Padel is, without a doubt, extremely popular in Spain,
coming in second only to football (soccer) regarding participation rates.
Beyond the boundaries of Spain, membership is lower but expanding tremendously quickly. However, whether Padel is more than just a fleeting trend is still unclear.
Padel is a lasting trend. Since its inception in 1969, the sport of Padel has expanded steadily yearly, reaching 57 nations and extending from Mexico to Spain. Padel has now reached a level where the largest racket sports companies in the US have begun to invest in it in an effort to
gain market share.
Let’s examine all the evidence that Padel is a lasting trend;
Padel is really a Fad?
Over the past few years, Padel has experienced remarkable growth as a sport. Although Padel is not as well-known as other sports, it is not a passing trend! It started in Mexico, moved to Spain, and now spreads like wildfire to other nations.
Because it’s more recent than sports like tennis or squash, this game doesn’t garner as much attention. The United States didn’t officially recognize Padel as a sport until 1993. If Padel can receive recognition from at least 75 different countries by then (there are presently only 57), it may be added to the Olympic Games in the next years.
Popularity of Padel
Padel is a popular racquet sport in the United States, but pickleball and racquetball have more players. Unexpectedly, there are more than 20 million players globally. There are a remarkable 20,000 padel courts in Spain alone.
Padel has expanded drastically despite being a relatively new sport. The sport will shortly surpass squash and tennis in popularity if this trend continues. It is swiftly rising to the top of the list of global sports.
The Wilson Goat test to determine Padel’s future possibilities in Padel
European sports manufacturers have virtually held the market for padel equipment for decades. The market was too small to entice well-known US brand names into the panel industry. All of that changed in 2020.
The Wilson Sporting Goods Company decided to enter the padel market in 2020. In racquet sports like tennis, Wilson, a business with a reputation for signing GOATs as players to represent them, has done the same in Padel.
When Fernando Belasteguin declared his return to Padel after retiring due to severe injuries, Wilson began their marketing effort by signing him. Given that Belasteguin had held the top spot globally for 15 years, their decision to sign “Bela” was consistent with their history of signing GOATs. A major racket sports company like Wilson would never invest a sizable amount of money in marketing a sport that is only a fad and has no future growth potential?
Reason for the popularity of Padel
It’s hardly surprising that people are paying attention to this entertaining and thrilling game, given its fast-paced action, simple rules, and competitive nature.
It’s easy enough for beginners to pick up, yet difficult and intricate enough for seasoned players. The nicest aspect of this sport is that anyone wanting to attempt it won’t have trouble finding a teammate.
There is always room for one more player at the table, whether you want to play in tournaments against other players or want to get some exercise during your lunch hour.
In which country the Padel is most famous?
Although Padel is most famous in Spain, it is now played throughout Europe. Players frequently have to wait for games to end before playing because it is so common. In Spain alone, there are over 4-6 million amateur padel players, and it is swiftly gaining popularity as a club sport. It is frequently performed at Spain’s numerous private members’ clubs. The only other popular sport there is football. Argentina comes in second with an estimated 1-2 million amateur padel players.
Chronology of the Padel?
The racquet sport known as Enrique Corcuera created Padel is also considered its father. He devised a similar activity in 1969 after determining that his backyard lacked adequate space for a tennis court. Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe, a friend of Enrique’s from Spain visited him and was enthralled by his game. Alfonso constructed the first two padel courts in Spain in 1974 after Enrique showed him the game’s guidelines and intricacies.
South America now has the game all over it. Although it is becoming more well-known in the UK, many Americans are still unaware of what it is because it is still a relatively new sport in the country.
