Thanks to our partners at The Kinetica Group for helping us put this together
Executive Summary
- Core U.S. parent spend: The average U.S. “sports family” spent $1,016 – $1,068 on their child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46% vs. 2019. This anchors per-child spend and demonstrates how much parents already invest in kids’ athletics. Project Play / Kinetica
- Participation pool: About 27.3 million U.S. youth ages 6–17 participated in organized sports in the latest data (≈55% of kids). High school participation hit ~8.26M athletes in 2024–25 (record high). These are the active households you can reach. Project PlayNFHS
- Market scale: Market research estimates the youth sports market at ~$50.6B – $54B in 2024, projected to ~$114B by 2032 (≈10.7% CAGR globally). The U.S. is the largest single-country segment by spend intensity. Business Research Insights / Kinetica
- Organized Sports Market TAM ~$40B+
- Broader Youth Activities Market ~$54B+
- What has already scaled: Players Health (athlete safety & insurance) raised $60M Series C (2024) a clear indicator that investors are backing infrastructure that addresses parent concerns (safety, compliance). playershealth.com / Sports Business Journal. Hudl and MaxPreps reports hundreds of thousands of teams and millions of users, and TeamSnap reports multi-million monthly active users, demonstrating solid digital engagement points for parents and kids. Hudl / PR Newswire
- White space galore: We examine and breakdown real opportunities and problem solving examples, some of which the YSBR team is currently in the thick of solving for with industry leaders. From privacy-first unique identifiers and the future of Youth Sports HQ to the modern youth sports facility this is the section you’ll want to dig into.
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT HERE
Methodology and how to read this report
- Primary public sources: Kinetica / Aspen Institute / Project Play parent survey, NFHS participation reports, industry market studies, company press releases.
- Links are provided in the sources section at the end.
- Numbers labeled “sourced” are pulled directly from the cited public materials. Numbers labeled “modeled” are simple calculations based on those sources; methodology is shown inline.
- This is U.S.-centric unless otherwise noted.
Size & Structure
Key anchors used in the analysis (data sources cited):
U.S. child population (approx. ages 6–17): ~50 million (U.S. Census estimates; used as context)
Project Play Data (Organized Sports Focus):
- Youth (6–17) playing organized sports: 27.3M (≈55%) Project Play
- High school athletes (NFHS 2024–25): ~8.26M NFHS
Kinetica Data (Broader Youth Activities):
- Ages 5–15 participating in youth sports/activities: Higher participation rates than Project Play
- Broader definition includes recreational activities (cycling, walking) and any participation in past 12 months
- More inclusive methodology captures wider spectrum of youth activity engagement
Why these matter
These group sizes define the addressable parent base, but represent different market segments:
- Project Play: Families committed to organized sports (travel, leagues, coaching)
- Kinetica: Broader universe of families investing in youth physical activities
Parent Spend Breakdown (per child, per sport) #EconomicProfile
- Average family spend on primary sport (2024): $1,016 (+46% vs 2019). Project Play
- Average per capita spend: $1,068 Kinetica
- Global youth sports market (2024): $50.62B , proj. $114.01B by 2032 (≈10.7% CAGR).
- Total Market Spend: $54B Kinetica
We used the Aspen / Project Play survey and industry benchmarks to derive a representative per-child, per-sport split. This is how a typical parent’s $1,016 (primary sport) maps across categories:
- Travel & lodging: ~$278
- Registration / league fees: ~$215
- Private lessons / coaching: ~$183
- Equipment & uniforms: ~$165
- Camps / clinics: ~$148
- Other (insurance, misc): ~$27
Kinetica breaks these categories down even further with their $1,068 per capita spend:
But let’s not forget about the all important time investment parents and families make.
- The average parent spends 3 hours and 23 minutes on days their child has practice or a game; that time is spent driving, communications, equipment prep, and other tasks. This is useful for estimating value of convenience services. Project Play
Total Addressable Market (TAM) Construction
TAM #1: Organized Sports Market (Project Play-based)
Conservative organized sports TAM:
- Anchor: 27.3M youth in organized sports
- Average spend: ~$1,500 per child (primary + other sports: $1,016 + $475 ≈ $1,491)
- Calculated TAM: ~$40B+ annual parental spend on organized youth sports
This represents families deeply committed to competitive/organized athletics – the core market for travel, coaching, league fees, and specialized equipment. Project Play/ Empower
TAM #2: Broader Youth Activities Market (Kinetica-based)
Expanded activities TAM:
- Anchor: Broader participation base (ages 5-15, includes recreational activities)
- Average spend: $1,068 per capita
- Participation rates: Higher than organized sports due to inclusive methodology
- Market scope: Includes families investing in recreational sports, fitness activities, and youth physical development
- Market validation: Kinetica’s broader methodology aligns closely with total market estimates: “Our data reveals that $54B is spent annually on Kids sports and recreation participation in the U.S.” Kinetica
This represents the larger universe of families spending on youth physical activities, from recreational cycling to organized travel teams. The Kinetica approach captures the full spectrum reflected in industry market research.
The youth sports TAM varies significantly across U.S. markets, making local-level analysis essential for effective targeting
What this means for product teams / White-space capture: Even modest adoption of new services (e.g., travel bundles, livestream subscriptions, equipment subscriptions) across 10-20% of participating families creates multi-hundred-million dollar revenue pools for specialized providers and hundreds of millions in incremental sponsorship inventory for brands.
Projection (for context): Business Research Insights’ youth sports market sizing is helpful for growth expectations ~$50.6B – $54B (2024) → $114.01B (2032) (we use this for long-term expansion / product internationalization planning). Business Research Insights
Platform & Ecosystem signals (what is already scaling)
Video and analytics
- Hudl and MaxPreps report large scale around video and team use: public statements reference hundreds of thousands of teams and millions of users; Hudl positions itself as a global sports video library and analytics platform. Hudl+1
Safety & Insurance
- Players Health, which sells athlete safety and insurance tools to youth organizations, announced a $60M Series C to expand its offerings. That funding round confirms investor appetite for parent-facing infrastructure focused on safety and compliance. Business WirePlayers Health
Ecommerce:
- Greg Olsen launched Youth Inc. as a digital content and commerce platform on August 12, expanding beyond his 2022 podcast series. The 40-year-old former NFL tight end partnered with Ryan Baise, who leads the organization’s e-commerce initiative, and Tim Murphy, who has worked at Audacy and The New York Times. The platform secured $4.5 million in seed funding, though specific investor details were not disclosed in available materials. Olsen continues his broadcasting duties with Fox while coaching middle school football, balancing multiple roles in sports media and youth athletics.
Tech Platforms:
- GameChanger (Team management, scorekeeping, livestreaming): GameChanger, a DICK’S Sporting Goods company, provides live streaming, scorekeeping, statistics, scheduling and team-management tools for youth sports. GameChanger reports supporting 1 million+ teams and 7–9 million games annually, and in April 2025 launched a national brand campaign to broaden awareness. On company and corporate calls, DICK’S executives have cited large user engagement and said the GameChanger business contributes to the retailer’s digital strategy. PR Newswire / DICK’S Sporting Goods / Business Insider
- LeagueApps (Youth-sports management platform / operator tools): LeagueApps offers registration, payments, scheduling and community tools for youth and local sports organizers. In October 2024 the company announced a strategic equity investment from Accel-KKR to accelerate product development and growth, and public reporting places LeagueApps’ annual revenue and customer scale in the mid-market range used by thousands of organizations. LeagueApps positions itself as an operating system for league operators and club administrators. LeagueAppsSGB MediaLatka
- Fastbreak AI (AI scheduling and operations for events and leagues): Fastbreak AI builds AI-powered scheduling and tournament operations software for amateur and professional sports. In June 2025 Fastbreak launched an AI Schedule Engine that generates competition-ready schedules for complex, multi-venue tournaments, and industry coverage has noted Fastbreak’s broader role in automated scheduling across leagues and events. The company’s product set focuses on reducing manual schedule creation time and improving event logistics. PR NewswireFastbreak AIForbes
- TeamSnap (Club & team management, communications, payments): TeamSnap provides team and club management tools including scheduling, roster management, payments, and real-time communications. The company reports broad scale: its corporate materials cite over 25 million coaches, administrators, players and parents on the platform, and public statements show roughly 204,000 active teams per month and about 4.2 million monthly active users in recent reporting. TeamSnap sells to leagues, clubs and parent users as a productivity solution for everyday team operations. TeamSnap / PR Newswire
- Orgo – The Scheduling App for Sports Parents: Orgo aggregates all a family’s game/practice schedules, travel prep and carpools into a single calendar. Founded by a mom of three athletes, Orgo is bootstrapped and early-stage, but has gained press as a solution to the chaos of multi-team logistics. gust.com
Sports Tourism
- Spectator sports travel generated $47.1B in direct spend and $114.4B total economic impact in 2024; youth tournaments are a major growth driver for host cities and hospitality partners. Sports Business Journal sportseta.org+1
Why these matter
Established B2B platforms are key integration points for parent-facing products. A new product that integrates with registration, scheduling, data, stats or video platforms can reduce adoption friction.
Opportunity Knocking. What YSBR is Currently Seeing and Consulting on in the Marketplace
Trends and insights into what the actual problems and opportunities industry leaders are working to solve for.
Please note YSBR members and colleagues are currently working in multiple of these areas, so we will give you our best breakdown highlights without divulging too much.
As we continue to make youth sports better by building and consulting with the brightest minds in the space we keep coming back to our core mission of how can we best serve the athlete and their families. This thought goes into every recommendation that we make.
While our TAM analysis focuses on the current $40B+ spending pool from active sports families, there’s a massive opportunity hiding in plain sight: the millions of kids who want to play sports but face barriers to participation. This represents both a social equity imperative and a significant market expansion opportunity for foundations, brands, and operators willing to innovate around access.
The Income Participation Divide: A $20B+ Opportunity
The Reality: 4 in 5 kids from the highest income households participate in organized sports outside of school, compared to only 1 in 2 kids from the lowest income households.
What This Means for Market Expansion:
- Untapped audience: If we could bridge this gap to achieve equal participation across income levels, we’d potentially add 8-10 million more youth participants
- Spending power unlock: Even at reduced spend levels ($300-500 per child annually for lower-income families vs. the $1,016 average), this represents $2.4B – $5B in additional market potential
- Brand opportunity: Companies that successfully democratize access become heroes to millions of families while building long-term loyalty in emerging consumer segments
A Secure, Persistent Athlete Identifier (Youth Sports ID)
What: A secure, privacy-first unique identifier for every youth athlete that follows them through registration, event check-in, venue access, and performance captures. That identifier becomes the canonical key for age verification, automated highlights, scouting profiles, wellness and training records, insurance and safety data, and a ticket/credentials wallet. The goal – you need this ID to play in any youth sports event in the world.
Why it matters: If all safety parameters are put in place this tool will save parents, athletes, coaches and operators hundreds of hours and be the bible when it comes to youth sports. Parents, clubs and event operators already rely on multiple platforms for registration, communication and video. Major players in the ecosystem registration platforms, video analytics providers and safety vendors have scale and MCP / APIs that make a unified identifier feasible. Examples include Stack Sports, SportsEngine family of products, TeamSnap and Hudl, each of which supports registrations, team data or video workflow at scale. Integrating an identifier with these systems reduces friction for parents and creates a single source of truth for athlete data.
Livestreaming + Influencer Amplification (Create fandom, not just views) (Youth Sports TV)
What: Recruit content creators and tier-1 streamers (e.g., local+national influencers) to stream select youth games (top matchups, showcases, Hoop circuits, travel tournaments). Streamers provide commentary, highlight reels, and social distribution across Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
Why it matters: Youth Sports game outside of the Little League World Series, EYBL, select football matchup and McDonald’s All American don’t see high viewership and streaming services usually rely on subscription models for parents and families to purchase.
- For kids: massive exposure social clips & highlight reels can accelerate recruiting, local fandom, and social proof.
- For parents: visibility for their child beyond family & friends more bragging rights; easier to share footage with scouts/colleges.
- For operators: larger audience drives entry fees, sponsor interest, and program branding.
- For brands: high-quality, brand-safe media impressions tied to authentic community moments; measurable KPIs (views, engagement, CTR on sponsor offers).
Parent Perks: Ex: Mobile Car Wash, A Brand-Sponsored Parent Perk (Youth Sports Perks)
What:
A brand-sponsored mobile car wash/detailing station in event parking lots, giving parents a little extra something for waking up and spending countless hours in the gym or rink or at the field.
Why it matters:
Turns every youth sports facility parking lot into a value-add experience rather than a fee. Parents don’t dread the parking experience and get back a high perceived value during long tournament days. Creates a premium touchpoint for brands (auto, insurance, tire) to connect with families through sampling, hospitality, or loyalty sign-ups.
“I Forgot at Home” Station: Emergency Essentials On-Site (Youth Sports Now)
What:
A branded kiosk or micro-store stocking forgotten essentials: mouthguards, tape, socks, sunscreen, chargers, water, even replacement cleats sold on-site or delivered same-day.
Why it matters:
Solves a high-friction pain point for parents while creating a new revenue stream for event operators and a ‘hero’ moment for a brand partner (Amazon, Target, Dick’s). Families avoid leaving the venue mid-event, operators capture retail share, and brands own a moment of rescue.
Youth Sports Rewards Card: Turning Spend into Perks (Youth Sports Rewards)
What:
A unified rewards wallet that tracks all youth sports spending registration, travel, fanwear and converts it into partner perks (airline miles, discounts, waived fees). Possibly even connecting with the unique ID above.
Why it matters:
Families already spend thousands annually on youth sports. A single rewards program consolidates that spend, unlocks savings, and builds loyalty to partner brands (airlines, retailers, event operators). Parents get tangible value; brands get measurable engagement with their ideal demographic.
The Youth Sports Hub: One Platform for Everything 😊 (Youth Sports HQ)
What:
An all-in-one platform that combines registration, scheduling, livestreaming, data, Ai agents, travel booking, athlete profiles, highlights, safety credentials, team stores, and rewards.
Why it matters:
Youth sports are fragmented across multiple apps, platform, ecosystem, etc. A unified hub reduces friction for parents, drives network effects for operators, and creates scalable monetization via SaaS fees, transactions, and premium subscriptions. A free model can even be achieved if commerce and brand advertisers are built into the product in a VERY non-intrusive way that we have seen work in adjacent verticals.
The Modern Community Sports Hub: Smarter Facilities, All-Week Revenue
What:
A next-generation sports facility designed for constant utilization, not just weekend tournaments. Privately funded (e.g., by a local private high school or investor group), the facility integrates weekday programming, public memberships, rec leagues, early childhood activities, and content creation spaces with premium event hosting on weekends.
Why it matters:
Most youth sports facilities are underutilized during the week, relying on “event-cations” (Disney-style mega complexes) or sporadic rentals. This model flips that script: the school maximizes use for classes and team practices during the day, then opens doors to paying members, retirees’ rec leagues, and caretakers with young children during off-peak hours. On weekends, it transforms into a high-demand venue for travel tournaments. A dedicated content studio layer makes the space a health, wellness, and sports media hub, attracting creators, brands, and production teams (think Overtime Arena in Atlanta). This diversified schedule smooths revenue, attracts investors, and builds long-term community loyalty while addressing the number one pain point in youth sports: weekday facility scheduling.
On-the-Road Fitness: Parent Workout & Run Groups
What:
Curated group workouts and runs hosted on-site during tournaments, powered by a national fitness brand or tech partner. Sessions rotate every three hours; yoga, cardio, HIIT, plyometrics, or local run clubs scheduled before games or between matchups.
Why it matters:
Parents often spend tournament weekends sitting in bleachers, eating concession food, and skipping their usual routines because hotel gyms don’t cut it. This program turns downtime into active time, helping parents stay healthy while traveling, while creating a premium brand moment for fitness partners (Peloton, Orangetheory, Nike, Lululemon, WHOOP). Event operators enhance their hospitality offering, parents build community, and brands gain trial, data, and long-term loyalty from a high-value demographic.
Low hanging fruit ideas that operators are already acting on:
- On-site parent experiences at events (charging, warm lounge, brand sampling, swag personalization, rent-a-chair) to convert idle time into engagement.
- Convievent and price sensitive travel and healthy food options for kids (and parents) during tournament weekends.
- Wellness and recovery stations for kids to utilize pre and after games. Think stretching lab, massage guns, and cold plunge galore.
About Youth Sports Business Report
Youth Sports Business Report is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis covering the $54 billion youth sports market. Trusted by over 50,000 followers including industry executives, investors, youth sports parents and sports business professionals, we are the premier destination for comprehensive youth sports business intelligence.
Our core mission: Make Youth Sports Better. As the leading authority in youth sports business reporting, we deliver unparalleled coverage of sports business trends, youth athletics, and emerging opportunities across the youth sports ecosystem.
Our expert editorial team provides authoritative, in-depth reporting on key youth sports industry verticals including:
- Sports sponsorship and institutional capital (Private Equity, Venture Capital)
- Youth Sports events and tournament management
- NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) developments and compliance
- Youth sports coaching and sports recruitment strategies
- Sports technology and data analytics innovation
- Youth sports facilities development and management
- Sports content creation and digital media monetization
Whether you’re a sports industry executive, institutional investor, youth sports parent, coach, or sports business enthusiast, Youth Sports Business Report is your most reliable source for the actionable sports business insights you need to stay ahead of youth athletics trends and make informed decisions in the rapidly evolving youth sports landscape.
Join our growing community of 50,000+ industry leaders who depend on our trusted youth sports business analysis to drive success in the youth sports industry.
Stay connected with the pulse of the youth sports business – where industry expertise meets actionable intelligence.
Follow YSBR Founder Cameron Korab on LinkedIn
Sources (direct links)
Survey and participation anchors
- Aspen Institute, Project Play: Project Play survey: Family spending on youth sports rises 46% over five years, March 3, 2025. https://projectplay.org/news/2025/2/24/project-play-survey-family-spending-on-youth-sports-rises-46-over-five-years. Project Play
- Aspen Institute / Project Play: Parents spend 3 hours, 23 minutes every day their child has a practice or game (Project Play parent survey). https://aspen-institute-w9y5.squarespace.com/news/project-play-survey-parents-spend-3-hours-on-sports-every-day-their-child-plays (summary page). Project Play
- NFHS: High School Sports Participation Hits Record High in 2024–25. NFHS participation survey press release. https://nfhs.org/stories/participation-in-high-school-sports-hits-record-high-with-sizable-increase-in-2024-25. NFHS
Market sizing and industry context
4. BusinessResearchInsights: Youth Sports Market report (market size: USD 50.62 billion in 2024; projection to 2032). https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/youth-sports-market-117644. Business Research Insights
- Youth Sports Business Report: The State of Youth Sports in America: Insights from the 2024 National Parenting Survey (synthesis and context). https://youthsportsbusinessreport.com/the-state-of-youth-sports-in-america-insights-from-the-2024-national-parenting-survey/. YSBR
Platform & company signals
6. Players Health: Series C announcement and company resources (December 2024). BusinessWire press release and company blog. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211780119/en/Players-Health-Closes-%2460-Million-Series-C-Led-by-Bluestone-Equity-Partners; https://www.playershealth.com/resources/a-letter-from-our-founder-ceo-series-c-fundraising-round. Business WirePlayers Health
- Hudl: company overview and product pages (video & analytics scale). https://www.hudl.com/about and https://www.hudl.com/. Hudl+1
Industry reporting and analysis
8. Business Insider: reporting on investment trends in youth sports (June 2025). https://www.businessinsider.com/why-youth-sports-investment-is-booming-2025-6. Business Insider
- Additional industry context & reporting (market summaries, trends):
• Global Sports Insights, Youth Sports report (summary): https://globalsportsinsights.com/report-2/. Global Sports Insights
• Market research summaries referenced for comparative context: Cognizant market and EconMarketResearch summaries (links used for context, see list above). Cognitive Market ResearchEcon Market Research
