On Monday, April 28, 2025, a massive power outage affected Spain, Portugal and briefly the south of France. Among the many areas affected, that of paddle, the emblematic sport of the Iberian Peninsula, has suffered particularly. A look back at the consequences of this cut for the indoor padel clubs et outdoor.

Total paralysis of indoor padel clubs

Clubs indoor padel, heavily dependent on electricity for their operations, have had to temporarily close their doors. Without electricity, it is impossible to maintain lighting on the grounds, essential ventilation in enclosed spaces, or the operation of reservation and payment systems.

À Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia ou SevilleThousands of players saw their matches canceled. Clubs, unable to notify their customers due to the unavailability of mobile and internet networks, suffered significant financial losses on the day.

Total paralysis of indoor padel clubs

Outdoor padel clubs also disrupted

Even if the outdoor clubs Although they are less dependent on electricity, they were not spared. The pitches were no longer lit, forcing clubs to suspend activities at the end of the day. Moreover, without access to online management tools, many had to cancel or postpone bookings without effective means of communicating with players.

The situation was particularly tense in tourist areas where padel is a popular activity, particularly on the Costa del Sol or in theAlgarve.

Lessons for the future

Faced with this unprecedented episode, many clubs are now considering solutions to strengthen their resilience :

  • Installation of emergency electric generators to ensure minimum lighting.
  • Deployment of offline reservation systems accessible without internet.
  • Investments in renewable energy solutions, like solar, to maintain basic service in the event of an outage.

The padel federations in Spain and Portugal could also offer business continuity plans to prepare clubs for further power outages.

This giant power cut will have left its mark on people's minds by highlighting the fragility of the sports ecosystem in the face of technical hazards. Padel, which is experiencing continued growth in Spain and Portugal, will undoubtedly have to integrate this risk into its future developments to prevent such a situation from paralyzing an entire sector again.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

On the same subject

Tags