BY ALAN THATCHER
The current development of padel in multiple new territories is only just the start of global expansion, according to a major research project undertaken by Matchi, the sport’s leading technology partner.
The Swedish-based company has delivered an in-depth profile of the European padel market that can only enhance the possibility of new investors being attracted to the sport.
Back in 2012, as the padel boom migrated across Europe from sunny Spain to the cooler Nordic countries, Matchi saw the need for an integrated system to provide management tools for clubs and a portal for players to enable them to find the ever-growing number of venues.
“Matchi was founded on the premise of making racket sports more accessible,” says a company statement.
“We are driven by an ambition to create a global network of players, venues and partners. We have grown from working mostly with non-profit organisations to working with venues along the whole business spectrum.
“Today, Matchi has grown from being a small start-up to becoming a market leader in Northern Europe, standing on the edge of global expansion.”
That last phrase perfectly sums up the current energy powering the developmen padel throughout the world.
In launching the research document, Matchi announced on social media: “We like to think that we’ve played a part in enabling padel to grow and prosper.
“That’s why we’ve decided to do an in-depth assessment of the European padel market. All in order to get a better understanding of this ever-changing and fast-paced industry.”
The introduction to the research states: “Played in over 90 countries with an estimated 25 million-plus active players worldwide, padel is without doubt the boom sport of the post-2000s.
“The report breaks down the industry to three key groups: the European early adopter and established market like Spain, the maturing, booming markets of the Nordics, and the emerging growth markets such as the UK and France.”
Part one of our series in partnership with Matchi will focus on Spain, the biggest padel market in the world.
The report concludes: “Spainhas 20,000 courts and is undoubtedly the most established padel market in Europe, serving as a trend-setter and a market that has undergone a rapid transformation during the last decade.
“At the time of writing, approximately six million people are playing padel on a regular basis in Spain. The number of registered players is expected to reach 100,000 in 2022, a number that is likely to grow continuously during the upcoming years.
“In 2020, tennis had 70,000 registered players compared to padel’s 75,000.
“Spain dominates online coverage of padel, generating 76 per cent of total mentions about the game.
“Potential investors in other European countries would be wise to analyse how the sport has evolved in Spain to gain valuable insights as to how they should enter new markets.”
Paquito Navarro, a world-renowned professional, thinks Spain is just the tip of the iceberg. He said: “I’m absolutely sure that once padel reaches a country, it’s there to stay. In five years’ time this sport will be 10 times bigger!”
