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In the email today:
👷♂️ The Latest On Massive Project In Florida
Courtesy of The Dynasty
The developers behind a proposed sprawling $1B mixed-use complex said they expect to break ground next month, according to Orlando Business Journal.
The Dynasty is privately-funded and will sit on 155 acres in Ocoee, about 15 minutes outside of Orlando.
17 multi-purpose fields
Over 1K hotel rooms
500K square feet of commercial and restaurant space
Projected annual economic impact of $540M
Creation of 10K temporary jobs, 5K permanent ones
Montierre Development said it has obtained all permits and a final site plan layout will soon go before the city commission for approval. AECOM is involved in the project.
🦚 Reading More SportsEngine Tea Leaves
A few interesting notes inside The Wrap’s report on compensation package for top Versant executives with their youth sports management and streaming platform on the market:
The Comcast cable network spinoff company's platforms, which includes SportsEngine, saw revenues increase 0.9% to $224M in Q3
Platforms revenues - which include GolfNow, Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes and SportsEngine - are up 5% to $622M so far in 2025
Sports/news content was about 60% of audience engagement in 2024
Versant said it will “strategically grow and expand” its platforms business
The possibility for "opportunistic and disciplined acquisitions” exists
More data points suggesting a sale is not a given. Continue to stay tuned.
🏀 Hoops Training App Adds Tracking Tech
Utrain — a booking app for basketball trainers we featured back in May — will add shot tracking and analytics to its platform early next year, CEO and co-founder Daniel Ginsberg told Buying Sandlot.
Utrain is partnering with Ball AI and will integrate its tech into the app; trainers and players will be able to capture makes, misses, streaks and shooting form using an Apple Watch or iPhone. The data will flow without sensors or setup.
Utrain will be the first platform in the industry to offer end-to-end trainer scheduling and payments, marketplace discovery and performance data, Ginsberg said.
"This partnership brings technology previously only accessible at the pro level to everyday basketball trainers nationwide, giving them real tools to grow their business and elevate player development," Ginsberg said. "We're doing it in a way that’s simple, fast and fun.”
Utrain is launching a paid subscription tier along with the rollout — the Elite Plan will cost $19.99 a month and include the new tech and other add-ons.
The Pro plan will remain free and trainers will still collect 100% of booking fees with athletes paying transaction fees.
Utrain said it has over 4K users nationwide and has had over $1.4M in lifetime bookings across close to 7K sessions.
🧱 More Youth Sports Facilities News
Avondale, Louisiana: Construction is almost complete on a $45M complex with four multi-purpose turf fields near New Orleans. The 147-acre John Alario Jr. Youth Sports Complex is state funded and officials said it is already scheduled for tournaments through next year with 2027 and '28 bookings underway. Talks are underway to build a hotel on the site.
Las Vegas: A youth hockey parent has begun a push to build a $15M non-profit indoor ice and turf facility. The proposed 130K-square-foot complex would be designed to meet the region’s exploding demand for hockey facilities and would accommodate other sports.
New York: MADE Hoops’ player development academy — announced last month alongside the arrival of a group of star-studded strategic investors — will be located in Brooklyn. The 15K-square-foot facility will open next year in partnership with trainer Justin Bright and his HMBL Development organization.
Quick Take: Brooklyn is bustling with youth hoops training facilities. The Brooklyn Basketball Training Center — operated by the parent company of the Nets and New York Liberty and featuring Shoot 360 technology -- opened earlier this year, as did The Program, backed by Roc Nation.
Tombstone, Arizona: This is not a big project, but a cool one to note nonetheless: The legendary Old West boomtown is working to build a soccer field; local reports say families have to travel at least a half-hour to play currently.
🎽 Major Indiana Complex Scores New Partner
Capelli Sports will be the official uniform and apparel partner for Grand Park Sports Campus, the 400-acre youth sports complex in Westfield, Indiana.
The partnership is a multi-year deal.
Capelli will outfit campus staff
Custom-designed uniforms for special campus events
Co-branded equipment for events, festivals, tournaments
Capelli will have on-site activation and showcase new product lines
Collaboration on major events
Capelli Sports will also have a branded VIP suite in the Community Health Network Events Center.
🤦♂️ Parents Behaving Badly, Thanksgiving Edition
A brawl broke out during a youth football game in California on the holiday.
The incident was sparked by a coach/father who threw a punch at another adult and missed, hitting a kid.
Cops said they believe the man who threw the instigating punch was then knocked unconscious.
Parents from both teams allegedly ran onto the field, leading to several altercations. But most had left the field by the time police arrived.
🔗 Youth Sports Links
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