Tobias Enrique Carrero, Miami Marlins Shareholder, Joins Orlando Franchise Ownership Group with Daddy Yankee
The Pro Padel League (PPL) – North America’s first professional Padel league – announced that Daddy Yankee – one of the best-selling Latin music artists known as the “King of Reggaeton” – purchased the Orlando, Florida, franchise. Joining the franchise ownership group with Daddy Yankee is Tobias Enrique Carrero, Miami Marlins Shareholder.
Holding a press conference at the SVB Tennis & Wellness Center on Friday, May 12th, ahead of the opening weekend of the inaugural PPL season, League Commissioner, Marcos Del Pilar, joined Daddy Yankee to share the announcement along with PPL Co-Founder, Keith Stein, 2009 US Open Champion Juan Martin Del Potro, former ATP #2 Singles Player Tommy Haas, and MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco.
“Padel reminds me of the early stages of Reggaeton in the 90s when it was just starting up. It’s at the same stage and the Pro Padel League has a big potential to grow the sport and get bigger,” said Daddy Yankee. “I want to be a part of it and leave a legacy.”
Originating in Mexico, the high-octane sport has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, gaining increasing popularity in Mexico and Europe and most recently, the U.S. and Canada.
“Bringing the expertise of Daddy Yankee and Tobias Enrique Carrero to the Pro Padel League with their background in professional sports will help us build a strong foundation for Padel in the U.S. and grow the sport around the world,” commented Marcos del Pilar, League Commissioner. “We are aligned on our vision for the Pro Padel League and Padel and want to leave a legacy for the next generation.”
The PPL is North America’s first professional Padel league. The PPL’s high-octane team competition kicked-off May 13th with seven teams in competition and will conclude with the championship weekend on June 10th-11th where there will be a semifinal round followed by the two best teams competing in the finals for the PPL Cup. Merrill Wealth Management is the Founding Sponsor of PPL.
As a culture creator, game changer, agent of change, and groundbreaker, Daddy Yankee has consistently inspired, impacted, and influenced generations of creators. An indisputable icon, he remains one of the most influential artists of all time, bringing reggaeton worldwide for the first time. Latin music and culture would not look, sound, or feel the same without him. It’s hard to even imagine the genre itself without “Gasolina,” “Despacito” [with Luis Fonsi], or “Con Calma” [with Snow], and more.
Since 1995, he has consistently conquered charts, toppled records, and made history on his own terms. The magnitude of his accolades proves nearly impossible to match or exceed. Living up to the title of “King of Reggaeton,” he has moved north of 30 million records as “one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all-time.” Out of hundreds of awards, he has scored five Latin GRAMMY® Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards (including the Icon Award), eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV VMA, and six ASCAP Awards in addition to earning a spot on the Puerto Rican Walk of Fame and the “Presencia Latina” at Harvard University. He also stands out as “the only Latin Artist with four Spanish-language entries on the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.” He received “Songwriter of the Year” three times at the 2021 ASCAP Latin Music Awards and distinguished himself as “the first urban Latino artist to enter the Billboard Hall of Fame.”In 2023 Daddy Yankee made history as the first song of its genre to be inducted into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.
For their historic inaugural season, the PPL will be aired weekly in over 100 million television households with their broadcast partners on 40 different networks including BeIN Sports, AT&T Sportsnet, MASN, SWX Sports, and Spectrum. Internationally, the season will be aired on select networks such as CaribVision, BeIN Sports en Espanol, and Game+ Network in Canada with matches live streamed on the PPL’s YouTube Channel.
The PPL’s mission is to create a premier sports league providing a national stage for the sport while generating nationwide awareness and excitement for Padel. Something that has never been done before, the PPL will provide players and fans with a new platform that showcases Padel and grows participation in the sport.
Currently, Padel has over 25 million players worldwide and is growing in popularity in the U.S. with the number of Padel courts set to double in 2023. Over 8 million players are projected to be playing in the U.S. by 2030. The PPL will enable players, coaches, team owners, facility owners, broadcasters, fans, sponsors, and brands to all be involved in, and capitalize on, the sport’s explosive growth.
Dedicated to celebrating Padel’s Spanish roots, the League has made VAMOS! the PPL’s official slogan. For more information on the PPL, visit: https://propadelleague.com/. VAMOS!