Inside WME’s Padel Strategy: Celebrities, Brands, and the Next Generation

What does one of the biggest representation agencies in the world see in padel?

In this episode, Cesc and Julian sit down with Daniel Dios from WME Sports to break down how global brands are entering padel, why celebrity involvement matters, what makes a player commercially valuable, and why Arturo Coello became a key fit for WME’s vision.

Daniel takes us inside WME’s approach to the sport, explaining the three layers they focus on — pros, celebrities, and funds — and how those groups help accelerate padel’s growth in emerging markets. He also shares how major brands like On and Rolex were educated on the opportunity in padel, why those deals do not happen overnight, and what brands are really looking for before they commit.

This conversation also goes deeper into the future of the sport in the United States, the need for stronger infrastructure, the rise of celebrity-driven interest, and why the next generation of padel players must be more than just talented on court. According to Daniel, the future belongs to athletes who can perform, communicate, represent brands well, and become true role models.

If you care about the business of padel, brand partnerships, player representation, and the future growth of the sport worldwide, this is an interview you do not want to miss.

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Our business realistically works
in like three layers, pros,

celebrities, and funds, right?

These are kind of the three profiles
that we see in the sport on the pro side.

As we said, we represent Arturo,
coo, and now we're in the process of

signing two top, uh, female players.

Hey everyone.

We're here with Daniel Deals,
WME Sports Director, so probably

nobody knows what's WME.

Why did you explain first?

What's WME Sports?

Well, nice to meet you guys.

Nice to be here with you.

WME stands for William Morrison
Endeavor, which is the biggest, uh,

representation agency in the world.

So under that umbrella, it's
players like Carlos Raz, uh, on the

paddle division, Arturo Coyo, Lewis
Hamilton, Charlie Chin, you name it.

We represent everything in the
space of the entertainment.

And then, uh.

On, on the paddle side also, because
you guys have been doing events with

paddle celebrities and, and paddle
players, and I know the F1 drivers and,

and you know, actors and actresses.

Tell us a little bit about those,
those, you know, those, uh,

ambassadors of the sport and more
importantly, did they already know

about paddle or did you introduce 'em?

Well, a little bit of
everything, to be honest.

I mean, our business realistically
works in like three layers, pros,

celebrities, and funds, right?

These are kind of the three profiles
that we see in the sport on the pro side.

As we said, we represent our Touro,
and now we're in the process of

signing two top, uh, female players.

Oh wow.

That will be announced very soon.

Can you imagine it or not yet?

Not yet.

All your horses.

Um, but also there is a very
interesting element that on the, on

the celebrity space, we have seen a
ton of, um, famous people that are

in love, as you know, with the sport.

So ultimately, in new markets, these
celebrities are kind of the connectors

between fans and pros, uh, in new
markets, as you well known, sometimes

not many fans know who the pros
are, but if the celebrities play it.

Then they start raising questions.

So these celebrities have turned
into an accelerator for fans

to be closer to, to the sport.

So we are kind of, um, creating
these type of events that connects

fans, celebrities, and pros.

Why?

Because ultimately this equation, uh,
works pretty well for global brands.

And our job, when we started the
division around two years ago, um,

had one simple mission to try to break
the endemic world in the paddle space.

Uh, as we know the paddle brands
and start inviting global brands,

non-endemic brands, uh, into the sport.

So this kind of formula seems
to be working pretty well.

So how in this world did you
get Coello with Rolex and on,

which is top two leading brands,
luxury brands in the world?

It, it, it just doesn't
happen at night, overnight.

I mean, it's a long process.

First of all, there is a
very strong educational job.

From our division towards these brands
that we currently work with, uh, on

the tennis industry, we represent, I
dunno, 45 players of the top a hundred.

And many of them have existing
sponsor agreements with on.

So we are just basically highlighting
the opportunity, um, respecting

differences between tennis and paddle.

Um, so little by little we
start driving confidence and

clear entry points for them.

To start testing the waters.

So when we presented the opportunity
on, on, um, they started liking

the idea at first the stages.

They said, you know what, Danny,
it's still fairly small for us, uh,

but little by little they saw that
there was a very strong opportunity

to take a leading position in
the market at a very affordable

cost compared to all the sports.

Uh, and of course, who better than
the world number one, Arturo Coyo

to be, uh, a global ambassador.

Right after, when, when on made
this statement to get into the

sport on and Rolex are fairly close.

Uh, there's many on players in tennis
that are also sponsored by Rolex.

So we did the same due to our network.

Uh, with these brands.

We build a confidence for them to own
a part of the sport, um, with an iconic

player, which is our tour in this case.

So, but it didn't happen overnight.

I mean, these conversations were
ongoing for one year at least.

Until the, they managed
just to step into the sport.

And luckily they're very excited about
it because you have to be careful from,

from WME, we work with a lot of athletes.

So if we are given the wrong steps, that
could get back to us like a boomerang

in all the divisions of the sport.

So we have to be very careful and
very cautious about advising for

these companies to get into the sport.

So, I mean, this is the first
beautiful sign, you know,

of the growth of the sport.

What do you need to see for that to
trickle down to the rest of the players

and to the growth of the sport, obviously?

Well, I mean, first of all, the
good thing that Paddle has is that

from a participation perspective,
it's growing like no other bigger

than, than any other sport.

I mean, 26% annually multiplying its
numbers every four to five years,

nine clubs being open every day.

This is kind of pretty healthy science.

Um, and this is what ultimately connects
with global brands and consumers.

Brands want to reach end consumers.

They might not be able to reach it on
the professional side because as we

know, sometimes still the impact of these
events at a global scale is limited.

I mean, how many people watch Premier
Paddle in the United States or China?

Or the uk, but how many end consumers are
participating in US, in China, in, in uk,

this is the number that is really growing.

So creating a strategy that allows these
brands to reach end consumers is vital.

And for that, of course,
intelligence is required.

So this is kind of we, the way in
for these brands, high caliber brands

to get into the sport is not always
just to go through the same vertical,

through the same funnel, but just to.

Spot the right opportunity at the
right level of this, of these three

layer, uh, pyramid for them to
connect with the real consumers.

So Daniel, what, where do you see,
I mean, the 26 growth worldwide.

It's, it's crazy.

Where do you see the United
States stands in that growth?

It's still early stages.

I mean, United States is developing
at an infrastructure level.

I will say still, uh, we need
clubs being built outside.

The, the, the leading states, Florida,
Miami, Texas, um, still more schools.

Exactly.

It needs to reach more states, uh, for,
for this structure to be available to

participants and then for participants
to take paddle as a, as a regular habit.

So it's still, I think, on
an infrastructure stage.

Um, this is great because
this offers the opportunity to

business owners, uh, investors.

To invest in the infrastructure
of the sport, setting the right

foundations for the sport, rather than
thinking about the gold rush, right?

The money opportunity, because
we've seen in the past that this

is, this can be, uh, boomerang
towards this, this entrepreneurs.

So it's a great opportunity for
United States to say the foundations

of the sport to really understand
how these business operates, and

then we will see strong success.

But also we will see some failures.

I mean, we've seen it before in
the past, so people really need to

carry in United States to set the
foundations of the sport conveniently.

Um, then we're going to see a
huge boom, no question about that.

As we are seeing, for example,
in Asia, some, some people are

always focusing in United States.

United States, but in Asia,
realistically the sport is booming

like no other in Thailand, in
Indonesia, uh, it's, it's unreal.

So, yeah.

So, and, and the WME.

Where, how fast and how strong it's
getting involved into the capital market.

Little by little we're not rushing.

Um, sometimes when things grow
quick, there is a lot of noise.

There is a lot of smoke around growth.

So we decided just to step back, um,
trust on the long-term project that we

have in mind and in our pipeline, and
making sure that we can support those

entities, uh, investors, brands that
are really here for the right reason.

And help them to navigate
their way into the sport.

Sport is new.

Not many brands know
how to tackle the sport.

So we are there just to support.

We're not here just to fight with anybody.

That's why on the representation business,
we are really going very slow, very picky.

It's not our goal just
to, just to create fights.

Um, and this is how we believe that you
create true connections, partnerships,

and then mostly how you develop confidence
with the main players to make sure that.

Not only we're helping the brands, but
we're also helping the sport itself.

I think that these big players, this
is what the sport also needs, rather

than short term thinking, which is what
we unfortunately see very often, so.

So now I see a lot of synergy between
the celebrities and paddle, right?

And I see a lot of the celebrities
receiving paddle, you know,

they're receiving it really well.

Is that the plan and, and how
important is that for paddles

to grow here in the US side?

It, it's very important.

I mean, paddle in that space
sits more on the lifestyle.

Yeah.

Space, right?

Yeah.

Uh, and lifestyle is something
very appreciated for brands.

So when you put all those ingredients on
the table, and especially we have one,

one incredible thing, that Paddle has
this magic effect that works by itself.

So when you put the people on the
court, then the pattern magic happens.

Yeah.

People get obsessed.

People get excited.

People wanna play more and more and more.

I mean, we've seen celebrities like.

Like, I mean even Tom Holland or
Christiano Ronaldo or Charlotte Clark

or Carlos Seon, they say, God, I wish
I had found this sport 10 years ago

'cause I'll be the next number one.

I'm like, what?

But that's how they feel.

That's how engaging it is.

So once we put all those ingredients
around the court, then the magic happens.

So there is a good balance of,
of business inside the court,

but also outside the court.

Um, and this is when of
course the opportunity becomes

more and more interesting.

So what is WME looks on a paddle
player when you know they go

in and trying to invest it?

What, how the process works?

Well, first of all, we, we need to
understand what an athlete looks for WME.

It's not sometimes just being the very
best of the best, but you also need to

know how to be commercial, how to speak
in front of the cameras, how to behave,

how to, in fact become a role model.

Uh, for the brands that
we currently work with.

So when we raise these profiles, there
is a good balance of everything, how to

speak English in the right way, which is
something that blows my mind how little

English is spoken, uh, on the pro side.

For me, it's almost embarrassing.

Sorry, come on.

Uh, but when you put all those
ingredients on the table and there

is projection of growth, this is
what is very interesting for WME.

That's why we're being very selective.

In fact, uh, our strategy is.

Try to get the very best of the best
that matches with what we believe,

um, should, should stand for.

WME.

Our tour is a clear sign for it.

I think he created disruption and
that's why now we're seeing these

brands being interested in him.

Um, as I said, same on the
female, but our strategy has gone

three steps back on that sense.

We're going to the next gen, so we are
looking for players that are 13, 14, 15,

and we will try to help them to be raised.

With what we believe an
athlete should look like.

Um, we see them often in the paddle space,
but we don't see that profile that often.

I think that there is still a lot of room
for improvement for athletes to represent

what the brands would like to see.

So at, at a young age, uh, a
paddle player after 13, 14,

what are you guys looking for?

For some of the paddle players there
that are looking to work with, uh,

um, somebody to represent them?

Of course, uh, there needs
to be some, some talent.

I mean, without talent, it's, it's
difficult commitment to the sport.

But being a nice person, being,
being, uh, being a team player.

'cause paddle is at the end
of the day, is a team game.

Yeah.

Right?

If you think only as an
individual, so I'm sorry, but

without a partner, you are no one.

Right.

So, um, you need to be, you
need to be kind of the connector

also outside the court.

And we see you when we go into small
competitions with junior events.

Uh, we start seeing those
profiles that they play well,

but they behave their support.

They encourage, they are the ones that
friends connect with outside the court.

They respect their parents and
parents respect also the kids' role.

Um, this is kind of what we look for.

Um, it, it's, it's, it makes sense when
you say it, but there's not that much.

Uh, so that's why we need to, we need,
we have, I mean, around 56 agents

around the world looking for talent.

Wow.

So we have very selective methods to
choose, uh, amongst these players.

And, and when we see it, we go for it.

There's no question might
go, well, might go wrong.

When IMG signed Carlos Alcaraz,
they also signed 13 more players.

Yeah.

And there was only one coming up.

It did pay off.

Right, right, right.

So you never know, but at least
you're increasing the chances.

So, hard question why Olo and no Tapia so.

It's impossible.

Could, could have gone either way?

No.

Okay.

You guys saw something in play
and, and, and the reason why we

chose Coyo is because we believe
he's more of a commercial person.

Okay?

He cares about speaking in English.

He speaks in front of the TV very well.

Uh, he's a hard worker.

He's a winner.

Uh, we know that Tapia has an
incredible talent, but there are more.

Things behind talent.

Don't get me wrong.

I mean, if we had the opportunity to
sign him, I, but, but realistically,

we saw in Arturo Gio kind of the
perfect profile that resonates as much

as possible with W Me's philosophy.

Fantastic.

Wow.

Great.

Well, we wish you the best of luck.

We are gonna be looking for you
guys, uh, Daniel and great, great,

great job with WME and, and Ello.

We're looking forward to more
signings into the, the brand and,

and coming up with great deals.

Thank you.