Key Takeaways
- Ontario Sports Empire, a 200-acre California complex with 48 fields and diamonds, opens in late October as the largest mixed-use sports complex west of the Rockies
- A $38 million Phase 2 expansion at Wintrust Sports Complex near Chicago adds a practice facility for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky
- SFC’s network now spans more than 140 venues, roughly 7,000 team members, and nearly 25 million annual guest visits, per the company
- The slate covers eight states and five venue types: sports parks, aquatics, recreation centers, community fields, and municipal golf
The Sports Facilities Companies (SFC) announced plans to support 10 youth sports facility openings, grand reopenings, and new community partnerships across eight states in the second half of 2026. The Clearwater, Florida-based operator said the pipeline includes sports parks, aquatic centers, recreation facilities, community fields, and golf destinations in California, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Illinois.
“Every one of these venues begins with a community’s vision for how it can better serve its residents,” said Jason Clement, Founder and CEO of SFC, in the announcement. “Our role is to listen, understand what success looks like locally, and bring the experience and resources that can help make that vision sustainable.”
Where Are the New Youth Sports Facility Openings?
The headliner is Ontario Sports Empire in Ontario, California, expected to open in late October as the largest mixed-use sports complex west of the Rocky Mountains. The 200-acre destination will feature 20 multipurpose fields, 14 youth diamond fields, eight full-size baseball diamonds, four football and rugby fields, and two championship diamond fields, according to the company.
Outside Chicago, Wintrust Sports Complex at Bedford Park is targeting a late-fall Phase 2 grand opening timed to the venue’s five-year anniversary. The $38 million expansion includes a practice facility for the Chicago Sky and supports a broader mixed-use development with hotel and retail components.
Two more competition venues round out the tournament-capable additions. Paducah Sports Park by CFSB in western Kentucky holds its grand opening September 10, with a diamond and long-field layout built to serve local leagues and host regional and national tournaments. NEXUS Stadium in Middlesex County, New Jersey, opens in October as a spectator and event venue anchoring a larger sports and entertainment district.
Aquatics, Recreation, and Municipal Golf Fill Out the Slate
The pipeline extends well beyond tournament sports. U.S. Steel Community Field in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood Green development is expected to hold its grand opening in late summer, with a full-size athletic field and seating for approximately 3,000 spectators. Artesia Recreation Center in Artesia, New Mexico, a two-story hub with courts, fitness spaces, and a running track, opens August 14.
On the aquatics side, Pelican Bay Aquatic Center in Edmond, Oklahoma, celebrated its grand reopening July 18 following renovations to the 17-acre complex, and Shafter Aquatics Center in Shafter, California, is targeting a late summer reopening after improvements that began in 2024.
Two partnerships signal category expansion. Hartselle Parks and Recreation in Alabama joins SFC in 2026, bringing a full municipal park system under management. Overlook Golf Course in Manheim Township, Pennsylvania, targeting a fall grand opening, reflects SFC’s growing work with municipal golf through its Spirit Golf Management brand.
Scale Behind the Openings
SFC said its network now includes more than 140 venues and approximately 7,000 team members, welcoming nearly 25 million guest visits and generating more than $1 billion in annual economic impact each year. The company’s integrated platform includes the Power Wellness and Spirit Golf Management brands, extending its management model from traditional sports parks into health, wellness, and outdoor assets.
Ten Ribbon Cuttings, Then a December Gathering in St. Pete Beach
The second-half slate shows the range of SFC’s current model: a 200-acre tournament destination, a WNBA practice facility, small-market aquatic centers, and a municipal golf course all under one operating umbrella. The company will close the year by hosting The Sports Facilities Conference on December 8 and 9, 2026, in St. Pete Beach, Florida, where community leaders, venue operators, and developers will work through funding, development, and operations. Registration is open now, meaning many of the officials cutting ribbons this fall may be in the room a few weeks later.
Source: The Sports Facilities Companies press release, July 28, 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
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.
