Key Takeaways
- Brand Velocity Group acquires RCX Sports, the company operating official youth programs for the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLS, NHL, and MLB. Terms were not disclosed.
- NFL FLAG, RCX’s flagship program, counts more than 830,000 participants across more than 2,000 locally operated leagues in all 50 states.
- BVG founding partner Austin Ramos tells YSBR the firm’s relationship with RCX began over four years ago, before the current wave of youth sports investment.
- Both sides say the model monetizes participation volume rather than price per family, with Ramos calling RCX “not a business focused on optimizing revenue per participant.”
- The deal is BVG’s second youth sports investment, following its 2022 acquisition of uniform and equipment maker SCORE Sports. Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning is a partner at the firm.
Brand Velocity Group, the New York-based private equity firm where Eli Manning serves as a partner, is acquiring RCX Sports, the company that operates official youth programs on behalf of all six major North American professional leagues. The deal was announced Thursday morning. Financial terms were not disclosed.
RCX runs NFL FLAG, the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Leagues, MLS GO, NHL Street, and MLB Pitch, Hit & Run, making it the operational backbone of how the country’s biggest leagues reach young athletes at the community level.
Ahead of the announcement, YSBR sat down with BVG founding partner Austin Ramos and RCX founder and CEO Izell Reese to talk through the deal, the business behind league-backed youth sports, and what changes for the families and local operators who run these programs.
From One Flag Football License to Six League Partnerships
RCX began in 2019 as Reigning Champs Experiences, operating a single program: NFL FLAG. Reese, a former NFL safety who played seven seasons with the Cowboys, Broncos, and Bills, built the company by positioning it as something different from a licensing partner.
“We learned early on that leagues were looking for more than just a licensing partner,” Reese told YSBR. “They needed a partner that could operate their local leagues at a grassroots level, support local organizers, protect the integrity of the brand, and scale nationally in a way that supports families and communities.”
Execution on NFL FLAG opened the door to the rest. “Once we demonstrated that we could execute and create lasting experiences for kids and families, we built on that foundation and expanded our model across additional professional leagues,” Reese said. Each league brought different priorities, but he says the common thread was proving RCX could grow participation while easing the operational burdens that have historically strained local organizations.
Ramos points to that same structure as the reason BVG had conviction in the deal. “The leagues aren’t just logos on a jersey,” he said. “RCX is how the NFL, MLS, and others actually operate their youth programs at the local level.” He describes the relationship as “infrastructure interdependency” rather than licensing, citing RCX’s renewal history with its league partners and the leagues’ active expansion of youth participation.
The Volume Thesis: Where Growth Comes From
The obvious question for a private equity acquisition of an access-focused youth sports company is whether growth eventually comes out of families’ pockets. Both executives gave the same answer: the model is built to grow by adding participants, not by charging existing ones more.
“The unit economics are grounded in growing participation volume, so the incentive is to bring more kids in at accessible price points, rather than extracting more from existing families,” Ramos said. “This is not a business focused on optimizing revenue per participant.”
Reese framed the same logic from the operator side. “A majority of families don’t stop participation in youth sports because their kids lose interest; it’s because the costs add up.” RCX’s answer, he says, is efficiency: shared infrastructure, centralized resources, and partnerships with schools, parks departments, YMCAs, PAL chapters, and community organizations that keep local programs sustainable.
For league operators and community partners watching the ownership change, Reese was direct: “Our mission, leadership team, and day-to-day focus all remain in place.”
Buying the Participation Layer
Ramos was careful to distinguish this acquisition from the broader wave of capital moving into youth sports. BVG’s relationship with RCX began over four years ago, he says, before the category heated up.
He also drew a structural distinction. Much of what is being assembled elsewhere in youth sports is built around facilities and travel programs or around media and content. RCX, in his framing, sits at the participation layer that feeds both. “You do not get the media value or the facility utilization without kids actually playing,” Ramos said.
Asked whether RCX becomes the anchor of a larger platform, Ramos said BVG will be disciplined about how and when it pursues one, but added: “RCX is already a platform, and one we will continue to amplify.”
The deal is BVG’s second in the category. The firm acquired SCORE Sports, a youth uniform and equipment company, in October 2022. Ramos did not outline any specific plans involving the two companies.
An Olympic Runway for the Flagship Program
Flag football’s debut at the LA 2028 Olympics gives RCX’s largest program a visibility surge no youth sport has had in years. Reese sees the momentum showing up in school adoption, girls’ participation, and international growth, and he is clear about the risk that comes with it.
“Youth sports can’t become something that only serves elite athletes or families with significant resources,” he said. Most kids still play through schools, parks departments, YMCAs, and recreational leagues, which is where RCX has focused. The RCX Sports Foundation supports that work through grants, scholarships, and equipment programs.
For BVG, success is defined in those terms too. “Success starts with impact and participation: more kids enrolled, more league operators thriving, and more programs running in communities that did not have access to them before,” Ramos said. “The positive financial outcomes are a byproduct of that done well.”
The volume thesis is now on the clock. If BVG and RCX are right, participation growth and returns rise together, and the largest league-backed youth platform in the country scales with affordability intact. The industry will be able to measure the answer in registration numbers.
Source: YSBR exclusive interviews with Austin Ramos, Founding Partner, Brand Velocity Group, and Izell Reese, Founder and CEO, RCX Sports, June 4, 2026
YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.
About Youth Sports Business Report
What is YSBR? Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis in the United States. Founded by Cameron Korab, YSBR is the premier B2B publication dedicated to the $54 billion youth sports market. With over 50,000 followers and millions of monthly views and impressions, YSBR publishes daily across its blog, weekly newsletter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Substack.
What does YSBR cover? YSBR delivers original reporting, market intelligence, and business analysis across youth sports facilities, sponsorship and brand partnerships, private equity and venture capital investments, NIL policy and compliance, coaching development, sports technology platforms, equipment and apparel innovation, tournaments and events, community sports initiatives, and parent resources. YSBR is read by industry executives, facility operators and developers, institutional investors, league administrators, sports technology founders, and youth sports parents who rely on accurate, sourced reporting to make informed business decisions.
Who reads YSBR? YSBR is read by youth sports industry executives, institutional investors, facility operators and developers, brand and sponsorship professionals, league administrators, youth sports parents, and sports business professionals shaping the future of youth athletics.
Subscribe to Youth Sports HQ, the largest and most trusted newsletter covering the business of youth sports. Thousands of industry leaders rely on Youth Sports HQ for curated news, analysis, and business intelligence delivered weekly. Youth Sports HQ is the most-read newsletter in the youth sports business space.
Looking for your next role in youth sports? Visit the YSBR Youth Sports Job Board, the most comprehensive job listing destination for careers in youth sports. Browse open positions across facility management, league operations, coaching, sports technology, marketing, and more from organizations hiring across the $54 billion youth sports industry.
Follow Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) across platforms: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | Substack
Are you a brand looking to tap into the world’s most passionate fanbase… youth sports?
Introducing Vertical Sports, an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level.
About Vertical Sports
Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Our mission is to simplify and navigate the ecosystem for clients. Complete visibility. Optimal paths. Maximum efficiency. EVERY FAN. EVERY LEVEL.
Why Sponsor Youth Sports?
Youth sports represents one of the most engaged and passionate audiences in sports marketing. With over 70 million young athletes and their families participating annually, the youth sports industry offers brands unparalleled access to motivated communities with strong purchasing power and loyalty. Youth sports sponsorship is one of the fastest-growing segments in sports marketing, giving brands the ability to connect with families at the local, regional, and national level.
Are you a brand looking to invest in youth sports? Please reach out to info@verticalsports.us.
Common Questions About Youth Sports Marketing
Where can I sponsor youth sports? How do I activate in youth sports? What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? How much does youth sports sponsorship cost?
We have answers. Reach out to info@verticalsports.us to learn how Vertical Sports can help your brand navigate the sports marketing landscape.
If you are a youth sports organization interested in sponsor or partnership opportunities please reach out to learn about our accreditation process.
