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 "text": "# Kroon Padel \u00d7 Fernhill Creative \u2014 market brief\n\n**Research cut-off: 19 October 2026.** Figures are kept to their source definitions; estimates, registered players and active-player measures should not be presented as interchangeable.\n\n## 1. Netherlands market size\n\n- **876,000 people** played padel at least once during 2025, while approximately **424,000 played monthly** under the NOC*NSF definition.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n- **343,121 players were registered or otherwise known to the KNLTB** through a padel membership or KNLTB play, an increase of **10% in 2025**.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n- At year-end 2025, the Netherlands had **3,523 courts at 780 locations**, comprising 329 commercial centres and 451 associations.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n- Courts increased from 2,828 in 2024 to 3,523 in 2025, or **+25%**, while locations increased from 677 to 780, or **+15%**.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n- Growth is nevertheless becoming more controlled: the report says annual court and location growth rates are declining, although they remain in double digits, and demand for playing capacity continues to outpace location growth.[1][2] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n\n**Most authoritative source:** the KNLTB/EY *Padel in Cijfers 2025* report.[1] The KNLTB is the national federation, and the participation estimate incorporates NOC*NSF data rather than relying solely on bookings.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n\n## 2. Flanders and Belgium\n\n### Flanders\n\n- Tennis and Padel Vlaanderen reported **106,917 registered padel players in 2025**, up **17.35% year on year**.[3] ([tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl](https://tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl/archief/mailing-4547612.html))\n- The latest exact federation court count I could verify is **1,543 courts in 2024**, versus 1,455 in 2023 and 1,328 in 2022.[4] ([docs.vlaamsparlement.be](https://docs.vlaamsparlement.be/pfile?id=2123643))\n- The Flemish government subsequently reported that padel infrastructure grew another **6% during 2025**, but its published text does not provide the resulting exact court total.[5] ([vlaanderen.be](https://www.vlaanderen.be/statistiek-vlaanderen/sport/sportinfrastructuur))\n\n### Belgium as a whole\n\n- The FIP\u2019s October 2025 estimate was **2,150 courts across 561 clubs**, serving an estimated 480,000 amateur players.[6] ([padelfip.com](https://www.padelfip.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIP-WPR-2025_DIGITAL.pdf?utm_source=openai))\n- I could not verify a current, consolidated Belgium-wide licensed-player total that combines the Flemish and francophone federations, so the **106,917 Flemish federation players should not be labelled as a Belgium-wide figure**.\n\n**Growth conclusion:** player growth remains strong, but court growth is no longer running at the original boom pace. Flemish court growth declined from approximately **9.6% in 2023 to 6.0% in 2024**, and remained around **6% in 2025**, while registered player growth was still 17.35% in 2025.[3][4][5] ([tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl](https://tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl/archief/mailing-4547612.html))\n\n## 3. Global context\n\nThe Playtomic/Strategy& *Global Padel Report 2026* counts **58,334 courts worldwide at the end of 2025**, after 7,898 courts were added during the year, representing **16% year-on-year growth**.[7] ([8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net](https://8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8258038/Global%20Padel%20Report/Playtomic%20Global%20Padel%20Report%202026-1.pdf?utm_source=openai))\n\nIt classifies both **the Netherlands and Belgium as \u201cThe Sweet Spot\u201d**: markets with relatively balanced ecosystems and stable local demand, allowing continued growth without the saturation pressure seen in post-boom markets.[7] ([8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net](https://8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8258038/Global%20Padel%20Report/Playtomic%20Global%20Padel%20Report%202026-1.pdf?utm_source=openai))\n\nA newer federation report was published by FIP on **14 October 2026** and reports more than **91,200 courts worldwide**, up 20.4%.[8] ([padelfip.com](https://www.padelfip.com/2026/10/fip-world-padel-report-2026-is-online-more-than-40-million-players-courts-up-by-20-and-a-new-study-on-economic-impact-e8-6-billion-in-gdp/)) The FIP and Playtomic totals use different reference periods and methodologies, so the investor deck should identify the publisher and date rather than combining them.[7][8] ([8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net](https://8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8258038/Global%20Padel%20Report/Playtomic%20Global%20Padel%20Report%202026-1.pdf?utm_source=openai))\n\n## 4. Who plays in the Netherlands\n\nAmong KNLTB-registered players, the gender split has stabilised at approximately **65% men and 35% women**.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n\nThe largest age group is **25\u201334 years**.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n\n## 5. Olympic angle\n\nThe premise in the brief is incorrect: **padel has not been added to the LA28 Olympic programme**.[9][10] ([la28.org](https://la28.org/en/games-plan.html?utm_source=openai))\n\nThe five additional LA28 sports approved by the IOC were baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash; padel was not among them.[10] ([newsroom.olympics.com](https://newsroom.olympics.com/record/1285?utm_source=openai)) Consequently, there are **no Olympic padel competition or qualification dates for 2028**.\n\nThe broader LA28 dates are:\n\n- **Opening Ceremony:** 14 July 2028.[11] ([la28.org](https://la28.org/en/newsroom/LA28_Announces_Games_Dates.html?utm_source=openai))\n- **Olympic Games:** 14\u201330 July 2028.[11] ([la28.org](https://la28.org/en/newsroom/LA28_Announces_Games_Dates.html?utm_source=openai))\n- **Paralympic Games:** 15\u201327 August 2028.[11] ([la28.org](https://la28.org/en/newsroom/LA28_Announces_Games_Dates.html?utm_source=openai))\n\nKroon should not describe its campaign, products or athletes as connected to \u201cOlympic padel\u201d unless the programme changes officially.\n\n## 6. Equipment market\n\nI could not locate or verify a Deloitte publication titled *Benelux Padel Outlook 2026*, nor could I substantiate the claimed **\u20ac212 million Dutch equipment market**. Therefore, **no valid page number can be supplied and the figure should not enter the investor deck**.\n\nThe relevant Deloitte publication I could verify is the 2023 *Global Padel Report*, produced with Playtomic; it discussed an approximately \u20ac2 billion global ecosystem and projected a \u20ac6 billion global industry by 2026, not a \u20ac212 million Dutch equipment market.[12] ([deloitte.com](https://www.deloitte.com/es/es/services/consulting/analysis/global-padel-report.html?utm_source=openai))\n\n## 7. Racket-brand market shares\n\nI found **no public, auditable source for 2025 Dutch racket unit or revenue shares** for Bullpadel, Head, Adidas, Babolat, Nox or other brands.\n\nThe KNLTB/EY report covers participation, demographics and infrastructure but not equipment sell-through by brand.[1] The Playtomic/Strategy& report discusses global equipment growth but does not publish 2025 Netherlands brand shares.[7] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n\nThese shares therefore **cannot be verified and should not be estimated from webshop assortments, search popularity, professional-player sponsorships or anecdotal club visibility**.\n\n## 8. Two campaign implications\n\n1. **Lead with the 25\u201334 audience, but use inclusive creative.** This is the largest registered age segment, while women already represent 35% of registered Dutch players; a men-only positioning would unnecessarily narrow the addressable audience.[1] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n\n2. **Position Kroon as a credible new brand for a maturing but still-expanding market\u2014not as an Olympic brand.** The Netherlands and Belgium remain growing \u201cSweet Spot\u201d markets, but the Olympic claim is factually unavailable; club trials, venue partnerships and product demonstrations offer a defensible launch platform grounded in actual participation and court growth.[1][3][7][9] ([knltb.nl](https://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf))\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] KNLTB/EY, *Padel in Cijfers 2025*:  \nhttps://www.knltb.nl/media/xvtejmk4/eyxknltb_padel_in_cijfers-2025.pdf\n\n[2] KNLTB, \u201cKNLTB en EY presenteren tweede editie Padel in Cijfers\u201d:  \nhttps://www.knltb.nl/nieuws/2026/03/knltb-en-ey-presenteren-tweede-editie-padel-in-cijfers/\n\n[3] Tennis en Padel Vlaanderen, \u201cRecordjaar voor Tennis en Padel Vlaanderen\u201d:  \nhttps://tennisvlaanderen.m9.mailplus.nl/archief/mailing-4547612.html\n\n[4] Vlaams Parlement, written question no. 284:  \nhttps://docs.vlaamsparlement.be/pfile?id=2123643\n\n[5] Statistiek Vlaanderen, \u201cSportinfrastructuur\u201d:  \nhttps://www.vlaanderen.be/statistiek-vlaanderen/sport/sportinfrastructuur\n\n[6] FIP, *World Padel Report 2025*:  \nhttps://www.padelfip.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIP-WPR-2025_DIGITAL.pdf\n\n[7] Playtomic/Strategy&, *Global Padel Report 2026*:  \nhttps://8258038.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8258038/Global%20Padel%20Report/Playtomic%20Global%20Padel%20Report%202026-1.pdf\n\n[8] FIP, \u201cFIP World Padel Report 2026 is online\u201d:  \nhttps://www.padelfip.com/2026/10/fip-world-padel-report-2026-is-online-more-than-40-million-players-courts-up-by-20-and-a-new-study-on-economic-impact-e8-6-billion-in-gdp/\n\n[9] LA28, official Games Plan and sports list:  \nhttps://la28.org/en/games-plan.html\n\n[10] IOC, \u201cIOC Session approves LA28\u2019s proposal for five additional sports\u201d:  \nhttps://newsroom.olympics.com/record/1285\n\n[11] LA28, \u201cLA28 Announces Official Games Dates\u201d:  \nhttps://la28.org/en/newsroom/LA28_Announces_Games_Dates.html\n\n[12] Deloitte, *Global Padel Report 2023*:  \nhttps://www.deloitte.com/es/es/services/consulting/analysis/global-padel-report.html"
}