Volume Three: Rights Holders in Youth Sports (and comparing to Pro)
Market maps, graphics, key stakeholder quotes, and more as we look at pro vs college vs youth and the different rights holder models.
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*This is a preview of Volume Three of Youth Sports Mapping 2026.
Inside the full Volume Three report, we break down:
The complete rights holder market map
What this means for founders, investors, operators, and startups
Key quotes from leaders at Varsity Brands, RCX Sports, Pop Warner, Prep Network, and more
👉 Volume Three is now available exclusively inside the Profluence Community.
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Private Equity Is Consolidating a Fragmented Market
There is no NFL-style central league office in youth sports… so private equity is building one through roll-ups.
Between 2023 and 2025, PE firms aggressively consolidated youth sports rights holders, event operators, and technology platforms.
The largest deal?
KKR’s $4.75B acquisition of Varsity Brands in August 2024, purchasing the company from Bain Capital and Charlesbank.
Varsity reportedly generates:
$3B in annual revenue
7,500 employees
600+ championships annually
8M athletes and students served
Key Players
A great place to start in this space is to look at the most notable organizations in each major sport:
