Learning from Pickleball’s Growth

As a co-founder of Espire Sports, I helped spearhead the development of a 110,000-square-foot indoor pickleball facility in Prescott, Arizona — one of the largest in the U.S. From the first lease to the final grand opening, nothing teaches you faster than building a sport from the ground up. This hands-on experience became the ultimate learning ground for understanding how a new sport grows, both operationally and culturally.

Enter Padel — The Next ‘P’ Sport

Now, with Conquer Padel, I feel privileged to be doing it all again — this time with a sport that’s already a global phenomenon but still largely unknown in the U.S. For many Americans, padel is still a mystery. But that’s changing fast.

Key Similarities Between Padel and Pickleball

From a business perspective, the parallels between padel and pickleball are clear:

• ✅ Social, racquet-based sports with mass appeal
• ✅ A growing demand for fun + fitness experiences in one setting
• ✅ Real estate-driven scalability for operators
• ✅ Massive untapped potential in new markets

Both sports are thriving because they sit at the intersection of community, health, and recreation — a powerful combination for clubs and investors.

Important Differences That Matter

While similar, padel has unique characteristics that shape its growth trajectory:

• Padel has a steeper awareness curve in the U.S.
• It requires more infrastructure (enclosed courts, glass walls).
• It’s less known… but arguably even more addictive once you step on court. It’s what we call “sticky.”

For most of America, padel is still “what you don’t know, you don’t know.” But that’s changing as courts pop up, clubs fill, and conversations spread.

Building for That Moment

That’s the moment we’re building for at Conquer Padel. I’m fortunate to have done this before — and this isn’t my first rodeo. With the right team, strategy, and vision, we’re ready to do it again, this time for padel.

Curious about padel investment or franchising opportunities? Contact us to start a conversation with our team and learn how to get involved in this exciting movement.