Padel continues to gain ground in  USA .  Rick Schnall , owner of the NBA franchise  Charlotte Hornets , is leading an investment of  $15 million in the Pro Padel League A major transaction that illustrates the growing interest of American investors in this rapidly expanding field.

A record investment for the Pro Padel League

Padel is taking another step forward in its development across the Atlantic. Rick Schnall, owner of the  Charlotte Hornets  in the NBA, took the lead in an investment of  $15 million in the Pro Padel League (PPL) .

It is simply the  the largest fundraising event in the league's history .

This funding round brings together several profiles from the sports and entertainment sectors, demonstrating that the padel ecosystem is now attracting players far beyond its usual circle. The influx of American capital of this magnitude confirms a trend observed for several years: padel is no longer perceived as a mere fad but as a  a structured and rapidly growing sports market .

Five steps to the Pro Padel League in 2026 with finals in Miami

Sports and show business figures attracted to padel

Interest in the Pro Padel League is not limited to financial investors. Several media and sports personalities have also decided to get involved in the project.

These include, in particular,  Daddy Yankee , an icon of Latin music, as well as two well-known players from the ATP circuit:  Frances Tiafoe  et  Tommy Haas .

The presence of ambassadors from diverse backgrounds helps to broaden padel's visibility in the United States. The sport thus benefits from media exposure that extends far beyond the boundaries of the discipline itself.

Frances Tiafoe joins the Pro Padel League becoming a new investor in the New York Atlantics

Goal: 20,000 tracks and 8 million players

The development prospects presented for the American market are particularly ambitious. The projections suggest  20,000 padel courts and nearly 8 million players in the United States by 2030 .

Such a scenario would place the country among the major markets for the sport. To achieve this, however, padel will have to establish itself against sports already well-established in the United States, notably...  pickleball which is also experiencing spectacular growth.

Despite this competition, padel has several advantages:

  • a very strong social dimension
  • a dynamic and accessible game
  • a professional structure that is strengthening year after year.

Miami, the starting point of American expansion

Florida now plays a central role in the establishment of padel in the United States.  Miami  has established itself as one of the main centers for the development of the discipline.

The city is home to, among other things, the  Miami P1 , stage of the circuit Premier PadelMeanwhile, competitions like the  Pro Padel League  or the  Reserve Cup  contribute to accelerating the structuring of padel in the region.

The objective is now clear: to use this momentum as a launching pad to extend the model to other major American metropolitan areas such as  New York, Chicago or Los Angeles .

If this strategy is confirmed, padel could quickly establish itself as  one of the most promising new markets in the American sports industry .

Maceo ZERHAT

Maceo Zerhat discovered padel in 2020 in Savigny-sur-Clairis, Burgundy. He contributed to the club's expansion by bringing his energy and curiosity. Padel Magazinehe transmits his Padel"mania" by skillfully bouncing on all the latest news about your favorite sport!

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