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What is the Commercial Squad, and who is part of it?

Matt Needham
Squad Leader
Matt Needham, Squad Leader at The Padel Squad
The Commercial Squad

The investors, builders, and operators who fund the network and get each facility from signed heads of terms to opening day

Every new padel facility relies on a chain of people who put up the capital, deliver the build, and run it once the doors open. The Commercial Squad brings together the capital partners who fund each facility, the delivery partners who build it, and the operating partners who bring it to life every day.

Just as importantly, members of the Commercial Squad share best practices with each other — so you can pick up tips, shortcuts, and lessons learned from others who are further down the line on funding, building, and operating padel facilities at schools and universities across the UK.

Capital partners

Investors

What you get

Tax-efficient, asset-backed returns from a structurally superior route to market.

Your role

Provide the capital that funds each facility and back the network as it scales across schools and universities.

Compare notes with Investors

Benefactors

What you get

A visible, lasting legacy tied to a named facility on a school or university campus.

Your role

Make a philanthropic contribution towards a named facility at a school, university, or community of meaning to you.

Compare notes with Benefactors

Fund-raisers

What you get

A compelling, evidence-backed investment thesis to take to market.

Your role

Introduce investors and benefactors to The Padel Squad, and help structure the financing of each facility.

Compare notes with Fund-raisers
Delivery partners

Site Managers

What you get

A repeatable, ten-month programme with clear milestones, proven suppliers, and network-wide learning.

Your role

Take each site from signed heads of terms through planning, build, and handover to opening day.

Compare notes with Site Managers

Suppliers

What you get

Predictable, recurring order volume across a growing national network.

Your role

Supply courts, equipment, fit-out, technology, or services to facilities across the network on standardised terms.

Compare notes with Suppliers

Subject Matter Experts

What you get

A steady pipeline of specialist advisory work across a national network of school-based projects.

Your role

Provide specialist expertise — legal, planning, structural, sports, safeguarding, tax — on a project-by-project basis.

Compare notes with Subject Matter Experts
Operating partners

Club Managers

What you get

Autonomy to run a high-quality facility with the backing of a national operating platform.

Your role

Run a Padel Squad facility day to day — coaching, programming, members, finances, and community.

Compare notes with Club Managers

Community Managers

What you get

A defined audience strategy with dedicated budgets for each revenue-generating segment.

Your role

Build and grow the player community at each facility — pupils, students, families, alumni, local players, and corporate users.

Compare notes with Community Managers

Partners and Sponsors

What you get

Sustained, high-visibility local exposure across 30,000–40,000 annual player visits per facility.

Your role

Sponsor courts, programmes, kit, or events at facilities across the network — locally, regionally, or nationally.

Compare notes with Partners and Sponsors

The best way to learn how to fund, build, and run padel facilities at schools is to talk to others who are already doing it.

Join the Commercial Squad to compare notes with others doing the same →