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Will This New Youth Soccer Training Facility Redefine Indoor Sports?
🥎 The business of youth sports
Kyle Scott
April 15, 2025
This is Buying Sandlot — the only newsletter that focuses solely on the business of youth sports.
We have a lot to get to today.
In the email today:
⚽️ Valhalla SC Arena Aims To Redefine Youth Sports Training and Entertainment
rendering provided by Valhalla
As a parent, I need more facilities like this in my life vs. the cattle shoots I’m used to for indoor sports.
Last week, I spoke with Robert Thompson, who just announced that he is building Valhalla SC Arena in Denver, Colorado, a 36,000 square-foot indoor soccer facility.
Thompson says the facility is the first of its kind and blends together the worlds of sports, entertainment, training, and food and beverage. Just smashing together the worlds of “eatertainment” and “sportstainment”— the latter of which is particularly hot right now.
Robert Thompson, Valhalla SC Arena
Thompson previously founded Punch Bowl Social, which targeted millennials, offering elevated dining experiences, craft beers, and games like bowling and darts. It quickly spread to 20 locations around the US, including at prominent spots like The Battery Atlanta, which surrounds Truist Park. So he knows the game.
What is Valhalla?
An indoor facility featuring soccer fields with smart boards, gamified training stations, arcade-style sports games, and oh yeah, a GIANT BEER HALL with massive projectors for live sports and a 1,500 square-foot kitchen.
2 “smart arenas” with adjustable and customizable dynamic LED walls that can change the goal value based on which panel you strike, including mid-match changes
4 Icon V2 training systems (pictured)
other games like “soccer tennis”, DuckPin Bowling, smart darts and more
the beer hall and bar will feature 40 self-pour beers, 10 house-made craft cocktails, and wine by the glass, powered by an RFID chip to handle payment
Gamified training for serious athletes— some of the same equipment used by English Premier League players.
Sportstainment for everyone else.
Icon V2 trainer
Who is it for?
Lots of people:
families with children in soccer development
millennials and young adults (Gen Z) seeking experience-driven entertainment and food and beverage options
experience-seeking adults
corporate groups
sports fans in general
The facility aims to cater to different groups at different times in the day.
According to the company’s pitch deck, mornings and mid-days could be used for committed athletes to train and corporate events.
Late afternoons and evenings will be dominated by families, youth and adult rec leagues, and fans converging for games, matches and to socialize.
Weekend events will include tournaments, birthday parties and other events.
The revenue mix is expected to be fairly balanced among food, beverage, and activities (in that order), with Thompson seeking to apply proven eatertainment dynamics to the emerging sportstainment vertical.
Thompson appeared on the Profluence podcast this week to discuss Valhalla more in-depth.
The competition?
Thompson sees very little.
Not that there aren’t others doing well in the space, but he feels no one is blending the youth sports + training + entertainment + food and beverage options the way Valhalla will.
He says:
Toca Soccer is training focused, but doesn’t offer the entertainment options. Toca’s sibling concept in England, Toca Social, features the opposite— entertainment without the training
Urban Air is gamified but with no real tangible sports training focus
And Dave and Busters caters mostly to adults, while the main event is children’s bowling and video games
Where at?
Colorado for now, at a location we agreed not to disclose for confidentiality reasons.
But given Thompson’s previous company’s expansion to 20 locations, Valhalla aims to stamp its model across the US, seeking areas with 1) middle-class family density, 2) disposable incomes, and 3) big-box retail with parking.
Investment opportunity?
Target real estate markets for expansion are mixed-use areas near affluent residential neighborhoods, areas with youth sports complexes, high-density family and professional markets, regional sports and entertainment centers, or affluent mid-sized cities… and about 30,000-40,000 square-feet of available space.
Valhalla is being cautious about who it allows onto the cap table, and is saving room for strategic partners.
Those include people from all areas of soccer— from professional leagues, franchises, equipment manufacturers, and private equity with a thesis around expanding fandom.
In short: “anyone with a mandate to grow the sport and art of soccer, and the direct and adjacent verticals.”
Related: While we’re on the topic of “sportstainment”, Top Golf founders raised $34 million from David Blitzer and Lloyd Danzig’s Sharp Alpha for Poolhouse— a bar-restaurant centered around… you’re not going to believe this… pool.
⚡️ Perfect Game Announces Exclusive Partnership with Bruce Bolt
Perfect Game announced an exclusive partnership with batting glove and sliding mitt provider Bruce Bolt.
Bolt will become “the official batting glove and sliding mitt provider for Perfect Game’s premier events, including the DICK'S All-American Classic, National Showcase, All-Star Game and others.
Perfect Game All-Americans will receive an exclusive All-American colorway of Bruce Bolt batting gloves and sliding mitts
Select Fest participants will be outfitted with Bruce Bolt Series betting gloves and sliding mitts, while National Showcase players will receive batting gloves
Bruce Bolt and Perfect game will also develop an exclusive collection of batting gloves, sliding mitts and arm sleeves— available for sale later this year
My take: Bruce Bolt is on fire right now, especially among youth athletes and younger MLB players.
The brand commands a premium price for its batting gloves (upwards of $100), and is known for its long-cuff glove.
They’ve taken a proven model of limited-release colorways and collabs (with Big League Chew, and Coach Rac of the Savannah Bananas) and applied it to the once-boring world of baseball equipment and apparel.
This is a very natural partnership, especially when you consider our recent deep dive on the success of Pottstown Scout - with its drip-heavy squads - at Perfect Game tournaments.
In other PG news: Last week, the company announced new Select Fest ID camps for 9-12 year-olds.
đź“ś A Bipartisan Bill To Unlock Federal Youth Sports Grants
Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) have introduced the bipartisan Youth Sports Facilities Act, which aims to enhance youth sports infrastructure across the country.
The legislation proposes amending the Public Works and Economic Development Act to include youth sports facilities as eligible for Economic Development Assistance grants, which in theory would make quality facilities more accessible to underprivileged kids.
“For too long, an area code has determined whether students could have access to facilities or resources necessary to participate and compete,” Huizenga said.
The bill has garnered support from various organizations, including the YMCA of the USA and Pop Warner Little Scholars.
Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Todd Young (R-IN) have introduced a companion bill in the Senate, emphasizing the importance of safe recreational spaces for children.
The EDA issues about $500 million per year in grants, mostly for infrastructure and public works in economically challenged areas.
We’ll keep you updated on this one.
⛳️ Bank of America Brings $5 Golf Rounds To Kids Across the Country
You may have seen this commercial during The Masters this weekend, but Bank of America partnered with Youth on Course to bring cheap golf to 50,000 kids nationwide.
The offer includes a free, one-year membership to Youth on Course, a registered handicap index in the United States Golf Association’s Golf Handicap Information Network (GHIN) system, and continued development and learning opportunities.
Golf with Us aims to make golf more accessible (and fun) for kids by subsidizing rounds at participating courses around the country. The cost? $5 per round.
Sooooo, do I just show up to Augusta with my kid, or how does that work?
Enrollment is open until May 24, 2025 at BofA.com/GolfwithUs.
The full list of courses is available at YouthOnCourse.org
Ah.
📋 Job Alert: Common Purpose Director, Dick’s House of Sport
Dick’s Sporting Goods is looking for someone to run its Jersey City, New Jersey House of Sport location. House of Sport differs from traditional Dick’s locations by offering experiential areas like batting cages, indoor fields, rock walls and more.
From the description:
DICK’S House of Sport is seeking a passionate, people-first store leader to oversee store operations in our Jersey City, NJ location.
…
Operational responsibilities will include partnering with the events team to set-up and breakdown in-store and Field events to ensure the optimal athlete experience; requires staying closely aligned with community and in-store event activities.
Best part? The job pays anywhere from $104k to $170k.
See the full job description on LinkedIn.
đź‘Ą Welcome To New Members
Welcome to new members of the Buying Sandlot community.
Deep breath!
Steve Mulry
Greg Brayman
Timothy O'Connor
Aj: Adventure Sports
Jose Flores: Lemoore Cannons
Brent Bridger: Free Agent Volleyball
Annie Zucker: Nevada Elite Wrestling
Michael Palomo: MCHH
Matt G: Hometown Sports Gear
Lisa Johnson: Hub City Sports
Ron Principe: Bayshore Warriors
Darren Larson: Team Texas sports
Joe Martinez: MK5 Marauders Baseball
Brock Hudgens: Play’n Sports, BSBLR, GoCombine, TappSports
Jesse Aporta: Black River Athletics
James Ansley Houston: Ungrounded Ideas
Dean: QLTY Baseball
Alan Crawford: Southwest Baseball League
Rob Reid: YouthSportsNetwork.club - launching 6/1
Jason Roth: Evolve Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation
Jeff Riney: The St. James
Joe Mannarino: MJ
William Vazquez
Victor Martinez: Bombers Baseball Instructional Academy
Mark Delgado
Cole Arvin: The Core of Scottsville
Jack Sweeney: Prospects Athletics
Austin Phillips: TroskyBaseball.com - Trosky Edtech
Rich Stein: Digitize Your Brand Inc
Steve Contreras: Unity Sports
Chris Amos: Hometown Team Sports
Charlie: MyPlayer Athlete
Rick Kelly: SElg
Warren Van: Club GSL
Patrick Remke: Advanced Sports Group
Jeff Green
Tommy Stephens: Seguin Rivermonsters Baseball
Danny Marlow: Indiana Tigers
Ross Bottem: Lydo’s Lab
Craig White: CW Sports Group LLC
Alan Nicholson: Electro-Matic Visual
Scott Delatush: Shore Wrestling Club Inc.
Zachary Colby: Tha Compound
Josue Espinoza: Club Leon Pomona
Michael Rohr
Nick Lucca: Redline Athletics
Dr. John Meindl: Sportsbrandedmedia Inc
Geoff Spies: Spies Holdings Company
Leonard Stephens: Perfect Performance
Orlando Ogando: Legion LLC
Chris McKnight: Tuckahoe Sports Inc./ Mid Atlantic Orioles
Coach Jau: Get it Done
Sherron Rives: St Louis Impact
Jeremy R Carter: Simple Sales and Marketing
Along with members from Klein Sports Consulting, Scoops Lacrosse, Bobcat Electrical & Instrumentation, Nateworks Services, Ballmecca Inc., Rad Muse, Core Twenty Four Services, Better Baseball of America for KIDS Inc., Next level athlete refinery& Dream Academy, Play’n Sports, Total Skills, Ironbridge Academy Inc, Ironbridge Sports Inc, Battleground Baseball Group, Yolked, Carver Military Academy, Squash Tigers, Palmetto xpress, Postal Express, Simple Plan Columbia, NBL-USA LLC, 1st&10football, Post Grad Sports LLC, SVI Sportswear, South Florida Football Academy, TGS, and Locked in.
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