[toggle title = ”Author: Alexandre BRUZAUD,” state = ”open”] Graduated with a Master's degree (specialization in sports marketing and management) at ISC Paris Business School. On a permanent contract since the end of my studies at Adidas France as sales manager in charge of the Paris / North region. Passionate about sport, I discovered and joined the Padel during my Erasmus in 2013 in Spain. [/ toggle]

It is in 2006 that the FFT sets out to conquer these new emerging sports, with the integration of Beach Tennis in the federation.

« People want to have fun and discover new practices, the Padel and the Beach is clearly in there "Assures Héloïse CLAVEL, head of these emerging sports at the FFT.

« The beach is fun immediately, even when we are bad we have funShe continues.

The new offer of the FFT

This new offer of the FFT corresponds to what can describe Denis NAEGELEN, it is necessary to the clubs of new infrastructures to attract the "ctennis fan ».

In addition, these new practices are able to dust off this image of slightly aging tennis.

In Spain, for example, the Padel now has more licensees than tennis despite the Rafael NADAL example. The FFT on the occasion of surfing this new wave to operate a resurgence of licensees.

What look do these sports have regarding this absorption?

The expectations mentioned:

« We are a young sport, we have energy, you have experience »Capucine Rousseau

« It's a huge booster for this sport Franck Binisti

France stands out from other countries by this absorption of Beach and Padel within the Tennis Federation, compared to other countries like Italy (for the Beach) or Spain (for the Padel) where these sports have their own federation.

A rapprochement that has advantages and disadvantages. In the worlds of the Beach and Padel, this association is seen in a rather beautiful way. By the latter they expect a lot from the Federation.

More advantages than disadvantages?

The first advantage is image, visibility and communication. Indeed, it is sport still little known to the general public can thanks to the FFT, to benefit from a network and thus of a very widespread image in France and abroad. "One of the largest federations in the world that is organized, it has a huge impact, the communication of the FFT has much more weight than if it was a federation apart". (Franck Binisti)

Indeed, the FFT by its status, its recognition and its experience brings a structure and an organization to these sports which are launched little by little and not necessarily in the most structured way. A federation of Padel had been created, but due to organizational problems was put under supervision of the FFT before being fully absorbed.

So Beach tennis and Padel will benefit from the various media owned by the FFT as well as the image of a structured and supervised sport.

With regard to the other expectations of the followers of these sports (other than those concerning the image), the competitive aspect is a need often evoked. They would like to focus on young people (training) especially in tournaments dedicated to future competitors, the future hopes of these disciplines.

The few brakes

Today the lack of structure combined with lack of infrastructure that can train young people remains the main handicap for these disciplines. They also express the wish for more in-depth support during international team tournaments.

While all the delegations present themselves at these meetings in team of six (two additional players in prevention of possible injuries to see tactical choice), accompanied by a coach, or even a medical team, the French they are limited to 4 (number 1 male and female pairs) without always having benefited from a preparation together beforehand.

The response from the FFT received by Capucine Rousseau of this request « our expenses are not extensible and we are confident about your preparation methods ". All the requests are presented in appendices (cf the Will of the beacheurs);

One last one, however, deserves to be presented here: the differentiation of FFT licenses according to the discipline practiced. This would have the advantage of empirically showing the impact and evolution of these "ancillary" sports within the FFT and its licensees. Indeed, beach and padel players fear being considered forever as second-tier sports and thus not fully benefiting from the help they deserve if their weight in the figures continues to increase.

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.

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