Buying Sandlot: The Business of Youth Sports

We're back!Kyle and Kyle talk about two youth sports tech start ups announcing different paths, USMNT legend Landon Donovan's criticism of club soccer, and dive into the 7th Inning Stretch with James Kratch to talk about the biggest youth sports business stories over the last week. Lastly, Onsides Founder Dave Yoo comes on to announce his app is out of beta, what it's been like building the everything app for parents, interoperability with tech platforms in the space, and more.0:00 - Buying Sandlot Summit App Announcement 3:38 - OpenAI Acquires Niche Media Company7:42 - Youth Sports Tech Startups Announce Two Different Paths16:36 - USMNT Legend Criticizes Club Soccer29:13 - Could Club Sports Upend College Athletics? 41:20 - 7th Inning Stretch 41:41 - Sen. Cory Booker Calls Out Youth Sports 48:30 - Ascent Group Finalizes LiveBarn Deal 51:24 - TeamSnap Gives Back $20 Million to Orgs 55:04 - Onsides Big App Announcement56:27 - Two New Partnerships 57:45 - The Youth Sports Everything App1:02:02 - Free, No Ads, No Subscriptions1:03:03 - How Onsides Drives Engagement to Platforms1:07:02 - Wins & Challenges From Beta Process1:09:02 - Are Platforms Open to Interoperability? 1:12:12 - Onboarding & Private Coaching Drives Feedback1:15:45 - What's Next Post-Launch? Get your tickets to our Youth Sports Business Conference in Philadelphia from April 14th-15th: https://events.buyingsandlot.com/summit-2026Follow Us:Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.buyingsandlot.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buying-sandlot/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buyingsandlotTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buyingsandlot

TeamSnap CEO Pete Frintzilas and SVP of Brand Solutions Nicole McCormack come on the show to talk about surpassing $20 million given back to grassroots organizations through sponsorship. We talk about the LeagueSide acquisition helping the platform achieve this incredible milestone, why brands value youth sports in their marketing strategy, the future of sponsorship, and how TeamSnap One will deliver even more value for sponsors in the future in a forecasted $10 billion streaming market.0:00 - Buying Sandlot Summit is in TWO Weeks1:10 - TeamSnap Surpasses $20M Given Back to Orgs3:19 - How the LeagueSide Acquisition Helped5:32 - Successful Sponsorship Campaigns7:21 - How TeamSnap Unlocked Value for Brands11:43 - TeamSnap One Plans to Unlock More Brand Power14:44 - Balancing Profit & Community Impact17:22 - The Future of Youth Sports Sponsorship19:05 - Are Brands Targeting Specific Clubs or Networks?Get your tickets to our Youth Sports Business Conference in Philadelphia from April 14th-15th: https://events.buyingsandlot.com/summit-2026Follow Us:Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.buyingsandlot.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buying-sandlot/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buyingsandlotTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buyingsandlot

Advance NIL is an NIL education, athlete protection, and development platform ocused on helping athletes and the organizations around them navigate Name, Image, & Likeness. Working with over 50,000 athletes and families through structured programming and digital education tools, we talk about their NIL PreCheck platform, the complex and changing landscape, and educating elite athletes at IMG Academy to avoid scams. 0:00 - Two Weeks to Get Buying Sandlot Summit Tix! 1:25 - How Advance NIL Helps Athletes Navigate NIL3:47 - Curriculum & Educational Offerings6:51 - Navigating the Evolving NIL Landscape10:05 - What Laws Should Parents Be Aware Of?13:55 - The Future of NIL in High School Sports18:26 - NIL Opportunities Outside of Social Media20:41 - Scams, Red Flags, & NIL PreCheck27:00 - Advance NIL's Next Move29:23 - International Athletes & NIL33:27 - Revenue Share, NIL, & Title IX's FutureGet your tickets to our Youth Sports Business Conference in Philadelphia from April 14th-15th: https://events.buyingsandlot.com/summit-2026Follow Us:Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.buyingsandlot.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buying-sandlot/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buyingsandlotTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buyingsandlot

MØDE Sports’ VP Scott Reid comes on to talk about the one of a kind 500,000 square foot facility they’re building in Spokane, WA that will include Liberty Launch Academy, 30+ courts, and a football field all attached to the already existing community center. We talk to Scott about the academy launch, being the first to market in the region, tournament and event economics, the brand partner and sponsor strategy, and how they plan to maximize 500,000 square feet during dead periods.0:00 - Buying Sandlot Summit Agenda Announced00:30 - The vision of transforming community sports and education01:55 - The Vision of MØDE Sports & Liberty Launch Academy7:22 - The One of a Kind School Curriculum9:58 - Maximizing a 500,000 Square Foot Facility12:15 - Pros & Cons of Being First to Market in Pacific Northwest15:43 - The Diverse Athlete Recruitment & Unreal Basketball House17:30 - Expanding Sports & Programs21:50 - Economics of Tournaments & Events25:24 - Football Facilities & Other Amenities28:30 - Naming Rights, Brands, and Partnerships33:42 - Content Strategy & Media Partners38:50 - Scott's Buying Sandlot Summit TestimonyGet your tickets to our Youth Sports Business Conference in Philadelphia from April 14th-15th: https://events.buyingsandlot.com/summit-2026Follow Us:Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.buyingsandlot.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buying-sandlot/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buyingsandlotTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buyingsandlot

IMG Academy's COO Mike Milliron sits down with Kyle Pagan to discuss the one of a kind student model, developing athletes for the changing college landscape, the importance of brand partners, and the future of elite youth sports academies. 0:00 - One of a Kind Student Model0:50 - How to Decide What to Build Next1:40 - Importance of Partners: Gatorade & Under Armour2:36 - A Holistic Approach to Education5:10 - Dealing With the Transfer Portal6:41 - The Content Strategy of Elite Academies8:55 - The Future of Elite Youth Sports9:46 - Is IMG Ready for the AI Disruption? 10:42 - The #AddMoreAthletes Campaign to Grow College AthleticsGet your tickets to our Youth Sports Business Conference in Philadelphia from April 14th-15th: https://events.buyingsandlot.com/summit-2026Follow Us:Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.buyingsandlot.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buying-sandlot/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buyingsandlotTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buyingsandlot