World-First SMASH Court Puts Padel at the Center of the Creator Economy

Padel’s ascent into mainstream culture has a new landmark moment: the launch of SMASH by THG Studios, the world’s first content-driven, data-powered padel court. As the sport becomes a magnet for influencers, athletes, brands, and tech investors, SMASH represents a decisive push into the creator economy — and a preview of how padel will be packaged, monetised, and broadcast in the years ahead.

Developed in partnership with Google Cloud and housed inside THG Studios’ Manchester creative campus, SMASH is engineered not as a sports venue but as a next-generation content production asset.

A Court Purpose-Built for Storytelling, Metrics, and Monetisation

THG has repurposed sports analytics technology originally used for professional football to deliver a padel environment that tracks player performance, game flow, and on-court behaviour in real time. Every surface, angle, and lighting cue is calibrated for high-production video — giving creators, brands, and agencies a controlled backdrop that blends sport, culture, and commercial storytelling.

SMASH describes the facility as a “fully immersive padel court that provides real-time creative advertising opportunities, built-in technology to measure player performance, and a visual backdrop for creators and influencers.”

Equipment partner Slazenger is on board as official kit sponsor, with coaching and player support for launch events provided by Game4Padel.

THG: Padel Is Becoming a Cultural Channel

Hannah Pym, Chief Brand & Marketing Officer at THG Ingenuity, says SMASH signals a structural shift in how brands will activate around the sport:

The intention is clear: SMASH is designed as a marketing engine, capable of producing everything from short-form creator content to broadcast-quality commercials, influencer activations, brand collaborations, and even live-streamed padel tournaments.

A dedicated SMASH by THG Studios YouTube series is also in production.

Google Cloud: Sports Data as a Creative Asset

Google Cloud’s involvement ensures the court functions as a live data environment as much as a physical space.

Oliver Grundy, Group Head of Cloud Marketing (UKI), said:

A New Category for the Sport

With SMASH, padel gains what every fast-growing sport eventually needs: a dedicated stage for professional-grade content creation. The move positions the sport directly within the worlds of influencer media, brand activation, and experiential marketing — and sets a template others will likely follow.