WEBVTT - Ep 92: Jason Clement 0:00:03.880 --> 0:00:06.400 So that's what we need to continue to foster, is 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:09.080 for kids to get the most out of their experience 0:00:09.440 --> 0:00:11.360 in character development and in life on. 0:00:11.400 --> 0:00:13.480 The field and off the field. That is the good 0:00:13.480 --> 0:00:13.960 and bad of it. 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:17.239 When the pendulum swings too far to the professionalization, to 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:19.960 structured play where there's good and the benefits that come 0:00:20.440 --> 0:00:23.439 with that, it means we leave the free play behind, 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:26.000 and there are a ton of benefits there for each kid. 0:00:26.640 --> 0:00:29.680 This is the Reform Sports Project, a podcast about restoring 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:32.879 healthy balance and perspective in all areas of sports through 0:00:33.040 --> 0:00:36.640 education and advocacy. Hi, this is Nick Bonacort from the 0:00:36.640 --> 0:00:40.199 Reform Sports Podcast. Today, I'm speaking with Jason Clement, co 0:00:40.280 --> 0:00:43.840 founder and CEO of Sports Facilities Companies, the largest single 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:47.320 network of tournament and community based sports facilities in the US. 0:00:47.680 --> 0:00:50.680 Formerly trained in licensed as an architect, Jason began his 0:00:50.760 --> 0:00:53.000 career in sports architecture before. 0:00:52.800 --> 0:00:54.960 Founding SFC in two thousand and three. 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:58.120 Motivated to serve communities focused on the youth and amateur 0:00:58.120 --> 0:01:00.880 sports industry. Jason and I discussed the growth of youth 0:01:00.880 --> 0:01:03.440 sports over the last two decades, the vital need to 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:06.160 help prevent kids who can't afford to play from falling 0:01:06.160 --> 0:01:09.680 behind and how sports tourism impacts local communities. 0:01:10.160 --> 0:01:11.040 Man, I'm really excited. 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:13.720 I got another awesome guest, Very very excited to learn 0:01:13.760 --> 0:01:16.880 a lot about him, a lot about his company, but 0:01:17.000 --> 0:01:19.880 super pumped to have him. The co founder of the 0:01:19.920 --> 0:01:23.200 Sports Facilities Companies, Jason Clement. Jason, thanks so much for 0:01:23.240 --> 0:01:24.480 hopping on, bro Nick. 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:26.240 Great to be with you, and thanks for all you're 0:01:26.280 --> 0:01:27.360 doing through this medium. 0:01:27.520 --> 0:01:30.360 I appreciate it, man, and I really want to dig 0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:35.280 in because I know about the tremendous growth and expansion 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:37.600 obviously in youth sports overall, but in the. 0:01:37.560 --> 0:01:39.520 Sports tourism piece of it. 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:41.000 I'd love for you to just give us a little 0:01:41.040 --> 0:01:43.800 bit of backstory about you know, your company and kind 0:01:43.840 --> 0:01:45.640 of what brought you to get in the space. 0:01:45.920 --> 0:01:46.280 Yeah. 0:01:46.319 --> 0:01:48.880 Well, you know, first of all, you're right, the growth 0:01:48.920 --> 0:01:52.280 of this i'll call it an industry is extraordinary. I mean, 0:01:52.320 --> 0:01:55.000 it's kids playing sports, right, so it's it's interesting to 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:57.800 call it an industry, but the way that it has 0:01:58.240 --> 0:02:03.880 consolidated and grown over the last two decades really is extraordinary. 0:02:04.160 --> 0:02:07.400 It's a fifty billion dollar approaching a fifty billion dollar 0:02:07.440 --> 0:02:11.720 industry right now, and a lot of estimates have it doubling, 0:02:11.919 --> 0:02:13.160 you know, in the next five years. 0:02:13.200 --> 0:02:15.440 So you know, a lot of kids are playing sports. 0:02:15.560 --> 0:02:17.720 You know, most of us did growing up as well, 0:02:18.240 --> 0:02:21.840 and it's just accelerating, which I think is a great thing, 0:02:22.280 --> 0:02:25.560 which leads to how we started our company. We believe 0:02:25.760 --> 0:02:28.640 very much in the impact that a healthy sports experience 0:02:28.680 --> 0:02:32.400 has in character development for kids, but also into adults. 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:34.760 I mean, you look at the pickleball phenomenon right now, 0:02:35.120 --> 0:02:39.080 and just the healthy lifestyle, the ability to connect with 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:43.040 other people. You know, we're designed to be in community 0:02:43.160 --> 0:02:46.760 with others, and sport, when done right, is as good. 0:02:46.560 --> 0:02:49.600 Of connection opportunity as any other. 0:02:49.800 --> 0:02:51.720 So, you know, we began in two thousand and three 0:02:51.760 --> 0:02:53.760 our company, the Sports Facilities Companies. 0:02:54.040 --> 0:02:57.000 Fast forward to today, we've been in more than. 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:01.800 Two thousand communities helping them plan, develop, and manage or 0:03:01.880 --> 0:03:05.959 operate their sports assets and sports facilities in order to 0:03:05.960 --> 0:03:09.880 accomplish whatever their goals may be. You mentioned sports tourism, 0:03:10.080 --> 0:03:14.040 but just recreation, play and a number of other you know, 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:15.560 positive aspects. 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:18.079 Come out of again a healthy. 0:03:17.880 --> 0:03:21.400 Sports culture and an environment within these communities. 0:03:21.560 --> 0:03:24.000 So you know, we like to say that we. 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:26.400 Fill in the gaps for whatever communities need so that 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:29.760 they can't have success in that endeavor. Our mission is 0:03:29.800 --> 0:03:33.200 to improve the health and economic vitality of the communities 0:03:33.240 --> 0:03:37.840 we serve. We define health mentally, socially, spiritually, physically. 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:38.480 You know. 0:03:38.520 --> 0:03:40.800 The flip side of that mission statement is that these 0:03:40.800 --> 0:03:43.320 places need to be sustainable financially. 0:03:44.360 --> 0:03:46.680 Doesn't mean that they have to operate at a profit. 0:03:46.840 --> 0:03:50.040 They can, but each community has a different goal and 0:03:50.120 --> 0:03:52.160 so we pride ourselves and I hope pride. 0:03:52.000 --> 0:03:54.240 In a good way of filling in the. 0:03:54.200 --> 0:03:57.840 Gaps for whatever those communities need to to go have success. 0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:00.560 I've seen those statistics. It's staggering. 0:04:00.600 --> 0:04:03.040 And I like how you joked about because we're talking 0:04:03.080 --> 0:04:05.680 about kids sports and but it is turned into an industry, 0:04:05.720 --> 0:04:07.240 and you know, what do you think is the main 0:04:07.360 --> 0:04:10.080 driver of it? You know, I'm located in Wilmington, North Carolina, 0:04:10.120 --> 0:04:13.320 so we're only about an hour plush from Myrtle Beach, 0:04:13.720 --> 0:04:16.240 and I believe you operate a facility in Myrtle which 0:04:16.320 --> 0:04:17.760 you know a ton of there's a there's a ton 0:04:17.800 --> 0:04:19.040 of activities and sports that. 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:19.640 Go on on there. 0:04:19.800 --> 0:04:23.200 It's almost like at times, you know, families prean vacations 0:04:23.240 --> 0:04:25.480 to Disney or amusement parks, and part of me, as 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:27.600 a father of six, I'm like, sometimes it seems like 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:31.760 you're playing a family vacations around you know sports. Is 0:04:31.760 --> 0:04:34.560 that is that kind of how this whole thing, like 0:04:34.640 --> 0:04:38.240 what caused it all to kind of balloon to what 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:42.000 you're saying could potentially be a one hundred billion dollar industry. 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:43.760 Uh in then in the near future. 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:46.440 Yeah, I mean, you nailed it. We call it tournication, right, 0:04:46.480 --> 0:04:47.719 the vacation in the tournament. 0:04:47.720 --> 0:04:50.720 Now they meld together. But there's so much benefit right 0:04:50.839 --> 0:04:54.839 out of participating in playing sports. It's such an important 0:04:55.480 --> 0:04:58.120 strain in our culture, right, the tapestry of our culture. 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:00.640 And uh yeah, just the a ton of kids that 0:05:00.720 --> 0:05:04.320 are playing it right now and will continue to because 0:05:04.320 --> 0:05:07.960 of all the positive benefits and you know so much 0:05:08.040 --> 0:05:10.520 on the professional side and the collegiate side. And you 0:05:10.520 --> 0:05:12.800 know when you look at the name, image likeness, all 0:05:12.880 --> 0:05:16.599 of that's coming downstream right now, good bad. You know, 0:05:16.600 --> 0:05:18.839 there are pros and cons to both of it, but 0:05:19.000 --> 0:05:23.800 all of that's coming downstream and impacting sports participation, which 0:05:23.839 --> 0:05:25.800 is just going through the roof. I mean, look, some 0:05:25.839 --> 0:05:28.920 sports are growing faster than others, but generally and overall, 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:33.760 the sports participation is just continuing to increase. More kids 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:37.520 are playing, more adults are playing as amateurs as well, 0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:41.080 and that's really where our company and organization is focused. 0:05:41.080 --> 0:05:44.719 It's on the youth and amateur side of sports participation 0:05:45.160 --> 0:05:49.800 and trying to, you know, sports facilities facilitate that positive 0:05:49.800 --> 0:05:52.800 outcome no matter the sport in the communities that we're in. 0:05:53.040 --> 0:05:55.760 And you know, to your point, whether it's Myrtle. 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:59.360 Beach, which is a strong tourism destination, or you know, 0:05:59.440 --> 0:06:04.599 whether it's Albertville, Alabama, right which is a population twenty 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:08.719 five thousand in Alabama. Every community right now is looking 0:06:08.800 --> 0:06:13.000 at their park, recreation and sports assets to determine how they. 0:06:12.880 --> 0:06:14.640 Can get the most out. 0:06:14.400 --> 0:06:18.520 Of those facilities to provide the best outcomes for their community. 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:20.560 And I know you mentioned the pros and cons. 0:06:20.600 --> 0:06:22.440 Do you feel like there's any concern Do you have 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:25.320 any concern with the professionalization of youth sports, you know, 0:06:25.520 --> 0:06:27.279 undermining the experience for families. 0:06:27.839 --> 0:06:28.160 I do. 0:06:28.440 --> 0:06:28.800 I do. 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:31.960 And so much of this conversation is framed as an 0:06:32.000 --> 0:06:35.880 either or conversation, like it's either good or it's bad, 0:06:36.040 --> 0:06:37.760 and you've got to set foot in one of those 0:06:37.760 --> 0:06:40.719 two camps. That is not where we are, It's not 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:43.240 where I am personally. We see it as a both 0:06:43.279 --> 0:06:47.279 and it's very positive in a number of ways. Kind 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:51.760 of this i'll call professionalization, use your word, but I 0:06:51.800 --> 0:06:54.600 would just say maturation of youth sports. 0:06:54.839 --> 0:06:56.320 It's providing better competition. 0:06:56.720 --> 0:06:59.080 You know, kids are getting to play at whatever their 0:06:59.120 --> 0:06:59.920 potential is. 0:07:01.000 --> 0:07:03.360 You know, I was a very average athlete. 0:07:02.800 --> 0:07:05.000 Growing up, and my youngest brother played in the big leagues. 0:07:05.000 --> 0:07:06.560 He was the third draft pick overall. 0:07:06.800 --> 0:07:09.760 Right, we had a very wide disparity in our ability 0:07:09.840 --> 0:07:11.960 level and talent. But I got just as much out 0:07:12.000 --> 0:07:14.160 of my sports experience as he did. I'm sitting here 0:07:14.160 --> 0:07:16.800 today in large part because of the experience that I 0:07:16.880 --> 0:07:19.520 had both in a structured way and team play, and 0:07:19.560 --> 0:07:22.160 then in an unstructured way playing in the backyard with 0:07:22.160 --> 0:07:23.760 my friends and my family and you. 0:07:23.680 --> 0:07:24.640 Know, brothers and sister. 0:07:25.560 --> 0:07:28.120 So that's what we need to continue to foster, is 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:30.760 for kids to get the most out of their experience 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:33.800 in character development and in life on the field and 0:07:33.840 --> 0:07:34.520 off the field. 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:36.760 And that is the good and bad of it. 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:40.080 When the pendulum swings too far to the professionalization or 0:07:40.120 --> 0:07:43.760 the formalization, the rig or the structured play where there's 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:46.120 all the good and the benefits that come with that. 0:07:47.240 --> 0:07:49.480 It means we leave the free play and. 0:07:49.440 --> 0:07:52.160 The recreation behind and there are a ton of benefits 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:54.320 there for each kid, and those are the families that 0:07:54.360 --> 0:07:56.480 can afford to play. One of the drawbacks is it 0:07:56.560 --> 0:07:59.640 is getting more expensive to play, and that leads a 0:07:59.720 --> 0:08:04.680 lot of families outside looking in. There's a socioeconomic demographic 0:08:04.760 --> 0:08:09.400 and class that aren't getting the same sort of access 0:08:09.440 --> 0:08:12.559 to sport as what others are who can afford to play. 0:08:12.920 --> 0:08:14.520 And you know, that's a problem that we need to 0:08:14.560 --> 0:08:16.840 solve within our culture and within our society, and it's 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:19.040 certainly one that we're taking head on in the communities 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:20.680 and facilities that we're blessed. 0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:20.880 To work with. 0:08:21.520 --> 0:08:23.800 Like as mentioned, I have six kids and so we're 0:08:23.960 --> 0:08:26.400 entrenched in the sports community. 0:08:26.440 --> 0:08:27.960 I've coached for Rex Sports. 0:08:28.000 --> 0:08:31.080 And you know one thing that concerns me or and 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:32.280 I love your take on it. 0:08:32.360 --> 0:08:34.880 You know, the growth in youth sports and the tourism 0:08:34.880 --> 0:08:36.160 and facilities piece of it. 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:38.800 Do you think that adds pressure on the kids because 0:08:38.840 --> 0:08:42.800 of the financial commitment of the parents, Like we're doing this, 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:45.720 so I need to see results, like, have you seen 0:08:46.000 --> 0:08:49.760 any impacts that are potentially impacting the kids in the 0:08:49.800 --> 0:08:52.000 negaway from a mental health standpoint for sure? 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:54.440 Right, And we're seeing, you know, kids that are burning 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:56.720 out at a young age. The kids that are fortunate 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:58.800 enough and good enough to play at the college. 0:08:58.520 --> 0:09:01.400 Level, they're burning out there. We're seeing even professional athletes 0:09:01.480 --> 0:09:02.040 right need to. 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:06.960 Take mental health breaks as well. So definitely that's absolutely 0:09:07.000 --> 0:09:10.560 the case. And you know, there's some good organizations which 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:13.480 I'm sure you're familiar with, whether it's Positive Coaching Alliance, 0:09:13.559 --> 0:09:15.080 you know, FCA does a lot of good work in 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:18.040 this way too, that are trying to continue to educate 0:09:18.080 --> 0:09:20.480 the parents who mean well, they want the best for 0:09:20.559 --> 0:09:23.840 their kids, try to educate them on what is best 0:09:23.840 --> 0:09:24.360 for their kids. 0:09:24.360 --> 0:09:27.320 And it's not always this intense pressure. 0:09:27.880 --> 0:09:30.440 And needing to play twenty four to seven and train 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:33.520 twenty four to seven. The kids that have a lot 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:37.080 of success are playing multiple sports as long as they can. 0:09:37.679 --> 0:09:40.200 The goal from our perspective is getting to age twelve 0:09:40.240 --> 0:09:42.560 with multiple sports and then you can start to focus 0:09:42.600 --> 0:09:44.839 in on a couple you know, that make the most sense. 0:09:45.160 --> 0:09:46.840 And that's what the data and the science is saying. 0:09:46.840 --> 0:09:48.719 It's not Jason Clement's opinion. 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:50.319 It's these are the kids that are going to. 0:09:50.240 --> 0:09:55.240 Play high level collegiate athletics, many of which are playing 0:09:55.320 --> 0:09:58.199 multiple sports. They're wrestling in playing football, right, They're playing 0:09:58.200 --> 0:10:02.440 baseball and basketball and other things. Not to mention, you know, 0:10:02.720 --> 0:10:05.599 I mentioned pickleball earlier. I've got three kids similar a 0:10:05.800 --> 0:10:08.840 ranges you, right, eight, ten and eleven and man on 0:10:08.920 --> 0:10:11.760 Easter Sunday, they got some new pickleball stuff and we 0:10:11.840 --> 0:10:12.320 just went out. 0:10:12.200 --> 0:10:14.560 And played as a family and it was the best day. 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:18.080 And you talk about physical literacy, right, if you're just 0:10:18.120 --> 0:10:21.280 out playing baseball twenty four to seven, you're doing a 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:24.520 disservice to these kids and their ability to move their 0:10:24.520 --> 0:10:28.080 body and work different muscles in different ways and the 0:10:28.160 --> 0:10:31.880 blend of those things. I believe it's an education opportunity 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:35.960 for parents, and then secondly, it's a courage thing for 0:10:36.000 --> 0:10:37.640 parents to say, now I'm going to buck the trend. 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:40.079 I'm not going to go to this one sport twenty 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:43.600 four to seven. I'm going to give my kids additional opportunities, 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:45.760 even if that means I'm not keeping up with the 0:10:45.840 --> 0:10:50.360 Joneses at eight U baseball. Right in you baseball, and 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:53.280 I'm going to give my kids a good wide range 0:10:53.520 --> 0:10:55.679 and variety of experiences. 0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:59.040 So if I'm not mistaken, sports facilities compan you guys 0:10:59.080 --> 0:11:01.720 congratulate just had a bit partnership back in late twenty 0:11:01.800 --> 0:11:04.840 twenty two with private equity firm. And you know, that's 0:11:04.880 --> 0:11:06.600 not the first time I'm seeing I have a In 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:10.360 my former career, I worked in finance. So from my experience, 0:11:10.600 --> 0:11:13.720 when you see private equity, you know, funding coming into 0:11:13.760 --> 0:11:16.199 any space, they're investing in it for the long term. 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:18.760 They think there's going to be return for shareholders. You know, 0:11:18.760 --> 0:11:21.959 they're trying to extract you know, untapped value. Right, how 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:25.520 do you balance that from a company standpoint, from making 0:11:25.559 --> 0:11:28.560 sure that obviously you have return on shareholder value, your 0:11:28.600 --> 0:11:31.120 bottom line is hit, while at the same time balancing 0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:33.959 you know, we're talking about kids, we're talking about families 0:11:34.240 --> 0:11:36.959 and supporting communities. How do you balance the whole thing 0:11:37.000 --> 0:11:39.560 without letting like the gorilla in the room of needing 0:11:39.600 --> 0:11:43.520 to make money for shareholders impact maybe the overall impact 0:11:43.559 --> 0:11:45.760 on the lives of the kids that are participating in 0:11:45.800 --> 0:11:47.400 these events and at these locations. 0:11:47.640 --> 0:11:50.360 Nick, It's a great question, and I appreciate it. You know, 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:53.000 we grew this company again beginning in two thousand and three, 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:56.520 out of cash flow, and we grew it organically. 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:59.840 No debt. So, you know, forgive me and help the listeners. 0:11:59.840 --> 0:12:01.400 For give me for getting into the business side of 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:01.640 this a. 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:03.520 Little well, I think it's fascinating and people need to 0:12:03.600 --> 0:12:04.120 understand it. 0:12:04.320 --> 0:12:06.880 Yeah, And so as we grew, you know, again out 0:12:06.880 --> 0:12:10.240 of cash flow organically, a few of us in a small, 0:12:10.320 --> 0:12:13.400 you know, little apartment building we called an office in 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:17.400 the early two thousands into what we were, you know, 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:20.079 at the end of twenty twenty two, which was fifteen 0:12:20.160 --> 0:12:23.680 hundred team members across the country in twenty different states, 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:28.400 managing these venues, you know, working with strategically planning eighty 0:12:28.679 --> 0:12:32.839 different facilities at once, having twenty in design and construction 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:36.280 you know, on the boards, and then roughly forty that 0:12:36.320 --> 0:12:39.840 we were managing, you know, around the country. You know, 0:12:39.880 --> 0:12:43.720 we did it in a conservative, fiscally responsible way. And 0:12:43.800 --> 0:12:47.800 to your point, we recognized, you know, probably three eight 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:51.040 to five years ago, private equity was starting to flood 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:54.440 into this space and a consolidation was happening in a 0:12:54.520 --> 0:12:58.720 number of different ways, and we recognized for us to 0:12:59.000 --> 0:13:02.600 serve these kids, serve these families, and serve these communities 0:13:02.600 --> 0:13:07.280 and our clients better, and to serve more. It was 0:13:07.320 --> 0:13:09.840 time for us to go get additional capital so that 0:13:09.880 --> 0:13:13.080 we could partner strategically, We could merge, we could acquire, 0:13:13.800 --> 0:13:16.839 you know, some of these organizations, some of these tournaments 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:20.520 and events, and some of these other services that we 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:23.760 could bolt on to just facility management to create the 0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:27.320 best sport experience possible. So when we decided we wanted 0:13:27.320 --> 0:13:30.640 to go get additional capital to do those things, we 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:32.520 had a decision do we want to go take on 0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:33.640 debt or do we want to go. 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:35.600 Bring in a partner you know that can help help 0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:36.080 us do that. 0:13:36.160 --> 0:13:38.040 And so we chose to be a little bit dead 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:40.319 averse and go bring in a partner. And so that's 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:42.800 why we went out to attract private equity, and Nick, 0:13:42.840 --> 0:13:46.040 I'm telling you, because of I think the topic, because 0:13:46.040 --> 0:13:48.720 of the attractiveness of what was happening in this industry. 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:52.480 We had a lot of interest in our firm, and 0:13:52.559 --> 0:13:55.720 so we chose very carefully a partner that we weren't 0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:58.000 going to, you know, quote sell out to, but someone 0:13:58.040 --> 0:13:58.800 we just wanted to. 0:13:58.760 --> 0:14:00.640 Invest in us. And what we were doing and. 0:14:00.559 --> 0:14:03.560 Believed in our mission and our approach and just allowed 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:07.440 us to simply serve more and serve better. So I 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:09.480 think where it could have gone sideways is if we 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:13.280 had chosen a partner that was about you know, growth 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:16.320 and was about just you know, putting the torch up 0:14:16.360 --> 0:14:19.560 the backside and saying, you know, we need to see numbers, 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:22.440 we need to grow and certainly we want to build 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:25.640 a good business, and we are and we're scaling appropriately. 0:14:26.160 --> 0:14:28.240 But for us, it was about the partner that we 0:14:28.280 --> 0:14:28.920 brought in. 0:14:29.000 --> 0:14:31.240 That believed in the impact and as long as we 0:14:31.360 --> 0:14:34.720 served really well, you know, and continue to do our thing, 0:14:34.880 --> 0:14:38.320 the financial results come. And as long as we're putting 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:40.920 that customer and that client first. We say this all 0:14:40.960 --> 0:14:42.920 the time in the grand opening of a new facility, 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:45.600 it's about that one face in the crowd. You remember 0:14:45.640 --> 0:14:48.600 the Sports illustrated faces in the crowd, you know, back 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:50.560 in the day in the magazine there. 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:53.200 It's about that face in the crowd that is going 0:14:53.280 --> 0:14:54.760 to get to play. 0:14:54.560 --> 0:14:57.240 And have access to this state of the art facility 0:14:57.400 --> 0:15:01.000 and this best in class programming that otherwise wouldn't have 0:15:01.080 --> 0:15:04.080 access to it, and they're going to make it's going 0:15:04.120 --> 0:15:06.120 to make an impact in their lives, again on the 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:09.960 court or off the court, because physically active kids, and 0:15:10.040 --> 0:15:13.840 again it's the stats here, they earn more later, they 0:15:13.880 --> 0:15:18.400 have better healthcare or health situation, they get better grades, 0:15:18.640 --> 0:15:22.080 and it's all because of the habits that are formed by. 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:23.880 A positive sport experience. 0:15:24.040 --> 0:15:26.680 Right. So that's what we're about, and we found that 0:15:26.720 --> 0:15:28.360 we can balance both of those things and we can 0:15:28.400 --> 0:15:29.040 blend it well. 0:15:29.080 --> 0:15:30.840 And when we put that client first. 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:32.760 And we put those guests into the venues first in 0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:35.920 those families, the financial results come, and it's done in 0:15:35.960 --> 0:15:37.560 a way that you're creating raving fans. 0:15:38.000 --> 0:15:40.320 When we come back, Jason and I discuss why the 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:43.520 best businesses are able to balance mission and margin, and 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:45.960 as advice for parents looking to help their kids get 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:48.600 the most out of youth sports. Heading into the break, 0:15:48.680 --> 0:15:50.280 I wanted to share an update with you from our 0:15:50.280 --> 0:15:52.760 friends at Team Snap, who was having a busy summer 0:15:52.800 --> 0:15:56.120 with exciting announcement after exciting announcement. As you may recall, 0:15:56.240 --> 0:15:59.040 we had Peter Francilli's CEO of Team Snap on an 0:15:59.040 --> 0:16:01.640 earlier episode of this podcast, and one of the areas 0:16:01.640 --> 0:16:04.560 we covered was how he saw technology evolving within the 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:08.320 youth sports industry. Last month, Team Snap launched Team Snap 0:16:08.360 --> 0:16:11.200 for Business, its next generation platform and an all in 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:15.000 one solution for sports organizations. Now, Team Snap is thrilled 0:16:15.000 --> 0:16:18.400 to announce the upcoming launch of its brand new registration system, 0:16:18.600 --> 0:16:21.800 one of the most configurable, cost effective, and intelligent ways 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:25.160 to register players and staff. Team Snap Registration was built 0:16:25.200 --> 0:16:28.200 on years of feedback from the Team snap community, which 0:16:28.200 --> 0:16:32.200 includes over nineteen thousand organizations and twenty five million users. 0:16:32.400 --> 0:16:34.560 In celebration of this launch, Team. 0:16:34.360 --> 0:16:36.920 Snap is inviting you to a live webinar on Thursday 0:16:37.040 --> 0:16:40.560 July twenty seventh, one pm Eastern eleven am Mountain Time. 0:16:40.760 --> 0:16:43.480 During the webinar, they will cover everything inside the brand 0:16:43.480 --> 0:16:47.479 new Team Snap registration system, including some important new capabilities 0:16:47.600 --> 0:16:51.920 like multiple installment options, advance logic, answer dependent add on fees, 0:16:52.160 --> 0:16:54.840 and an intuitive set up wizard. Using the new Team 0:16:54.880 --> 0:16:59.479 Snap registration, you can effortlessly create forms, collect fees and documents, 0:16:59.680 --> 0:17:02.200 and make your programs with these so you can keep 0:17:02.240 --> 0:17:05.120 your energy focused on the thing you love, amateur sports. 0:17:05.359 --> 0:17:07.720 Head to teamsnab dot com and sign up to save 0:17:07.800 --> 0:17:09.800 your spot for the webinar that will be held on 0:17:09.880 --> 0:17:10.880 July twenty. 0:17:10.600 --> 0:17:17.320 Seventh, where we left off, Jason. 0:17:17.080 --> 0:17:19.439 And I were about to talk about sports tourism and 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:22.520 the financial strain that many families feel as a result 0:17:22.640 --> 0:17:25.080 of the increased costs of youth sports. 0:17:25.640 --> 0:17:27.479 We wrote a blog Reform Sports Project. 0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:29.960 I wrote one a few weeks ago talking about like, 0:17:30.160 --> 0:17:31.920 we're not going back to the good old days. 0:17:32.040 --> 0:17:33.040 You know, we're just not. 0:17:33.160 --> 0:17:36.280 I'm a firm believer that, you know, things aren't going 0:17:36.320 --> 0:17:37.200 backwards right here. 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:37.720 It all the time. 0:17:37.760 --> 0:17:39.840 I wanted to go back to the eighties and seventies 0:17:39.840 --> 0:17:42.159 and nineties when you know your kids gathered and the 0:17:42.280 --> 0:17:44.840 lots and played and you know, just got together. 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:47.879 I'm like, you know, that's great, but we're not. 0:17:48.560 --> 0:17:50.720 That could still happen at times, you know, kids live 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:52.720 in couldness acts or gather at parks. But we're not 0:17:52.760 --> 0:17:54.520 going back to the seventy We're not going back to the. 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:55.199 Ags in nineties. 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:59.240 So I believe, like you, there is room for a 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:02.119 healthy balance. So that's kind of you know, our mantra 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:04.560 Reformed Sports Project. It's like, we want to help parents 0:18:04.960 --> 0:18:08.719 and people make the most informed decisions, right, I mean, listen, 0:18:09.160 --> 0:18:11.640 like you mentioned the multi sport or whatever. I mean, 0:18:11.640 --> 0:18:13.680 there is a time and place where certain kids need 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:16.160 to lock into a sport at a certain age. There's 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:19.600 not a one size fits all solution to anything. So 0:18:19.800 --> 0:18:23.240 I'm a firm believer that as consolidation and as this 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:26.760 space continues to evolve, there's going to be a healthy 0:18:26.800 --> 0:18:29.760 balance and the best of breed, you know, companies and 0:18:29.840 --> 0:18:32.000 such are going to be the ones that are standing 0:18:32.040 --> 0:18:34.000 at the end of the line that are helping facilitate 0:18:34.240 --> 0:18:38.560 this ever growing sector and quite frankly impacting the most lives. 0:18:39.000 --> 0:18:41.879 So you mentioned the difference and the costs. 0:18:42.040 --> 0:18:45.200 Obviously it's you know, there are people that are held 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:47.800 out because they can't afford you sports. So like when 0:18:48.160 --> 0:18:52.680 when hosting varying travel tournaments and events, how much control 0:18:52.760 --> 0:18:55.800