A perfect game athlete stands in the batter’s box.
Four years ago, the global pandemic left youth sports facing an uncertain future amid widespread cancellations and public health concerns. Fast forward to today, and there is a voracious appetite for investment in youth sports, as evidenced by recent announcements by Unrivaled Sports and Perfect Game. Four different types of investors are bullish about the future of youth sports: professional sports franchise owners, professional athletes, sports and entertainment executives, and private equity firms.
According to Maia Research, the reference source is sports business journal, Youth sports is a $37.5 billion global industry with 60 million youth athletes in the United States, according to data provided by the National Institutes of Health. In March 2024, Major League Baseball proudly touted the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2023 Top Line Participation Report as participation in the U.S. reached nearly 16.7 million. . Major League Baseball’s record-breaking accomplishment also brought casual play participation in America’s national pastime to an all-time high at 8.9 million since SFIA began tracking more than 120 sports in 2008. .
David Blitzer and Josh Harris are seasoned professional sports franchise owners. The duo is synonymous with the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers, among other sports facilities and global brands, but also has an impressive youth sports portfolio that boasts Ripken Baseball, Cooperstown All-Star Village, We Are Camp, Sports Force, and more. I’ve been building it. Parks, just to name a few. Their newest business initiative, Unrivaled Sports, promotes accessibility and inclusivity in youth sports combined with an unparalleled experience. Blitzer and Harris will be affiliated with Chernin Group as the trio of controlling partners. They hired Andy Campion, a Nike veteran with nearly 30 years of experience, as chairman.
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New York, NY – November 14: (LR) Joshua Harris and David Blitzer attend the Grand Reopening … [+]
Perfect Game has undergone significant changes since the announcement of new leadership in August 2022 by Chief Executive Officer Rob Ponger and Chairman Rick Thurman. Perfect Game, the world’s leading youth and high school diamond sports platform, is now in the trusted hands of Pongger, former chief financial officer of IMG Media, and agent Thurman, co-founder of the Beverly Hills Sports Council. I am. They just announced an investor group that includes 21 current and former major league players and Perfect Game Commissioner Dennis Gilbert. Baseball Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman heads a group of prominent investors who have contributed to his 44 All-Star selections and 16 World Series championships.
Hoffman, who has been an ambassador for Perfect Game for the past 10 years, values the professional relationship he has built with Thurman over the past 25 years. “It was a great opportunity to invest in a company that we felt had a lot of upside,” Hoffman said. He plans to become an active investor while being familiar with all aspects of the business. Perfect Although his point of reference in his game has been primarily working with high school athletes, Hoffman is looking forward to working with young athletes who are just graduating from T-ball.
Hoffman’s enthusiasm and perspective make him a valuable asset. He talks about unrealistic expectations and parents living vicariously through their children by extolling the importance of community, competition, shared family experiences, mental health, and the benefits of being a multi-sport athlete. I will confront you. “I have a passion for the youth population. It’s something that needs a lot of attention and I’m happy to help in that area,” Hoffman said.
Baseball Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman stands with Perfect Game athletes.
Ponger and Thurman’s vision for the perfect game extends far beyond national showcases, scouting and tournaments. To become a global company committed to product diversification, technology, digital media and creating a lifestyle for youth sports. “We want to be a content machine. It’s not just about how hard they’re pitching, but we really want to put the spotlight on kids and give them the opportunity to create their own brand as well. ,” Ponger said. Perfect Game sees a unique opportunity to provide young athletes with a platform where they can build their personal brands while attracting sponsor interest in the age of name, image, and likeness (NIL).
Thurman believes in two fundamental principles when it comes to youth sports. “We don’t just want kids to participate in the event, we want it to be an experience and a memory for them,” Thurman said. He expects Perfect Game’s new investors to easily integrate into the company’s culture by being accessible and serving as a source of knowledge. It could be a simple act of kindness, like Hoffman teaching a group of young athletes how to throw a changeup while answering their questions.
Major League Baseball’s latest efforts at globalization are no different than Ponger and Thurman. Perfect Game has expanded to 41 states domestically and is now in 12 countries overseas. In addition to global showcases and tournaments already held in Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Spain, Curaçao, and Czech Republic, Perfect Game will expand to Australia, Japan, and South Korea over the next two years It’s a schedule. “We want to continue to grow our baseball footprint in these specific locations, which allows us to sell apparel and other products while expanding the footprint and ecosystem of Perfect Game.” ,” Thurman said.
While baseball is currently the main focus of Perfect Game’s business model, Thurman will likely use some of the new funds to invest in softball, as a potential business endeavor. He said he would also add soccer to the list. Growth is also expected in media platforms, apparel and consumer products. “Who’s to say that unique spikes for running shoes, batting gloves, etc. won’t be readily available?” Thurman says.
The recent influx of experienced and prominent investors into youth sports sends a strong message about the overall health of the industry. “It’s good for young businesses to have professional institutional type investors,” Ponger said. He went on to say, “This will lead to investors and sponsors, but I think Gen Alpha and Gen Z are participating in youth sports, and that the sport is being used by kids between the ages of 9 and 18. I think they are now aware of whether they can do it or not.” Buy a Gillette shaver or register it with Chase Bank and it could last you for the next 50 to 70 years. ” Opportunities to thrive continue to exist in youth sports, so the best measures of return on investment will always be accessibility, affordability, innovation, and creating lifelong memories for the next generation of world leaders. It starts by leaving behind.
