🥎 Takeaways From LeagueApps' NextUp Conference

This is Buying Sandlot — the only newsletter that focuses solely on the business of youth sports.

A special Tuesday send with our notes and thoughts from last week’s LeagueApps NextUp Conference.

Let’s get to it.

One of the more informative moments at the conference came at the start, during opening remarks from LeagueApps president Jeremy Goldberg and CEO Brian Litvack.

LeagueApps analyzed over 50 data points and concluded there are eight types of youth sports organizations:

Litvack said the purpose was to go beyond the traditional breakdown of the industry into two buckets — rec and travel — and best serve each category’s specific needs.

Youth sports offers unique emotions, relationships, stories and unexpected moments that create genuine connections with brands.

The challenge, though, is understanding how to navigate the space and identify the opportunities that deliver the most value.

BASE Sports Group will host the first-ever Youth Sports Sponsorship Forum on Nov. 4 in New York, bringing together a curated group of marketers, operators, data experts, media members and industry leaders to discuss the most important topics about sponsorship in youth sports.

Among the companies and organizations scheduled to attend: Amazon, Geico, LinkedIn, Meta, Nike and many others.

Interested in joining them? Reach out here

*Sponsor

A big show from NextUp! The Kyles sat down with:

Another notable nugget from Litvack and Goldberg: Peer nations spend 2.5x more public dollars per person on sports than the U.S.

That is not a surprising figure, but still a jarring one. And it is exacerbated by the fact private philanthropy has not prioritized youth sports, as Goldberg pointed out. That means burdens and costs land on families.

U.S. Center for SafeSport CEO Benita Fitzgerald Mosley said she believes there will eventually be a reckoning when it comes to the many safety gaps in youth sports.

Could the firestorm that has engulfed the AAU finally be the moment that spurs Congress to take action?

"I'm not really sure, but I hope that something happens," Fitzgerald Mosley told Buying Sandlot. "Without that federal mandate, it's very difficult to expand our remit. We don't have the resources. Help from them will help everyone."

SafeSport was launched by Congress in 2017 as a result of the Larry Nassar scandal. Fitzgerald Mosley said SafeSport received close to 10K reports last year. But its mission only covers the national governing bodies that are under the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee umbrella. All other youth sports operate on a patchwork of charter body standards and federal, state and local laws.

One potential path Congress could take: Requiring all youth sports organizations to check and adhere to SafeSport's centralized disciplinary database -- a publicly-available list of banned, suspended and restricted coaches. AAU reportedly allowed coaches to participate in its programming despite being on the list

Also: Fitzgerald Mosley reinforced what Unrivaled Sports Senior Director for Health and Safety Meredith Thompson said on our recent compliance and safety webinar in partnership with Ankored -- a good place for operators to start is ensuring all interactions between adults and kids are observable and interruptible.

Rush Soccer tells its clubs to look to the sideline first when searching for sponsorship partners.

"Parents already have the relationships," CEO Justin Miller said. "The connections they already have often drive success."

An example: A club's field costs have gone up 30% in the last year. Leadership sends a concise message to families explaining the situation and how finding a jersey sleeve sponsor could mitigate the expense without passing it on. And there is a good chance a deal materializes from there.

"We tell all of our partners to start with their existing membership," Miller said. "And then from there if needed go into industries that are obvious. You just have to think logically."

An organization's bank should be the first call for a sponsorship, Club Capital VP of Youth Sports Lisa Wolf said. The local tourism or visitor bureau should also be on the list, especially if the organization hosts events and can prove economic impact.

We keep hearing it everywhere: Trends are moving toward more local and regional competitions and fewer long trips.

Youth soccer is the frontline of this shift. The U.S. Soccer Federation has made it clear corralling travel is one of its top objectives as it takes greater control over the sport’s grassroots.

Jervis said travel has tremendous value from a social standpoint. And there will always be elite teams where travel is necessary to get proper competition. But the days of two teams from New Jersey driving to Ohio to play each other are likely numbered.

"We all have a responsibility, particularly at the higher levels, to educate parents that you don't need to travel three hours on a plane to get the best development," Jervis said.

Quick Take: This is not just in soccer. CSG CEO Ken Kocher discussed the shift in his recent appearance on the Buying Sandlot podcast, and in many ways his entire company hinges on local and regional competition. You are also seeing major platforms like Perfect Game offer more high-quality events away from major metropolitan areas.

Follow, connect, and partner with Buying Media Group — going deep on the business of sports.

Follow Buying Sandlot on social:

LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Instagram

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Kyle Scott | James Kratch | Kyle Pagan

Sponsorship Inquiries:

Paul Dippolito

Good game.