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 Boast on the brand’s return to the market, grassroots strategy, Tennis Channel activations, and the early success of their padel-focused collection
• Daniel Won from Blanca Padel on building a minimalist padel brand, keeping rackets affordable, and expanding through key partnerships
• Dani Homedes from Hexagon Cup on the event’s explosive growth, celebrity ownership, expansion plans, and future U.S. ambitions
• Enrique Garcia from Conquer Padel on franchise opportunities, club development, lease strategy, and how they help operators launch smarter
• Alfonso Bastida from Nox Padel on Nox’s global vision, U.S. growth strategy, product innovation, and competing in emerging markets

Plus, 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 😄