Key Takeaways
- Prep Network has acquired Coast 2 Coast Preps, a Dallas-based national leader in middle school basketball events and coverage, marking the company’s first acquisition since partnering with Maple Park Capital Partners
- The deal connects Prep Network’s existing Prep Hoops high school basketball brand with Coast 2 Coast’s middle school events, creating a pathway from middle school through high school exposure
- Prep Network plans dozens of new showcases and tournaments as a result of the combination
- The acquisition follows Maple Park Capital’s approximately $30 million investment in September 2025, the addition of 20 full-time employees, and Jason Kidd’s appointment to the board of directors
- Prep Network publishes more than 4,000 articles per month and hosts over 450 events annually across the United States
First Acquisition Under Private Equity Backing
Prep Network’s purchase of Coast 2 Coast Preps represents the company’s inaugural acquisition and a direct execution of its stated growth strategy under Maple Park Capital Partners.
When Maple Park invested approximately $30 million in Prep Network in September 2025, leadership from both companies indicated that acquisitions would be part of the growth playbook. Coast 2 Coast is the first move in that direction.
The deal brings together two brands operating in adjacent segments of youth basketball. Prep Hoops, Prep Network’s existing basketball property, focuses on high school content, rankings, and events. Coast 2 Coast, based in Dallas, operates at the middle school level with national events, player evaluations, and digital coverage.
Building a Middle-to-High School Basketball Pathway
The strategic logic centers on continuity. By combining Coast 2 Coast’s middle school programming with Prep Hoops’ high school platform, Prep Network can now offer families and athletes a connected experience across the most active years of youth basketball development.
“The acquisition of Coast 2 Coast marks an important step in building a truly end-to-end grassroots basketball experience that spans the full arc of a player’s development,” said Nick Carroll, Chief Growth Officer at Prep Network.
For operators and brands watching this space, the play is notable. Rather than competing for attention at a single level, Prep Network is creating a longer relationship with athletes and families, one that starts earlier and extends through high school recruiting.
Event and Content Scale
Prep Network already operates at significant volume: eight owned media properties, more than 4,000 articles monthly, and over 450 events each year across the U.S. The addition of Coast 2 Coast adds immediate capacity on the events side, with plans for dozens of new showcases and tournaments in the near term.
Coast 2 Coast brings its own strengths in digital storytelling and player evaluation at the middle school level. Ben Perkins, National Analyst at Coast 2 Coast, pointed to the combined digital capabilities as a key benefit.
“The Prep Hoops ecosystem operates at the top of the market, and we are thrilled to have Coast 2 Coast be part of the Prep Network family,” Perkins said.
What This Means for the Youth Sports Landscape
The deal fits within a broader pattern of platform consolidation in youth sports media and events. Private equity capital continues to flow into companies that can aggregate audiences, build recurring event revenue, and offer brands a scaled point of entry into the youth sports market.
Since Maple Park’s investment, Prep Network has added 20 full-time employees and expanded its 2026 event calendar by 50% compared to 2025. The addition of Jason Kidd to the board in January 2026 brought further visibility to the platform’s ambitions.
For youth sports operators and brand marketers, the key takeaway is structural: Prep Network is building a vertically integrated basketball platform that captures athletes earlier and retains them longer, with content, events, and exposure as the connective tissue.
Source: Business Wire, Prep Network Press Release, February 2026
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