How an Alliance solves the Youth Soccer & Tech Dilemma
by Adam Cohen, Adam Chazin, & Lilly Cordover
The Landscape
With over 3.5 billion fans and $4.6 billion in revenue, soccer has well-eclipsed every stage and almost every television across the world. Since the beginning of the professional game in 1885, this incredible sport has drawn immense attention — marking itself as the number one grossing sport in the world.
With games being globally televised, fans have access to soccer wherever they are. This has drawn an increase in excitement and understanding around the game, allowing more people to become engrossed with its beauty. Kids watching professional soccer are able to witness the greatness of the game’s best players and strive to be just like them. Watching soccer on TV easily lures kids into the game. According to Mark Cromie, the Boys Director of Coaching for the Colorado Rapids, “Connecting young soccer fans to the game from an early age increases their likelihood of being involved in the game (even as a supporter) throughout their youth and adult lives.” Allowing youth soccer players the opportunity to visualize what it takes to become a professional soccer player only puts the future of the game in better hands.
Coinciding with the growing interest in soccer from youth athletes is the response of organizations to present opportunities for kids to play. With “over 2 million” youth soccer players as of the 2018 SFIA survey, there is stiff competition within the sport. Manchester United has made a strong effort to show how important the youth are to the development of soccer. With over 8 youth teams ranging from Under 10’s to Under 23’s, the academy allows players to grow up and become the stars of the next generation in their own backyard. Almost all English League teams have adopted this type of youth system. This is vividly apparent when looking at Manchester United players Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, who have come out of the youth system and shown how impactful their youth academy is to the performance on the professional team on the pitch.
The Problem
With the recent growth in youth soccer, many organizations have run into difficulties in keeping up with this pace. It has become challenging to calculate accurate statistics and various data in youth soccer. Specifically, it has become difficult for coaches to calculate player fitness data and for scouts to accurately identify appealing skills of youth athletes.
Contributing to these issues is the fact that there has been little to no connection between technology companies and sports organizations. Without an identified source, many sport technology companies had nowhere to look when trying to integrate their product into organizations, and these organizations had no knowledge on which technologies were readily available. As soccer continues to grow globally, the demand for coaches and players to successfully perform increases with it. Technology companies and sports organizations needed a solution for making this process simpler and easier.
The Solution
From identifying this problem and aiming to provide a solution, the Youth Soccer Tech Alliance was formed. At the YSTA, technology companies get provided with quality access to sport organizations and companies that they had trouble gaining access to previously. At YSTA events, technology companies have been given the opportunity to pitch their product to a community full of potential partners to work with — building a strong network of technology and youth soccer that has never before been seen.
The YSTA has made significant progress in recent months by standing by its vision of working to develop and improve the future of soccer players. With representatives from Orlando City SC, Under Armour, UEFA Consultants, & the Special Olympics agreeing to become Executive Members, there is now a place for technology companies to come to employ their product in youth soccer. With an easy-to-use website that brings together a wide-ranging network of partners and a low membership fee, the YSTA is looking to help technology companies and sports organizations reach a level unimaginable before.
With a $77.6 Billion market value by 2026, youth soccer is becoming the most important factor in the game. Without a strong base of youth soccer players, there is no future. The YSTA is the perfect solution to both technology companies and sports organizations who seek to better their knowledge of the youth soccer tech market and network with those individuals who can make both organizations benefit for the better.
If you are a representative of a sports or sports tech company with more than 3 years of experience or have more than 3 years of active play in a top soccer league, consider joining the YSTA and becoming part of the solution. In order to become a member, please fill out this form.
Reach out to us at the youthsoccertechalliance@gmail.com if you have any questions at all.
Citations
EventConnect. “The Current State Of Youth Soccer.” EventConnect, EventConnect, 17 Dec. 2019, eventconnect.io/article/the-current-state-of-youth-soccer/.
“Man Utd Academy Squad & Players Profiles: U18 Roster.” Man Utd Academy Squad & Players Profiles | U18 Roster | Manchester United, www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/the-academy.
Research and Markets. “Youth Sports Market Projected to Reach $77.6 Billion by 2026 — Comprehensive Industry Analysis & Insights.” GlobeNewswire News Room, Research and Markets, 26 Dec. 2019, www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/12/26/1964575/0/en/Youth-Sports-Market-Projected-to-Reach-77-6-Billion-by-2026-Comprehensive-Industry-Analysis-Insights.html.
“Watching Soccer.” Colorado Rapids Youth Soccer Club, 30 Jan. 2017, rapidsyouthsoccer.org/watching-soccer/.
