If you look at padel photos from the 90s or early 2000s, one thing stands out: almost all courts were green. It was a direct legacy of grass tennis and the aesthetic standard for sports clubs at the time.
Yet, today, whether on the professional Premier Padel circuit or in new urban clubs, electric blue has taken over. This isn’t just a matter of fashion or personal taste; this radical change meets very specific technical, media, and psychological requirements.
Here’s why blue has become the new chromatic DNA of global padel.
1. The Television Revolution: Contrast Above All
The main reason for the advent of the blue court is television. For padel to become a mass sport, it needed to be perfectly legible on our screens, whether TV, tablets, or smartphones.
- The Green Problem: On a green surface, the yellow ball — itself charged with fluorescent nuances — tends to blend into the background during fast rallies. On screen, this causes a loss of readability and a blurry sensation for the viewer.
- The Blue Solution: Blue is the complementary color to yellow on the color wheel. On a blue court, the ball literally pops. This maximum contrast allows tracking the trajectory of a globo or a vibora with total clarity, even at high speed.
2. Visual comfort for players
The benefits of blue don’t just concern the public. Players themselves feel a clear difference on the court.
- Less eye strain: Under intense artificial lighting, especially LED, blue proves less aggressive for the human eye than traditional green. Indoors (indoor), it promotes a more relaxing atmosphere and better long-term concentration.
- Better distance perception: Blue facilitates reading the court’s volumes and boundaries. White lines stand out more, which improves depth perception and positioning.
3. A Unique Identity: Breaking Away from Tennis
For a long time, padel was perceived as the ‘little brother’ of tennis. To establish itself as a sport in its own right, it needed a strong and immediately recognizable visual identity.
- The World Padel Tour Effect: The World Padel Tour was the first major circuit to impose the blue court as a visual standard. This signature has become inseparable from modern padel: panoramic glass, LED lighting, and blue carpet.
- Modernity and Urbanity: Blue evokes technology, modernity, and an urban universe, breaking away from the more classic and natural imagery associated with traditional tennis green.
4. A Matter of Heat and Maintenance
Beyond image and performance, practical considerations also come into play.
| Color | Practical advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | Better conceals UV-related discoloration and superficial dirt. | Can heat up slightly more than light green in direct sunlight, outdoors. |
| Green | More natural appearance for parks and landscaped environments. | Lower contrast with the ball and an image perceived as aging. |
In practice, many club managers find that blue also helps maintain a consistent appearance longer, even on heavily used courts.
The Future: Towards a Bolder Palette
While blue largely dominates today, other colors are gradually gaining ground. Red is emerging as a credible alternative, notably thanks to the A1 Padel circuit, which has made it a strong visual marker. Contrary to popular belief, red offers excellent contrast with the yellow ball while providing a more spectacular signature.
This evolution is also found in clubs. In Nivelles, Hexeco opted for red courts to stand out visually, while Roch4Padel chose black, creating a premium and immersive atmosphere. These decisions are not trivial: color becomes a central element of the venue’s identity and the experience offered to both players and spectators.
Blue remains today the best compromise between performance, readability, and image. But padel is entering a phase where visual differentiation is becoming a lever in its own right.
And you, what carpet color do you prefer to play your most intense matches on? Would you be willing to try a red or black court for style?
