Partnership move springs to mind for pop-up specialist
Instantpadel partners with Mindspring Padel
Instantpadel, which has built a reputation as the go-to provider of temporary padel courts, has joined with Belgium-based Mindspring Padel to drive forward the financing of short-term outdoor courts in urban spaces.
The UK and Germany are high on their priority list of countries in which to unlock the potential of under utilised city and community spaces.
“This is about removing barriers and putting padel where people live, work and move,” said Christoffer Granfelt, CEO of Instantpadel. “With Mindspring as a strategic partner, we can rapidly scale this model and create a powerful footprint in cities that are eager to activate public or commercial spaces.”
With a shared mission to make padel more accessible, the partnership will focus on one to three year installations in high-footfall areas, turning empty car parks, parks and open spaces into sporting and social hubs. Together the companies will finance padel projects, including courts, groundwork, infrastructure and operations.
“We see this as a new chapter in the growth of padel,” said Clay Smith, Chief Commercial Officer at Mindspring Padel. “By presenting this low-risk, high-impact model, we’re enabling cities and developers to bring padel to life in an exciting and flexible way. This will also further accelerate the growth of padel and its social community, especially in areas where permanent clubs and courts may take time to develop.”
Instantpadel plans to take an active role in identifying new opportunities, forming local partnerships and driving revenue across venues, from court rentals and coaching to events, sponsorships and merchandise. The first projects are set to launch in the UK and Germany this year, with additional markets including the Netherlands, France and US under discussion.
Instantpadel first hit the headlines in the UK three years ago when, together with Game4Padel, it installed a pop-up court in Westfield shopping centre in White City, London, for a long weekend. The collaboration saw British tennis star Andy Murray pop down with his brother Jamie for a game, together with a host of celebrities and sports stars. It is estimated that around 250,000 shoppers were exposed to the game during the event. More recently Instantpadel installed four outdoor floodlit courts on a car park in Canada Water, London.
Temporary courts can be an attractive alternative to permanent facilities because they do not require the same level of groundworks and may not need planning permission. 🎾
