Key Takeaways
- TEC’s presenting sponsorship of the Madisonville venue runs through July 31, 2046, a 20-year term announced October 1, 2026.
- The facility is now branded Kentucky Sports Factory, Connected by TEC, with an updated logo built around the fiber provider’s name.
- TEC is pairing the sponsorship with fiber service of up to 8 gigabits, a planned local branch and local hiring in Madisonville.
- The city, county, facility and TEC did not disclose the financial terms of the 20-year agreement in their joint announcement.
The City of Madisonville, Hopkins County, the Kentucky Sports Factory and fiber broadband provider TEC announced on October 1, 2026, a 20-year youth sports facility sponsorship naming TEC the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Sports Factory in Madisonville, Kentucky. The agreement runs through July 31, 2046, and renames the venue Kentucky Sports Factory, Connected by TEC, with a new logo. Financial terms were not included in the announcement.
A Youth Sports Facility Sponsorship Tied to a Fiber Market Entry
The sponsorship arrives alongside TEC’s broader push into the Madisonville market. According to the announcement, TEC will offer fiber Internet service in the area at speeds of up to 8 gigabits, open a local branch and hire local staff.
TEC describes itself as a fiber broadband and communications provider with more than 3,000 miles of fiber across the Southeast, per the company’s boilerplate. The release positions the facility deal as one piece of a local footprint that also includes support for City events, scholarship programs, Chamber activities and small-business events.
Scott Pell, President of TEC, framed the agreement as a local commitment rather than a signage buy. “For TEC, this is about more than putting our name on a building; it’s about putting down roots in Madisonville,” Pell said, adding that the company is investing in fiber infrastructure and a local presence.
Local Government Backing From Madisonville and Hopkins County
The announcement was issued jointly with the city and county, and both offices tied the deal to the facility’s role in drawing visitors.
Madisonville Mayor Kevin Cotton called the partnership another example of organizations investing in the community’s future. He said the venue has quickly become a major asset for the city, bringing families and visitors to Madisonville while creating opportunities for young athletes to compete and build relationships through sports.
Hopkins County Judge-Executive Jack Whitfield said the facility is bringing people from across the region to the county and supporting local businesses. He described the TEC agreement as “another exciting step forward” and pointed to the venue’s value as a first-class place for young people to play and compete.
What Is the Kentucky Sports Factory, Connected by TEC?
The Kentucky Sports Factory is a sports and recreation venue in Madisonville offering tournament-ready courts, indoor turf, recreational programming, camps, leagues, community events and rentable space for private and corporate gatherings, according to the facility’s description in the release.
Drew Harrington, General Manager of the Kentucky Sports Factory, said the agreement reflects TEC’s belief in the venue, its mission and the surrounding community. “We’re proud to have them as a partner for the years ahead,” Harrington said.
The announcement was distributed by The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC), a planning, development and management firm for sports, recreation and wellness venues. SFC reports more than 140 venues and approximately 7,500 team members across its network, nearly 30 million annual guest visits and more than $1 billion in annual economic impact, per the company.
Fiber in the Ground, a Name on the Building Until 2046
The structure of the deal links two long-horizon investments: TEC’s fiber buildout in Madisonville and a naming position that extends two decades. For facility operators, the agreement is a working example of a regional infrastructure provider using a youth sports venue as its community-facing anchor while entering a new market.
The announcement did not set a date for TEC’s Madisonville branch opening, which remains the next confirmed milestone in a partnership scheduled to run through July 31, 2046.
Source: The Sports Facilities Companies, October 1, 2026
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Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) is the largest and most trusted media platform covering the business of youth sports worldwide. YSBR delivers youth sports news, market intelligence, and original analysis daily across facilities, sponsorships, private equity, NIL, sports technology, and league operations. With more than 50,000 followers, YSBR is the leading source of youth sports industry news for the investors, owners, operators, and brands shaping the future of youth sports.
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.
What does YSBR cover?
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.
