Key Takeaways
- NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg returned to Maine to run his family’s third annual camp alongside brothers Ace and Hunter.
- Campers competed in drills, scrimmages, and 2-on-2 matchups against the Flagg brothers themselves.
A Homecoming Built Around Local Kids
Cooper Flagg, the NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year, spent part of his offseason back on the University of Maine campus, where he and his brother Ace hosted their third annual youth basketball camp, according to Yahoo Sports. The event drew local kids for a full day of drills and scrimmages, with some campers getting the chance to face the brothers directly in 2-on-2 games.
The camp doubles as a family operation. Older brother Hunter Flagg helped run the event and led drills, telling Yahoo Sports the campers were “ready to learn.” Ace Flagg, entering his sophomore season with the UMaine Black Bears, said he knows many of the campers by name.
Why Athlete-Led Camps Resonate in Small Markets
The Flagg camp is a case study in the pull of homegrown star power. Campers quoted by Yahoo Sports pointed specifically to the brothers’ Maine roots as the draw, with one calling the pair “a huge inspiration” because they grew up in the state. Another called it the best basketball camp they had attended.
Cooper Flagg framed the event as filling a gap from his own childhood, saying he did not have access to this type of experience when he was young. That access angle, an NBA player returning to a market without a professional franchise, is what separates this camp from the crowded field of celebrity-branded youth clinics.
Three Brothers,
The camp ran events through Sunday, August 16. For Cooper, it caps a rookie season that ended with the league’s top first-year honor. For Ace, it builds his standing in the local basketball community ahead of his second college season. And for Hunter, who noted this is the most time the family has spent together since Cooper moved away.
Source: Yahoo Sports, Sean Tessler, August 15, 2026, https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/flagg-brothers-run-third-annual-013859556.html
Image: Pro Camps
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
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.
Youth Sports Business Report resources
- Newsletter: Subscribe to Youth Sports HQ, the most-read newsletter on the business of youth sports, delivering curated youth sports industry news and analysis to thousands of industry leaders every week.
- Research: Read the Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, an exclusive YSBR and Kinetica Group analysis of market size, parent spending, and marketplace opportunities.
- Jobs: Browse the YSBR Youth Sports Job Board, the most comprehensive destination for careers in youth sports, with hundreds of active listings across facility management, league operations, coaching, sports technology, and marketing.
- Services: Find vetted partners and solutions for your organization in the YSBR Services Hub, connecting youth sports operators, brands, and investors with verified providers across the industry.
- About: Learn more about Youth Sports Business Report and our editorial standards.
Follow Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR): LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | Substack
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.
