Retired NFL wide receiver Adam Thielen, a two-time Pro Bowler who earned nearly $90 million across 12 NFL seasons, is turning his post-football chapter into a youth sports growth story. ETS Performance, the training company where Thielen holds an equity stake, completed its first-ever acquisition last month, purchasing Denver-based Kula Sports Performance and expanding the chain to roughly 80 locations serving more than 50,000 youth athletes nationwide.
Key Takeaways
- ETS Performance now operates approximately 80 locations after acquiring Denver-based Kula Sports Performance
- The chain serves more than 50,000 youth athletes across the U.S. with personalized small-group training
- Acquisition negotiations began roughly 1.5 to 2 years ago, closing shortly after Thielen’s January retirement
- Thielen holds equity in ETS, not just a franchise, and has stated he will be more hands-on following his January retirement
- The deal lands in a youth sports market now valued at $40 billion
From One Minnesota Gym to a National Footprint
Founder Ryan Englebert launched ETS Performance in 2010. When Thielen first walked in as a client in 2013, the company had a single location in Minnesota. Thielen, then an undrafted free agent trying to make the Vikings roster, credits the training with transforming his game.
“That’s when I really knew this was going to be a difference maker for me… I was faster, more stable and explosive in and out of breaks,” Thielen said.
That undrafted player went on to earn two Pro Bowl selections, rank third in Vikings all-time touchdowns behind only Chris Carter and Randy Moss, and compile career contracts totaling nearly $90 million across 12 NFL seasons with the Vikings, Panthers, and Steelers.
Adam Thielen ETS Performance Acquisition Strategy
The Kula acquisition marks a new phase for ETS. Kula Sports Performance, which has trained athletes including San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, gives ETS a stronger presence in the Denver market. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“It was a long process,” Thielen said. “Conversations probably first came up a year-and-a-half or two years ago. Now that I’m retired, I have more time to be hands on.”
ETS programs build personalized speed, strength, and mobility routines based on initial athlete evaluations, factoring in age, athletic goals, and sports played. Sessions run in small groups rather than large classes.
Targeting Every Tier of Youth Athlete
Thielen frames the brand’s appeal broadly, not just for elite prospects.
“I didn’t have an option like this when I was a youth athlete, to go train with pros who actually understand the basics of what it takes to be better athletes,” he said. “I wanted to bring that access to as many people as possible.”
That accessibility pitch matters in a crowded market. “If you’re on the B team for seventh-grade baseball trying to make the A team, or on the A team trying to make varsity, we’re here for you,” Thielen added.
ETS has also trained professional athletes outside football, including Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel, which broadens the brand’s credibility across sports.
Why the ETS Franchise Model Matters for Youth Sports Investors
For operators and investors tracking consolidation in youth performance training, ETS offers a concrete case study in athlete-branded franchise scaling. Thielen holds an equity position rather than a licensing arrangement. The acquisition of Kula, which trained Christian McCaffrey, is ETS’s first and brings the chain to 80 locations in a $40 billion youth sports industry. The structure matches consolidation patterns that private equity has pursued in adjacent youth sports segments.
Adam Thielen ETS Performance for Youth Sports Operators
Club directors and facility investors should treat the ETS-Kula deal as a benchmark for what athlete-branded, equity-backed franchise chains can achieve in the youth performance training segment. At 80 locations and 50,000 athletes served, ETS has crossed the threshold from regional operator to national platform. Independent youth performance gyms now face a competitor with a recognizable NFL co-owner, a completed acquisition playbook, and an explicit accessibility pitch targeting athletes at every competitive tier. Operators considering expansion or exit should assess whether partnering with or selling to a chain like ETS fits their market position before consolidation narrows those options. directly.
Source: Front Office Sports
Image: Courtesy of ETS Performance
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