Three of the foremost and pioneering institutions in padel – Premier Padel (the world’s leading professional padel tour majority-owned by the Qatar Sports Investments), the Hexagon Cup (the groundbreaking team franchise padel competition and entertainment event launched and inspired by a group of people that founded the Formula E [an open-wheel single-seater motorsport championship for electric cars] and operated and managed by an elite group of padel and sports industry professionals) and the International Padel Federation (FIP – the governing body of padel worldwide and overseeing nearly 100 national federations globally) have announced a strategic partnership aimed at supercharging the growth of padel worldwide.
Padel, also sometimes called padel tennis, is a racket sport of Mexican origin typically played in doubles on an enclosed court slightly smaller than a doubles tennis court.
Doha (Qatar)-based the Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) is a strategic, long-term private investment vehicle targeting established and early-stage sports assets. The QSI adds value through hands-on, expert- driven management and innovative capital solutions. The QSI was founded in 2004 and is one of the foremost groups in world sport investing in and operating assets in the sports sector across the globe.
‘premierpadel.com’ stated that the strategic partnership will encompass a range of collaborations, initiatives and projects drawing on the experience, networks and connections of all the groups to drive the development of padel globally.
In the immediate term, Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup will promote each others’ existing events while the Hexagon Cup has already started the process of becoming a recognized FIP tournament. In addition, the parties will explore a further expansion of the Hexagon Cup circuit – which currently comprises one single tournament in Madrid (Spain) – in new and emerging padel territories worldwide.
‘premierpadel.com’ further stated that a second immediate project is the delivery of the first-ever FIP Intercontinental Cup taking place in Europe this Summer where the Hexagon Cup team has been appointed by the FIP to be a partner of the event. The tournament, which will also be supported by the Premier Padel, will see further details – including date, venue and name of the tournament – in the coming months.
At the highest level, the Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup will merge their strong foundations in the world of sports and entertainment to work on a range of initiatives aimed at launching new tournament concepts, brands and ideas (including at potential motorsport and football events) all geared towards raising awareness of the sport, engaging new audiences and markets and ultimately supporting the FIP’s Olympic pathway for padel.
Underscored Luigi Carraro, President of the International Padel Federation (FIP), “This strategic partnership between the Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup is an important milestone for the development of professional and amateur padel – bringing together institutions that support the whole ecosystem of the sport and who focus on the collective interests. The International Padel Federation looks forward to working with both Premier Padel and Hexagon Cup to enhance opportunities for women’s, men’s and the youth players worldwide and supporting our Olympic ambitions in the coming years.”
Added Enrique Buenaventura, Founder of Hexagon Cup, “We want to take padel to a new level internationally and this is why we are so excited about this alliance with the Premier Padel. Together, with the support of the FIP, we have the shared goal of globalizing the sport and achieving its Olympic inclusion at the earliest opportunity. In three years, Premier Padel has elevated the sport worldwide – a remarkable achievement built on dedication and excellence. We are very proud to have recently delivered a successful second edition of the Hexagon Cup – and through this partnership we will work together to expand the sport by organizing the events in the key territories where the fan base is growing and accelerating its development.”
Commented David Sugden, head honcho, Premier Padel, “We are delighted to become partners with Hexagon Cup – an organization that shares our values together with our commitment to excellence and innovation across sport and entertainment. Our collective mission is to support the International Padel Federation elevate the sport on a global scale and our world-class teams will work on a range of creative collaborations, initiatives and projects for the benefit of all the players, the fans and the whole padel ecosystem to support the sport’s continued growth.”
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