The Alboran Sessions Mon, 07 Sep 2026 22:03:54 +0100 http://alboransocialclub.com en-us © 2026 The Alboran Sessions yes de52a882-db2d-5a1d-af23-527cae9f66cc Alex Robinson episodic false Alborán Sessions is the podcast of Alborán Social Club — an independent publication about padel and the life that has grown up around it. Each episode, Alex sits down with the people building the sport's culture and its business: founders and federations, coaches and club-owners, the players changing how the game is watched and the characters changing how it is sold. The conversations are unhurried and on the record. We are interested in how things actually work — who counts the players, who pays for the courts, what a boom does to a quiet game — and in the people willing to say so plainly.

We record where the sport is happening: a summit floor in Barcelona, a club terrace on the coast, a tournament between matches. No press releases read aloud, nothing traded for access. Just a long table, a good guest, and the time to follow the thread.

New episodes monthly. If you play, watch, build, or simply sit on the terrace afterwards, pull up a chair.

Alborán Social Club · alboransocialclub.com

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Alex Robinson https://storage.buzzsprout.com/k5udahyot8tl4otpuwggcv0gfgzn?.jpg The Alboran Sessions http://alboransocialclub.com Alboran Episode 3 - Live from Premier Padel P1 London Alboran Episode 3 - Live from Premier Padel P1 London We recorded this from the inaugural Premier Padel P1 event in london in August.

We tried to cover as much as we could and on this podcast we actually took a different approach and had Andy be interviewed by Alex. 

We talk all things about the event which was filmed just off the side courts in the venue.

Did we guess the winners right, listen now to find out.

]]> We recorded this from the inaugural Premier Padel P1 event in london in August.

We tried to cover as much as we could and on this podcast we actually took a different approach and had Andy be interviewed by Alex. 

We talk all things about the event which was filmed just off the side courts in the venue.

Did we guess the winners right, listen now to find out.

]]> Alex Robinson Buzzsprout-19708861 Mon, 07 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +0100 1924 full false The Alboran Social Club Podcast - Episode 2, Jethro Binns The Alboran Social Club Podcast - Episode 2, Jethro Binns 🎙️ ALBORAN SOCIAL CLUB PODCAST | Episode 2: Jethro Binns | Live on court at Padel4All Lockleaze, Bristol

Welcome to episode two of the Alborán Social Club podcast, filmed on court at Padel4All in Lockleaze, Bristol. This month we're joined by Jethro Binns, co-founder of Padel Levels, for a deep dive into one of the biggest questions in UK padel right now: do we have a levels and ratings problem?

Jethro's path into padel is anything but conventional, a former professional squash player (peaked at #86 in the world), he built Squash Levels into the trusted global rating system for squash before bringing that experience into padel via Level Tech and Padel Levels. We talk about:

His transition from squash to padel (including ripping a nail off on his first session)
Why the Padel World Summit in Barcelona matters, and what changed between his first and second year attending
The "27% worse" article that crystallised the problem with existing rating scales
Why he sees Playtomic, PadelMates and Nettla as booking platforms with ratings "bolted on," not real ratings platforms
How Padel Levels' algorithm compares actual results to expected outcomes rather than just rewarding wins
The unique challenges of rating a doubles sport, cold starts, and messy match data
The story behind Level Tech's £360k Innovate UK grant (a ~1.5% success rate program)
Ongoing conversations with the LTA and FIP about becoming an official national/global rating standard
Where AI and camera tracking could take padel ratings next

Find Padel Levels at padellevels.io, and follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn.

#padel  #JethroBinns #PadelLevels #AlboranSocialClub #PadelBusiness #barcelona  #podcast  #sportsbusiness  #padelcommunity 

]]> 🎙️ ALBORAN SOCIAL CLUB PODCAST | Episode 2: Jethro Binns | Live on court at Padel4All Lockleaze, Bristol

Welcome to episode two of the Alborán Social Club podcast, filmed on court at Padel4All in Lockleaze, Bristol. This month we're joined by Jethro Binns, co-founder of Padel Levels, for a deep dive into one of the biggest questions in UK padel right now: do we have a levels and ratings problem?

Jethro's path into padel is anything but conventional, a former professional squash player (peaked at #86 in the world), he built Squash Levels into the trusted global rating system for squash before bringing that experience into padel via Level Tech and Padel Levels. We talk about:

His transition from squash to padel (including ripping a nail off on his first session)
Why the Padel World Summit in Barcelona matters, and what changed between his first and second year attending
The "27% worse" article that crystallised the problem with existing rating scales
Why he sees Playtomic, PadelMates and Nettla as booking platforms with ratings "bolted on," not real ratings platforms
How Padel Levels' algorithm compares actual results to expected outcomes rather than just rewarding wins
The unique challenges of rating a doubles sport, cold starts, and messy match data
The story behind Level Tech's £360k Innovate UK grant (a ~1.5% success rate program)
Ongoing conversations with the LTA and FIP about becoming an official national/global rating standard
Where AI and camera tracking could take padel ratings next

Find Padel Levels at padellevels.io, and follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn.

#padel  #JethroBinns #PadelLevels #AlboranSocialClub #PadelBusiness #barcelona  #podcast  #sportsbusiness  #padelcommunity 

]]> Alex Robinson Buzzsprout-19594404 Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0100 3728 1 2 full false The Alboran Social Club Podcast - Episode 1, George Modler The Alboran Social Club Podcast - Episode 1, George Modler 🎙️ ALBORAN SOCIAL CLUB PODCAST | Episode 1: George Modler | Live at the World Padel Summit, Barcelona

Welcome to the very first episode of the Alboran Social Club Podcast!

Recorded live at the World Padel Summit in Barcelona, we're joined by George Modler, co-founder of The Padel Directory, to discuss the business behind one of the world's fastest-growing sports.

In this episode, George shares:

  •  🚀 How he went from working 14-hour days, 7 days a week to building one of padel's leading media platforms. 
  •  💡 The biggest problems facing the sport—and how the industry can solve them. 
  •  🌍 Which country he believes will experience the next major padel boom. 
  •  🎾 Insights into the future of the global padel industry and the opportunities ahead. 

Whether you're a player, club owner, coach, investor, or simply curious about the growth of padel, this conversation offers valuable insights into where the sport is heading.

📍 Recorded at the World Padel Summit, Barcelona

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more conversations with the people shaping the future of padel.

#Padel #WorldPadelSummit #GeorgeModler #ThePadelDirectory #AlboranSocialClub #PadelBusiness #Barcelona #Podcast #SportsBusiness #PadelCommunity

]]> 🎙️ ALBORAN SOCIAL CLUB PODCAST | Episode 1: George Modler | Live at the World Padel Summit, Barcelona

Welcome to the very first episode of the Alboran Social Club Podcast!

Recorded live at the World Padel Summit in Barcelona, we're joined by George Modler, co-founder of The Padel Directory, to discuss the business behind one of the world's fastest-growing sports.

In this episode, George shares:

  •  🚀 How he went from working 14-hour days, 7 days a week to building one of padel's leading media platforms. 
  •  💡 The biggest problems facing the sport—and how the industry can solve them. 
  •  🌍 Which country he believes will experience the next major padel boom. 
  •  🎾 Insights into the future of the global padel industry and the opportunities ahead. 

Whether you're a player, club owner, coach, investor, or simply curious about the growth of padel, this conversation offers valuable insights into where the sport is heading.

📍 Recorded at the World Padel Summit, Barcelona

If you enjoyed the episode, don't forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more conversations with the people shaping the future of padel.

#Padel #WorldPadelSummit #GeorgeModler #ThePadelDirectory #AlboranSocialClub #PadelBusiness #Barcelona #Podcast #SportsBusiness #PadelCommunity

]]> Alex Robinson Buzzsprout-19421036 Tue, 30 Jun 2026 18:00:00 +0100 3562 1 1 full false