IAPF Rebrands as International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities (IAPPF), leading the development of the pickleball and padel industries.
SEATTLE, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The International Association of Pickleball Facilities (IAPF), the leading global trade association for pickleball facilities, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders, today announced a bold expansion into padel—one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide. As part of this strategic move, IAPF is rebranding as the International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities (IAPPF) and naming Conquer Padel as the Founding Partner and Sponsor for padel.
Conquer Padel, the trailblazing U.S. padel club franchise, will work closely with IAPPF to create a unified industry platform that fosters growth, innovation, and collaboration across both racquet sports. The two organizations will jointly advance facility development, build supplier networks, educate investors, connect global stakeholders, host events, and promote best practices.
"A number of our existing members already operate both pickleball and padel courts. With padel surging in the U.S. and thriving globally, this is the right moment to bring both sports together under one roof," said David Johnson, Founder and CEO of IAPPF.
"Padel shares many of the same infrastructure challenges and opportunities as pickleball. This partnership helps create the professional backbone both sports need to succeed," said Johnson, a celebrated pioneer and leader in the pickleball industry who co-founded Pickleball Central - the largest online pickleball retailer.
The IAPPF now represents hundreds of member facilities, manufacturers, investors, and service providers across the racquet sports sector.
Conquer Padel, founded by entrepreneurs Enrique Gracia, Barry Falcon and Tom Konkowski, is aggressively expanding padel's presence across North America through franchising and turnkey development solutions. As Founding Padel Sponsor of IAPPF, Conquer will bring deep expertise, resources, and global connections to support the development of the padel ecosystem.
"Our vision has always been to boost the padel movement in America," said Enrique Gracia, Co-founder and CEO of Conquer Padel. "By partnering with IAPPF, we gain a global platform to help shape the future of the sport—from grassroots awareness to world-class facility design."
"This is a pivotal moment for racquet sports in the U.S.," added Tom Konkowski, Co-founder and COO of Conquer Padel. "With 30M+ players globally and U.S. court growth tripling in two years, Padel isn't just a trend—it's a global phenomenon. Together with IAPPF, we will help ensure every stakeholder—from investors and suppliers to players and pros—has a seat at the table."
The newly rebranded IAPPF will work with Conquer Padel and other experts to rapidly develop and share a vast array of resources with members including best practices, white papers, data, supplier directories and other online content; create working groups; stage industry events; and other activities focused on padel.
Upcoming events already scheduled include regional meetups in Boston June 20, Chicago July 18, Fort Lauderdale August 22, and the first annual International Pickleball and Padel Facilities Conference on October 2–3, 2025.
Media Contact
Josh Kerns, International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities, 1 206-920-1482, [email protected], https://pickleballfacilities.org
SOURCE International Association of Pickleball and Padel Facilities
Share this article