Inside America’s Racket Club Empire

How AI is Changing Racket Sports Coaching | Lauren Pedersen, SportAI CEO

AI is rapidly changing the future of racket sports coaching, player development, and performance analysis. This week on the Racket Sports Weekly [racketsportsweekly.com] podcast, Ian Rapport is joined by Lauren Pedersen, co-founder and CEO of SportAI [sportai.com], to discuss the platform uses AI and computer vision to bring real-time coaching, biomechanics analysis, and player feedback to tennis, pickleball, and padel players around the world. They discuss: * How SportAI uses AI and computer vision to analyze player technique and movement * Why AI should support coaches rather than replace them * Democratizing access to high-level player development and coaching * The future of tennis, pickleball, and padel technology * How AI can personalize equipment and racket recommendations * The role of data and gamification in making racket sports more engaging * Why racket sports are entering a major growth era globally Lauren also shares why she believes AI can help unlock new opportunities for players, coaches, clubs, federations, and brands across the racket sports ecosystem. A fascinating conversation for anyone interested in sports technology, coaching, and the future of racket sports. 👉 Listen now and follow for weekly insights on the business of racket sports.

How Tennis, Pickleball & Padel Thrive Together | Ryan Redondo, CEO of Barnes Tennis Center

Ryan Redondo [https://www.instagram.com/ryanredondo_ceoinmotion/] has become one of the most influential operators helping shape the future of racket sports in America. The CEO of Barnes Tennis Center [https://www.barnestenniscenter.com/] and Youth Tennis San Diego [https://www.ytsd.org/] sat down with Racket Sports Weekly [racketsportsweekly.com] host Ian Rapport to talk about how he’s transformed Barnes into one of the country’s premier multi-racket sports facilities by bringing tennis, pickleball, and padel together under one ecosystem. On this episode of the Racket Sports Weekly podcast, Ryan discusses: * Building Barnes Tennis Center into a modern racket sports hub * Why pickleball and padel can actually help tennis grow * The future of padel in the United States * How social experiences are changing tennis clubs * The importance of grassroots access and youth development * Running professional tournaments and the business behind them * The future vision for Barnes Tennis Center and racket sports in San Diego Ryan also shares why he believes coexistence instead of competition is the future of racket sports. A great conversation for anyone building in the industry. 👉 Listen now and follow for weekly insights on the business of racket sports.

Is Tennis Ready for Its Topgolf Era? | Tyler Kelly, Tennis Social CEO + Founder

On this episode of Racket Sports Weekly [racketsportsweekly.com], Ian sits down with Tennis Social [https://tennissocial.ai/] founder and CEO Tyler Kelly to discuss how simulator technology could reshape the future of tennis and racket sports. Tyler shares the story behind Tennis Social, why tennis can be difficult for beginners to pick up, and how gamification could help make the sport more accessible, social and fun. The conversation also covers: * Why tennis has been slower than golf to adopt simulator technology * The similarities between Tennis Social and the Topgolf model * How simulators can improve training and player development * The role of data, tracking and performance analytics * Why racket sports need new ways to widen the participation funnel * Tennis Social’s upcoming rollout and simulator-based rating system A great conversation on the intersection of technology, entertainment and the future growth of racket sports.

Building LA’s Premier Padel Club | Steve Shpilsky, Los Angeles Padel Club Founder

In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly, Ian sits down with Steve Shpilsky, CEO and founder of Los Angeles Padel Club [https://www.thelapc.com/], to discuss what it takes to build LA’s first premier padel club.  Steve shares how his background in hospitality, real estate, and hotel development shaped his vision for a club built around community, player development, networking, and a high-end hospitality experience. The conversation covers: * What it actually takes to build a padel club in LA (permitting, zoning, and unexpected costs) * How LA Padel Club is designed as a hospitality-driven experience, not just courts * Why the biggest opportunity isn’t tennis players—it’s people who’ve never played a racket sport * How partnerships help build the local padel community * Why the industry is still early and who will win as operators, not just builders If you’re interested in what it really takes to build a padel club in a top market, this episode is for you.

The Original Paddle Sport | Mitch Kutner, International POP Tennis President

POP Tennis [https://www.poptennis.com/] has been around for more than a century, but it’s now starting to find real momentum. In this episode of Racket Sports Weekly [racketsportsweekly.com], Ian sits down with Mitch Kutner, President of the International POP Tennis Association, to break down what POP Tennis actually is, why the sport rebranded from paddle tennis, and how it fits into today’s rapidly growing racket sports landscape. They also discuss: * The history of POP Tennis and how it dates back to 1898 * Why the name change was critical for growth in the social media era * How partnerships with organizations like Tennis Australia are accelerating global expansion * The role of recreational players in building a sustainable sport * What success looks like for pop tennis over the next 5–10 years If you’re interested in where racket sports are headed beyond just tennis/pickleball/padel, this is a conversation worth listening to.