David Meltzer

SFC Doubles Down on Destination-Driven Youth Sports Infrastructure The The Sports Facilities Companies just expanded its footprint again, acquiring RCI Sports Management and adding three facilities across Texas and Kansas. On the surface, this is portfolio growth. Underneath, it is a signal about where youth and amateur sports are headed. SFC already operates more than 100 managed venues with roughly 5,000 team members, driving close to $1 billion in annual economic impact. Adding assets like The Refinery Fieldhouse in Kansas, Amarillo Netplex in Texas, and Travis Fields at Midtown Park in Bryan is about strengthening regional density in markets that understand sports tourism and community programming. These are not just gyms and diamonds. They are multi-use economic engines. • 200,000 square feet in Garden City with basketball, volleyball, turf and conference space • A 62,000-square-foot indoor hub in Amarillo serving volleyball, pickleball, basketball and futsal • Synthetic turf baseball and softball complexes hosting 35+ events per year in Bryan The model is clear. Own or manage facilities that can host tournaments, drive hotel nights, create recurring programming, and serve as community anchors. This is the professionalization of youth sports infrastructure. As participation grows and private equity continues flowing into the sector, scale operators with operational playbooks, booking power, sponsorship relationships and national sales reach will increasingly consolidate independent facilities. The real question is not whether consolidation continues. It is who controls the operating layer of the $40B+ youth sports economy as more capital enters the space. Facility management is becoming a national platform business. And SFC is positioning accordingly. #YouthSports #SportsBusiness #SportsFacilities #SportsTourism #PrivateEquity #CommunityImpact

82

6 Comments

MADE Hoops is moving beyond events and into year-round player development infrastructure. In partnership with HMBL Development, the group has opened a 15,000-square-foot youth basketball development center in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The facility marks the first permanent training hub for MADE Hoops, which has spent the past decade building one of the largest grassroots basketball circuits in the United States. The facility includes: • One full college-size basketball court plus a side shooting court • Shot-tracking technology delivering real-time performance data • A turf training zone for speed, agility, and plyometrics • A dedicated player lounge for athletes Daily programming will be led by HMBL founder Justin Bright and a staff of six coaches. Bright’s client list includes Kiyan Anthony and Deron Rippey Jr., one of the top-ranked point guards in the 2026 class. The project comes shortly after MADE Hoops raised outside capital led by SC Holdings and LRMR VENTURES, LLC, with participation from Boardroom Sports Holdings and NBA All-Star Paolo Banchero. My take: Grassroots basketball platforms are starting to build physical development hubs, not just tournament circuits. Organizations like MADE Hoops already control events, recruiting exposure, and talent pipelines. Adding training facilities turns those platforms into year-round development ecosystems, where performance data, coaching, brand partnerships, and athlete exposure can all live in one place. That model looks increasingly similar to what we see in soccer academies and elite development programs, now translating into the basketball ecosystem. Source: Youth Sports Business Report #YouthBasketball #GrassrootsBasketball #SportsBusiness #AthleteDevelopment #YouthSports

113

1 Comment

Stadium-anchored districts continue to transform communities across the country with Sacramento up next! Sacramento Republic FC is poised to help revitalize the Railyards with its 12,000-seat soccer stadium, and yesterday’s city council vote clears the way for a groundbreaking later this summer.     A report by Stantec described the Railyards as one of the most transformative urban infill projects in the nation and estimates the project will generate more than $4.4 billion in annual economic impact. I’m excited to see this stadium – and the entire 31-acre mixed-use district – come to fruition for Sacramento Republic, its fans and the entire community. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eys9xBi4 #stadiumdevelopment #uslsoccer #prosoccer #mixeduse #realestate

67

3 Comments

OneCourt produces haptic devices for blind and low-vision sports fans. Sports Business Journal's Ethan Joyce reported that the company secured its first Major League Baseball (MLB) #partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This partnership demonstrates one way that the #sportsbiz can better prioritize engages with fans with disabilities given they present the sports industry with a $490 Billion growth market. I examined this opportunity recently for JohnWallStreet. https://lnkd.in/gi2HayWA

14

The WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) has an opportunity to do something special right now.    The league is at an inflection point with the breakdown in player contract negotiations, and its commissioner is struggling mightily to build (and rebuild) trust with players.    In today’s installment of Unsolicited Advice, Anne Morriss and I discuss how to *not* waste this crisis.    The predictable path is for the WNBA to retreat into its own patronizing defensiveness, a familiar crouch for sports leagues in moments like this. The unpredictable path is to find the courage to listen and do things differently this time.    We think the lessons of this moment can be applied well beyond the world of sports.   I hope you enjoy. TED Conferences | Harvard Business School | Pushkin Industries

191

23 Comments

🚨 🏈 Revenue Sharing & The Transfer Portal: A New Financial Game College football's transfer portal just got a money upgrade. With revenue sharing entering the playbook, players won't just move schools for playing time-- they'll move for pay structure. Here's how the game changes: 💰 Schools with higher athletic revenue can offer larger revenue-sharing payouts. 📊 Players will start comparing financial packages, just like NIL deals. 🏦 The portal becomes a mix of free agency and financial planning--where athletes evaluate opportunity, exposure, and income potential. This shift means football players need to think like pros: ➡️ Evaluate the total value of the transfer-- not just the number on the field ➡️ Understand taxes, long-term earning potential, and your money buckets. Because in the new college football economy. the best move isn't always the biggest paycheck-- it's the one that builds your financial future. #StudentAthleteFinance #RevenueSharing #CollegeFootball #PlayForTheFuture #FinancialLiteracy #FinancialEducation #MoneyMoves #LearnMoney #SpeakMoney #FinancialEmpowerment #MoneyVehicleMovement #MoneyForBeginners #BusinessAthlete #FinancialPlaybook #MoneyPlaybook

7

1 Comment

This is a big next step for Snapback Sports I wrote about the 3 month recruiting process, why Excel and what they'll do for Snapback Read here: https://lnkd.in/e3X8A4Uy

66

8 Comments

Sneak Peek - “Great people want to do great things.” JT Batson, CEO & Secretary General of the U.S. Soccer Federation, joined the Excellent Leadership Podcast to share powerful lessons on: ✅ Building high-performing teams ✅ Hiring with purpose ✅ Why the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States will be a game-changer for North America If you're leading teams or dreaming big about the future of sport, you’ll want to hear this. 🎧 Sneak peek now live. Full episode drops soon. #Leadership #WorldCup2026 #TeamCulture #Exceling #SportsBusiness #USSoccer #ExcellentLeadership

42

3 Comments