Weekly News Roundup: The Biggest Headlines in the World of Youth Sports
Anwar Stetson
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⚾️ Unrivaled Aims to Turn Orioles’ Minor League Stadium into Youth Sports Complex
Unrivaled Sports has expressed interest in buying Ripken Stadium, the city-owned minor league ballpark in Aberdeen, Maryland, and turning it into a youth sports complex.
It’s not officially a done deal, but Aberdeen Mayor Patrick McGrady talked confidently about the investment during a public meeting on Tuesday, according to The Baltimore Sun. The acquisition would be part of an expansion project that would include:
- Stadium renovations
- 4 multi-purpose fields in parking lots
- Entertainment and retail space
- 200-room hotel
- Control taken via lease of 20-25 years
- Projected 50% increase in youth sports tourism
Some backstory: Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother, Billy, owned their hometown Aberdeen IronBirds, the Orioles’ High-A club, from 2002-2024. They sold majority control to Attain Sports Partners, who have since shifted the Orioles’ affiliation to another team they own (the Frederick Keys) and turned the IronBirds into an MLB Draft League club.
The IronBirds would still presumably play in the stadium, but the building would also host concerts, festivals and other events.
⚽️ New $10M Youth Sports Initiative
The Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund announced Play to Thrive at the Aspen Institute’s inaugural State of Soccer summit.
The initiative “will support organizations that use sports to improve youth mental health, expand access for underserved communities, and promote equity across New York City and beyond.”
The $10M multi-year initiative will be centered in the New York metropolitan area. Tisch’s family co-owns the New York Giants and she also owns part of the NWSL’s Gotham FC.
Aspen’s Project Play will create a report on the state of youth soccer in NYC and northern New Jersey as part of the initiative.
The plan will also fund the construction of a Soccer Street USA complex in Queens, as well as expanded partnerships with Keep Her in the Game and Playworks.
🏐 LOVB Adds Los Angeles Franchise
Reddit co-founder and women’s sports advocate Alexis Ohanian is the latest big-name investor in League One Volleyball, giving the women’s professional indoor volleyball league its seventh team.
The Los Angeles franchise will start play in 2027. An 8th team is reportedly expected to launch that year, too.
LOVB started as a youth volleyball business before launching a pro league after receiving $100M in private capital.
It has 81 connected youth volleyball clubs in 28 states and 93 locations with over 24K athletes, 3K coaches and 2K affiliated teams.
The league recently scored a media rights deal with Versant, and also has a broadcast deal with ESPN.
Ohanian’s arrival is a big boost for LOVB as their rival, Major League Volleyball, prepares to launch in 2026 with a San Diego franchise. But now, LOVB will have a SoCal foothold, too.
