🎾 PBM Monthly: The Investment and M&A Issue

In-depth report: What next for padel’s investment drive amid wave of new capital? | Patty Camps: Why the next phase of padel investment will be platform-led

Author

Padel Business Magazine
February 27, 2026

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the latest edition of PBM Monthly.

Padel Business Magazine is built for those driving the business side of padel, from club owners and investors to tech founders and innovators moving the sport forward.

Each month, we deliver the stories that matter most: in-depth reporting, expert perspectives, and original insights you won’t find elsewhere. It’s your clear view of where the sport is going and who’s leading the way.

In this issue, you’ll find four major news stories, along with two in-depth features exploring this month’s central theme: padel investment and M&A activity. Plus PBM Partner Insight from PlaySight on the impact of smart court technology.

We hope you enjoy the latest news and insights from Padel Business Magazine.

The PBM Team

❝

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTORS

P.S. Next month’s issue will explore environmental sustainability: energy-efficient facilities, eco-friendly construction materials and recycling programmes for equipment and resources.


We’re actively looking for credible opinion pieces and sharp industry insight on this theme. If you’ve got something to contribute, drop us a line: [email protected]

PBM PARTNER INSIGHT

Fresh industry perspectives from our respected partners.

PlaySight’s SmartCourt™ technology delivers AI-generated highlights using multi-angle cameras. Image credit: PlaySight.

As global padel court numbers surge towards 80,000 and competition intensifies across mature markets, the next battleground is no longer just physical infrastructure. In this PBM Partner Insight piece, we examine how smart court technology is evolving from a novelty into core digital infrastructure for clubs. From AI-generated highlights and automated content to new membership tiers and sponsor inventory, platforms such as PlaySight, with its SmartCourtTM solutions, are helping operators treat their courts not just as bookable assets, but as scalable media and data engines capable of driving retention and recurring revenue.

Want to be the brand padel decision-makers see next month?

Padel Business Magazine lands in the inboxes of the people actually building the global padel industry: investors, operators, founders, and developers shaping what comes next.

Next month, there’s a host of partner sponsorship packages available, and one of them could be yours.

Partnering with PBM puts your brand at the heart of the sport’s most influential B2B network. You’ll get in front of verified buyers through our editorial coverage, newsletter, and LinkedIn ecosystem, the exact channels driving commercial deals and market visibility.

We don’t just sell ad space. We build authority. We don’t simply chase impressions. We drive conversations that turn into sales.

Ready to own the spotlight? Email [email protected]

Net news

Diving into the major news stories shaping this month’s theme and beyond: curated reporting and global headlines driving the business of padel forward.

Specsavers partners with 15 London padel clubs

The link-up gives Specsavers branding opportunities across 69 different padel courts. Image credit: Specsavers.

A new six-month sponsorship campaign from the UK optician aims to raise awareness of the benefits of wearing contact lenses for sport.

An extra feature of the NPL’s first season was the Delta Golden Ticket campaign, providing national champions with travel vouchers as awards. Image credit: NPL.

The new competition featured more than 160 teams representing 19 padel clubs, and took place in 37 cities across six regions during its inaugural season.

The number of active UK padel clubs on the Playtomic platform increased from 129 to 288 in 2025. Image credit: Playtomic.

The booking platform, used by an estimated 80% of UK padel clubs, says a sustained influx of first-time players indicates widening awareness of the sport beyond its early adopters.

The platform is designed to support the accelerating growth of padel in the US, where court numbers have reached 979 across 258 active facilities. Image credit: USPA.

A first US governing body partnership marks Tournated’s largest padel federation project to date, with fully automated rankings, and a scalable digital foundation designed to support the rapid national growth of padel.

The big hit

The latest exclusive and original in-depth features, interviews and analysis from Padel Business Magazine. Insight you will not find anywhere else.

Investor appeal: Padel competitions, teams, court operators, tech, apparel and equipment are all sparking interest from venture capital funds and private wealth alike.

Pro Padel League (PPL) teams New York Atlantics and Los Angeles Beat have attracted significant investment in recent months. Image credit: PPL.

Padel is attracting rapidly rising levels of investment in key growth markets such as the UK and US, as well as other emerging regions including the Middle East, following a significant shift in the landscape for the sport globally over the past year. But as the industry begins to mature and become more competitive, what will future investment in padel look like?

Read on to get exclusive insight on the latest developments.

PBM Insight Report by Laura Syrett and Paul Cochrane.

Opinion serving

A trusted perspective from inside the business of padel. Original opinion and on-theme insight from the leaders shaping the sport’s next chapter.

Patty Camps, a consultant specialising in padel investment strategy and investor relations. Image credit: Patty Camps.

Digital play: As padel matures in key markets, the conversation is moving beyond building courts to creating connected communities.

Padel’s first wave of investment was easy to understand: find a growing market, build courts, fill them with players. But as the sport evolves, so do the questions investors are asking. What creates loyalty beyond location? How do clubs retain players? Where does long-term value really sit? Patty Camps, a consultant specialising in padel investment strategy and investor relations, explores why the future of padel investment lies in the platforms that connect players to clubs, clubs to data, and data to smarter decisions, turning isolated venues into thriving, interconnected ecosystems.