The country has less than 300 Padel courts, and they are expensive to install compared to pickleball|Jonas Tana|CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
A new sport that has caught the eye of elites in the US. Padel, a doubles game with elements of tennis, racquetball, squash and pickleball.
Pronounced “PAH-del” or simply “paddle” by many Americans, the game is promoted by deep-pocketed investors, celebrities and influencers. Investors like Boich, who owns Reserve Padel clubs in Miami and New York, are working to popularize it through tournaments, partnerships with sports stars, and plans for expansion into cities like Austin, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills.
High-profile athletes like Lionel Messi, David Beckham and Novak Djokovic are endorsing it. Wimbledon star Andy Murray has invested in the game.
Why?
It’s the exclusivity and VIP status the game provides the players. Padel courts are far fewer in the country—less than 300—and they are more expensive to install compared to pickleball. A paddle court costs roughly $50,000 to install.
Paddle has enjoyed an intense following across Europe and has seen great success in Spain and Argentina. In the US, it is gaining traction in exclusive locations like Manhattan’s Billionaires’ Row, Miami Beach, the Hamptons, and luxury resorts.
The game is also seen as a way of networking for the super-rich, something akin to golf and polo.
The sport could break free from its elitist image and become mainstream, like in Argentina, provided it has greater accessibility. But do the rich want that? We’ll have to wait and see.