Op-Ed: The Biggest Game in Town? The Smallest Players

How the simple joy of watching youth sports built a billion-dollar industry

You don’t need a focus group to understand the impact of youth sports. Ask any parent about their weekends, and you will hear the same story: sports, sports, sports. Hours spent on the sidelines, sneaking glances at email between plays.

According to Business Insider, over 27 million Americans — nearly 40% — play organized youth sports. And inflation hasn’t slowed families down. On average, they spend more than $1,000 per child each year. The passion is not uniquely American, either. It is a global phenomenon playing out locally everywhere.

According to Pixellot CEO Doron Gerstel, youth sports isn’t a niche; it’s the main attraction.

In Germany, youth sports are structured like professional leagues, complete with rigor and infrastructure. In Victoria, Australia, over 60 percent of children aged 5–14 play organized sports weekly, with families spending upwards of AUD 600 annually.

Investors are also watching from the stands. They are backing AI-powered tools and pouring millions into tournaments and youth experiences. Parents are more involved than ever, and kids have bigger dreams.

Technology has accelerated the shift. Once, broadcast access was the great divider, but now it is far less relevant. The options for viewing are as varied as those for movies, comedies, and documentaries. And that is how it should be. From American football to Australian football, from basketball to netball, every sport deserves to be seen, and every young athlete deserves a spotlight.

Youth Sports Isn’t a Niche. It’s the Main Attraction.

More than a decade ago, Pixellot looked ahead and saw that youth sports would be one of the growth industries of the future. While professional sports dominate headlines, they are actually the exception — played by a small elite. The majority of games around the world are played by those who cannot yet drive.

Every weekend, millions of kids take to courts, fields, and pitches. Behind them stand crowds of friends, families, and teammates eager to watch, cheer, and relive the moments. It is not about growing the audience; it is about catching up to it.

In 2023, an estimated 85 percent of youth games in the United States were not captured or shown anywhere. They were not shared or preserved. That has changed. AI has transformed what is possible, enabling broadcasts of virtually any game, anywhere, for anyone. Highlights can be stitched together for individual athletes, instantly generating stats and creating “grandparent-ready” sizzle reels for coaches.

The business world has taken notice. According to Business Insider, more than $1 billion in private equity and venture capital funding has flowed into youth sports ventures, including media platforms, development programs, and tournaments. Audience demand and innovation have combined to make youth sports a hot investment category.

The Ultimate Basketball Machine

Germany’s Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) is an example of what is possible. This summer, the league — home to the country’s top U18 female talent — partnered with Pixellot to stream more than 350 games annually using 24 automated systems. This was more than just a tech upgrade. It was a strategic move to meet growing demand for scalable visibility in youth competition. According to Statista, nearly 70 percent of German children aged 6–17 are involved in organized sports clubs, one of the highest rates in Europe.

The WNBL has put the right tools in place to meet demand with modern, scalable solutions. This is not only a national milestone but also a European case study in how to future-proof the foundations of sport. It reflects the vision Pixellot had a decade ago, as federations, sponsors, and investors begin to treat youth sports as an untapped strategic growth market.

Sports is a Global Boundary-Crosser

The statistics speak for themselves. The 2024 Little League World Series championship averaged 3.5 million U.S. viewers, peaking at 5.5 million on ABC. In Australia, Little League games draw an average of 917,000 viewers. The AFL Grand Final in 2023 drew nearly 5 million TV viewers, plus another 756,000 via streaming. Rugby league, Australia’s most-watched TV sport, reached a cumulative audience of 174 million in 2023, with an average of 620,000 viewers per NRL game.

As reported by ESPN Press Room the MLB Little League Classic, a professional game staged at a youth venue, drew 2.17 million viewers, a record for the event. In Europe, the 2024 Plazma Youth Sports Games in Croatia attracted over 320,000 participants and were broadcast in nine countries. Meanwhile, BT Sport’s coverage of the UEFA Youth League used cloud-based production to stream across Europe and beyond.

The takeaway is clear: youth sports already draw serious attention, often rivaling professional events. The challenge is not to grow the audience but to meet it where it already is, with better infrastructure and consistent coverage.

A Strategic Case for Investment

Youth sports sit at the intersection of scale, passion, and accessibility. It offers a rare combination: large, loyal audiences; digital-first engagement; and an AI-driven ecosystem ready for transformative growth.

Cities across the U.S. are also investing heavily in youth sports infrastructure. For example, the Buena Vista Sports Complex in Laredo, Texas, is a $45 million project that includes 10 turfed baseball and softball fields, multipurpose sports pods, and walking trails.

The barriers to entry have never been lower, and the opportunities have never been greater. Gone are the days when coverage required satellite trucks and full production crews. Today, even local youth competitions can be captured and shared with professional quality, opening the door to new revenue streams, sponsorships, and exposure.

For sponsors, youth sports offer unmissable visibility. For federations, it is a way to grow participation, expand fanbases, and raise funds in a competitive landscape.

This is not charity. It is a smart investment in future fans, talent, and platforms. Youth sports is not a niche. It is where the game begins — and where the world is already watching.

Doron Gerstel is a seasoned technology executive renowned for his ability to drive transformative growth and innovation. In November 2024, he was appointed CEO of Pixellot, a pioneering provider of AI-powered automated sports production solutions. Prior to this role, Doron served as CEO of Perion Network Ltd., guiding the ad-tech firm through a period of strategic expansion and operational efficiency