Key Takeaways
- USA Lacrosse’s PE Grant Program, which ships with Franklin equipment, has reached more than 50,000 elementary and middle school students in seven states since 2024.
- The two organizations co-developed licensed boys’ and girls’ lacrosse sticks designed to make the sport easier for first-time lacrosse families to enter.
- Licensed gear is sold through FranklinSports.com, USALacrosse.com, Academy Sports + Outdoors and Amazon, putting the sport into mainstream retail channels.
- USA Lacrosse says it plans to expand the PE grant program further in 2027, ahead of lacrosse’s Olympic return at LA28.
USA Lacrosse, the sport’s National Governing Body, and Franklin Sports have formalized a strategic partnership to grow youth lacrosse participation through officially licensed USA Lacrosse equipment, instructional content and grassroots programming, the organizations announced on September 29, 2026. The centerpiece is a line of co-developed boys’ and girls’ lacrosse sticks aimed at families entering organized lacrosse for the first time. USA Lacrosse did not disclose financial terms of the agreement.
Licensed Sticks Built for First-Time Lacrosse Families
According to the announcement, the sticks are designed for players at every level. The emphasis, though, is on lowering the barrier of entry for new families. Equipment cost and complexity are common hurdles in lacrosse, and the partnership pairs a governing body’s endorsement with a mass-market manufacturer’s pricing and reach.
Will Blake, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships for USA Lacrosse, pointed to where the sport is growing. “Lacrosse’s fastest growth is happening at the youngest ages, and families need a simple, trustworthy way to get started,” Blake said. He added that the partnership combines USA Lacrosse’s youth-development expertise with Franklin Sports’ product and retail capabilities.
Alongside the equipment, the two organizations have produced instructional videos that teach fundamental skills to new players.
How the USA Lacrosse PE Grant Program Laid the Groundwork
The formal agreement builds on years of grassroots collaboration. According to USA Lacrosse, co-branded Franklin sticks, balls and goals have been included in USA Lacrosse physical education grant packages. Those packages help schools introduce the sport through teacher training, curriculum resources and equipment.
USA Lacrosse reports that since 2024, the PE Grant Program has reached more than 50,000 elementary and middle school students across California, Colorado, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Several of those states sit outside lacrosse’s traditional East Coast strongholds, and school PE is often a child’s first exposure to the sport.
Chris Rodday, Head of Brand Partnerships at Franklin Sports, described the relationship’s progression. According to Rodday, what started as custom product support for USA Lacrosse’s equipment grants has expanded into a broader partnership connecting youth programming, product development, instructional content and retail distribution.
Retail Distribution Puts Lacrosse Where Families Already Shop
Distribution is a key piece of the agreement. According to the announcement, sticks and other officially licensed products are available through FranklinSports.com, USALacrosse.com, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Amazon and other retailers.
Franklin brings an established retail footprint to the deal. The company, founded by Irving Franklin in 1946 and based in Stoughton, Massachusetts, manufactures and sells more than 10,000 products, according to its corporate description. Its existing partner roster includes Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the National Women’s Soccer League, Major League Volleyball, USA Pickleball and Hasbro.
For USA Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit certified by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the licensing agreement extends its brand beyond its membership base of more than 425,000, the organization said.
From 50,000 Students to an Olympic Stage at LA28
The partnership arrives as lacrosse prepares for its return to the Olympic program at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, a milestone Rodday referenced directly, saying the organizations aim to help fuel the sport’s growth as it heads to LA28.
The pipeline strategy is visible in the structure: school PE grants introduce the sport, instructional videos teach the basics, and licensed sticks at mass retail give families a low-friction next step. Both organizations said they will continue supporting initiatives that introduce lacrosse to new communities nationwide.
The next measurable marker is on the school side. USA Lacrosse has stated plans to expand the PE Grant Program beyond its current seven states in 2027, one year before lacrosse takes the field in Los Angeles.
Source: USA Lacrosse, September 29, 2026, https://www.usalacrosse.com/magazine/usa-lacrosse-and-franklin-sports-expand-strategic-partnership-grow-youth-participation
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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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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.
