WHY DO PEOPLE PLAY PADEL?

Ray Algar – a leading physical activity and fitness strategist and researcher – has published a comprehensive UK Padel Report. In it, he says that discovering the motivations behind so many people falling in love with padel can tell us a lot about the future of padel

As a lifelong racket sports player, I find it fascinating to explore the rise of padel in the UK, not just by playing the game but also by researching its growth and community. When I set out to develop the UK Padel Report, one question stood out: What is it about padel that makes people want to come back? It is essential to understand motivation – why people play and what keeps them engaged. In an abundant and diverse exercise landscape, padel appears to be doing something different.

Understanding why people play

To explore what motivates people to play padel, we invited players aged 16 and over from across the UK to complete a detailed survey. In total, 302 players participated, a robust and meaningful sample given the relative size of the UK padel-playing community. While national opinion polls often use samples of 1,000 or more, those populations are in the tens of millions.

The study used the Motives for Physical Activity Measure, a validated 30-statement psychological instrument widely used in sport and exercise science. It assesses motivation across five domains: 1 Interest/enjoyment 2 Competence 3 Fitness 4 Social connection 5 Physical appearance The findings provide important insights into the psychological drivers behind participation and what they might mean for long-term engagement in padel.

Intrinsic motivation: the core driver of retention

The data tells a consistent story: padel players are motivated by the experience. Enjoyment and skill development emerge as the strongest drivers, with fitness also playing a supporting role. These are all intrinsic motivations, which means people participate because the activity is inherently satisfying, not due to any external reward.

Social connection contributes yet remains secondary to enjoyment and competence. Appearance is a common motivator in gym settings, but ranks lowest in padel. This underscores that players are not showing up to look better, but to feel better through play, progress, and belonging. Our gender analysis shows that women place slightly more value on fitness and competence and score marginally higher on social motivation. This suggests that padel’s blend of health, learning, and community is particularly resonant with female players.

Padel players show up not to look better, but to feel better through play, progress, and belonging

The real opportunity now is to move beyond generic, one-size-fits-all programming. By understanding the different motivational profiles across age, gender, and experience levels, clubs and coaches can better tailor their environments, from how sessions are structured to the tone of their communications. Motivation is not fixed, and the more closely padel aligns with what matters to each player, the more likely they are to stay.

The contrast with the gym sector

In the gym sector, member retention remains a persistent challenge. Some studies show that 12-month member retention is around 52% (Dr Paul Bedford). This is often linked to extrinsic motivations, such as exercising for appearance goals or guilt, which tend to fade. In contrast, padel offers experiential loyalty: people play because they enjoy it, feel progress, and want to return. That difference makes padel a more durable and self-sustaining form of physical activity, which is a compelling public health story.

Policy

WHAT ARE PEOPLE GIVING UP TO PLAY PADEL?

Padel is not simply something players are adding to their schedules—for many, it is replacing other activities. We found that 29% had reduced their time at the gym or in fitness classes, while 22% had cut back on tennis. Even leisure habits like watching TV (20%) and socialising (10%) were substituted for padel. This substitution behaviour highlights padel’s increasing significance in people’s lives. It is not just about fitting it in; it is being prioritised.

Designing for what truly motivates

As padel continues to grow, clubs and coaches must not just attract players but also keep them engaged. Our research reinforces a clear message: players stay when the experience is fun, purposeful, and intrinsically rewarding. That means designing sessions, pricing models, and environments that reflect what really matters to different players, whether it is joy, learning, social connection, or a sense of progress. Motivation is not one-size-fits-all. The full UK Padel Report explores these themes in greater depth.

This article draws on research published in the UK Padel Report, authored by Ray Algar of Oxygen Consulting.

Algar is the founder of Oxygen Consulting, which provides strategic insight, research, and advisory services to the global health, fitness and wellbeing industry. He is collaborating with Espalier Ventures to develop a network of community padel centres under the Ikigai Padel brand, focused on delivering social value through inclusivity, physical activity and public health.

Published in May 2025, the UK Padel Report offers the most comprehensive national analysis of player motivation, participation trends and infrastructure development. It also examines court pricing models and includes an in-depth review of the UK’s leading padel operators. The 94-page report is available for immediate download for £250 plus VAT, accessible via the following link: https://oxygen-consulting.co.uk/knowledge-store