Nacho Figueras Has a New Game—And He’s All In

HL: Palm Beach has become one of the most dynamic new padel markets in the country, and the Florida Goats have already had an extraordinary run — winning the inaugural PPL City’s Cup and finishing first in the 2025 regular season. What does bringing a championship-caliber franchise to Palm Beach mean for the sport’s growth in South Florida, and what role do you see yourself playing?

NF: Palm Beach already has a strong culture around sports and lifestyle — golf, tennis, equestrian sports, polo. Padel fits perfectly into that world.

Having a competitive team like the Florida Goats helps create excitement and visibility around the sport. When people see great players and high-level competition, it inspires them to pick up a racket themselves.

For me, it’s about helping bring attention to the sport and helping build a community around it.

HL: What does the future of padel with Florida Goats look like through your eyes?

NF: I think we are at the very beginning of something big.

Padel has all the ingredients to become one of the most popular participation sports in the U.S. It’s social, it’s fast, and it’s incredibly fun.

With the Florida Goats, the goal is to keep building a strong team while also helping grow the sport in South Florida. The most exciting part for me is seeing more and more people discover the game.

Once you try padel, it’s very hard to stop playing.