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

Kyle and Kyle discuss GameChanger's new multi-angle broadcast system at an Unrivaled Sports park, vibe coding platform features, and what they're bullish on in the facilities space amid chaos in Kansas City. Later, Gary Wilson from Perfect Game comes on to talk about their new Individual Player Entry system for elite baseball players. 0:00 - Buying Sandlot Summit Agenda Announced5:33 - GameChanger Rolls Out New Multi-Camera System10:30 - Vibe Coding & Youth Sports13:22 - The Vibe Coding Race to the Bottom21:49 - The Facilities Arms Race: Dome Drama 24:45 - Improving Infrastructure For Club Facilities34:20 - Perfect Game's New Individual Player Entry 41:54 - The Long Term "Team PG" Opportunity46:31 - How Perfect Game Builds the Team48:06 - The Content Strategy Around IPE50:35 - Expanding the PG Experience52:36 - Inside the IPE PlatformGet 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

Kyle & Kyle talk to Brian Cruver, CEO of Scorability, about building the LinkedIn for college sports recruiting. 0:00 - Buying Sandlot Summit Panel Reveal3:40 - How a Recruiting Experience Lead to Scorability6:39 - The LinkedIn for College Sports Recruiting 14:21 - How Acquisition Created a Powerful Platform19:20 - How Scorability's Platform Expands Cross-Sport22:35 - Creating the Complete Picture of Recruits24:49 - Adding the Coach Back Into the Recruiting Process28:56 - Who Are Scorability's Competitors? 32:17 - Interoperability & the Future Market Potential 36:49 - Navigating Data Privacy in Youth Sports Tech39:33 - Raising over $50 MILLION in Funding43:51 - The Role of Camps in College Sports RecruitingThank you to our friends at EventConnect: the operating system for youth sports for sponsoring the show. Run your entire tournament or connect the tools you already use to their operating system to reduce spreadsheet chaos, help with tournament registration, and grow hotel spend. Support EventConnect who helps power the show and allows us to continue to show up in your inboxes and podcast feeds at https://eventconnectsports.com/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

Kyle and Kyle break down Chamath Palihapitiya's X article "The Collapse Of Terminal Value - What Happens If AI Makes Every Moat Temporary?" from a business of youth sports angle. How will AI disrupt youth sports? Would AI disruption lead to interoperability? Are youth sports recession-proof? They then react to a mainstream outlet covering the space like never before, a kid who was benched for his parents not volunteering, England's silence on the sidelines, and Rush Soccer's unique brand integration.0:00 - Buying Sandlot Attendance & Agenda Update3:11 - The Collapse of Youth Sports Terminal Value9:07 - The Importance of Trust Networks12:24 - Would AI Disruption Open up Interoperability?15:13 - Public Investment in Place of Private17:13 - Are Youth Sports Recession-Proof?25:41 - Is Mainstream Coverage of Youth Sports Changing?31:02 - Can Anyone Disrupt the DICK's Sporting Goods Market?37:08 - Benched for Parents Not Volunteering43:21 - England's Silence on the Sidelines45:33 - Rush Soccer's Unique Brand IntegrationGet 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

A new study from the ECNL pushes back on sports specialization and not everyone agrees with the findings. They also discuss GameChanger's outlook after the DICK's Sporting Goods earnings call. Lastly, Justin Honeysuckle talks about TendedBar and they're pivot to youth sports. He discusses their journey from NFL stadiums to tournaments, the business model, mixing alcohol and youth sports parents, and their tech behind transaction efficiency, age verification, and alcohol compliance.0:00 - The Buying Sandlot Summit5:31 - New Study Pushes Back on Sports Specialization17:48 - GameChanger's Outlook After DICK's Sporting Goods Earnings27:15 - TendedBar Shifts to Youth Sports36:40 - The Tech Behind Age Verification & Transaction Times41:35 - TendedBar's Business Model & Price Point44:26 - Mixing Alcohol & Youth Sports Parents47:57 - Expansion & FranchisingGet 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

Kyle and Kyle discuss GameChanger and GoPro's partnership, the CaaS market, and streamers in the era of data privacy after a youth sports company gets dinged. Later, CEO of LeagueApps, Brian Litvack, joins to talk about the platforms three new features (TeamBuilder, Evaluations, and Global Schedule). We also talk about how these features will solve operator problems, how LeagueApps is using AI to solve more challenges and needs faster and more efficiently, and the before, during, and after game solutions.0:00 - Announcing Summit Sponsors & More Speakers4:35 - How Companies Are Using CaaS13:08 - Streamers in the Data Privacy Era21:17 - How LeagueApps' TeamBuilder and Evaluations Will Help Operators34:05 - Using AI to Solve Operator Problems and Needs 36:13 - Before, During, and After Game Solutions37:49 - LeagueApps CEO Reveals New Feature 42:09 - Will Newer Features Be Built In House? 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

IMG Academy introduced its Elevate by IMG education and performance platform. Kyle and Kyle give their commentary on what they think this means for expansion and future elite sports academies around the country as private education and elite sports continue to popularize. Buckle up! This one has a lot of layers! Later, they discuss the new DICK’s Sporting Goods trade-in partnership with SidelineSwap, a Savannah Bananas knockoff, and a 9U football player entering the transfer portal (and why they don’t hate it). Lastly, Adam Gouttiere, VP of Media at HUDL, comes on to talk about the new partnership with Chase, financial literacy around NIL deals, preventing NIL scams, how clubs can empower major and local brands, and unlocking scale. 0:00 - The Buying Sandlot Summit Sizzle5:16 - IMG Academy's Manifest Destiny14:43 - The Blending of Academics & Athletics19:15 - DICK's and SidelineSwap Launch Trade-In Program22:33 - A Savannah Bananas Knockoff26:38 - 9U Football Player Enters the Transfer Portal 30:30 - Adam Gouttiere VP of Media, HUDL34:23 - How Partnership Helps Families with NIL36:46 - Do Major Brands Have Interest in Youth Sports? 38:58 - How to Make Partnerships Not Feel Like an Ad40:30 - How to Marry the Physical & Digital to Unlock Scale42:59 - Empowering Local Brands in Youth Sports Get your tickets to our Youth Sports Business Conference in Philadelphia from April 14th-15th: https://events.buyingsandlot.com/summit-2026 Follow Us: Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.buyingsandlot.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buying-sandlot/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buyingsandlot TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buyingsandlot

Kyle Scott and Kyle Pagan discuss the elite Pathway Schools soccer academy that doesn't have a soccer team. They talk about the continued trend of combining elite education and sports and the innovative approach to development. Later Tyler Kreitz, CEO of Focus on the Field, comes on to talk about his LinkedIn rant against the current state of the youth sports industry, breakdown his observations, and the importance of trust and ownership when you're developing a product or are an operator in the industry. 0:00 - Intro 0:52 - The Elite Soccer Academy With No Soccer Teams10:53 - Sportico Op-Ed Throws Cold Water on the Industry19:03 - A State of Youth Sports Rant32:14 - Could There Be More Local Investment? 40:16 - The Importance of Trust & Ownership45:48 - Playing Youth Sports CzarGet your tickets to our Youth Sports Business Conference in Philadelphia from April 14th-15th: https://events.buyingsandlot.com/summit-2026 Follow Us: Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.buyingsandlot.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buying-sandlot/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buyingsandlot TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buyingsandlot

Kyle & Kyle talk about the importance of the collection, input, and verifiability of data as the SaaS disruption of youth sports continues. Plus they talk about how AI can help interoperability between platform market leaders and breakdown a football prospect's AI highlight video that's going viral and it's effect on the industry. Later an interview with Greg Manarik, CEO of Koomba, talks about his platform that connects youth athletes with sports psychologists and performance coaches. The conversation highlights the trends he sees in youth athlete mental performance, retention from investment, data sharing to reduce burnout, and the technology used to enhance athlete performance.0:00 - Intro6:07 - How Koomba is Helping Youth Athlete Mental Performance15:15 - The SaaS Disruption!26:47 - How AI Can Help Interoperability32:10 - A High School Recruit's Viral AI Highlights38:11 - Koomba Partnership Gives Access to 30k New Customers41:21 - Koomba's Goal for Athlete's Mental Performance45:20 - What Sports Does Koomba's Athletes Play?46:28 - Difference Between Mental Skills & Sports Psychology48:11 - Clubs That Invest in Mental Performance See Retention49:29 - Koomba's Business Model53:47 - Thoughts on Expanding Customer Focus55:44 - The Future of KoombaGet 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

Brandi Dowell Co-Founded The Bennett School, an elite baseball academy in Texas, because she was tired of the archaic school system. Using The Alpha School's 2 Hour Learning Model TBS utilizes AI-powered curriculum so student athletes don't have to spend six hours a day in the classroom. Instead they develop their baseball skills most of the day and get dinners with family back. We talk to Dowell about the AI curriculum that has student-athletes learning 6x faster than peers, student's day-to-day, the baseball facilities, self-funding the school, and tech they’re using to track verifiable data for the next level. Stick around after the interview as we react to the cutting edge ideas the mom and Texas commodities trader discussed.0:00 - Welcome to Buying Sandlot1:10 - How Students Only Need to Learn 2 Hours a Day6:25 - What is The Bennett School's Objective9:59 - Student's Day-to-Day11:28 - Students are Learning 6x Faster Than Peers14:10 - How Sports Fills the Gaps16:34 - How the AI Curriculum Challenges Students18:28 - The Baseball Facilities21:11 - How They Track Player Data for Scouts/Coaches22:59 - What's the Future of The Bennett School?25:15 -An Elite SELF-FUNDED Baseball Academy + Tuition Costs28:33 - Reactions to Interview + IMG Academy35:18 - IMG Academy's Focus on School37:50 - How The Bennett School is Capitalizing on Youth Sports Trends41:16 - Reacting to the Learning Development Approach44:17 - The Consolidation of Sports Academies Will be WILD!46:40 - Examining a Company Vertically Integrating from Youth to Pro50:20 - Parents Continue to Take Youth Sports BackGet 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

Rick Abbott has over 25 years working for the most iconic brands in sports like ESPN, NBC, and Formula 1 and is a former CEO of Cooperstown All-Star Village with Unrivaled Sports. A certified stick and ball guy Rick tells us why he's bullish on softball and the impact of major networks like ESPN on youth sports. We also talk about the Savannah Bananas youth approach, the needs for major brands to reinvest in grassroot sports, and the gives his thoughts on the recently popular "Norway Model". 0:00 - Intro3:38 - Why Rick is Bullish on Softball13:34 - How ESPN can Make Softball a Valuable Property14:32 - ESPN and LLWS Relationship16:40 - Streamers Future in Youth Sports 21:16 - The Concerns Around Youth Gambling24:16 - The Softball Facility Conundrum25:50 - Banana Ball or Little League Ball?37:34 - The Mental Toll on Youth Baseball Players40:47 - How NIL is Transforming High School Recruiting44:10 - Do Youth Sports Parents Get a Bad Rap? 47:47 - Can the Norway Model Work in the U.S.?53:23 - The Importance of Major Brand SponsorshipsGet 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

Kyle Pagan, Kyle Scott, and James Kratch discuss tech and businesses improving safety protocols following a tragic shooting at a youth hockey game, LiveBarn's complex case of video copyright, and USA Volleyball ending it's deal with SportsEngine, which brings out the Sale-O-Meter.0:00 - Intro: Grab Tix to the Buying Sandlot Summit1:59 - The Business Case for Improving Safety after a Youth Hockey Tragedy12:20 - LiveBarn's Complex Video Copyright Case26:35 - USA Volleyball Ends Deal with SportsEngine28:32 - The SportsEngine Sale-O-Meter Update29:45 - Who Will Replace SportsEngine at USA Volleyball?33:00 ...breaking news about the breaking news36:58 - The Future of Streaming40:55 - We'll be at the Flag World Championships in OrlandoGet 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