How Mindspring Padel is Uniting Tennis and Padel for a Thriving Future
Late August I had the opportunity to sit down with Craig Thompson from Mindspring Padel. Craig is a great guy to speak with. Not only is he a sport business giant, especially known for being part of the team who founded UEFA Champions League back in 1992, he also shares my passion and interest for eastern philosophy and Buddhism.
So if you only remember two thing from reading this text, let it be:
- Tennis and padel should be friends and can help each other grow, and Mindspring has the tools to make it happen.
- Be present. Be where you are and when you are, because it is always now.
Mindspring Padel has carved out a distinctive niche. One of the greatest challenges aspiring padel club owners face is securing suitable and profitable real estate for their clubs. This has led to a significant imbalance between the supply and demand for padel courts, particularly in markets such as the US, the UK, Germany, and France. Meanwhile, many sports facilities, including tennis clubs, often have unused or underutilized space that could be repurposed to address this growing demand.
Mindspring Padel launched in March 2024, debuting with a groundbreaking business model. The company provides clubs with a unique, risk-free approach to integrating padel, ensuring a seamless addition that benefits the club and its members.
Their approach is simple: bridge the gap between tennis and padel. “Padel is the new kid on the block,” Craig explained, “but it’s here to complement, not compete.” Mindspring’s partnerships allow tennis clubs to revitalize their memberships, attract new players and get the buzz going.
Synergy, Not Competition
The introduction of padel courts into tennis clubs has proven transformative. Many clubs face declining memberships and struggle to appeal to younger audiences. Padel offers an exciting, accessible solution that doesn’t require reinventing the wheel.
Padel is not a threat to tennis—it can help it grow.
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With three padel courts fitting into the footprint of a single tennis court, it’s also a smart real estate play. Padel courts draw in new members, getting people signed up for courses and eventually moving on to tennis. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” Craig said.
While some view padel as a rival to tennis, Craig offered a more nuanced perspective. “People are naturally threatened by the new,” he said. Yet the data speaks clear: while the number of padel players is growing exponentially—often outpacing tennis in some regions—the tennis industry is flourishing like never before, thanks in part to padel’s popularity.
Today, padel is bigger than tennis in Spain, yet, tennis is stronger than ever.
“Padel brings people to clubs and gets them into racket sports. Once they’re there, they’re just as likely to pick up a tennis racket,” Craig noted. This dynamic highlights the complementary relationship between the two sports, which Mindspring is working hard to foster. For Craig, the guiding pathos is the love for sports.
How it’s done
Mindspring has a proven process to ensure efficient planning and execution of the integration of padel into clubs. Generally, the process breaks down into five principal steps:
- Project evaluation and contracting between the Club and MSP
- Site evaluation and construction plan
- Court construction
- Club training, promotion to the community & launch event(s)
- Performance tracking and advising once the courts are open
It’s always now
Mindspring Padel represents more than just a business—it’s a vision for connection, growth, and shared success. By blending tennis and padel in a way that uplifts both sports, Craig Thompson and his team are not just solving a problem; they’re creating an opportunity.
If your club is considering adding padel courts, Mindspring’s risk-free, turnkey model could be the game-changer you’ve been looking for. And while you’re at it, remember Craig’s advice: Be present, because it is always now.
