Padel Smash TV

In this episode, Padel Smash visits LA Padel Club, an upcoming premium padel destination in Los Angeles, during the early stages of development. While the full conversation with Steve Shpilsky, Founder of LA Padel Club, and Jennifer Shpilsky, Chief Brand Officer, is available exclusively on podcast platforms, this YouTube release gives you a visual walkthrough of the club as it begins to take shape. Steve and Jennifer share the story behind falling in love with padel, the challenges of building a club in Los Angeles, the importance of location, real estate, permitting, investors, and why creating a sustainable club model matters. The project is being built around a historic property, the Collins Firth Mansion, a 1920s neoclassical mansion tied to the early history of Culver City and the entertainment industry. This is more than just another padel club. LA Padel Club is designed to blend sport, hospitality, history, community, and premium brand experience into one destination. In this walkthrough, we explore: +The origin story behind LA Padel Club +Why Steve and Jennifer believed LA needed a premium padel destination +The real estate and business challenges of building padel in Los Angeles +The historic Collins Firth Mansion and its connection to Culver City +The future layout of the club, including the club room, pro shop, cafe, locker rooms, co-working space, courts, and member experience +Why padel clubs need to be built as sustainable businesses, not just exciting concepts

In this episode of Padel Smash TV, we sit down with Adrian Grant, founder of Kanso Shoes, to talk about what really goes into building a high-performance shoe for racket sports. Adrian shares his journey from being a former professional squash player and world-class athlete to launching a footwear brand focused on the real movement demands of sports like squash, padel, and pickleball. We get into the difference between squash shoes and padel shoes, why outsole design matters, how athlete feedback shapes development, and why the wrong footwear can affect both performance and injury risk. This conversation goes beyond style. It breaks down the science, testing, and athlete-first thinking behind building shoes specifically for the demands of padel. If you’ve ever wondered whether footwear really makes a difference on court, this interview is worth watching.

In this episode of Padel Smash TV, we sit down with Felix Regalia, CEO and Founder of Varlion, one of the most iconic brands in padel history. Felix shares the incredible story behind how Varlion started in Argentina in 1993, how the brand became a market leader through product innovation, and what happened during a difficult period of instability that forced the company to rebuild. He opens up about relaunching the brand, redesigning the collection, and building what he calls the next phase of Varlion’s legacy. We also dive into why Felix believes the U.S. padel market today is similar to Spain in 1999, why he plans to personally lead Varlion’s expansion in America, and how the brand wants to win through product quality, hands-on education, key accounts, and direct market development. On top of that, Felix talks about Varlion’s innovation mindset, new collections, expansion into pickleball, and the long-term goal of transferring decades of padel knowledge into other racket sports. If you follow the business of padel, racket innovation, and the future of the U.S. market, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Topics covered: 00:00 Intro 00:35 Meet Felix Regalia 00:51 How Varlion Started in Argentina 01:44 Early innovation and growth 02:10 Becoming a leader in padel 02:23 What went wrong for Varlion 04:04 Restructuring the business 05:08 Major internal fraud and setbacks 06:54 Restarting from zero 07:03 The Varlion Legacy relaunch 07:22 Expansion into pickleball and beyond 08:35 Strategy for the U.S. market 09:05 Why product testing drives loyalty 09:33 Felix moving to the U.S. 10:14 Why America feels like Spain in 1999 10:52 Building the American team 11:16 Winning through education and market presence

At RacquetX, Padel Smash TV sat down with Alfons Bastida, Chief Marketing Officer of NOX, and Philippe Urreiztieta, USA NOX Distributor, for a deep conversation on the brand’s global vision and why the United States is one of its biggest priorities moving forward. In this interview, we break down how NOX sees the future of padel, why the U.S. market is such a major opportunity, and what it takes to grow a specialist padel brand in a country where traditional tennis brands already have strong familiarity. Alfons shares NOX’s broader global strategy, including its focus on premium racket positioning, product innovation, and youth development through initiatives like the Next Future Academy, while Philippe explains how NOX USA is approaching the market from the ground up through grassroots activation, club relationships, B2B growth, and direct-to-consumer marketing.

What does one of the biggest representation agencies in the world see in padel? In this episode, Cesc and Julian sit down with Daniel Dios from WME Sports to break down how global brands are entering padel, why celebrity involvement matters, what makes a player commercially valuable, and why Arturo Coello became a key fit for WME’s vision. Daniel takes us inside WME’s approach to the sport, explaining the three layers they focus on — pros, celebrities, and funds — and how those groups help accelerate padel’s growth in emerging markets. He also shares how major brands like On and Rolex were educated on the opportunity in padel, why those deals do not happen overnight, and what brands are really looking for before they commit. This conversation also goes deeper into the future of the sport in the United States, the need for stronger infrastructure, the rise of celebrity-driven interest, and why the next generation of padel players must be more than just talented on court. According to Daniel, the future belongs to athletes who can perform, communicate, represent brands well, and become true role models. If you care about the business of padel, brand partnerships, player representation, and the future growth of the sport worldwide, this is an interview you do not want to miss. Subscribe to Padel Smash for more interviews, news, gear reviews, business insights, and stories shaping the future of padel.

In this special RacquetX 2026 episode, Cesc and Julian sit down with two key voices from the world of Babolat Padel: Jose Luis Sanz, Padel Business Leader and Global Marketing Director at Babolat, and pro player Alejandra Alonso. This combined conversation gives listeners both sides of the brand — from the global business strategy behind Babolat’s growth in padel to the player perspective from one of the sport’s rising stars. Jose Luis Sanz shares how Babolat is approaching the growth of padel in the United States through premium club partnerships, education, activation, exclusive product development, and long-term brand positioning. He also discusses the brand’s Lamborghini partnership, the U.S. market opportunity, and how Babolat is thinking about the future of padel globally. Alejandra Alonso gives insight into her personal journey in padel, what it means to join the Babolat family, her competitive mindset, and the equipment she trusts on court, including the Technical Viper. This episode is a great listen for anyone interested in the business of padel, athlete-brand relationships, product strategy, and the continued growth of the sport worldwide.

Episode 1 of 4 from our RacquetX 2026 coverage is here. In this first episode, the Padel Smash TV team hits the floor at RacquetX to talk with some of the most interesting brands and leaders shaping the future of padel. In this episode, we feature interviews with: Iain Pound from BoastDaniel Won from Blanca PadelDani Homedes from Hexagon CupEnrique Garcia from Conquer PadelAlfonso Bastida from Nox PadelPlus, Majo roams the show floor to grab quick interviews and reactions from vendors across the event, giving you a wider look at the brands, products, and energy surrounding RacquetX.

Boast is making a serious return to racket sports, and in this episode of Padel Smash TV, Cesc and Julian sit down with Matthew Feuer, Owner and CEO of Boast, to talk about the brand’s heritage, why it faded, and how it’s now repositioning itself for the modern tennis and padel world. Matt shares how Boast was acquired in 2024, why the brand is returning to its racket sports roots, and how nostalgia, premium materials, and a fresh performance line are shaping its future. The conversation also dives into Boast’s growing focus on padel, its upcoming capsule collection, club customization opportunities, and what fans can expect from the brand at RacquetX 2026. If you love padel, tennis culture, heritage brands, and the business behind the sport, this is one you don’t want to miss. Powered by RacquetX 2026

RacquetX is back for year three and it’s bigger, sharper, and more on-court than ever. In this interview, Robyn Duda (Co-Founder & CEO of RacquetX) walks us through what’s new for RacquetX 2026, including 10 total courts, a deeper Club Summit, the VIP Club Apex, and how the show is building a true “home court” for racquet sports - Padel, tennis, and pickleball. You’ll hear how RacquetX iterates each year through a sponsor + attendee feedback loop, why the show moved to Fort Lauderdale, what activations to expect across the floor, and how their AI matchmaking app helps businesses schedule real meetings on site. RacquetX 2026 Details (from Robyn): 📍 Broward County Convention Center (Fort Lauderdale, FL) 📅 March 13–15 🕙 Fri–Sat: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM 🕙 Sun: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM 🎟️ General Admission: $50 👧 Kids (under ~14): Free 🏟️ Club Summit: $699 (includes perks + party access) 🤝 Business Pass: $195 (matchmaking app access) 🎫 Joint ticket (with facilities content): $799 If you’re a player, coach, club operator, investor, brand, or tech company, this is one of the best weekends of the year to see the industry in one place. ✅ Subscribe for more interviews, club coverage, and the business side of Padel.

Racket sports clubs everywhere face the same challenge: prime-time is packed, but mid-day court time sits empty. In this episode, we sit down with Daren Hornig (CourtsApp) to break down a platform built to solve that exact problem. CourtsApp isn’t a court management system. It’s a court marketing marketplace — the “Expedia layer” that sits on top of tools like CourtReserve and PlayByPoint to help facilities promote availability, drive bookings, and increase revenue from perishable court inventory. In this interview, we cover: ✅ Why most racket facilities struggle with digital marketing ✅ CourtsApp’s “Expedia for racket sports” model (search, map view, price comparison) ✅ Dynamic pricing to shift player habits and fill the 11am–4pm window ✅ How CourtsApp integrates with existing booking platforms via API ✅ The performance-only model for clubs (no long-term contract, paid only when courts fill) ✅ Why discovery matters for padel as it grows in the U.S. ✅ The future: analytics, open play matchmaking, and AI booking tools like “Hey Courtney” If you’re a club owner, operator, or player who wants easier access to courts — this is one of the most practical conversations we’ve had about growth, monetization, and the tech stack behind modern racket facilities. Subscribe for more interviews with founders, club operators, and the people building the future of padel.

Padel is scaling fast but building a great club is harder than people think. In this episode, Cesc & Julian sit down with Patricio Misitrano (CEO of Racket Social Club, Founder/CEO of Misitrano Consulting, and part of the Racquet 360 ecosystem) to break down what’s actually happening behind the scenes of U.S. padel growth. Patricio explains Racquet 360: Racket Social Club (multi-location padel clubs) RacquetX (the industry convention & trade show) Racket Central (e-commerce marketplace) National Padel League (NPL) (amateur leagues + interclub competition) We also dive into his interactive data dashboard tracking courts, pricing, indoor vs outdoor trends, booking platforms, and how club economics are shifting. If you’re a club owner, investor, coach, brand, or entrepreneur, this is a must-watch. Topics covered: Scaling clubs across Denver, Atlanta, and Houston (plus Katy) The truth about permits, municipalities, and build delays Why coaches + community decide whether clubs win Why country clubs and tennis clubs will drive the next wave of padel growth How data changes the game for investors and operators 00:00 – Rack 360 explained 00:58 – What is Racket Social Club? (clubs + operations) 01:10 – The locations: Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Katy 02:31 – The Atlanta acquisition (Windward Lake: tennis, pools, marina) 03:14 – Sports Haus (CT) origin story + why Patricio sold 05:01 – The 4 Rack 360 business units (RacquetX, Racket Central, NPL) 06:03 – Misitrano Consulting + advisory work for club builders 08:00 – The padel data mission: tracking every court in the U.S. 11:34 – The interactive dashboard: pricing, indoor/outdoor, growth, platforms 14:26 – Indoor padel trend + growth acceleration numbers 18:00 – Club pricing mistakes + dynamic pricing future 20:10 – Why country clubs/tennis clubs will drive padel growth 21:44 – Scaling challenge: leadership + local community differences 24:07 – Permitting/inspection delays + how to avoid losing months 26:43 – Best advice to new club owners (hire the right experts) 27:15 – Staffing structure + director roles + systems before opening 29:28 – The coach shortage problem (and how he hires) 30:25 – Risks of importing coaches (culture, language, retention) 35:54 – “No juicy news” + focus on member experience + retention 37:00 – Payment platforms + processing fees + alternatives 39:31 – Why different clubs use different platforms 41:40 – Building internal dashboards + CRM + automations 44:14 – Closing thoughts + padel ecosystem collaboration

Welcome to a brand-new Padel Smash Academy Club Review—today Cesc & Julian are in Palm Beach with Florencia Roncatti (General Manager) and Guillermo Amor Torres (Operations Manager) at Padel Club Palm Beach. This club may be small and cozy, but it’s packed with personality—from tiered clinics (Intro → Beginner → Intermediate → Advanced), to community-first open play nights where they literally bring pizza and get people to stay after the match. We also break down how the club approaches a seasonal market like Palm Beach, their membership structure (including a new monthly option launching), pricing, coaching lineup, and what expansion could look like next. If you’re a player, coach, club operator, or just love seeing how padel is growing in the U.S.this episode is full of real insight. Follow/Connect: Padel Club Palm Beach — (add links) Padel Smash Academy — (add links) Chapters: 00:00 Programs + clinics overview 00:20 Palm Beach club review intro 01:10 Flo’s journey + tennis → padel 03:10 Guillermo’s role + Barcelona padel roots 05:00 Courts, ceilings, platform (PlayByPoint) 05:45 Pricing + memberships (annual + monthly) 07:30 Coaches + lesson/clinic pricing 08:20 Hospitality: coffee, smoothies, beer/wine 09:10 Expansion plans (more indoor courts) 10:00 Programming ladder + open play “pizza nights” 11:25 Community challenges vs Miami culture 12:40 Seasonality + summer pivots 13:45 USPA tournament plans 14:20 Why the “details” make this club special 15:25 Wellness + Halloween events + season timing 16:05 On-court challenge: Julian wants revenge 😄

Kevin Ye breaks down how PATL Atlanta grew padel in a tennis/pickle market by building community-first programming, then scaling via smart facility partnerships and expansion (Charleston next). Kevin Ye (PATL Atlanta) breaks down the real blueprint for growing padel in the U.S.—starting with a small early community, converting tennis + pickleball players, and building programming that keeps people coming back. In this conversation, Kevin shares how he discovered padel through social media, how PATL Atlanta built momentum with beginner clinics and Americanos, and what it takes to scale—staffing, coaching pipelines, zoning/permitting, and choosing the right locations. We also talk pricing strategy, membership value, and PATL’s next move: a fully indoor Charleston facility built for year-round play. If you’re a club operator, coach, investor, or a player looking for a thriving padel community—this episode is loaded with practical insight. Follow/Connect: PATL Atlanta — https://playpatl.com/atlanta-chamblee/ Padel Smash Academy — https://www.padelsmashacademy.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Kevin’s background + discovering padel 03:30 How PATL Atlanta built community 05:30 Bootstrapping + partnering with existing facilities 08:30 Pricing + membership strategy 11:20 Expansion: Charleston plans 14:30 Staffing, coaching gap, and growth challenges 17:40 Programming: clinics, levels, Americanos, tournaments 20:40 Final thoughts

We’re on a West Coast road trip visiting padel clubs across the United States — and this stop takes us all the way south to San Diego, California at Kingdom of Padel. In this episode, we sit down with Fernando Sotelo (Co-Founder/Owner) to talk about his padel journey, how the club evolved from the previous location, and what it takes to build an indoor padel facility that players actually choose over outdoor courts. Kingdom of Padel is built like a full lifestyle hub: 6 padel courts + 3 pickleball courts, a sports bar + restaurant, golf simulators, locker rooms & showers, and even fitness programming coming online (Pilates, yoga, and more). Fernando also breaks down why indoor padel matters in San Diego (fog, wind, humidity, comfort, guaranteed court time), how pickleball is helping introduce new players to padel, and what memberships and pay-to-play pricing look like. If you’re a player, a club owner, or someone exploring the business side of padel in the U.S., this is a must-watch. Follow/Subscribe for more club reviews, interviews, and behind-the-scenes padel growth stories.

We’re on location in Sint Maarten at SXM Padel Club with Ricardo Perez, Managing Director of SXM Padel Group, breaking down how a “crazy idea” turned into one of the most active padel communities in the Caribbean. In this interview, Ricardo shares the real story behind launching the club with no clear market data, converting an abandoned tennis court into a modern padel facility, and building demand through PR, open houses, and a youth program that made padel accessible from day one. We also get into the business side funding the build with a $100,000 grant + $50,000 loan, reinvesting into the club, and reaching ROI in about two years. Plus: SXM Padel’s next chapter is huge! Ricardo reveals plans for a new 7-court facility (including stadium-style pro courts) designed to host international-level tournaments, expand wellness amenities, and grow padel across the Caribbean.

In this episode of Padel Smash Academy, we’re in San Francisco for a full club review at Park Padel, one of Northern California’s most iconic padel clubs. We sit down with Katie Lampert—co-founder, co-owner, and the ultimate “do-everything” operator—to break down how Park Padel was built and why it’s become a true padel lifestyle destination. Katie shares the vision behind their indoor facility: a place where you can spend the entire day—play padel, take a work call in a pod, hit a quick workout, recover with Hyperice and NormaTec, then grab a coffee… or a beer. The goal was simple: even indoors, make it feel alive and green—like a park. We also get super tactical on what makes the business work: Embarcadero / Market Streetold-school outreachper-locationaccess across locationsIntro to Padel, clinics, socials, Americanos, leagues, tournamentsPlayByPoint to Playtomic6 courtsClutchPark Padel has grown to three locations across the Bay Area region and has real expansion momentum—while staying focused on the one thing that matters most: community. 📍Learn more about Park Padel: parkpadel.com 🎧 Listen to the Padel Smash Academy Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of Padel Smash Academy, we head to Los Angeles to visit Padel Up and sit down with Abraham Alvarez, the club’s Head Padel Coach, to talk about what it really takes to build padel from the ground up on the West Coast. Abraham shares his journey starting padel in Miami in 2021, getting instantly hooked after transitioning from tennis, and witnessing the Miami padel boom as clubs started opening fast. Then he moved to LA where padel was basically only happening in private homes—and began teaching house-to-house before helping grow what became one of the most important padel communities in the region. We get into how Padel Up built community through programming, clinics, leagues, and events, and how that effort turned into a 450-person WhatsApp group. Abraham also breaks down the model: memberships, court pricing, lesson rates, amenities, and why education is a huge part of converting racquet-sport players into real padel players. If you’re building a padel club, coaching, investing, or you’re just obsessed with the sport’s growth in the US—this one’s for you.

Padel doesn’t grow by accident—and San Diego is proof. In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Redondo, CEO of Tactica Padel, to break down how one coach’s idea turned into a real padel ecosystem—starting with three courts and scaling into one of the most active padel communities in the country. Ryan shares how Taktika built momentum through an international player base, why access and affordability are non-negotiable for growth, and what it takes to bring padel into public facilities, universities, and new markets. We also talk business: joint ventures, shared revenue models, partnerships, and why infrastructure is the missing link if padel wants to follow the tennis blueprint in the United States. If you’re building a club, investing in padel, coaching, or just trying to understand where US padel is headed—this is one of the clearest playbooks you’ll hear. Listen / watch and follow Padel Smash Academy for more club stories, founders, and the business of padel.

In this episode of Padel Smash Academy, we sit down with Matt Gibson, VP of PlaySight, to unpack how smart-court technology and AI are transforming padel at every level. From instant highlights and automated match analytics to coach-ready performance data, Matt explains how PlaySight is changing the way players train, clubs operate, and fans engage with the sport. We dive into the real-world impact for club owners, coaches, and competitive players—why data visibility matters, how tech accelerates skill development, and what the future looks like as padel scales globally. If you care about the intersection of padel, performance, and technology, this episode is essential listening.

Padel Smash Academy sits down with Mike Dorfman, CEO of the Pro Padel League (PPL), live from Miami during Art Basel week at the Scope Art Fair. Mike breaks down the vision behind bringing the PPL Championship Court to the beach—turning the padel court into a full-on statement piece that stops people in their tracks and gets first-timers to finally experience what makes padel so special. Mike shares how the activation came to life with artist Ryan Keeley, why awareness is still the #1 mission, and the “three-lane strategy” PPL is building: showcase elite pros for a reality check, introduce complete newcomers to padel for the first time, and create iconic experiences where fans and amateurs can step onto the same court as the pros. We also get a full season recap—five events across three countries, 25,000 attendees, 100M+ video views, and “a couple hundred million” impressions—plus what’s coming next as PPL expands to new U.S. and international cities, keeps the sport accessible (no paywalls), and continues growing distribution across 16+ networks reaching hundreds of millions of households.