Padel Power Sweeping the World 08/26

USA Padel and Psycho Bunny. A partnership that goes beyond the uniform

By Scott Colebourne, CEO and Executive Director, USA Padel

When we started conversations with Psycho Bunny about outfitting our national teams, the question I kept asking internally was the same one I ask about any partnership: what does this actually do for the sport?

Psycho Bunny's presence in those same locations creates a genuine conversation about what the future of padel retail and club development might look like in the United States. The opportunity to imagine padel courts and Psycho Bunny storefronts operating in the same complex, each sending traffic to the other, is one we're actively exploring together.

That expansion is worth explaining, because it's central to why this partnership has real legs. Psycho Bunny is not a passive sponsor writing a check and hoping for brand exposure. They are in the middle of a deliberate move into high-performance athletic wear (Other partners include Andy Roddick and Tennis Canada), and they are building out a customized apparel program for padel clubs and country clubs across the country. That means our growth is directly connected to theirs.

I've been in sports development long enough to know that partnership announcements are easy and outcomes are hard. But I'm genuinely optimistic about this one, and not just because of what it does for USA Padel. I'm optimistic because Psycho Bunny came to this partnership with a clear understanding of what they're getting into and a commercial stake in making it work. Alen Brandman didn't see a charity case or a publicity opportunity. He saw a sport that aligns with his brand's identity, a community that matches his customer base, and a growth story he wants to be part of from the start.

When a partner sees the same future you do, you tend to build something that lasts. That's where we are with Psycho Bunny, and we're just getting started.

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• Liverpool to get new ‘padel, lifestyle and wellness destination’
  Club Mona, opening in Liverpool in early 2027, is set to bring together padel, training, recovery, wellness, food, coworking and community in a “carefully curated lifestyle destination.” Launching on Great Howard Street near the Titanic Hotel, Club Mona will span almost 40,000 sq ft and will blend premium padel facilities with wellness, fitness and social spaces designed for everyday lifestyle. Read more.
  

• PadelXpo to launch at NEC Birmingham in 2027
  PadelXpo launches at the NEC Birmingham next year, promising to “unite players, fans, brands, clubs, operators and industry leaders in one high-energy setting.”

  The large-scale event will take place on 5-6 June 2027 and will feature a familiar line-up of padel-loving celebrities including Aitch, Jason Manford and Chemmy Alcott, as well as a host of industry partners. Read more.
  

• Padel Nuestro opens its new Barcelona flagship store with Agustín Tapia and hundreds of fans
  Barcelona enjoyed a true celebration of padel with the opening of Padel Nuestro’s new experiential flagship store. The store is located at Rosselló 257, in the city centre, between Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla de Catalunya. Read more.
  

• Jobs in padel - Find your next job in padel here
  The Padel Paper is proud to promote these current jobs in padel. If you are looking for your next padel career move, or seeking a new employment opportunity, take a look at these job vacancies. Whichever job in padel you are seeking, you can find it listed here. Read more.
  

• Designing padel venues for the erratic British weather
  The growth in padel’s infrastructure in the UK shows no sign of slowing with over 1,825 courts and counting — but operators face a challenge their counterparts in warmer climates rarely encounter: making venues commercially viable in the British weather. Read more.
  

• Barrio Padel’s ambition to become disability coaching centre
  Newly-opened Barrio Padel in Nottingham is a “little bit different” to your average padel venue, with inclusion at the core of its philosophy.

  

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• New report highlights the padel boom in Ireland
  It’s a big week for padel in Ireland — and the FIP Silver in Dublin comes amidst a boom period for the sport across the nation. Read more.
  

• What makes a Premier Padel court? Inside MejorSet’s elite competition design
  With Premier Padel set for its London debut in early August, all eyes in the padel community will be fixed on the next steps in the sport’s professional story. Locally, the London event signals another milestone in the growing relationship between the UK and professional padel, where some of the sport’s best athletes – and Premier Padel’s international audience – will turn their focus towards the UK’s sporting capital. Read more.
  

• LTA backs launch of PadelFest roadshow
  The LTA is backing the launch of PadelFest, a new roadshow series from the founders of last year’s hugely successful UK Padel Convention.

  The first PadelFest event takes place on 19 September 2026 at Rocket Padel Bristol, and the series is the brainchild of George Modler and Ben Harris, co-founders of The Padel Directory and the UK Padel Convention. Read more.
  

• Frankie goes to Lombok!
  Former GB no.1 Frankie Langan is expanding his padel club empire all the way to Indonesia with an ambitious project on the idyllic island of Lombok.

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The District becomes home to Canada's first M3 Academy, introducing one of the world's leading player development systems

The District Padel & Pickleball Club, a premium racquet sports and lifestyle brand, today announced a partnership with M3 Padel Academy to bring its world-renowned training methodology to Canada for the first time.

Available in nine countries, M3 Padel Academy has helped develop 15 World No. 1 players, produced 243 international titles, and serves more than 1,100 active students worldwide, establishing itself as a global standard of excellence in padel training. The partnership marks a significant milestone for Canada's growing padel community and supports The District's mission to elevate the sport's credibility and long-term development nationwide.

“Our goal has always been to develop the sport in Canada by bringing the world's best resources and training opportunities to our community,” said Javier Rodriguez. “The M3 Padel Academy is the gold standard in coaching and player development, and we're proud to introduce its methodology to Canada at our flagship club in Mississauga, setting a new benchmark for player development in the country.””

Beginning in September, M3 Padel Academy at The District will offer a year-round training program for players built around three progressive trimesters focused on fundamentals, technical and tactical development, and performance. The academy emphasizes measurable progress through tailored instruction, continuous monitoring, and small-group training sessions. The academy also features a coaching certification program available for anyone in Canada looking to become M3 certified.

For younger players, The District will also offer the M3 Junior Academy, which applies the same methodology through age-appropriate instruction, specialized coaches, and small-group training designed to support long-term development.

“The M3 methodology is built on creating measurable progress and developing players at every stage of their journey,” said Jorge Martínez, M3 Academy. “Canada is an exciting emerging market for padel, and we believe The District is the ideal partner to introduce our methodology and help develop the next generation of players and coaches.”

Enrollment for the M3 Academy at The District is now open, and the program will run from September through June. Players can register through The District’s app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play. If interested in a coaching certification, The District is offering training opportunities over the coming months to any coaches from across the country.

About The District

The District is a premium racquet sports and lifestyle brand focused on building community through sport and social experiences. Combining high-design facilities, elite coaching standards, and global partnerships, The District is helping shape the future of padel and pickleball across North America.

How Racket_Bud combines methodology, artificial intelligence, and more than 20,000 exercises to build better training sessions.

Interview with Javier Iglesias

Padel’s rapid international growth has changed the daily reality of coaching. Coaches now manage more players, more varied groups, and less preparation time, while every session still needs a clear purpose. Racket_Bud was created for this challenge by Javier Iglesias—former Head Coach of Australia and Indonesia and current Co-Head Coach of Moldova—together with Ian Iglesias, a specialist in artificial intelligence and sports data analysis. The system turns a structured library into coherent sessions, helping coaches plan with greater consistency, variety and clarity.

• I Said US Padel Is Ass-Backward. Here's What Ensued
  A few weeks ago, I took a flamethrower to the US padel scene after playing extensively across Europe & Latin America. Then I listened to what people had to say. Read more.
  

• European Deaf Padel & the Internat’l Padel Media Assoc. have teamed up to bring greater visibility to deaf athletes, starting with the European Deaf Padel Circuit Sevilla 2026. Read more.
  

• Backed by the Mouratoglou brand, M Padel is launching a Malden, MA location in late 2026. The club will feature eight courts (7 indoor, 1 outdoor), a strength and conditioning gym, and locker rooms with saunas + showers. The club will provide private lessons, clinics, and court rentals for members and non-members. Read more.

  

• Bay Area franchise Bay Padel officially opened its newest location in  downtown  San Jose, marking its fourth club in the metro area. Read more.
  

• Tempe, AZ-based franchise Conquer Padel just signed a lease for its first Jacksonville, FL location, bringing the city its first dedicated indoor padel facility. Read more.

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Real growth pressure. Clear thinking. No fluff. For leaders navigating the racquet sports industry right now.

A couple of months ago I was in Philadelphia for an International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities meetup, and I played padel at Ballers.

Walk in, and the first thing you see is an indoor soccer field with the original graffiti still on the walls, left over from the building's old life. This was the Delaware Power Station, closed since 2008 after 85 years running the city's electricity. Above the soccer field, padel courts. Next to those, pickleball. A gym. A small pro shop. A full bar and restaurant downstairs that turns into a club by the time you're leaving at night. Golf simulators on top of all of it. I would have paid whatever they asked to play padel in that building. It is one of the best-designed sports and social spaces I have walked into, period.

I bring that up because The Wall Street Journal ran a feature this week on padel's expansion in the U.S., published Wednesday, July 22, and Ballers is the lead example in it.

Here's what's actually in it, what I can confirm firsthand, and the real constraint on this entire boom that the article never quite names.

WHAT THE ARTICLE SAYS

Ballers opened in that old turbine hall last November. Built by David Gutstadt, a former Equinox executive. Around 700 members now, paying $110 to $457 a month. He's since opened a second Ballers in Boston, which opened this past April, and is building a third in Los Angeles.

That retrofit pattern is playing out across the country. Parking lots. Distribution warehouses. Mall rooftops. Westfield Century City has a padel club on its roof. Westfield Sherman Oaks put three courts on top of a parking garage. The U.S. has crossed roughly 1,000 public padel courts, up from about 227 three years ago.

The (USTA) United States Tennis Association 2025 report puts padel at 1.1 million American players, the first year the sport got its own category instead of getting folded into something else. USA Padel reports individual membership up 53.5 percent and club membership up 51.5 percent in 2025. The Pro Padel League raised a real $15 million Series A in March, led by Charlotte Hornets co-chairman Rick Schnall, and picked up its first national TV deal: five championship matches airing on CNBC this year.

The construction cost cited in the article, roughly $50,000 a court per Alma Padel founder Abigail McCulloch, lines up with the broader market. Most fully installed U.S. outdoor courts now run $50,000 to $85,000. A bare $24,000 kit is the floor, not what most operators are actually building.

WHO'S WRITING THE CHECKS, AND WHO'S ACTUALLY BUILDING THE HARD PART

Look at who the article says is building padel right now. A former Equinox executive. Gary Sheinbaum, a former Tommy Hilfiger executive, backing a venture in West Palm Beach that hasn't opened yet. Jonathan Krieger, co-founder of the Bluestone Lane coffee chain, running Padel United in New Jersey. Ronnie Fieg, founder of streetwear brand KITH, built three padel courts into Kith Ivy NYC, his new members-only club in Manhattan. Initiation there is $45,000, plus $10,000 a year.

None of these are lifelong racquet sports operators, which raises the obvious question: do they know how to keep people playing once the opening-week energy wears off? Two of them, it turns out, do. Ballers has a director of athletics and a U.S. top-ranked padel pro on staff, and runs junior programs, women's clinics, ladders, and tournaments from day one. Krieger's Padel United Sports Club runs a structured ten-week coaching curriculum with named certified pros and weekly ladder play. Two former brand executives, building the unglamorous part on purpose.

Kith Ivy is the one that isn't, at least not publicly. Heavy on hospitality, an on-site spa, real design polish, a five-figure buy-in. No public evidence of leagues, ladders, a coaching pathway, or a single named pro on staff. It's already drawn outside criticism as a well-dressed club with a retention problem waiting to happen. Sheinbaum's West Palm Beach venture hasn't opened, so it's not evidence either way, though its own marketing already promises leagues and instruction.

So the honest version isn't "brand money doesn't build sport infrastructure." Some of it clearly does. The honest version is sharper: the operators who build the coaching underneath the experience are the ones with a real shot at holding onto members past year one. The ones who don't are betting the room stays interesting on its own.

THE ACTUAL CONSTRAINT, AND IT'S NOT COURTS

Here's what the article never names. The country has two bodies that certify padel coaches at their highest level. The Racquet Sports Professionals Association launched a four-tier padel certification pathway, and its toughest tier, Master Professional, requires 500 logged teaching hours in padel alone. One person has cleared it: Marcos Del Pilar - 𝗣𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗨𝗦𝗔. Padel Smash, another leading padel coaching and media platform, has its own top credential, Padel Master Coach, held by exactly one person too: its co-founder, Julian Wortelboer. Between the two organizations that actually certify padel coaching at the elite level in this country, that's two people. For a sport that just crossed 1,000 courts. Courts aren't the constraint anymore. Coaching is, and a first lesson that's sloppy or underwhelming doesn't get shrugged off. People don't come back.

This is not a new story in racquet sports. It's an old one repeating itself. U.S. racquetball went from 2.8 million players in 1976 to 12 million by 1980, with roughly 30,000 courts built almost overnight. Then it collapsed, eventually losing more than half its peak participation. One longtime observer of the sport points to a single cause ahead of the others: not enough teaching pros to turn new players into lasting ones. Squash, over the same stretch in the same country, built its coaching and junior pipeline early and never had racquetball's crash. Same era, same market, opposite outcome, and the difference was who invested in the teaching, not who wrote the biggest opening-week check.

U.S. pickleball is already running the same experiment in real time. More than 1,200 new indoor facilities opened in two years, and trade press was reporting closures and bankruptcies by early 2026. The operators still standing share the same traits every time: strong locations, experienced operators, real coaching, programming that gives someone a reason to come back next month.

Sweden and Chile, the two countries the WSJ article cites for padel's own mega expansions and mass closures (more than 100 facility closures in Sweden alone), are worth a closer look at what actually happened inside them. Overbuilding and bad financing triggered both shakeouts, not a lack of coaching. But the operators still standing share a pattern. A recent industry analysis of Chile's crash put it plainly: the clubs holding on are the ones that stopped treating themselves as court rental businesses and built real destinations instead, bundling hospitality, wellness, coaching, and events into something people want to spend time in, not just book an hour on.

Spain is the clean counterexample. Padel has grown there for decades, with the federation building coaching infrastructure alongside the courts the whole way, more than 1,400 licensed coaches, youth categories, referee pathways. The UK is running the same model live: the Lawn Tennis Association took over padel governance in 2020, when the country had 69 courts, and has grown that to more than 1,500 while building a coaching workforce from a handful of instructors to over 700 registered coaches. Infrastructure first, in both cases. That's the opposite of how the U.S. is building this right now.

WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT NIGHT AT BALLERS

I didn't know, playing padel there, that the reason the place worked wasn't the graffiti or the power plant or the golf simulators. It was that Gutstadt had already hired real coaching talent and built the ladders and academies before he needed them to prove anything to anyone. That's not the story I would have told walking out that night. It's the one that actually holds up under a second look.

Here's what I still can't answer, even having been there. The two bodies that certify elite padel coaching in this country have a combined two people holding their top credential. Ballers and Padel United found real coaching talent anyway. Everyone building a padel club behind them is competing for a pool of qualified instructors that barely exists, and there is no version of this boom where all of them find their own.

That's not a data question. It's a decision question, and it's exactly what I built Inside The Lines Advisory to work through with operators, investors, and brands trying to figure out whether the club they're building, or backing, or advising, has actually solved for this before the capital is spent.

If you're building in padel right now, evaluating a padel investment, or deciding whether it belongs in your existing facility, that's a conversation worth having this month, not after the next round of court openings.

If you want to read the original Wall Street Journal piece, it's behind their paywall, worth a subscription if this space matters to you. If you want to go deeper on what any of this means for your specific situation, that's what I'm here for.

THREE WAYS TO WORK ON THIS

If any of this is live for you right now, there are three ways I can help, depending on where you actually are.

Start with the Growth Pressure Review. It's free. Tell me where your business stands and I'll send back a written read on where the pressure is building and what I'd address first. No score, no automation. My actual read on your situation.

If you already know the problem and need it solved, that's Growth Advisory. A focused, project-based engagement built around one specific decision: evaluating padel as a new market, building the go-to-market plan, sorting out positioning before you commit capital.

If you want me embedded through the build, that's Growth Partnership. A monthly retainer where strategy and execution happen together, not handed off in a deck.

Most people start with the Review. That's the right place to start.

[email protected] | 205.789.4006 | mikehknowles.com

Real growth pressure. Clear thinking. No fluff.

SOURCES

The Wall Street Journal: "Inside the Push to Make Padel the Next Pickleball," by Andrew Zucker, July 22, 2026.

Ballers background, coaching staff, and programming: Ballers' own site, Hospitality Design, Philadelphia Magazine.