Over the course of the US Padel Series, a number of exciting opportunities for padel in the United States have been discussed, as well as the challenges that the sport faces in trying to grow. Between the rise in celebrity popularity and a growing professional scene, there are a number of reasons to be optimistic about the future of padel in the United States. However, a lack of awareness still remains a large issue when it comes to growing the game stateside.
With that being said, if you are waiting for the right time to invest in padel or potentially set up a club, there is no better time to do so than right now. With padel bound to take off in America sooner rather than later, now is the time to take action, and here are 5 reasons why:
Pickle has proven new racquet sports can succeed in the US
One of padel’s biggest advantages it has as a new sport is that the entry barrier to play is very low. With a small court and fundamental skills that don’t require years of work to get to a decent level, almost anyone can pick up a racquet and have a good time playing relatively quickly. Because of this, it’s easier for new players to adapt to a new sport and for popularity to grow. Pickleball is the perfect example of how a low entry barrier can lead to a quick surge in popularity.
According to the website Pickleheads, pickle has seen a 223% growth rate over the last 3 years and there are close to 14,000 places to play the sport across the US. With over 36 million players across the country, pickle went from being a somewhat obscure niche sport to one of the most popular amateur sports in the country. It’s true that building padel courts is a longer and more expensive process than pickleball, but there is no reason why padel can’t follow suit in its growth stateside as well.
Further, those who question whether financially an investment into a padel club is a wise one only need to look at the $150 million valuation of the pickleball industry in America. On top of that, Pickleheads forecasts a 7.7% compound annual growth rate through 2028, meaning pickle isn’t slowing down, so it’s unlikely that padel will either when it takes off.
First mover advantage
While countries like Spain currently have over 15,000 courts across the country, the US has less than 200. In an ever-changing and growing padel landscape in America, now is the exact time to invest in courts and infrastructure to take charge of an undersaturated market. Setting up a new court in somewhere like Spain right now might not be a wise decision due to the sheer volume of courts available, but in America, that’s not the case.
Those who make the move now to either invest in new courts and clubs or transform pre-existing tennis clubs or country clubs into ones that can host padel is a wise long-term choices for a multitude of reasons. Not only would they be diversifying the sports available to members, but they would be carving out their own padel niche which could grow tremendously in the coming years before the market gets more crowded.
Like pickle, padel is expected to experience a sharp upturn in popularity once awareness is increased. When this rise in popularity comes, the clubs who have already established themselves as known entities in the padel industry will be that much better off. Players looking to get into padel will want the most experienced clubs and coaches at their disposal, and if you invest now, they’ll turn to you.
Chance for padel clubs to differentiate themselves early on
A unique opportunity that exists for those looking to invest in padel in the US currently is the chance to establish high-level coaching at clubs from the beginning. A popularity boom occurred in Sweden and when that boom hit, clubs were being created at a rapid rate. However, some of the clubs that were created chose not to invest in proper coach education and paid the price, being forced to shut as supply outstripped demand and those clubs that could differentiate themselves from the rest came out on top.
Further, the mistake can’t be made in the US of just putting up courts on purchased land for the sake of it. A club strategy that involves thorough coach education and club design planning will best prepare clubs to take on new players and develop them accordingly.
What anyone trying to establish a new club or just a few courts in the US can do is learn from the padel landscape in Europe, and make sure proper coaching investments are made to protect the long-term interest and growth of the sport.
Increased celebrity involvement and awareness
As mentioned previously, one of the biggest challenges facing padel in the United States right now is awareness. As a new sport, spreading the word and increasing access to it are among the most important steps to establishing it in American sports culture. One of the easiest ways to increase awareness is by using household names and celebrities to show off the product. Fortunately for padel, this is already happening organically, as famous people such as Jimmy Butler and Eva Longoria have all been seen playing.
Not only will the eyes on these public figures lead to more eyes on the sport of padel, but their involvement has come through simply loving the sport, as opposed to a paid promotion or advertising campaign. Since these celebrities have bought into the sport in an organic matter, their interest in the game is truly authentic and makes it more likely for their audience to also follow suit.
For those waiting for an uptick in awareness to invest in padel, the increase in celebrity involvement should be a big indicator that the uptick is coming sooner rather than later. So many viral trends and lifestyle changes can be influenced by celebrities and prominent social figures, and a new sport gaining traction is no different. Dedicated fan bases are almost always willing to try new products endorsed by celebrities through a paid campaign, but for padel, there is no obvious financial incentive for them, they just love the game.
This love for the game and passion for a new sport should make it all the more likely a huge increase in players is coming as well, making now the perfect time to invest.
Rise in the professional scene and the prospect of hosting events
One exciting opportunity that comes with investing in a padel club or courts is the prospect of hosting professional padel events and the benefits that come with that. Ultra Padel in Miami was only recently built, but already they are hosting multiple Pro Padel League events this calendar year, bringing top players and awareness to their venue.
The importance of the professional game can’t be understated in the growth of padel long-term in the US. With any sport, having a professional standard and world-class players to look up to and strive to be like can be extremely powerful in increasing popularity. If you invest in courts or a club now, hosting professional events could massively increase popularity due to the level of padel that will be on display during tournaments.
Further, the professional game comes with a host of commercial opportunities like sponsorships. With padel still in its infancy in the US, those who invest now will be better positioned to capitalize on commercial partnerships before other clubs grow.
Summary
Between capitalizing on first-mover advantage and anticipating a spike in awareness, there are a plethora of reasons why now is the time to invest in padel clubs and courts in America. As seen with the rise of pickle in the US, we already know that new racquet sports are suited to take off quickly as a result of their low entry barrier. If you get on the train now, the benefits long-term could be tremendous.
