This is Buying Sandlot — the only newsletter that focuses solely on the business of youth sports.
We have another acquisition to discuss as AI player tracking companies take center stage today. And then strap in for the youth pro football league.
In the email today:
🎥 Hudl Acquires Titan Sports
Earlier this week, Hudl acquired Titan Sports, makers of wearable GPS trackers for high school athletes.
This is the second wearable tracking company that Hudl has purchased— the first was Wimu, which is more pro-grade.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed and Titan employees will join Hudl.
Titan’s wearables come in at a lower price point and bring tracking data once reserved for fancy Amazon Next Gen Stats clips to the masses.
Just look at Hudl execs talking about the deal.
“[the deal brings] GPS tracking to every level of sport. With Titan now part of the Hudl ecosystem, you don’t have to be a professional team to get the full picture—video, stats and performance data.”
“We view Titan as a complement to Wimu in that Wimu will continue to exist and be that top-tier, top-end product, and then Titan will be what we bring to the mass market, if you will. Those pro teams need centimeter-level accuracy, and the high school, club, small college teams need one-meter level accuracy. There’s just different levels of investment in the technology that you need to do to get that level of accuracy.”
“Too often, success gets measured by things that don’t really matter—the number of A’s next to your team name, your spot on the pathway pyramid, or the 'drip' level of your gear. But the best athletes and coaches know the inputs matter more than the outputs. How are you training? Are you raising your bar?
That’s why I’m so excited that Titan is joining the Hudl family.
With Titan’s GPS wearables now part of Hudl, we’re helping athletes and coaches track what actually matters—how hard they worked, how far they’ve come, and where they can go next.”
You get the point— GPS tracking for all levels. Hudl plans to fully integrate Titan data with its video.
Meanwhile, today, Teamworks, which bills itself as the Operating System for Sports™ with a trademark, acquired Telemetry Sports, which provides pro-grade computer vision and player tracking. They will rebrand the tool as Teamworks Coaching.
That is aimed more at the pro and college level than youth, but the parallels are obvious in the two acquisitions: larger sports platform acquires specific product or feature.
My take:
I previously wrote: “It will become almost impossible to compete with the tech platforms in this space. The opportunity will shift to building extensions or potential tuck-in acquisitions for these platforms, much like e-commerce startups build for Shopify.”
You have some clear “platform” winners right now, each serving slightly different but overlapping use-cases, among them: Hudl*, TeamSnap, SportsEngine, LeagueApps, Stack Sports, GameChanger et al.
*Yes, I know Hudl is different than the others, but they are a true platform when it comes to analytics.
As money pours in and each grows through acquisition it will become increasingly difficult to compete with them. Startups focusing on specific use-cases and market segments will become obvious acquisition targets.
But, there are still enough must-use apps that make being a parent, player or coach in youth sports a headache-inducing role which requires you to manage many logins just to exist.
A recent The Business Research Company report said the sports management software market will grow from $9.3 billion in 2025 to $14.1B by the end of the decade— an 11% compound annual growth rate. It will be spurred on by: “advancements in machine learning, artificial intelligence, the rollout of 5G technology, the emergence of blockchain technology, and the development of smart stadiums” to “enrich user experience, and provide real-time data access for informed decision-making and seamless communication.”
There’s been lots of AI advancements in analytics and tracking, but the platforms themselves tend to feature a more formulaic UI.
Some startups are focusing on this specifically: aggregating or integrating the mundanity of using a handful of larger platforms into a single, AI-backed experience. We’ll have more on that space in an upcoming email.
🏈 The Indie Pro Football League Is On Our Radar
Monday’s send was heavy on youth sports and NIL, but this would make everything there look like small potatoes.
The Indie Pro Football League — which claims it will pay athletes ages 8-17 — has held at least one player combine so far. Another is said to be scheduled for this weekend.
The league website says it will have 40 teams in 20 states from coast to coast and game checks range from $125 to $625 based on age, plus bonuses and bumps for playoff games and all expenses covered.
You probably have many questions. We do too!
The IPFL has not responded to messages from Buying Sandlot. Efforts to reach former Atlanta Falcons star Jamal Anderson, the league’s listed commissioner, have been unsuccessful.
We will keep digging and update you when we learn more. In the meantime: If you work for the IPFL or know anything about it, please drop us a line.
🚨 Investment Alert: Ready to Capitalize on the Fastest-Growing Youth Sport in America?
We’re working with an established, premium youth flag football league to find a strategic buyer or investor to scale the profitable operation.
Located in a desirable Northeast region, the league is well-positioned for continued growth in the RED HOT flag football space.
Revenue streams include:
League registrations
Clinics and skill development classes
Summer camp programming
Business Highlights:
1k+ active players year-round (Ages 5–14)
Premium partnerships for field and facility use
Dedicated referee pool and trained operational staff
Strong customer lifetime value (LTV) and high average order value (AOV)
Consistent growth every season since launch
Annual revenue: mid-six figures
From the seller:
“Founded to meet the demand for a better, safer, and more professional youth sports experience, this business delivers a top-tier program for families seeking a well-run league, exceptional facilities, ran by trusted staff. This is an ideal acquisition for a national youth sports brand or adjacent company looking to expand into a booming market. With its affluent demographic, strong infrastructure, and scalable, portable model, this opportunity is built for rapid, sustainable expansion.
Private Equity take note: This is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and this league is a proven, ready-to-scale player with the systems, learnings, and IP to support explosive growth.”
Want to learn more? Click “yes” and I (Kyle) will make a warm introduction to the seller.” Yes, please introduce me to the seller (you will receive an email within 24-48 hours if you click).
⚾️ Dick’s Sporting Goods Lands Another Youth Sports Partnership
Dick’s is now the presenting sponsor and official sporting good provider of the Pony League World Series — an international baseball tournament for ages 13-14 held annually outside of Pittsburgh.
With these designations, Dick’s Sporting Goods will enhance the overall fan and player experience via on-site activation while supporting tournament operations and outreach initiatives. The company’s sponsorship will also be visible through a mixture of physical and digital assets associated with the event, including prominent signage, television and livestreaming elements, and social media.
Now the company has a new relationship with an organization that has over 500K players ages 3-23 in over 50 countries worldwide.
🏢 Youth Sports Facilities News
The Morristown (Tenn.) City Council approved an ordinance increasing the maximum height of buildings in town to 65 feet (about six or seven stories) from 45.
The reason? Several hotels are about to be built to accommodate a tourism boost sparked by the Morristown Landing events and recreation center, which hosts youth basketball, volleyball and swimming competitions.
📍 Playeasy Launches Event Experience Platform
Playeasy has unveiled Playeasy Experiences, a digital platform which allows destination marketing organizations — and their associated youth sports complexes! — to create event-focused visitor experiences through their own channels and integrates with the DMO’s website.
Think event micro-sites that can live on your own website.
Among the offerings:
Event-centric “one-stop-shop” digital experiences
Hotel solutions for any event — live rates, room blocks, third-party housing, etc.
Curated recommendations, local offers, and “Show Your Badge” discounts
AI-powered tour guide that personalizes the entire event visitor journey
Comprehensive, actionable analytics and engagement data tied specifically to events
Integrate any or all components and keep the entire experience on your website
There’s a lot of momentum right now in the “operating system for X™” space in sports— from Teamworks which we mentioned earlier, to CoachIQ for facilities and coaches, to Playeasy for DMOs.
🏒 Helios Partners With NHL Star To ‘Redefine’ Youth Sports Training
The sports technology company announced a collaboration with Matthew Knies, who scored 29 goals for the Toronto Maple Leafs this past season, that "aims to redefine youth sports training, starting with ice hockey player development."
Helios says its AI wearable technology provides athletes and coaches with:
Performance data and personalized insights
Automated shift video
Objective insights on skating performance
Injury prevention information
Somewhere, Helios is taking note of the Titan and Telemetry acquisitions…
James’ take:
Hockey is having a moment right now.
We’ve seen aggressive investment in the state of Utah by Ryan Smith, who owns the NHL’s Mammoth.
The hockey-first LiveBarn streaming service is on the market.
Sports Facilities Companies just acquired a slew of ice complexes nationwide.
And a facility point person we spoke to recently said they are considering a change of plans to have hockey facilities given the sport’s rise in popularity on the youth level.
🔗 More Youth Sports Links
📋 Job Alert: Camp & Community Manager, Loudoun United FC
The USL club (the tier below MLS) is "seeking a passionate and experienced Community & Camp Manager to lead our community outreach initiatives and youth camp programs. This role serves as the primary liaison between the club and the Northern Virginia community while developing and managing comprehensive youth soccer programs that build the next generation of players and fans. The ideal candidate will combine program management expertise with community engagement skills to expand the club's impact throughout Loudoun County and surrounding areas."
The full job posting can be found on LinkedIn.
If you’d like to list an open position here and reach more than 4,700 youth sports professionals in a single email, email me.
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Good game.