NYC's first and dominant padel operator. $18M raised, profitable at Series B, 20,000+ players hosted, expanding nationally. The proof that this market works — and that there's room for what comes next.
From zero to NYC's dominant padel brand in under 4 years.
Padel Haus broke even at its first location and confirmed demand in a market with zero padel awareness. They then scaled to 3 NYC locations and national expansion — all funded by demonstrating unit economics at location 1. This is the exact playbook PlayPala is following, starting in Brooklyn with a lower price point and a larger addressable market.
The story of how a pandemic and a sport changed a city.
Santiago Gomez grew up in Mexico City playing padel competitively. Before founding Padel Haus, he worked in investment banking at UBS (2009–2012), then co-founded the acclaimed restaurant Cosme (World's 50 Best, NYT 3-star) with Chef Enrique Olvera. During COVID lockdowns he returned to Mexico, rediscovered padel, and realized NYC — the world's most active sports city — had not a single padel court.
Gomez identified the gap not as a sports fan, but as a business operator with hospitality and finance experience. He built Padel Haus as a premium lifestyle brand from day one — the pricing, the design, the membership model — all borrowed from high-end hospitality. The result validated the premium end of the market. PlayPala's opportunity is the accessible end that Padel Haus intentionally left open.
Two institutional rounds, strategic investors from sports and tennis, and a confirmed profitable business.
AO Ventures — the investment arm of Tennis Australia and the Australian Open — put money into Padel Haus in January 2026. Tennis Australia managing a $40M fund specifically to bet on padel's growth is one of the strongest institutional signals the market has seen. Their GP noted: "We have closely followed Padel Haus for the past few years and been impressed with Santiago's ability to repeatably execute on building premium venues."
Four years, six permanent locations, and a stated goal of 35+ clubs across the US.
307 Kent Ave, Brooklyn. 4 indoor courts, 16,000 sqft. NYC's first padel club. Broke even and turned profit at this location — proof the market exists from zero.
Seasonal outdoor courts at Domino Park waterfront. Then permanent Dumbo location (257 Water St) — 4 indoor courts, 24,000 sqft. Hosted inaugural US Open Padel Championships 2024.
12 Berry St, 5 indoor courts, 20,000 sqft. Upon opening, Gomez stated: "The opening of our Greenpoint club marks the closing of the door for us opening further sites in Brooklyn, as we now turn our attention to national expansion."
Nashville flagship: 8 courts, 39,000 sqft, Gibson Guitar Lounge. Atlanta: 6 courts, 24,500 sqft — hosted 2025 US Open Padel Championships with $35,000 prize fund. Series B closes oversubscribed in July 2025.
Denver announced (2501 Welton St, 5 courts, 24,000 sqft). Goal: 35+ clubs nationally. Gomez has explicitly said Brooklyn is complete — creating a clear lane for community-first operators like PlayPala.
| Location | Opened | Courts | Sq Ft | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamsburg, NYC 307 Kent Ave | July 2022 | 4 indoor | 16,000 | First NYC padel club; profitable from day 1 |
| Domino Park, NYC Williamsburg waterfront | May 2023 | 3 outdoor | — | Seasonal pop-up; brand visibility play |
| Dumbo, NYC 257 Water St | August 2023 | 4 indoor | 24,000 | US Open Padel Championships host (2024) |
| Greenpoint, NYC 12 Berry St | October 2024 | 5 indoor | 20,000 | "Final Brooklyn location" per CEO |
| Nashville, TN 2807 Grandview Ave | April 2025 | 8 indoor | 39,000 | Gibson Guitar Lounge; Aescape recovery |
| Atlanta, GA 950 W. Marietta St NW | Mid 2025 | 6 indoor | 24,500 | 2025 US Open host; $35K prize fund |
| Denver, CO 2501 Welton St | TBD 2026 | 5 indoor | 24,000 | Announced; opening TBD |
Padel Haus has never competed on price. Their model validates the premium end — and leaves the accessible market wide open.
| Period | Non-Member Court Rate | Membership | Initiation Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch 2022 | $55/person/hr ($220/court/hr) | $150/mo | $490 |
| 2023–2024 | $65/person/hr peak ($40 off-peak) | $155/mo | $490 |
| Current (2025–26) | $70/person/hr ($280/court/hr) | $155–210/mo | $490 |
At $70/person/hr, a group of 4 pays $420 for a 90-minute session at Padel Haus. PlayPala's $120/court/hr peak = $30/person/hr — less than half the cost. Padel Haus has proven demand exists at $70/person. PlayPala captures everyone who wants to play but won't pay $70 per session — which, per the NYT, is most people.
Once someone plays padel three times, they almost never stop. This is the single most important number in the entire investment thesis — for Padel Haus and for PlayPala. The product creates its own retention. The business challenge is getting people to play the first time, and the second. That's exactly what accessible pricing and AI-powered matchmaking solve.
| Partner / Investor | Type | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| AO Ventures (Tennis Australia / Australian Open) | Strategic investor | $40M fund specifically for padel; invested Jan 2026 |
| David Blitzer (Bolt Ventures) | Lead investor, Series B | Co-owner, NJ Devils & Philadelphia 76ers |
| Mario Gabelli | Investor, Series B | Legendary value investor |
| NFL/MLS/NHL athletes | Investors, Series B | Pro sports crossover; player adoption signal |
| US Padel Association | Official host partner | 3-year agreement; US Open host 2024 + 2025 |
| Gibson Guitar | Brand partner | Exclusive "Gibson Lounge" at Nashville |
| Pro Padel League | Market tailwind | NYC season opener July 2026; $25M raised |
NYC is a viable padel market from zero. Demand builds itself once courts exist. Retention is exceptional. Investors will back it. National expansion works. The sport grows the market for everyone.
Padel Haus CEO explicitly stated Brooklyn is done for them. Their pricing ($70/person/hr) excludes the majority of NYC residents. They have no community matchmaking solution. They serve the elite — not the everyday New Yorker who the NYT quoted directly: "the only thing preventing all of us from playing more is the price."
We're not competing with Padel Haus. We're serving the market they created and then priced out. Brooklyn is our focus — which they've abandoned. Our pricing ($120/court/hr = $30/person/hr) is less than half of Padel Haus at the per-person level. The tailwind they built, the press they generated, the players they introduced to the sport — all of it flows downstream to PlayPala.