VVV Sports plans £5m raise to boost US padel market push

VVV Sports, a UK publicly listed sports, media and entertainment business focused on building infrastructure around padel and other emerging racquet sports, has announced plans to raise fresh investment of around £5m as it targets a significant push into the US padel market.

VVV, which is listed on the UK’s Aquis Exchange for growing companies, says the targeted proceeds will be used to fund the company's US expansion, as well as working capital and further investment in its subsidiaries and other new opportunities.

The company intends to seek a dual listing on the Nasdaq Global Market in the US, whilst retaining its listing on Aquis following completion of the placing, which is expected to close by the end of June 2026. VVV says it is intended the placing will be undertaken with a small group of existing and new investors.

VVV, founded and chaired by British entrepreneur Jonathan Rowland, says proceeds of the placing will be used in the US market to:

·       Progress plans for a US Padel Centre of Excellence in New York

·       Establish VVV USA, which will be the company’s US operating entity, due to be based in Miami

·       Launch VVV Sport Book Inc., a sports betting and prediction markets platform

·       Roll out the R3 Bullpadel Cup into the US market

The VVV board believes the company is well-positioned to capitalise on significant growth opportunities in padel and pickleball, particularly in the US, where it notes demand for infrastructure across both sports substantially exceeds current supply.

The firm also has ambitions in other global markets, and says proceeds from the raise will be used for the continued development of plans for the Abu Dhabi Padel Centre of Excellence (ADPCE), which it is seeking to develop in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Project and Infrastructure Company (ADPIC).

The project, which forms a central part of Abu Dhabi's five-year national padel strategy, is one of the most ambitious planned padel facilities in the world, with a projected size of 55,000sqm, and an investment of over £120m due to be delivered within the next two years.

Proceeds from the planned £5m raise will also be used for the production of new premium content, including a six-part docuseries in development with Amazon Prime, as well as wider investment across other media and content, events and infrastructure.

VVV operates across five divisions:

·       athlete management (R3 Sport)

·       events and activations (TOPSERIES Pickleball and the R3 Bullpadel Cup)

·       infrastructure (Global Padel Centres of Excellence)

·       media and content (Windswept and Groovy)

·       brands and commerce (exclusive Bullpadel equipment distribution)

Through its subsidiary MRH Sport Ltd, VVV holds the exclusive right to distribute Bullpadel equipment in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The company says it is finalising terms for the distribution of Bullpadel equipment in other markets for 2026. Bullpadel is an official partner of Premier Padel.

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