Padel: The sponsorship goldmine you might be overlooking

Padel is exploding. With over 25 million players worldwide and the number of courts growing at an astonishing 181% annually, this isn’t just another niche sport—it’s a movement. In Spain alone, 5 million people play padel regularly, making it the country’s second-most popular sport after football. Across Europe, clubs are struggling to keep up with demand, in the Middle East, the number of courts skyrocketed from just 20 in 2016 to over 1,850 in 2022, while in the US the number of courts is expecting to hit 30,000 by 2030.

Yet, while participation is booming and fan engagement on social media is soaring, the sport still lacks the commercial muscle of more established properties. Unlike tennis, or even the newly hot sport for brands, SailGP, padel has yet to attract a broad array of global sponsors. Why? What does this mean for brands looking to get in early on the world’s fastest-growing sport?