YOUTH SPORTS 2030

APRIL 29, 2019 In this dad's own lifetime youth sports have changed incredibly. In just the last 20 years, even the last 10 years, life has changed dramatically and all of it affects how and why we play and consume youth sports. Think about the following.... TECHNOLOGY CHANGES PC: 1997 Less than 37% households had a computer Internet Access: In 1997 only 18% households had internet access Cell Phone: Late 1990s cell phones are now common YouTube: Founded February 2005 iPhone: Released Summer 2007 ...And the race is on. The 1980s and 1990s had sports expansion with ESPN broadcasting sports 24/7 and even ESPN2 being launched in 1993. Sports Illustrated For Kids hits the stands in 1989 and Sports Illustrated For Women is out in 1999 and it just kept going right into the 2000s and 2010s. All of this technology has ratcheted up our ability to watch more sports, schedule youth sports faster, purchase more gear, recruit further and more, more college opportunities for m...