Padel is a racket sport growing in popularity. I’m seeing new courts open up and my friends picking it up. Search volume for “padel” is up 900% YoY in many countries. This growth is driven partially by economics of this sport.

Padel is tennis made more profitable. You can fit two padel courts in the same space that one tennis court takes up. Tennis is usually played by two people, whereas padel is typically played by four people, so court owners can make more money per square meter. This economic incentive is generating a supply driven growth. According to law of markets, every supply creates its own demand. This suggests that we’ll see an increase in players of this sport.

New players trying out this sport mean more equipment sales. Padel also offers higher recurring revenue for equipment manufacturers: Tennis rackets can be renewed by replacing strings, but padel rackets need replacement once worn out.

Padel has benefits for players too: Padel racket is smaller than a tennis racket and fits in a carry on or backpack, hence it’s easier to transport. Padel requires a social setting of four players, which is beneficial during the loneliness epidemic.

Padel seems to have reached a tipping point and given its advantages, I’m expecting to see it grow in popularity.