Pickleball quickly became popular in the United States, but padel is also rapidly growing. Wilson, Amazon, Albany Times Union/Hearst Newspaper/Getty, Creative Crop/Getty, Tyler Lu/BI
Padel may look like pickleball, but there are significant differences.
Padel is also a rapidly growing racquet sport, especially popular among the elite.
Members-only padel clubs are attracting luxury brands in hopes of attracting high-paying players.
Many of us may have been invited to join our friends for a pickleball session, a game that has become popular over the past few years. But venture capitalists and retired tennis pros are taking tennis up a notch with more exotic racket sports.
Padel clubs have sprung up all over the United States, attracting wealthy followers. Financiers and former athletes pay premium prices to rent the glass courts.
Although it looks a lot like pickleball at first glance, padel is gaining traction in the luxury realm. According to Business of Fashion magazine, big-name companies such as Richard Mille, Valentino and Prada are advertising to this attracted crowd.
U.S. Pickleball Inc., citing a report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, said pickleball is more popular in the United States, with approximately 13.6 million players in 2023.
The International Padel Federation has announced that by 2024 there will be more than 25 million active players in more than 130 countries around the world.
“I joke to my friends that it's like the new Golf,” an employee at Padel House in New York City told Business Insider while touring the Dumbo store. It is said to be a place where financiers bring their customers to sweat. When socializing or discussing business.
Here's everything we've learned so far about BI and how it differs from pickleball.
Padel is a combination of tennis and squash.
Padel is played inside a glass structure where the ball bounces off. Jordan Hart/BI
Padel has the chatter of pickleball and the intensity of tennis. In fact, the court is essentially a small tennis court.
The main difference from other racquet sports is the glass casing required for play. During the game, the player can hit the ball after it bounces off the glass walls.
This makes it difficult to install padel courts in local parks. Still, it's not too far-fetched for the wealthy, who can install glass walls and artificial turf on vast estates, or pay expensive memberships to exclusive clubs (think Padel House's single-club membership). For example, it costs more than 1 million yen (including the joining fee), for example, 2,000 dollars per year. )
Pickleball, on the other hand, doesn't require anything other than a net.
Pickleball can be played on both indoor and outdoor courts. Jordan Hart/BI
If padel is a mix of tennis and squash, pickleball is a mix of tennis and badminton.
Pickleball is touted for its accessibility and ability to be played by people of all ages and fitness levels.
As the game has exploded in popularity over the past few years, pickleball courts have popped up in local parks and abandoned buildings to meet the demand of the millions of people who want to play.
You can play doubles or singles, and the court is 20 feet wide and approximately 44 feet long, smaller than a padel court, which is approximately 30 by 60 feet.
Padel is a team sport.
Padel players compete in teams of two. Jordan Hart/BI
Doubles is played using a racket that is a combination of a pickleball paddle and a squash racket.
The sport originated in Mexico when a businessman named Enrique Corcuera built the first padel court at his home in Acapulco. It eventually made its way to Spain, where it became popular among wealthy Europeans, BoF reported. It is currently gaining a foothold in the United States. For example, Padel Haus is expanding from its New York location to stores in Nashville and Denver.
Current and former professional athletes are big fans of padel.
Pickleball is played with a wiffle-like ball with holes in it, and padel is played with a tennis ball. Amazon, Creative Crop/Getty, Tyler Le/BI
The match uses a classic tennis ball and therefore consists of high fly volleys. Although it requires more athleticism than pickleball, the artificial turf surface is easier on the joints.
That's why a tour guide at BI's Padel House said former and current professional athletes are taking up it as a hobby. David Beckham, Dwyane Wade and Lionel Messi are regulars at Miami's waterfront padel club, known as the Reserve, according to BoF.
Wayne Boich, the businessman who founded Reserve, told BoF that luxury watchmaker Richard Mille sponsors the annual professional tournament.
Padel Club sells sports and lifestyle.
Padel Haus hosts events and tournaments for players. Jordan Hart/BI
The number of members at each Padel House location in New York City exceeded 300 as of May, up from 190 in October 2023.
Membership fees are on par with other high-end gyms in the city. These include a one-time initiation fee of $490, monthly payments of up to $180, and court booking fees of $25 to $40.
It's more than just a place to exercise. Padel Haus is also a juice bar, co-working space, and the Dumbo location has light workout equipment.
Some members have never stepped foot on the court and are just here every day to work remotely.
And luxury brands are cashing in on the padel lifestyle. Prada and Versace have both released designer padel racquets that sell for well over $1,000.
Big fans of this sport have built padel courts at home.
Padel is attracting the attention of elite players who join members' clubs and build courts in their backyards. Jordan Hart/BI
Residential buildings and gated communities have private padel courts for million-dollar tenants. It is especially popular among Miami's international elite.
“There are a lot of wealthy people who play sports,” real estate agent Marko Gojanovic previously told BI. “There are a lot of South Americans and Europeans in Miami who have been playing padel since they were young. So it's like a sport that has been reintroduced to them. All of a sudden, it's become super popular.”
