048 Ben Nichols on Building the Business of Padel

Episode 48 of the Sports Business Leaders Podcast features Ben Nichols, one of the most respected communications executives in global sport and the founder of Padel 22, the world’s first marketing and communications consultancy dedicated entirely to padel.Ben has led communications during some of the highest-stakes moments in international sport, including overseeing media relations at the World Anti-Doping Agency during the Russian doping scandal and helping reshape the global perception of the Commonwealth Games. Today, he applies those same leadership and storytelling principles to one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.In this episode, we discuss:How Ben identified the right moment to build a business in an emerging global sportWhy storytelling is a competitive advantage for founders raising capital and forming partnershipsThe business mechanics behind padel’s rapid growth across clubs, events, investors, and infrastructureHow community and culture are accelerating adoption beyond traditional sports audiencesThis episode provides tons of value for sports entrepreneurs, investors, and executives looking to understand how new sports ecosystems are built and how strong communication drives growth.