VVV Sports launches first publicly listed platform focused on emerging sports
Padel and pickleball are among the fastest-growing sports globally, attracting millions of new participants and accelerating commercial interest.
Yet despite that growth, much of the industry remains fragmented, with athletes, events, venues, media and commercial partners developing in parallel rather than as part of a coordinated ecosystem.
Led by entrepreneur Jonathan Rowland, the founder of UK challenger bank Redwood Bank, VVV Sports today debuts as a publicly listed sports, media and entertainment platform designed to address that gap.
The company’s focus is on building the professional infrastructure emerging sports need to transition from rapid participation growth to sustainable, mainstream ecosystems.
Rather than operating as a single-function sports business, VVV Sports brings together multiple parts of the value chain within one connected platform.
Athlete management, international competition, facilities, content and brand partnerships are structured to reinforce one another, creating a joined-up system that allows these elements to work together or independently to drive participation, engagement and long-term value.
The model draws on approaches seen elsewhere in global sport.
Established agencies such as IMG operate horizontally across mature sports, while event-led operators such as Matchroom have successfully built sports by owning and elevating competition formats.
VVV Sports applies elements of both models, but at an earlier point in a sport’s commercial development, focusing on building underlying infrastructure before fragmentation becomes entrenched.
That approach has already been proven in padel through R3 Sport, VVV’s flagship operating business, which has helped raise professional standards within the UK market through elite athlete representation, internationally sanctioned tournaments and what is now the largest prize pool ever committed to professional padel in the UK.
Building on that foundation, VVV has recently expanded into pickleball through its investment in Wild Pickleball Agency and the creation of the TOP Series, a new international competition platform, while also backing sports content production and longer-term infrastructure projects across Europe and the Middle East.
Jonathan Rowland, Executive Chairman of VVV Sports, said: “Fast-growing sports don’t lack demand, they lack joined-up infrastructure. Too often, athletes, events, venues and media develop in isolation, which ultimately holds the sport back.
“Our focus is on building connected platforms that allow emerging sports to scale properly, attract serious investment and create long-term value.
“We’re not launching a single asset, we’re building the structure these sports need from the ground up.”
The debut comes ahead of the first public showcase of VVV-backed initiatives this week, as the TOP Series Pickleball makes its debut in London, offering an early illustration of how the platform approach is being put into practice.
About VVV Sports
VVV Sports is a next-generation sports, media and entertainment business listed on the Aquis Growth Market (VVV), focused on building the infrastructure behind the world’s fastest-growing emerging sports.
The group operates across athlete representation, international competition, facilities, content and long-term sports infrastructure through a portfolio of operating businesses and strategic investments.
These include R3 Sport, its professional padel platform; Wild Pickleball Agency, a specialist athlete management and commercial business; and the TOP Series, an international competition platform.
Through its integrated model, VVV Sports aims to support the professionalisation and sustainable growth of emerging sports globally.
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