Big Shots

What Big Shots does

Big Shots Basketball is a privately held youth basketball exposure platform founded in 2006 and operated by the Schneider family out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The company organizes and hosts tournament events across destination cities in the Southeast United States — including Myrtle Beach, Rock Hill, Richmond, Charlotte, Virginia Beach, Rocky Mount, Gatlinburg, and North Charleston — connecting male and female youth players (10U through Post-Grad) with NCAA college coaches and scouts at NCAA certified events. Over 20 years, Big Shots claims 17,000+ alumni who have earned $3 billion in college scholarships and 382 alumni who advanced to the NBA, positioning the platform as a recruiting pipeline rather than a pure tournament operator.

The core product is the event franchise: flagship tournaments such as Myrtle Beach Live (300+ teams annually for 15 straight years) and Big Shots Prep Nationals (128 teams from across the globe), supplemented by the NEXT Winter Circuit for younger divisions and All-Star Weekend events. The technology stack is built entirely on third-party SaaS integrations — SportsEngine's Sports Relationship Management (SRM) for website and event management, Exposure Events for team registration and brackets, BallerTV for live streaming of 8,000+ games per year, WaiverSign for digital participant waivers, NCAA BBCS for certified-event rostering, and Lucid Travel for hotel accommodations. The proprietary layer is the Schneider All-Star Recruiting Service, directed by former NCAA Division I coach Jeff Schneider (CEO) and Kevin Schneider (COO/National Recruiting Director), which provides free recruiting reports and NCAA certified event packets to college coaches.

Big Shots generates revenue primarily through pay-as-you-go tournament registration fees ($325-$550 per team depending on age division and event tier) and a diversified sponsorship portfolio led by Capelli Sport (flagship apparel), with additional partners including Wilson, Topps, OrthoCarolina, Kane Footwear, PRIME Hydration, Blue5 Basketball, and multiple tourism/convention bureaus. Spectator day and weekend passes ($25-$45), merchandise via shopbigshots.com, and ancillary hotel/travel commissions contribute modestly. The business is bootstrapped and founder-owned with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or acquisition history.

Name

Big Shots

Legal name

Big Shots Basketball

Website

https://bigshots.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Big Shots Basketball is a privately held, founder-run youth basketball tournament and recruiting exposure platform, founded in 2006, that hosts NCAA certified events across Southeast US destination cities for 10U through post-grad players, travel teams, and college coaches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Basketball Events and Recruiting

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Junior Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAL)

Keywords

• Youth basketball tournaments
• Basketball exposure events
• NCAA certified events
• College recruiting services
• Sports event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Myrtle Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Registration Fees: Tournament entry fees charged to teams - standard events 17U-15U $475, 14U-10U $325; premium events $550; All-Star Weekend $225 per player
2. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorships from apparel companies (Capelli Sport, Topps, Wilson, Kane), healthcare providers (OrthoCarolina), venue partners (Visit York County, Henrico Sports), and travel/hotel partners
3. Recruiting Services: Schneider All-Star Recruiting Service provides recruiting reports and NCAA certified event packets to college coaches at no charge, generating value through platform stickiness

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Big Shots organizes and operates NCAA certified and open youth basketball tournament events across premier destination venues in the southeastern United States, ranging from 10U through post-grad divisions. The platform packages team registration, live BallerTV streaming, player rankings, and the Schneider All-Star Recruiting Service into an integrated exposure business that connects athletes with college coaches and has produced $3 billion in alumni scholarships and 382 NBA players over 20 years.

Product overview

Big Shots is a premier youth basketball EXPOSURE platform (established 2006) providing tournament events, college recruiting services, player rankings, and live streaming for youth basketball players nationwide. The core offering centers on tournament events—including Prep Nationals (high school/post-grad national championships), Myrtle Beach Live (300+ team flagship event), circuit events, and the NEXT Winter Circuit for younger divisions—supported by the Schneider All-Star Recruiting Service (established 2001) for college recruiting advisory, integrated BallerTV live-streaming (8,000+ games/year), Exposure Events registration infrastructure, player rankings across 5 states, and hotel/travel services for 12 destination cities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Big Shots Tournament Events Large-scale youth basketball tournaments hosted in destination cities nationwide, including national championships, state showcases, regional circuit events, and NCAA certified events for boys and girls from 10U through post-grad divisions. Teams register through the Exposure Events platform for per-team entry.
• Big Shots Prep Nationals The largest high school and post-grad national championships in the country, held at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center with 128 teams competing globally and significant NCAA Division I coach attendance.
• Big Shots Myrtle Beach Live Big Shots' flagship summer destination tournament hosted at the John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center, featuring 300+ teams across NCAA certified and open divisions and drawing consistent participation for 15 straight years.
• Schneider All-Star Recruiting Service College recruiting advisory service directed by former Division I coach Jeff Schneider and Kevin Schneider, providing free recruiting reports and NCAA Certified Event access packets to college coaches evaluating prospects.
• NEXT Winter Circuit Winter basketball circuit for younger players (9U-15U) featuring events like NEXT Myrtle Beach SLAM and NEXT Winter Nationals to extend the Big Shots tournament brand into the off-season.
• All-Star Weekend Events All-Star Weekend and related showcase events featuring skills sessions, evaluations, and uniform inclusion at $225 per player, with separate spectator admission passes.
• Player Rankings State-level and national player rankings across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee, including integration with ESPN recruiting rankings to provide recruiting visibility for participating athletes.
• BallerTV Live-Stream Coverage Live and on-demand streaming of 8,000+ Big Shots tournament games per year through BallerTV, providing extended reach to college coaches and remote fans.
• Hotel and Travel Services Discounted hotel accommodations and travel deals negotiated for participants and families traveling to Big Shots destination events, delivered through the Lucid Travel booking platform across 12 destination cities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 382 Big Shots alumni have advanced to the NBA
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Capelli SportflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial apparel partner providing uniforms, gear, and team apparel for Big Shots events and staff. Brand logo featured prominently on website and event materials.
• ToppscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrading card company partner with logo displayed on website. Provides trading cards and memorabilia partnerships for events.
• WilsoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial basketball partner supplying game balls for tournaments. Brand logo featured on website and event materials.
• OrthoCarolinacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare provider sponsoring multiple events including Southeast Tip-Off and Greensboro Coliseum Jam. Provides medical support and branding at events.
• Visit York CountycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism partner for Rock Hill, SC events. Provides discounted hotel rates, visitor information, and destination marketing for tournament attendees.
• Henrico Sports & Events CentercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium venue partner hosting Richmond-area events. 12-court facility serving as hub for Virginia tournaments.
• BallerTVflagshipTechnology or IntegrationOfficial live streaming partner streaming 8000+ games annually. College coaches and fans worldwide can watch events in real-time or on-demand.
• SportsEnginecoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite and event management platform powered by SportsEngine's Sports Relationship Management (SRM) software for tournament registration, schedules, and brackets.
• Blue5 Basketball TrainingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBasketball training provider sponsoring Carolina Rise Tip-Off and North Carolina Tip-Off events.
• Visit Myrtle BeachcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism partner for Myrtle Beach events providing visitor information, hotel partnerships, and destination marketing for tournament attendees.
• Kane FootwearminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBasketball footwear brand sponsoring events with logo placement on website and materials.
• PRIME HydrationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHydration beverage sponsor providing products at events with logo display.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League): Nike-affiliated national elite youth basketball circuit; directly competes with Big Shots for elite grassroots talent, NCAA exposure weekends, and apparel sponsorship dollars.
• Adidas Gauntlet: Adidas-sponsored national youth basketball circuit targeting the same NCAA exposure demographic; competes head-to-head at premium tournament weekends for top teams and recruits.
• Under Armour Association: Under Armour-affiliated elite youth basketball circuit; another apparel-backed grassroots platform competing with Big Shots for elite teams, exposure weekends, and college coach attention.
• Hoop Group: Long-running youth basketball event operator (e.g., Hoop Group Summer Jam Fest, Battle at the Beach); runs destination tournaments with similar NCAA exposure positioning to Big Shots, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
• Reebok Breakaway: Footwear/apparel-backed elite youth basketball invitational circuit; directly comparable grassroots exposure platform competing for the same prep and post-grad talent pool.

Broad incumbents

• AAU (Amateur Athletic Union): Governing body for amateur athletics in the U.S., including youth basketball; broader incumbent that sanctions and organizes a wide portfolio of amateur sports, including events that overlap with Big Shots' NCAA certified exposure tournaments.
• NCAA: National Collegiate Athletic Association; the destination institution whose certified-event framework, BBCS, and Gold License requirements gate Big Shots' core proposition. Major incumbent across all levels of collegiate basketball.

Others

• SportsEngine (NBC Sports Next): Sports relationship management platform that powers Big Shots' own website and event registration infrastructure; adjacent enabler rather than a competitor but deeply embedded in the company's tech stack.
• BallerTV: Live-streaming partner that broadcasts 8,000+ Big Shots games annually; adjacent platform/enabler in the youth sports media ecosystem rather than a direct tournament competitor.
• Exposure Events: Tournament registration, bracket, and schedule platform used by Big Shots for online team registration; a SaaS-layer infrastructure peer rather than an event competitor, but comparable in serving the same youth basketball ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bigshotsglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/BigShotsNation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-shots

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Big Shots