The growth of padel is important in Europe. Many countries have padel starting with Spain, but also Portugal, Italy and France. What is France's goal? The padel Will it be an essential sport in France by 2021? Based on the report by Bernard Lebrun, we tried to analyze the situation and see our strengths and weaknesses.

A little bit of history

Le padel pronounced “padele” is a sport invented by the Mexican Enriqué Corcuera in the 60s, more precisely in his residence in Acapulco.

Le padel is a sport which is practiced mainly in doubles on a ground of 20 meters by 10 surrounded by glass / mirrors and fences. Note, however, that in Spain there are clubs that offer some competitions of padel on singles grounds (20 meters by 6), but these grounds remain rare. In France a few clubs offer singles pitches, but they are few in number.

Most often we say padel that it is a mix between squash and tennis.

Numbers:

There are no official and precise figures on the number of practitioners of padel. Indeed the padel is a sport practiced in particular in leisure. In Spain, for example, there are less than 100.000 licensees while we anticipate nearly 2,5 million players in total.

Le World Padel Tour announced in its brochure, a few years ago, nearly 12 million practitioners ... This figure is often used in the media or in analysis surveys. Except that this is a big mistake. The WPT is the professional circuit of padel since 2013. It is a private and very young circuit. He won his battle against the former professional circuit of padel, Padel Pro Tour, notably following legal proceedings.

To promote our sport and its circuit, the professional circuit communicated to 12 million practitioners. This would mean that there are almost 10 million players outside of Spain. If Argentina must have as many practitioners as in Spain, it is not certain that we will exceed two million practitioners outside these nations.

We will estimate that we have 7 millions of practitioners in the world.

According to the report by Bernard LE BRUN, president of the Regional Commission Padel for the Pays de la Loire league, “it is estimated between 100 and 150 million the number of tennis players in the world and about 40 million squash players".

Imagine the enormous potential of padel...

Le padel : A great development potential

Le padel is not a local phenomenon. And that's THE biggest news. it means that we are not alone in the boat. According to the January 2019 report produced by the Pays de la Loire league around the padel :

  • In France, at the end of 2018 there were around 286 places where Padel including 172 authorized (30%) or affiliated (70%) clubs
  • The difference (286 - 17) = 114 being entirely private structures.
  • In 2018 the FFT has registered 7 722 tennis clubs in France.
  • Out of 7 tennis clubs in France, 722 tennis clubs are equipped with at least one padel.
  • That makes us 1,55% of tennis clubs. Imagine the enormous development potential

For the record, according to the Omnibus USC 2018 study: 2 in 3 French people do not know the padel… This is a positive figure, because it means that a third of French people know what we are talking about… It is an exceptionally positive figure even though we are only just starting out in the development of our sport.

This means that we are starting on a healthy and interesting basis.

The development strategy

Here too, we base ourselves on the report by Bernard Lebrun, who remember, is one of the great connoisseurs of this sport, since he is also the vice-president of the La Baule tennis club. A club that was one of the first to embark on the padel In the region.

investigation report padel 2019

  • Mesh and practice areas

The objective of the FFT is 400 affiliated clubs or authorized structures by 2021 against 172 currently at the end of 2018.

An objective that will be achieved normally in 2021. It could even be outdated.

As we indicated a little earlier, 3 factors push the creation of clubs of padel :

    • It's a fashionable sport… And not only in France.
    • Clubs padel private sector are developing and often offer large and high-quality infrastructures
    • Municipal tennis clubs are looking for diversification of their offer

In this first half of 2019 alone, we can observe the creation on average of 2 clubs of padel per month (New infrastructures or laying of land on existing sites).

Hubert Picquier, the elected official in charge of padel for the FFT thus confirmed this strong development of this sport:

Today there are padel almost everywhere in our territory. A mesh is being made. This is one of the big positive points of this sport thanks to the policy put in place by the FFT.

  • Discovery and initiation

The French Tennis Federation invests a lot in the promotion and development of padel in France. With its stages in public places, it is the aim of the Federation: “To create players of padel".

If initially, the FFT counted on 8 stages in 2020 and 10 stages in 2021, there may be some adaptations along the way with in particular more stages in public places and less in clubs. This would increase the visibility of our sport.

Moreover, today it is possible to teach Padel via a DE or a CQP Animator. The DTN and the Ministry of Sports are currently working on the creation of'' a specific DE of Padel (a minimum ranking Padel will be required).

  • Animations and competitions

According to the Pays de la Loire league report:

About 80% of male and female players Padel are in the hobby so regular events are needed so that these players can get to know each other.

Examples of activities: Rapido, challenges Padel, ladder match, monthly hens, singles and mixed tournaments in 1/2 day or 2 hour formats ...

The mixed doubles tournaments are homologated since September 2018.

For the 2019 start of the limited veteran + 45 tournaments (P 100 and P 250) as well as youth gatherings will be set up.

The Referees and Referees will have training videos on the LIFT e-learning platform (The Tennis Training Institute).

Objectives, Investments and Schedule

We resume here the report of the league Pays de la Loire

Bernard Lebrun's conclusion:

Tennis clubs have been losing licensees regularly for several years, bringing a new activity to clubs is not the solution but one of the solutions.

In 2018, out of the total budget of 4 million euros allocated to Club Development, 260 € concerned projects Padel.

Obviously in this global promotion, the ambition is that all clubs and actors of the padel French are treated equally. But you will see, that it is not always obvious...

sources: Padel Magazine /FFT/ World Padel Tour / Bernard Lebrun report

 

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovers the padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since padel is part of his life. You often see him touring France going to cover the major events of padel French.

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