WME Sports, the Endeavor-owned agency, has launched a talent representation division for padel and signed the world's top-ranked player in that sport, Arturo Coello.
The padel group will be led by co-directors Hernan Auguste, a former world number one who served as an executive with the World Padel Tour and as chief padel officer at the sport’s largest investment fund, LeDap Group, and Daniel Dios, who also served as an executive at LeDap.
They will report to Max Eisenbud, senior vice president of tennis clients for IMG, the heavyweight sports marketing agency also owned by Endeavor.
The new representation team will work in tandem with IMG’s tennis division (part of WME Sports).
We are excited to announce we have signed the world’s top-ranked padel player, @Arturocoello__!
— IMG Tennis (@IMGTennis) June 17, 2024
Along with launching talent representation for padel, WME Sports will also provide strategic consulting to brands looking to embrace the growing popularity of the racquet sport. pic.twitter.com/CpzdrmbNVE
It will also provide strategic consulting to brands looking to enter the padel market and seek to “accelerate the sport’s expansion globally alongside the international governing bodies.”
The fact that an agency heavyweight such as WME is launching across the world of padel reflects the increasing popularity and commercial appeal of that sport, and - as a consequence - the increasing brand partnership opportunities for players.
Auguste and Dios have said: “WME Sports expanding into padel represents a significant milestone for the athletes and fans of our sport.
“We’re proud to welcome Arturo Coello as our first signing as we see him as a transcendent athlete who can elevate padel into a mainstream sport globally.”
Eisenbud added: “Our unique capabilities across sports and entertainment will supercharge padel’s upward trajectory by attracting new fans and commercial partners.
“Arturo is an incredible talent and just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential as a global sports star.”
