Facolos' "Play Like Gabe" App Passes 1,000 Daily Users

Facolos' "Play Like Gabe" mobile challenge, built around pro player Gabe Tardio, now sees more than 1,000 daily users.

The app runs players through pickleball-themed skill challenges modelled on Tardio's own game, generating shareable "Facolos Player" result cards scored out of 10. Facolos' post shows a spread of real result cards from different users, including one from a dog, evidence of how far the challenge has spread beyond a strictly competitive audience.

Why Tardio's Name Carries the App

Facolos is a Vietnamese paddle brand founded in June 2024, and became the first Vietnamese pickleball brand to gain official recognition in the US market. Tardio, a Bolivian-born pro who partnered with world No. 1 Ben Johns for 9 gold medals on the PPA Tour in 2025 and is listed among the tour's top-ranked men's doubles players on its own athlete page, signed a multi-year paddle deal with Facolos running through 2027, competing exclusively on the brand's flagship EliteX line.

Building an app around his likeness, rather than just running his name on a paddle spec sheet, gives Facolos a way to keep users engaged with the sponsorship between tournament wins. The app is one part of a wider push around Tardio this month, alongside his own Malaysia tour appearances and the EliteX V2.0 paddle launch, and this milestone gives the brand a real engagement number to point to on top of the athlete endorsement itself.

This article is based on social media posts and historical data tracked by Pickle361.