This is Buying Sandlot — the only newsletter that focuses solely on the business of youth sports.
We had a great time at the LeagueApps' NextUp event in NY this week. It was good connecting with those of you we met. Lots of great insights, conversations and interviews which we’ll share next week. Much thanks to the LeagueApps team for giving us some space to setup and record.
Now, onto the Buying Sandlot event: If you haven’t already, please fill out this short survey about your interest in attending and preferred dates for our 2-day youth sports business conference in Philly next spring right here. We are about to lock in with venue(s) and want to make sure the dates accommodate the maximum number of readers.
Let’s get to it.
In the email today:
📝 AI-Powered Player Evaluation Platform Unveiled
We will have much more in the days to come from Next Up, but we will touch on one news item: LeagueApps’ Player Reports feature, which debuted to kick off the conference.
The AI-powered tool is currently in beta; attendees were invited to apply for early access. It will be built into the LeagueApps Play app.
Coaches are able to record voice memos and the tech will then compile and analyze them before producing an initial draft of an evaluation report. The output will interpret the notes and create specific and actionable data for each individual.
“I don’t need to dig through all my notebooks, I don’t need to get all those little folded-up game notes I’ve been collecting all season, I don’t need to remember what happened four months ago,” said Jeff Clark, LeagueApps’ director of product for mobile and consumer.
“That’s the point: Fast, personal and actually usable. Coaches spending less time being librarians and more time leading.”
This is part of a trend I’m noticing that I’ll expand on more next week: player evaluation tools.
This is of the (AI-assisted) qualitative variety, and largely for coaches. But with financial ramifications being connected to higher-level programs and colleges through NIL and direct payments, the need for evaluation, scouting reports and data is elevated. Lots of ideas being explored here.
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Athletes of all ages and levels — from youth to professionals — receive elite speed and strength training at D1 Training’s over 150 locations nationwide.
I (Kyle) spoke with D1 Founder and CEO Will Bartholomew for an upcoming podcast about the opportunity for franchisees, and he explained what makes D1 unique:
What are the benefits of franchising with D1?
Owners get end-to-end support, which includes:
Site selection
Buildout
Launch and marketing plans
The class-leading facility franchise is backed by BIG-TIME ambassadors, including:
Tim Tebow
Peyton Manning
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Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular sports franchise brands, what they offer clients, and, more importantly, what they offer franchise owners:
Learn more about the D1 franchising opportunity right here.
*Sponsor
⚾️ Unrivaled Aims to Turn Orioles’ Minor League Stadium into Youth Sports Complex
As we have discussed in recent weeks: Not every youth sports asset that carries Cal Ripken Jr.’s name is controlled by Unrivaled Sports. But the youth sports platform is reportedly looking to bring one it does not own into its fold.
Unrivaled has expressed interest in buying Ripken Stadium — the city-owned minor league ballpark next to the Ripken Experience complex in Aberdeen, Maryland — and turn it into a youth sports complex.
It’s not officially a done deal, but Aberdeen Mayor Patrick McGrady talked like it was one at a public meeting, according to The Baltimore Sun. The acquisition would be part of an expansion project:
Stadium renovations
4 multi-purpose fields in parking lots
Entertainment and retail space
200-room hotel
Control taken via lease of 20-25 years
Unrivaled covers most costs, but city would seek some state funding
Projected 50% increase in youth sports tourism
Some backstory: Ripken and his brother, Billy, owned their hometown Aberdeen IronBirds — the Orioles’ High-A club — from 2002-2024. They sold majority control to Attain Sports Partners, who have since shifted the Orioles’ affiliation to another team they own (the Frederick Keys) and turned the IronBirds into an MLB Draft League club.
The IronBirds would still presumably play in the stadium; the building would also host concerts, festivals and other events.
⚽️ New $10M Youth Sports Initiative
The Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund announced Play to Thrive at the Aspen Institute’s inaugural State of Soccer summit.
The $10M multi-year initiative will be centered in the New York metropolitan area— Tisch’s family co-owns the New York Giants and she also owns part of the NWSL’s Gotham FC.
The initiative “will support organizations that use sports to improve youth mental health, expand access for underserved communities, and promote equity across New York City and beyond.”
Aspen’s Project Play will create a report on the state of youth soccer in NYC and northern New Jersey as part of the initiative.
The initiative will also fund the construction of a Soccer Street USA complex in Queens and expanded partnerships with Keep Her in the Game and Playworks.
🏐 LOVB Adds Los Angeles Franchise
Reddit co-founder and women’s sports advocate Alexis Ohanian is the latest big-name investor in the youth-to-pro volleyball operation, giving LOVB its seventh team.
The Los Angeles franchise will start play in 2027. An 8th team is reportedly expected to launch that year. Unrivaled co-founder David Blitzer is another league investor— he is involved with the Austin, Texas, franchise.
LOVB started as a youth volleyball business before launching a pro league after receiving $100M in private capital.
It has 81 connected youth volleyball clubs in 28 states and 93 locations with over 24K athletes, 3K coaches and 2K affiliated teams.
The league recently scored a media rights deal with Versant — the Comcast cable spinoff — and also has a broadcast deal with ESPN.
Ohanian’s arrival is also a big boost for LOVB as the rival Major League Volleyball prepares to launch in 2026 with a San Diego franchise. So LOVB now also has a SoCal foothold.
👟 Perfect Game Teams Up With Adidas
The baseball and softball developmental giant has linked up with the sneaker giant for its latest big-name partnership.
The collaboration kicks off with the PG x Adidas Adizero Impact Shades Cleats.
The limited-edition design is exclusive for PG athletes; it launched at the WWBA World Championships last month and is now available online and at PG storefronts in Destin, Florida, and Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Also: PG has named Jake Hornbacher as its new Midwest youth regional director; his main focus will be on expanding PG tournaments in the state of Michigan. Hornbacher was previously USSSA’s National Director of Sports and the GM of USSSA’s Space Coast Complex in Florida.
💰FundPlay Wins $50K Donation
LeagueApps’ charitable arm won Score Sports’ 50 for 50 fundraising competition earlier this year and was formally awarded a $50K donation this week at Next Up.
FundPlay works with organizations that provide both youth sports and social services in their communities like academic support and mentorship, career services, food banks and community kitchens or legal services.
“Sport is the tie that brings people together, always,” program manager Bailey Holloway said.
Score said the competition, which celebrated its 50th anniversary, generated over $300K. The San Diego-based equipment company has committed to operating it annually for the next decade, CEO Joe Flannery said.
🔗 Youth Sports Links
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Good game.