Unrivaled Sports, the youth sports platform formed by Josh Harris and David Blitzer, has secured an investment of US$120 million led by retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Confirmed:
- Investment comes from DSG Ventures, the corporate venture capital fund of Dick’s
- Other new backers include Dynasty Equity, LionTree, and Miller Sports & Entertainment
- Existing investor The Chernin Group (TCG) also part of round
Context:
Harris (pictured above) and Blitzer formed Unrivaled Sports in March 2024 and, according to Sportico, this new investment values the organisation at more than US$650 million.
Unrivaled Sports states that its overarching mission is to ‘create unrivaled sport experiences for young athletes everywhere’ by delivering best-in-class experiences, programmes and destinations for young athletes across the US. Its family of brands include Cooperstown All Star Village, Ripken Baseball Experiences, Rocker B Ranch, Diamond Nation, We Are Camp action sports camp, and flag football venture Unrivaled Flag.
The agreement with Dick’s adds further youth sports capabilities to Unrivaled, with the retailer having a sizable presence in the sector through its Gamechanger app, which offers live streaming, scheduling, communications and scorekeeping in youth sports.
The US$50 million in-house DSG Ventures was launched by Dick’s in 2022 with the goal of investing in companies and ‘mission-driven founders’ working to improve their communities through sport.
Comment:
“Dick’s Sporting Goods has become the undisputed leader in serving young athletes as they gear up to play the sports they love,” said Unrivaled Sports chairman and chief executive Andy Campion.
“Their mission-driven approach to youth sports has been at the centre of their ecosystem, from their early days as a small family business to their growth into the nation’s leading sporting goods retailer to the grants they provide to youth programmes through the Sports Matter initiative, and now, their partnership with us at Unrivaled Sports.
“We are thrilled to build the future of youth sports together with Dick’s Sporting Goods, and with the support of our other new strategic partners.”
Michael Stack, vice president of strategy and corporate development at Dick’s Sporting Goods, added: “We’re incredibly excited to invest in and partner with Unrivaled Sports. They share our core belief that sports have the power to change lives, and the impact they’ve made in just one year has been incredibly impressive.
“We are fully aligned to their vision for transforming youth sports for the better by investing in the fields, spaces and events where memories are made, friendships are formed and life lessons are instilled. We look forward to working together to create more sports experiences that build fun, excitement and community in the moment, and that have lasting impact over a lifetime.”
Coming next:
According to an official release, Unrivaled Sports plans to use its new capital to further acquire, build and diversify destinations and programming, as well as enhance experiences and increase amenities.
Source: SportsPro.com
Oliver Oakes resigns as Alpine F1 team principal after only ten months
Eni Aluko calls for ‘more PR’ around women’s soccer ROI