This is Buying Sandlot — the only newsletter that focuses solely on the business of youth sports.
In today’s send: One of the industry’s top dogs adds to his portfolio, ambitious plans in Kentucky, a big moment for a surging sport and more.
Let’s get to it!
In the email today:
🏐 David Blitzer Makes Another Move
The Unrivaled Sports co-founder has added another professional sports team — and league — to his portfolio.
Blitzer is part of a group that has bought the Austin, Texas, franchise in League One Volleyball. The group also acquired an ownership stake in the six-team women’s league, which just ended its first season (with Blitzer’s new team capturing the title).
The youth sports hook: LOVB is a grassroots-up operation that sponsors junior volleyball clubs nationwide. The league started out as a youth volleyball business and then expanded into the professional ranks after securing $100M in private investment.
75 LOVB-connected clubs in 28 states and 87 locations
A training center in the Omaha area
Over 21K athletes
Close to 4K coaches
Close to 2K affiliated teams
Volleyball has been the most-popular high school girls team sport for a decade now and it will likely continue to grow thanks to exposure as college volleyball becomes a valuable television product. Boys’ high school participation has jumped over 50% in the last decade as well.
But perhaps more importantly: Private club volleyball is experiencing major growth and has become extremely lucrative. An Associated Press report from last year found it is common for families to pay $2K-$3K in dues annually — and that’s before any travel.
Major volleyball tournaments are a top sports tourism magnet. Basketball courts easily convert into volleyball courts — and many youth sports complexes are set up to have more volleyball games going at once than hoops.
If Blitzer’s interest was not sign enough, this is very much a space to watch.
Blitzer’s part of the deal is through his Bolt Ventures firm. The other partners are Peter J. Holt, whose family owns the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, and venture capitalist Amy Griffin.
The other five LOVB teams remain league-owned for now. But they will likely be sold for similar team/league equity packages.
🧱 Another Ambitious Facilities Pitch In The Heartland
Barren County, Kentucky, wants to join the youth sports complex arms race.
And, like a growing number of rural regions, it is leaning into the “build it and everything else will follow” line of (wishful?) thinking when it comes to the proposed Barren County Sportsplex.
Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Byrd (also the co-founder of a cheerleading media company) is proposing a major indoor facility sitting on 15 acres of a 160-acre plot owned by the city of Glasgow.
The sales pitch: A complex will benefit local youth athletes and their families, bring in sports tourism revenue and spur multi-use development on the other 145 acres — housing and lodging, restaurants and retail, etc.
“A lot of people don’t understand: There is money to be made in regards to hosting tournaments, but there’s also money to be made by the tourism aspect for our local businesses. When I show this project to investors that are interested in Barren County, they are ready to talk. They are ready to talk about new restaurants, a hotel. It’s a quality of life for industries when we talk to them about, ‘Well, this facility will be able to host indoor leagues from intramural type to competitive, travel ball.’” — Byrd on her County Talk podcast
The complex — no projected price tag or square-footage has emerged yet — would offer a lot, according to Byrd’s comments and local reporting.
Basketball/volleyball courts
Separate pickleball and tennis courts
Football/soccer turf with baseball/softball training areas
Archery, golf and e-sports space
Private training rooms that can be rented
Cafe and concessions
Byrd said she hopes to put the project out to bid by the end of the year and break ground in 2026; the facility could be built in phases.
James’ take:
We will see how this project progresses, but mark us down as skeptical in the early going for two reasons.
The first is the money.
Byrd said on her podcast she has $2M in private money already committed and hopes to leverage state funding, grants and naming rights (!) to pay for the complex.
But she also very much left the door open for local public money to enter the picture, mentioning neighboring counties could eventually pitch in.
It also sounds like details about the ownership of the complex’s land still have to be sorted out.
The second is demand.
Byrd said on the county’s existing facilities are overloaded, forcing families to drive 45 minutes to the city of Bowling Green for their kids’ activities. A complex would address that issue.
But Barren County’s geography does not necessarily scream sports tourism goldmine. There are several big cities inside the three-hour radius from Glasgow, but there are also already a slew of existing or planned complexes in that same region.
That could dampen the demand needed to generate the economic impact necessary to make this project worth its while. Especially in a more off-the-beaten-path locale.
🏢 More Youth Sports Facilities News
Garland, Texas: City officials in the Dallas suburb have approved a $70M soccer complex and training hub. It will be used for youth soccer games, tournaments and training and have a main turf field with 2K seats and grass fields. Atletico Dallas — a USL expansion team — and its youth academy will operate the facility; it will also be the professional team’s headquarters. Officials said they hope the venue can address a shortage of soccer facilities in the region and also spark sports tourism for the region.
Jacksonville, Illinois: The Future Champions Sports Complex suffered significant damage due to strong storms. Buildings suffered extensive damage and protective nets were torn down at the baseball and softball facility. The status of weekend tournament games was undetermined.
🏈 Girls Flag Football Takes Another Step Forward
NFHS has published its first-ever flag football rulebook. The national governing body said the rules can be used for both boys and girls competition, but noted girls flag is the nation’s fastest-growing high school sport.
The rulebook — with some room for local differences — will establish uniform rules for the 16 states that officially sanction the 7-on-7 sport at the high school level.
There are also pilot programs in 17 other states and the District of Columbia.
NFHS said there was a 63% increase in girls ages 6-17 playing flag football nationally from 2019-2024 and high school participation doubled from the 2022-23 academic year to the 2023-24 year.
And this is all before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
James’ take:
Do not overlook the significance of this development.
NFHS is a north star in the high school sports world when it comes to state-level leadership. The fact it now has an official rulebook is likely to catalyze further growth of an already-exploding sport — more states will formally sanction girls flag football and more schools will start programs.
That will boost the youth level further — participation is bound to keep rising if youth athletes have a pathway to varsity competition once they reach high school.
What will be interesting to see a decade from now: Does girls flag football — a spring sport in most places — begin to steal athletes from track and field, softball and lacrosse?
The former treasurer of a youth sports organization in Michigan is accused of embezzling as much as $180K.
The Ingham County Sheriff’s Office is probing alleged malfeasance at the Webberville Junior Athletic Association. The multi-sport non-profit is facing a financial crisis after stumbling upon its looted bank account.
Ex-treasurer Tiffany West has been identified as the suspect, but has not yet been charged. She reportedly confessed in a letter. Cops said they cannot charge anyone until they determine how much money was stolen in total. She is accused of carrying out the embezzlement over a five-year period.
🔗 Youth Sports Links
📋 Job Alert: Assistant Director, Reading Junior Royals
The Junior Royals — a multi-level youth hockey organization tied to the Philadelphia Flyers’ ECHL affiliate — are seeking an assistant director that is “responsible for supporting the development, management, and implementation of all Junior Royals youth hockey programs. This role requires strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills to help drive program success and growth while ensuring a safe, inclusive, and skill-building environment for players, coaches, and families.”
The position will pay $50-$60K annually. A full job description can be found on LinkedIn.
If you’d like to list an open position here and reach 5,000+ youth sports professionals in a single email, email me.
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Good game.