Hoop Group

What Hoop Group does

Hoop Group is a privately held youth basketball events and instruction company founded in 1963 by Bob Kennedy and headquartered in Neptune City, New Jersey. It organizes camps, clinics, leagues, tournaments, and tournaments across the United States, operating a flagship 50,000 sq ft facility (Hoop Group Headquarters) and a multi-venue circuit spanning New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The company serves more than 27,000 athletes annually across 1,100+ teams, drawing participants from 46 states and an alumni network of over one million, including 148 NBA/WNBA players, 240 McDonald's All-Americans, and 73 Hall of Famers.

Its product portfolio centers on competitive and developmental basketball: the Hoop Group Scholastic League (HGSL, launched 2016), the Hoop Group Academic League (HGAL, launched 2025) targeting high-academic prospects in partnership with All Academic Basketball, and large-scale showcase events such as Jam Fest that host 180+ college coaches for recruiting exposure. Registration, scheduling, and payment are delivered through the third-party PlayerFirst platform, which provides a single login shared with 150+ partner organizations, and event broadcasting runs on the BeTheBeast live-streaming platform.

The business model is consumer-facing: Hoop Group monetizes through per-athlete registration fees (range $35–$1,850), team and league franchise fees, camp and clinic tuition, facility rentals, and event-related media/streaming rights, with no disclosed enterprise or sponsorship concentration. The company is privately held and does not publish financial results.

Name

Hoop Group

Legal name

Hoop Group

Website

https://hoopgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hoop Group is a privately held youth basketball events and instruction company founded in 1963, operating camps, leagues, tournaments, and a 50,000 sq ft NJ facility across multiple East Coast states, serving 27,000+ athletes annually through 1,100+ teams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Basketball Training & Events

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Junior Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAL), Sport-Specific Amateur Leagues & Circuits (Non-Professional) (MPAKACAJ), Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Basketball training
• Youth basketball tournaments
• Basketball camps
• College recruiting exposure
• Basketball league services

Headquarters

HQ city

Neptune

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Registration Fees: Hoop Group charges registration fees for tournaments (Jam Fests, Showdowns, HGHQ events), camps (Elite Camp, Academic Elite Camp), and circuits (NXT Gen Winter Circuit, HGSL, HGAL). Fees range from $35-$1,850 per participant depending on event type and package. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Media & Content Packages: Hoop Group sells optional media add-ons at events including team/individual committed graphics ($50-$400), photo shoots ($150), team photo & video packages, and highlight tapes ($400). These are upsells at point of registration or event participation.
3. Facility Rentals: The 50,000 square foot HGHQ facility in Neptune, NJ is rented to grammar school, high school, and grassroots teams for court/facility use. Revenue is generated through court rental fees.
4. Hotel/Travel Services (Stay to Play): Hoop Group partners with Team Travel Source for hotel booking. Teams located more than 75 miles from event venues are required to book a minimum of 4 room nights (2 rooms per night) through the partner, creating referral/affiliate revenue.
5. Game Film & Highlight Packages: Camp and event participants can purchase game film ($103.75-$166) and highlight tape packages ($155.62-$290.50) as add-ons to their registration, providing additional per-transaction revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hoop Group operates a comprehensive grassroots basketball platform delivering instruction, competition, and college recruiting exposure through camps, clinics, leagues, tournaments, and showcase events. Core offerings include Jam Fests exposure tournaments, the Hoop Group Showcase League (HGSL), the Hoop Group Academic League (HGAL), the NXT Gen Winter Circuit, weekly instruction at HGHQ, Elite Camps, and Academic Elite Camps serving athletes from middle school through high school.

Product overview

Hoop Group is a comprehensive basketball services company operating since 1963, offering a portfolio of interconnected products centered on basketball instruction, competition, and player exposure. The core product lineup includes Jam Fests (premier exposure tournaments), HGHQ Showdown Tournaments (regional tournaments at the Neptune, NJ headquarters), Hoop Group Showcase League (HGSL, a college recruitment showcase league established in 2016), and weekly instruction programs at HGHQ. Supporting products include the NXT Gen Winter Circuit and Middle School Spring Series for youth development, HGHQ High School Leagues for seasonal competitive play, and camp products including Academic Elite Camp, Scholar Stage (in partnership with All Academic Basketball), and Elite Camp for college-bound players. Media Packages provide add-on services for professional team graphics and highlight videos. The newest addition is the Hoop Group Academic League (HGAL) launched in 2025 for high academic prospects. The company also offers facility rentals of its 50,000 sq ft headquarters with 4 NBA courts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HGSL (Hoop Group Showcase League): Premier exposure platform for college prospects established in 2016, featuring 40+ teams from 20+ states at 17u, 16u, and 15u divisions.
• HGAL (Hoop Group Academic League)
• NXT Gen Winter Circuit
• Jam Fests
• Elite Camp
• Academic Elite Camp

Products and services

• Jam Fests Premier basketball exposure tournaments offering competition against national programs across multiple divisions. Designed for high school basketball players seeking college recruiting exposure.
• HGHQ Showdown Tournaments

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of Hoop Group Elite Camp campers go on to play in college
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PlayerFirstcoreTechnology or IntegrationPlayerFirst Technology provides the registration, waiver management, team rostering, and player profile platform powering Hoop Group's digital operations. Single login access spans 150+ youth sport organizations and event providers. Hoop Group is one of multiple brands using this platform, and the partnership enables cross-organization network effects and operational efficiency.
• BeTheBeastcoreTechnology or IntegrationBeTheBeast provides live streaming infrastructure for all Hoop Group events. Separate streams are available for parents/fans and college coaches (recruiter portal). All major events are live-streamed on the BeTheBeast Event Live platform, enabling remote access to games for recruiting purposes.
• All Academic BasketballcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Academic Basketball is a strategic partner for the Scholar Stage program, which specifically targets high academic student-athletes seeking Division 2 and Division 3 college recruitment. The partnership combines Hoop Group's basketball infrastructure with All Academic Basketball's academic recruiting network.
• Team Travel SourcecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTeam Travel Source is Hoop Group's exclusive hotel partner for the 'Stay to Play' policy. Teams located more than 75 miles from event venues must book a minimum of 4 room nights (2 rooms per night) through Team Travel Source. TTS provides Team Experience Specialists to assist with reservations and team blocks. Reservations booked directly with hotels or third parties do not count toward compliance.
• NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoop Group operates NCAA-certified events during official recruiting periods. NCAA certification is required to participate in all live period events. Hoop Group's platform integrates with NCAA's Basketball Certification System (BBCS) for team and athlete registration. NCAA coaches are the primary audience for Hoop Group's exposure events.
• USA Basketball (USAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTo coach at Hoop Group live period events, coaches must obtain a USAB Gold License, which requires submitting a background check. This partnership ensures compliance with USA Basketball coaching standards and enhances the credibility of Hoop Group's coaching staff.
• Multi-Sports KingdomminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-Sports Kingdom in Manalapan, NJ is used as a venue for NXT Gen Winter Circuit Stop 1 and Championship events, combined with HGHQ in Neptune.
• Shoot Hoops KOPminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShoot Hoops KOP in King of Prussia, PA serves as the venue for NXT Gen Winter Circuit Stop 2, enabling regional expansion into Pennsylvania.
• Athletic RepublicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAthletic Republic in District Heights, MD serves as the venue for NXT Gen Winter Circuit Stop 3, enabling regional reach into the Mid-Atlantic.
• Starland SportsplexminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStarland Sportsplex in Hanover, MA is listed as a Hoop Group event venue, expanding geographic footprint into New England.
• Haverford CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHaverford College in Haverford, PA is the venue for Mid-Atlantic Academic Elite Camp. The partnership provides Hoop Group with access to college facilities for hosting recruiting events.
• Milton AcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMilton Academy in Milton, MA is the venue for Scholar Stage and New England Academic Elite Camp. Provides Hoop Group access to premier academic institution facilities for high-academic recruiting events.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AAU (Amateur Athletic Union): National governing body for amateur youth sports including basketball. Indirect peer through sanctioned AAU team participation in Hoop Group events; sets the broader amateur basketball governance and sanctioning framework Hoop Group operates within.
• 3 Step Sports: Large youth sports platform that operates multiple event brands across basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Hoop Group appears to operate under the 3 Step Sports platform (per copyright footer). Direct peer in event operations with broader sport portfolio.

Direct peers

• NY2LA Sports: Operates basketball exposure tournaments, camps, and showcases across the Midwest and nationally. Direct competitor in the grassroots basketball event space, targeting the same college-recruit customer base with similar NCAA live-period event formats.
• Adidas Gauntlet: Premier sponsored grassroots basketball circuit featuring elite high school teams and showcase events. Directly comparable business model—tournament circuit, college coach exposure, sponsored apparel partnerships—competing for the same 17u/16u/15u prospects.
• Under Armour Association: Sponsored grassroots basketball league and tournament series. Operates the same circuit/showcase format during NCAA live periods, targeting elite college-bound prospects with apparel sponsorship economics similar to Hoop Group's branded events.
• Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League): Nike-sponsored premier grassroots basketball circuit and finals event. Direct competitor for elite 17u prospects, with similar NCAA live-period timing, college coach attendance model, and tiered event pricing.
• Zero Gravity Basketball: Northeast-based grassroots basketball event operator running tournaments, leagues, and showcases. Closely comparable geography (Northeast US), event formats, and target customer segments (youth through high school prospects).
• Peach State Hoops: Southeast-based grassroots basketball event operator running tournaments, leagues, and showcases. Comparable business model with regional concentration, providing a useful benchmark for Hoop Group's potential Sun Belt expansion.

Emerging players

• Ballislife: Grassroots basketball media and event platform producing content, highlights, and tournaments. Adjacent peer combining media monetization with event operations—relevant as a model for Hoop Group's media package and live-streaming growth.
• All Academic Basketball: Strategic partner for Hoop Group's Scholar Stage program; specializes in academic-focused basketball recruiting for D2/D3 programs. Closely aligned with HGAL positioning and serves as a benchmark for the high-academic recruitment vertical.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheHoopGroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/thehoopgroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/hoopgroup
• TikToktiktok.com/@thehoopgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hoop Group