Key Takeaways
- BPG Sports now runs 11 programs across four sports serving 4,500 athletes and their families, per the company’s September 2 release.
- The Coastal Lacrosse Academy deal pushes BPG Sports past 1,000 lacrosse players across the Mid-Atlantic, according to the release.
- Management agreements with the Bagel Bombers and Lady Bombers are the firm’s first baseball and softball programs.
- Two of the four programs get new names: Coastal Elite Lacrosse Club and Henlopen Recreational Soccer.
Buccini Pollin Group’s sports management firm, BPG Sports, announced on September 2 that it has acquired the Coastal Lacrosse Academy and entered long-term management agreements with three additional youth programs: the Bagel Bombers baseball program, the Lady Bombers softball program and Delmarva Rush Soccer Club. The youth sports acquisition and management deals bring BPG Sports’ portfolio to 11 programs across four sports serving 4,500 athletes and their families, according to the company’s press release.
One Acquisition, Three Management Agreements
The four additions arrive under two different deal structures. Coastal Lacrosse Academy is an outright acquisition. The Bagel Bombers, Lady Bombers and Delmarva Rush Soccer Club come in through what the release describes as long-term management agreements, with BPG Sports taking over day-to-day operations and management of the programs.
Two of the four are being rebranded as part of the transition, per the release. Coastal Lacrosse Academy becomes Coastal Elite Lacrosse Club, and Delmarva Rush Soccer Club becomes Henlopen Recreational Soccer. The Bagel Bombers and Lady Bombers keep their names.
Steve Cavalier, senior vice president and general manager of BPG Sports, said in the release that the transactions reflect what the firm was built to do: “bring the top clubs, coaches, and venues under one roof and give young athletes a best-in-class experience.” He added that each organization has built a strong local reputation and that BPG Sports’ goal is to invest in their players and facilities.
Lacrosse Roster Tops 1,000 Players Across the Mid-Atlantic
Lacrosse is where BPG Sports has the deepest bench. Coastal Elite Lacrosse Club joins an existing portfolio that includes the BPG Nationals, Brotherly Love Lacrosse Club, Duke’s Elite Lacrosse Club and the Phantom Girls Lacrosse program, per the release. With the acquisition complete, BPG Sports will serve more than 1,000 lacrosse players across the Mid-Atlantic region, according to the release.
That makes lacrosse the firm’s largest single-sport footprint by program count, with five clubs now operating under the BPG Sports umbrella.
First Baseball and Softball Programs, Plus a Third Soccer Club
The Bagel Bombers and Lady Bombers are BPG Sports’ first entries into baseball and softball, according to the release. Rather than acquiring the programs, the firm will operate them under management agreements, handling day-to-day operations for both.
On the soccer side, Henlopen Recreational Soccer joins The Sporting Athletic Club and its two state affiliates, Sporting Athletic Club PA and Sporting Athletic Club NJ, per the release. The addition of a recreational program alongside the Sporting Athletic Club clubs gives BPG Sports soccer operations in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Eleven Programs, Four Sports, and Two New Names on the Jerseys
The September 2 announcement takes BPG Sports from a lacrosse-and-soccer operator to a four-sport youth platform in a single release. The headline totals, per the company, are 11 programs, four sports and 4,500 athletes and families served, with lacrosse alone accounting for more than 1,000 of those players.
Cavalier’s stated plan is to invest in the players and facilities of each new program. The release did not disclose deal terms, the length of the management agreements or a timeline for the rebrands. What is confirmed is the operating model going forward: one acquired club, three managed programs, and all four running under BPG Sports by the start of the fall season.
Source: Delaware Live, Ryan Colasanti, September 5, 2026, https://delawarelive.com/bpg-sports-expands-its-portfolio-with-four-new-youth-sports-additions/
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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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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.
