Funding will fuel the expansion of the company’s powerful array of technology solutions for youth sports leaders and magnify the impact of its philanthropic FundPlay program
LeagueApps, the operating system and community for youth and local sports leaders, today announced the close of a $15 million Series B financing round to accelerate its mission — bringing amazing sports experiences to kids and communities everywhere.
Founded in 2010, LeagueApps serves a maturing youth sports market through its premium registration and management solution and NextUp, the industry’s only platform dedicated to professional development. The company also operates FundPlay, supporting organizations that bring programming to hundreds of thousands of underserved participants. LeagueApps is the market-leading solution for thousands of enterprising partners, reaching more than 10 million kids and bringing the advantages of sport to families across the country.
“LeagueApps is grateful to have a group of investor teammates who share our mission to deliver impactful youth sports experiences,” said Brian Litvack, LeagueApps CEO & Co-founder. “Creating solutions through software and new products, alongside our NextUp community and FundPlay program, is core to our commitment to support youth sports communities and ensure all young people have access to play.”
Existing investor Contour Venture Partners led the round, which brings the company’s total funding to $35 million. Major League Baseball and Elysian Park Ventures, the private investment arm of the ownership group of the World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, were among the other participating and existing investors.
“As the youth sports market continues to grow and mature, technology will play an increasingly central role in how sports are experienced, especially as sports organizers continue to get larger and more sophisticated. LeagueApps is the industry’s leading platform, with the most comprehensive product and community, and the deepest partnerships with the most enterprising and impactful organizations in the sector,” said Matt Gorin, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Contour Venture Partners. “It has been a privilege working so closely with the LeagueApps team over the years as they passionately execute in delivering the best solution for sports organizers and all coaches, parents, and players that rely on the LeagueApps platform. I could not be more excited about the future of the company and the leadership role it is playing within the market.”
LeagueApps will use the new funding to expand its array of technology solutions, advance its community-building efforts and further realize its mission of creating a more accessible and equitable industry. The funding will accelerate the LeagueApps engineering and product development initiatives, including the five-star rated Play mobile app. It also will be used to scale the NextUp community, a professional development and networking platform that unlocks new opportunities for local leaders to impact their communities, as well as its commitment to the FundPlay program.
A winner of the prestigious Aspen Institute Project Play Champion Award, FundPlay, under the leadership of 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, supports youth sports organizations and fosters sports experiences for young people from underserved communities. The LeagueApps program has directly impacted nearly 250,000 kids through more than 100 grant recipient organizations, including the Julie Foudy and espnW Sports Leadership Academy, with lifetime-use software grants, training, professional development, partnerships with aligned nonprofits, and advocacy.
The round also introduced a roster of new LeagueApps investors, including Julie Foudy (Broadcaster, Olympic Gold Medalist, World Cup Champion), Swin Cash (New Orleans Pelicans VP of Basketball Operations & Team Development, NCAA Champion, WNBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist), Derrick Dockery (10-yr NFL veteran), Peter J. Holt (Chairman of Spurs Sports & Entertainment & CEO and General Manager, HOLT CAT), Laura Dixon (Founder & President, [PRO] Sports Assembly) and leading investment management firm Hamilton Lane.
JULIE FOUDY: “As part of the FundPlay program through my Academy, I have witnessed how LeagueApps centers on sports program leaders. This partner-first commitment, including through technology, is a difference-making philosophy. It helps those running organizations ensure they can remain focused on developing the next generation of leaders in life, not just sports. It’s the culture our industry needs. I can’t wait to get started in making that culture a reality with LeagueApps, FundPlay, and the NextUp community.”
SWIN CASH: “When I attended the first NextUp Conference in 2019, I was fortunate to see firsthand the impact LeagueApps is making and the championship culture their team has established. I share their vision of a world where everyone can enjoy the advantages of sport, and their commitment to innovation and the professional development of youth and local sports leaders. My entire career has been about uplifting teams and communities, and I’m excited to do the same with my involvement in LeagueApps.”
DERRICK DOCKERY: “Industries need visionaries to drive them forward, particularly amid the challenging times our society faces. From its earliest days, LeagueApps has continuously put the industry first through its commitment to service. Whether it’s co-founding the PLAY Sports Coalition or mobilizing grassroots efforts to secure sports betting revenue allocations dedicated to nonprofits in under-resourced communities, LeagueApps makes the industry stronger, together, at every touchpoint. I’m proud to join LeagueApps in reimagining the ways we can make a better world through sport.”
Alongside existing investors, including Paul Rabil, Shane Battier, David Robinson, Dhani Jones, Mark Gerson, Jason Finger, and Nancy and Arn Tellem, these sports and business leaders join the LeagueApps team at a time of rapid growth as demand for sports experience skyrockets in the wake of an unprecedented year. They share a commitment to strengthening the youth sports industry and helping more kids and communities benefit from sport.
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