If you are looking for a microcosm of everything going on in the youth sports industry, consider making a trek to the Pacific Northwest.
“Yes,” MODE Sports VP Scott Reid said with a laugh when asked if the sprawling, soon-to-be 500K-square-football complex in Liberty Lake, Washington, is a facility, an academy or an elite club platform. “We are one-of-a-kind.”
Name an industry trend — amenities, education, facilities, family experience, sponsorships, tournaments — and you will likely ID it here.
MODE — which means “to gather with purpose” in Danish — was established by Lucas Kjar, the founder and former CEO of AutoSource (now AutoSavvy), a nationwide branded titles car dealer.
Kjar founded Liberty Launch Academy — a K-12 school with about 250 students — which operates on the MODE campus.
The campus consists of an operational 220K-square-foot community hub and a planned 280K-square-foot sports complex that will begin construction soon.
The community hub:
Co-working space
Event space
Doctor offices
Barber shop
Music program with recording studios
Cafe and cafeteria
Gym space — yoga, pilates, dance
Ceramics studio
The sports complex:
Indoor football field with seating
6 basketball courts/12 volleyball courts
14 pickleball courts
Wrestling room
60-foot rock climbing wall with bouldering space
Playground
LLA has a secular curriculum, but the school encourages students and faculty to express their respective faiths. Reid said LLA is beginning to leverage AI to improve and individualize the educational experience, but it resembles a traditional school in many ways.
MODE Prep — an elite high school boys basketball team — just played its first season on the Adidas circuit. MODE’s club volleyball teams are among the nation’s best in their age groups. MODE will expand its club offerings once the complex opens.
LLA teams are separate from MODE Prep; they compete under Washington’s state governing body’s umbrella.
MODE’s community hub is currently open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. with plans to expand hours in the future. Reid said the ability to optimize the facility outside of sports hours drives the business; the complex will then unlock sports tourism revenue — and offer families amenities outside of competition.
Reid said MODE is also interested in corporate partnerships. Another angle that makes it unique in the industry — what it can offer to potential partners.
The location is appealing for corporate retreats, sitting between Spokane and Couer d’Alene, Idaho. MODE has entertainment options like Indy Car simulators on campus. Kjar also owns a concert venue/race track in the region.
“Let’s build a system where the kids can excel in their sports, but families can really enjoy the experience,” Reid said. “Don’t view it as a complete burden to have an athlete at home and all of their vacation time, all of their extra money goes to that.”
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