Key Takeaways
- The inaugural Chicago Pro Sports Camp brought 120 kids ages 6 to 14 to the Fire Pitch for a week of soccer, flag football, hockey, basketball, baseball and softball.
- RCX Sports supplied programming from five league-backed youth properties, including NFL FLAG, NHL STREET and Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, so each sport had dedicated coaching and equipment.
- With roughly 50 park district partners and about 5,000 existing camp participants, Chicago Fire FC has a ready channel to scale the format.
Chicago Fire FC and RCX Sports ran the first Chicago Pro Sports Camp this summer, a multisport camp that gave 120 young athletes ages 6 to 14 a week to try soccer, flag football, basketball, hockey, baseball and softball at the club’s Fire Pitch facility, according to RCX Sports. Campers were not expected to have prior experience in any sport. The camp was built around sampling rather than specialization.
How the Multisport Camp Was Built
The Fire Pitch offered two full-size turf soccer fields and an adjacent blacktop, giving organizers room to rotate sports through the week, RCX Sports said. Chicago Fire FC contributed the facility and its community reach. RCX Sports contributed coaches, equipment, curriculum and its relationships with professional leagues.
Soccer and flag football anchored each day. Lamont Jones, General Manager at the Rockford Park District, helped lead the NFL FLAG portion. Each day added another sport drawn from RCX-operated properties: NHL STREET hockey, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Leagues basketball, MLB Pitch Hit & Run for baseball and softball, and soccer activities tied to MLS GO.
Lee Hannant, Vice President of Community Soccer for Chicago Fire FC, said the goal was to avoid the look of a soccer camp stretching into other sports.
“It wasn’t soccer coaches trying to deliver another sport,” Hannant said. “We had NFL FLAG, NHL STREET, Jr. NBA/WNBA, and MLB Pitch Hit & Run bringing real expertise and credibility to the experience.”
Why Chicago Fire FC Chose RCX Sports as a Partner
The partnership grew out of an existing relationship. RCX Sports already works with the club through MLS GO, which Hannant called the logical starting point for a broader camp.
For RCX, the camp was a new configuration of its portfolio. Chris Ward, Program Manager of MLS GO at RCX Sports, said the camp combined the company’s programs in a way it had not done before, pulling together its league properties, local operators and a professional club partner around one event.
For the club, the motivation was reach. Hannant said Chicago Fire FC wanted to diversify its camp offerings and connect with families outside its traditional soccer network.
Beyond Drills: Small Groups and SEL Themes
Instruction was organized in small groups, with activities adjusted for age, ability and experience level, RCX Sports said. Each day also carried a social-emotional learning theme, covering relationship skills, self-awareness, self-management, decision-making and social awareness.
Hannant, who has spent 15 years with Chicago Fire FC and played soccer at a high level in England, framed the camp as a response to early specialization pressure.
“I have also seen the enjoyment go out of sport very quickly,” Hannant said. “This camp felt very counter to that high-stress environment.”
The format let campers return to a familiar sport after trying an unfamiliar one. Hannant’s own son was among the participants.
From One Week at the Fire Pitch to 50 Park Districts
The distribution path for a second year already exists. Chicago Fire FC works with approximately 50 park district partners, which the club said opens the possibility of bringing the camp to more city neighborhoods and suburbs. Future editions could also involve other Chicago professional teams through players, alumni, mascots, equipment and merchandise, according to RCX Sports.
The club’s camp programs already serve approximately 5,000 participants, and Chicago Fire FC sees added demand for soccer following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The multisport format gives the club a product for families whose children lean toward other sports.
Neither organization has announced dates, locations or enrollment targets for a second camp. The open question is how quickly a 120-camper pilot at one facility can move through a network of 50 park districts.
Source: RCX Sports, September 22, 2026, https://rcxsports.com/chicago-multi-sport-camp/
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How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
Who founded Youth Sports Business Report?
Youth Sports Business Report was founded by Cameron Korab, a sports marketing veteran with more than a decade in the industry and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Korab also co-founded Vertical Sports, a sports marketing advisory serving brands across youth, college, and pro sports.
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YSBR delivers original reporting and market intelligence on youth sports facilities, youth sports technology, sponsorship and brand partnerships, private equity and venture capital deals, NIL policy, coaching development, equipment and apparel, tournaments and events, and community sports initiatives. Readers include industry executives, investors, facility owners and operators, league administrators, and youth sports parents.
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Hosted by Cameron Korab, founder of Youth Sports Business Report, Jr. Sports Marketing features candid 1-on-1 conversations with the brands, athletes, leagues, and innovators building the future of youth sports. Each episode breaks down how the smartest brands are activating, building equity, and winning with youth sports families. If you’re an operator, founder, investor, or marketer trying to understand where this space is headed, this is your show.
Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
