Pro Padel League Kicks Off 2024 Season With Back-to-Back Events in Miami

Sure, pickleball gets all the buzz for being America's fastest-growing sport. But when it comes to the fastest-growing sport globally, that title belongs to the other racquet sport padel.

More than 25 million people play the sport globally, and starting this week, some of the best in the world are converging in Miami to participate in the Pro Padel League (PPL). The league kicks off its second season on April 2 at Ultra Padel Club. Once that tournament wraps up on April 7, the PPL will host a second tournament at Ultra April 9-14.

"Miami is probably the hottest spot for padel in the U.S. so far," says PPL commissioner Marcos del Pilar. "This marks the first event we have hosted in Miami. The quality of players will be insane, and our league just keeps growing."

PPL is credited for being North America's first and only professional padel league. Its first season boasted seven teams; for 2024, there are ten. Notable franchises include Miami Padel Club, which has tennis champion Juan Martin del Potro as a strategic advisor; 2023 champions Las Vegas Smash; and the Orlando-based Flowrida Goats, owned by Daddy Yankee.

According to del Pilar, Daddy Yankee will attend each match day during the first tournament (April 2-7) along with other undisclosed A-listers scheduled to appear.

The tournament's format involves ten teams divided into two, five-team divisions for four days of round-robin play. The top two teams from each division will compete in the semifinals, and the winners will play on Sunday for the championship. More than $150,000 in prize money is up for grabs in Miami.

The teams will put on a show on Ultra Padel Club's nine courts, with the bulk of big-name matches going down on two stadium courts. Notable players in the PPL include current or prior top-five global players like Ariana Sanchez Fallada, Martin De Nenno, and Juan Martin Diaz. According to del Pilar, beyond the Miami event, there will likely be other PPL events in California and New York this year.

"What we've put together here with the PPL is a totally disruptive and novelty concept," del Pilar says. "The beauty is that we're not only able to capture fans of players, but we're getting players to support the cities and growth of the sport."

Del Pilar has big ambitions for the PPL, adding, "We want to be one of the major leagues in the United States and, with all my respect, the NBA of padel. The aspirations are there. We have been a catalyst and booster for the sport in the last year, and there are many more years to come."

Pro Padel League. Tuesday, April 2 through Sunday, April 7; and Tuesday, April 9 through Sunday, April 14; at Ultra Padel Club, 6301 NE Fourth Ave., Miami; propadelleague.com. Admission is free; reserved seating tickets cost $40 to $750.