Private Equity Eyes $40 Billion Youth Sports Market Amid Growing Investment

Jon Bash, like many parents deeply involved in youth sports, has a digital archive documenting his son Jesse’s baseball journey. These videos capture Jesse’s time at summer camps, a memorable road trip to Cooperstown for a tournament near the Baseball Hall of Fame, impressive high school home runs, and countless hours spent honing his skills in batting cages.

One particularly treasured clip shows a renowned swing coach, who has worked with professional players, praising Jesse’s dedication and work ethic on social media. Over the past ten years, Jesse, now 19, has played approximately 70 games annually between school teams and travel leagues, even dedicating a postgraduate year at a Florida sports academy to continue advancing his baseball career.

While the expenses for training, tournaments, and equipment have been substantial, Mr. Bash views the investment in his son’s athletic aspirations as worthwhile. Running a diner in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, he expressed the common parental desire to support their child’s dreams without hesitation.

This growing dedication from families like the Bashes has attracted the attention of private equity investors looking to capitalize on the expanding youth sports market.

Among these investors are Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who have leveraged funds from their family foundations over the past three years to establish Unrivaled Sports. The company has been acquiring baseball camps, flag football venues, and youth leagues, building one of the nation’s largest portfolios of youth sports properties. Their acquisitions include a prominent baseball complex in Cooperstown, a popular summer destination for young players considered a rite of passage.