Brand sponsorships in youth sports are still a relatively new phenomenon, but TeamSnap has demonstrated the significant impact they can have amid access and affordability issues.
The management platform announced yesterday it has surpassed $20M in direct funds going back to youth sports organizations via its sponsorships engine.
“We use our leadership position to help give back to the community,” CEO Peter Frintzilas told Buying Sandlot. “One of the major levers we have to pull is the ability to connect Fortune 250, Fortune 500 brands with grassroots, local sports organizations, leagues and clubs.”
The direct funds go toward scholarships, equipment, uniforms and other challenges, Frintzilas said. TeamSnap estimates it has impacted over 17M households in the U.S. and Canada, working with over 45K orgs and 4M teams.
The platform’s impact took off when it moved beyond digital advertising and acquired LeagueSide — a community sports sponsorship firm — in 2022. Sponsorships now run the gamut — activations, digital, uniforms, signage, naming rights, etc.
Brands wanted to engage with youth sports families in a way that was “more authentic, more impactful, more grassroots,” SVP of Brand Solutions Nicole McCormack said.
There are now close to 600 national and regional brands on TeamSnap’s platform including Kraft Heinz, Progressive and Spectrum; the latter sponsors close to 500 clubs and leagues a year, McCormack said.
Frintzilas said the TeamSnap One platform will further elevate the impact of brand sponsorships — he believes youth sports streaming could become a $10B space, for example.
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