Weekly News Roundup: The Biggest Headlines in the World of Youth Sports

Youth sports business news comes from BuyingSandlot.com. Subscribe to their free newsletter here. 

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⚾ Easton Hype Fire collab

It’s among the hottest bats in baseball. And now there is a 2026 Easton Hype Fire, as glimpsed at the Little League World Series.

Easton (part of Rawlings) has been an official sponsor of the event for more than 30 years. This year, Easton worked with Adidas and New Era to come up with a comprehensive “gummy worm” colored theme, including the bat and matching uniform. The green-yellow-pink hues can be seen on spikes, accessories, bats, and helmets.

Read more on Buying Sandlot

📹 Rematch Partners + PSG Academy

Rematch launched in France before making its U.S. debut earlier this year. The AI-powered platform allows users to “rewind” up to 15 seconds of footage captured through its app, eliminating the need to constantly record video in order to ensure big moments and plays are captured.

It is fitting that the platform’s first major American partnership is with another French import. Rematch has partnered with Paris Saint-Germain Academy USA, Buying Sandlot has learned. It will be the official highlights platform for six of the reigning Champions League winners’ stateside youth programs.

“It’s huge. It could not be a more exciting and impactful partnership,” said Rematch USA CEO Hanna Howard. “It’s one of the biggest soccer clubs and brands in the world.”

Read more on the deal at Buying Sandlot.

🤳 AI-Powered App For Parents 

Onsides launched in beta this week. The parent-first youth sports companion app aims to simplify the chaos of managing kids’ sports logistics. Rather than replace existing platforms, it integrates with them to automatically pull in events and sync calendars.

“There’s a phrase that I’ve been using internally here,” Onsides founder Dave Yoo told Buying Sandlot. “I’m really leaning hard into this invisible magic.”

🧱 Youth Sports Facilities Arms Race

Texas Tech football is not the only big-money sports endeavor that has people talking in West Texas.

Lubbock Game Changers, a non-profit founded by Rhett Butler, a physician and professional guitarist, has proposed “The Hub,” a $51M complex in the college town.

• 12 volleyball courts
• 6 basketball courts
• 1.8K-seat arena
• Second-level stadium seating
• Dining area and concessions
• Parents’ and players’ lounges
• Videogame room
• Sports medicine space
• 700+ parking spots

And the headline feature? The arena will have an ASB LumiFLEX Court, an all-glass digital floor that debuted during NBA All-Star Weekend in 2024. 

🎰 Another Youth Sports Wagering Story

On the heels of the Little League World Series issue, an elite but controversy-plagued high school near Philadelphia recently suspended its heralded boys’ soccer coach after he made prop bets with students on the school’s basketball games.

The Philadelphia Inquirer published a fascinating look at the matter yesterday, detailing how Conestoga High officials quietly disciplined David Zimmerman, but did not fire him.

Anonymous tipsters then began bombarding both the newspaper and the state governing body about the situation, according to the report.

There is no indication that the PIAA plans to intervene.