Key Takeaways
- The rebranded facility held its first open house on August 22, 2026, with one of two rebuilt ice sheets ready for skating
- Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association says it was evicted from the rink on March 3, 2026, and its executive director testified before a congressional panel in June
- General Manager Bryce Gulah says pricing is “much more competitive than people think” as new ownership works to win back local families
The former Wings West ice rink in Kalamazoo, Michigan reopened to the public on August 22, 2026 as BIGGBY COFFEE Ice Cube Kalamazoo, hosting its first open house since Black Bear Sports Group purchased the facility, according to WWMT NewsChannel 3. The event marked the rink’s public debut under new ownership after a contested transition that drew congressional attention.
Inside BIGGBY COFFEE Ice Cube Kalamazoo’s Rebuilt Rinks
Both ice sheets inside the facility have been redone, General Manager Bryce Gulah told WWMT. One rink is ready for skating now, and the second is expected to be operational within a few weeks. Gulah described a renovation effort that ran around the clock at times, with staff working overnight to resolve ice issues.
The relaunch pairs a corporate naming partner, Michigan-based BIGGBY COFFEE, with a facility operator, Black Bear Sports Group, that has been expanding its rink portfolio across multiple markets.
The Eviction Dispute That Reached Congress
The reopening follows months of friction with the rink’s longtime youth hockey tenant. Matt Kakabeeke, executive director of the Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association, told a congressional panel in June that Black Bear Sports Group evicted the association from Wings West on March 3, 2026, leaving the program without a home, according to his testimony reported by WWMT.
Kakabeeke used the hearing to argue that youth sports costs are rising beyond what many families can afford, and that lawmakers have a role in keeping youth sports centered on child development rather than profit maximization.
Gulah pushed back on affordability concerns, telling WWMT that Black Bear is focused on access for families across socioeconomic backgrounds and inviting skeptical residents to review the facility’s pricing directly.
One Sheet Skating, One Community Still Deciding
The open house gave West Michigan families their first look at the renovated facility, but the harder work is repairing trust with a hockey community that watched its largest youth association lose its home ice. Gulah said he hopes residents will give new management a chance. The clearest near-term test arrives when the second sheet opens: it is expected to be ready in a few weeks.
Source: WWMT NewsChannel 3, Tylor Brummett, August 22, 2026, https://wwmt.com/news/local/former-wings-west-reopens-biggby-coffee-ice-cube-kalamazoo-open-house-black-bear-sports-group-optimist-hockey-association
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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.
