CSS Podcast Ep. 94 - Ben Nichols, Founder/CEO of The 22

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Ben Nichols, founder and CEO of The 22. Known as “Mr. Padel,” Ben has helped elevate the sport’s profile internationally over the past four years, taking “brand padel” from a relatively unknown concept in the UK to audiences through Forbes, the Financial Times, The New York Times, CNN International, and the BBC.Ben founded the world’s first padel agency, co-founded the Anglo American Padel Cup (also known as the “Ryder Cup of Padel”), developed Insider 22, a leading community for padel entrepreneurs, and serves as an on-screen contributor and executive producer for Travel Racket, a mainstream production focused on the sport. His work has earned him the Padel Ambassador Award at the inaugural British Padel Awards and recognition as a finalist for the Sport Industry Awards.Before entering the world of padel, Ben led global media relations for the World Anti-Doping Agency during the Russian Doping Crisis, considered one of the biggest sporting scandals of the 21st century, and was featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary Icarus in 2018. Now relocating to the United States, Ben is focused on helping build the American padel market while exploring what makes the sport—and the culture surrounding it—so unique.Ben discusses his role with The 22, a summary of the sport of padel, its history and the growth of a lesser-known sport, the challenges of building a sport from a business perspective, how padel fits within modern consumer and sports industry trends, the development of padel in the U.S. market, and his favorite memories of working in international sports.