Padel made a stunning debut at America’s renowned Coachella and Stagecoach festivals in the Californian desert last month.
From April 9-20, two purpose-built padel courts operated just steps from the festival grounds, blending sport, wellness, hospitality and entertainment into a large-scale cultural activation.
Delivered by Padel Up with Playbypoint and SIUX, the activation introduced the world’s fastest-growing sport to thousands of festival-goers who participated in social matches and competitive tournaments.
The activation launched with a 12-team mixed Pro-Am tournament on April 11, featuring elite male professionals paired with top female amateur players competing for an $11,000 prize pool. The winning team of Valentin Mussi and Paige Cline earned $6,000.
“The Pro-Am was my first real experience in the world of padel and I get why the sport has so much momentum,” Cline explained. “The venue was perfect, competition was high level and drew an amazing crowd. Padel Up created the perfect event.”
The event drew players and guests from across the United States and internationally, while also attracting celebrity and influencer participation throughout the month.
An assortment of DJs, including Louis the Child, Nyjah Houston, Jonas Blue, Arlo, Juicy J, performed on the estate during the activation. Additional notable guests included Adriana Lima, who was the first to step on court.
“Bringing padel to the desert during one of the biggest cultural moments of the year is exactly the kind of bold move this sport needs,” said Andre Brown, CEO and co-founder of Padel Up. “We want people to walk off the festival grounds, pick up a racket for the first time, and understand why the rest of the world is already obsessed.”
Throughout the activation, Playbypoint powered all booking, scheduling, player matching and operational infrastructure.
“This activation wasn’t just about putting padel courts next to a music festival,” said Jo Vos, CMO at Playbypoint. “It’s about proving that padel belongs in the mainstream cultural conversation.”
Hospitality and wellness experiences were integrated throughout the month, including lounges and recovery activations from partners including CÎROC, Erewhon, Pause Studio, amp, LVBL, HAESKN, AM Radio. Additional sponsors included Recover 180, Prima, and Discovery Land Company.
According to Pause Studio, “Festival culture moves fast. So we focused on creating moments that helped people slow down, reset, and find balance. It felt special to bring intentional recovery into such a high-energy environment.”
