by a Thunderbirds rep, which will be your digital tickets to download to your Apple or Google Pay Wallet. 

All tickets will be sent no later than a week prior to the game. If ordering within the week of the game, please expect the order to be processed within 24 hours.

Please direct any questions to Andrew Buchanan at [email protected] or call/text at (413) 417-2284

Offer not valid at the MassMutual Center Box Office.

About The T-Birds

The Springfield Thunderbirds are a professional ice hockey team that has been playing in the American Hockey League since the 2016–17 season. They are the affiliate of the National Hockey League’s St. Louis Blues. Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Thunderbirds play their home games at the MassMutual Center.