Blokotech appoints Marco Materazzi ambassador for Bloko Padel Tour at SiGMA World Rome

Blokotech has named former Italy and Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi as an ambassador for the Bloko Padel Tour and confirmed he will appear in person at SiGMA World Rome on 4 November. Materazzi will take part in the Bloko Padel Tour experience in Pavilion 9 during the event’s Grand Finale, with additional programming the following day.

What Blokotech announced at a glance

The company said Materazzi, a member of Italy’s 2006 FIFA World Cup–winning squad, will be on-site in Pavilion 9 on Wednesday 4 November to join the Bloko Padel Tour Grand Finale. Blokotech described the appearance as an ambassadorial role tied to the tour’s Rome stop during SiGMA World Rome.

Blokotech will run the Bloko Padel Tour across the SiGMA World show floor with matches, entertainment and networking in Pavilion 9 through the event. Delegates who want to meet the Blokotech team were told they can find the company at Hall 5 – Stand 5035.

Materazzi’s involvement and his comments

Marco Materazzi said he feels an affinity with padel and that the sport shares the competitive intensity he experienced on the football pitch.

"I've always believed the best things happen when passion meets competition. Padel has that same fire I found on the football pitch: intensity, teamwork, the will to win. As a passionate player myself, it’s a sport I have a real affinity with and I'm proud to be part of the Bloko Padel Tour in Rome," Materazzi said.

The announcement positions Materazzi as a face for the tour at the Rome Grand Finale rather than a formal commercial partner with a detailed sponsorship structure explained in the release.

Schedule: Grand Finale and Super Cup

Blokotech said the Bloko Padel Tour will run throughout SiGMA World Rome, culminating in the Grand Finale in Pavilion 9 on 4 November. The company also confirmed a follow-up fixture on 5 November branded the "Bloko Padel Tour Super Cup," which will pit the tour winners against the winners of a media tournament.

The two-day programme is presented as both a spectator attraction and a networking opportunity for delegates attending SiGMA World Rome. For operators and vendors tracking B2B activations at the conference, Blokotech has explicitly set both sport and hospitality objectives for Pavilion 9.

Tour history and scope

Blokotech listed previous stops on the 2026 Bloko Padel Tour as Buenos Aires, Malta, Miami and Mexico City. The Rome date is presented as the Grand Finale of that season’s tour schedule, implying a global roadshow spanning at least four international cities before the SiGMA World closing event.

The company described the tour as a way to combine matches and entertainment with industry networking rather than as a pure sporting competition. That framing informs the additional Super Cup event, which pairs competitive fixtures with media-facing match-ups.

Commercial context: products and B2B positioning

Blokotech used the ambassador announcement to call attention to its B2B product line for casino and sportsbook operators, naming its platform offering and the BlokoPredict prediction markets engine specifically. The firm positioned the padel programme as a brand-activation mechanism that supports wider commercial conversations with operator clients.

For readers interested in Blokotech’s trade offering, the company invited delegates to meet the team on the show floor. The release directs attendees to Hall 5 – Stand 5035 and highlights the product portfolio without detailing integrations, pricing or operator clients.

You can find the company's event presence listed among SiGMA World activities on the events pages and details of its B2B product messaging at the b2b section of the show programme.

Remarks from Blokotech leadership

Salvatore Messina, Co-Founder & CEO of Blokotech, framed the appointment as a brand milestone and underlined padel’s role in the company’s experiential marketing.

"Marco is one of the most recognisable names in Italian football, so we’re incredibly proud to welcome him as an ambassador for the Bloko Padel Tour," Messina said. "Padel has become an important part of how we bring people together around the Blokotech brand, and having a World Cup winner like Marco involved takes that to another level. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to Pavilion 9 to experience the action, connect with the industry and be part of the tour at SiGMA World."

Messina’s comments reiterate the corporate intent to use sport-led activations to drive footfall and conversations with prospective operator customers at trade shows.

What operators and vendors should note

Operators and suppliers tracking industry activations at trade conferences should note that Blokotech is combining a visible celebrity appearance with product messaging on the show floor. The presence of a high-profile ambassador, a multi-day activation and a branded Super Cup event are designed to generate media and delegate engagement around the company’s platform and prediction-market product.

Blokotech has not published technical specifications for its platform or for BlokoPredict in the announcement. The company’s booth listing (Hall 5 – Stand 5035) is the point of contact it has provided for delegates seeking demos or commercial discussions at SiGMA World Rome.

Practical details for attendees

• Ambassador appearance: Marco Materazzi, Pavilion 9, Grand Finale on 4 November.

• Additional event: Bloko Padel Tour Super Cup on 5 November featuring tour winners vs media tournament winners.

• Team contact: Hall 5 – Stand 5035.

The Rome Grand Finale follows Blokotech’s 2026 tour stops in Buenos Aires, Malta, Miami and Mexico City, concluding the seasonal circuit in a high-profile trade-show setting.