Andrew Herring: Lessons from the front lines of US padel tournaments

Amid the rapid growth of padel in the US, tournaments have become a central part of the sport’s development, giving new opportunities to both elite and local players of all abilities. Yet hosting the events comes with a myriad of challenges, ranging from logistics to player participation and sponsorship deals. Hosting two major tournaments annually – the Atlanta Padel Open and WPR end of year finals in Charleston – the US padel operator PATL has firsthand experience of building and scaling padel tournaments in the country. Here, PATL co-founder Andrew Herring shares insights on what works and what doesn’t across planning, organising and hosting, and explores how tournaments play a vital role in building a padel community.

Building padel from the ground up

Like many things in US padel, PATL started with a late-night idea and a conviction the sport deserved a bigger stage. For my business partner Kevin Ye and myself, that breakthrough moment came at 3 a.m. in Glacier, Montana. We immediately started turning that spark into something tangible: a four-court outdoor club in Atlanta, followed by a three-court outdoor facility in Louisville.

Our mission from day one was simple: bring padel “home”. Over the past three years, that vision has grown into a drive to extend our coverage across the entire country and lead the path for padel in the USA.

We launched in 2024 in Atlanta (Kevin’s hometown) and Louisville (just outside where I grew up). Next up is Charleston, with a new facility opening later this year, and other projects already lined up nationally. Building courts is one thing, but building a community around them – that’s the real challenge.

The two sides of a padel community

At its core, building a padel community runs on two parallel tracks: social connection and competitive grit. Most players don't fit neatly into one box; they want a blend.

For us operators, this creates a constant balancing act. We have to build spaces where players can connect casually and push their limits competitively. We strike that balance by focusing on marquee events. Large-scale tournaments offer players a reason to commit and train when they might otherwise burn out on the same old programming.

Both of our clubs host two major tournaments annually – these are the ‘main stages’ for players to rally around and train toward. Our flagship is the Atlanta Padel Open, held every year in late May. It started as a private, single-court invitational inside a $12 million home but has since evolved into one of the largest prize pool tournaments on the United States Padel Association (USPA) circuit. We’ve grown from 16 players to over 120 players in just three years, and we expect that scaling to continue. Later this year, hosting the World Padel Rating (WPR) end of year finals in Charleston, with its $70,000 purse, signals just how quickly the competitive US padel scene is maturing.

The reality behind running a tournament

Big events mean big upside, but they come with serious operational pressure. Running a tournament often feels like juggling three balls at once: sponsorships, player participation, and logistics. And just when you nail that, you become a part-time meteorologist, praying the weather holds. The biggest lesson we’ve learned is that success is decided months before the first ball is struck. 

Planning for the Atlanta Padel Open starts at least six months out, with a heavy early focus on budget and sponsorships. When substantial prize money is involved, the financial foundation must be solid – meaning you need the right partners.

We intentionally partner with brands we believe in long-term – usually athletic startups led by founders creating innovative products. We actually interview these companies to ensure their vision aligns with ours. The goal is mutual growth as we both navigate the startup world. We focus on items players use daily. This creates an environment where players actively want to engage with the sponsors; for example, this year we’re working with a Korean sunscreen brand (HAESKN), an innovative hydration brand (Hydra Hydration), and an elite racquet bag company (ADV bags), among others.

Players can sample practical products in real time. This engagement is the most valuable feature we offer, providing a grassroots service to these smaller companies. In a fast-growing sport like padel, we have a unique opportunity to support emerging companies right alongside the game.

Local government partnerships are also crucial, especially as cities start recognising padel’s potential. Cities often provide public grants to assist with running events and help you build relationships with local hotels and restaurants, securing better discounts for participants. Making travel more affordable is a guaranteed way to increase player participation from travellers.

The hardest part: getting players to commit

The most underestimated hurdle in running a tournament? Simply getting people to show up.

For elite players, the challenge is getting them to travel and compete. Prize money helps, but it’s rarely the deciding factor. It’s usually about timing, communication, and relationships. You need to stay connected, know their schedules, and often help broker teams. I personally spent an entire week on WhatsApp in 2024 brokering partnerships. I reached out nationally and matched players across all divisions based on what side they played, their temperament, and sometimes even their language. That dedicated effort doubled registrations for the top two divisions.

On the local side, the challenge is different. Many local players hesitate not due to a lack of ability, but because the event feels intimidating. Big brackets and large prize pools can give the impression that tournaments are only for the elite.

In reality, the opposite is true. The USPA and WPR want to use these tournaments to grow the game and pull people into the competitive ‘system’. An official rating and USPA membership lower the barrier for future participation, making it much easier for players to commit to a second event – and after that second event, they become a more dedicated competitor. Once players see the division structure and realise there’s a place for them, they take the leap – and they nearly always leave wanting to come back. In a young US market, a huge part of our job is simple education: showing players how competition works and why it’s worth the effort.

Creating a professional experience for every player

If we have one guiding principle, it's this: every player should feel like a professional. Whether they’re competing in the first division or the fifth, the experience must be elevated. That's all in the details:

●    Goodie bags with useful items – shirts, grips, towels.

●       A well-designed hospitality area where players can relax between matches.

●       Dedicated space for resting players and spectators.

●       Courtside coolers stocked with fresh water and drinks.

●    Shade structures like tents and umbrellas, especially given the hot climates we operate in.

We focus on delivering everything that can be easily controlled and regulated. We can’t control what happens on the court, but we can ensure that off-court life is easy and fun.

The atmosphere around the courts is a huge part of the fun. Just like a professional tennis tournament, we want fans enjoying great food, music, drinks, and comfortable seating. And we deliver that experience, within reason. If you check our Instagram, you'll see a video of Kevin dancing courtside with music playing. These fun, light-hearted vibes create positive memories for everyone. And those good memories are what bring people back next year. That, ultimately, is how you build loyalty. Courts bring people in, but the experience is what earns their commitment.

Where US padel goes from here

If the last few years prove anything, it’s that US padel is still in its early innings, but it’s moving fast. Facilities are expanding, prize pools are getting bigger, more people are playing and improving, and the competitive infrastructure is finally taking shape.

For players, this means a major learning curve and transition stage. Most are coming from tennis or other racquet sports and learning the customs of competitive padel. This includes everything from proper warm-ups, to how to call those tightly wedged glass and turf shots, to simply grasping the overall vibe of the sport. It’s new and exciting, and we are witnessing a beautiful blending of various racquet sport backgrounds and cultures of origin.

For operators, this is both a huge opportunity and a responsibility to build the sport the right way. We’re still learning every day at PATL. But the biggest takeaway is clear: the future of padel here won’t be built on courts alone.

It will be built on community – and the shared moments that bring people together through the game.

• Andrew Herring is co-founder of the US padel operator PATL. He can be contacted at: [email protected]

• Read the Padel Business Magazine interview with Andrew and his PATL co-founder Kevin Ye published in April 2025 here

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