TRUE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INC.

What TRUE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INC. does

True Sports and Entertainment Inc., operating as True Sports Group (TSG), is a multi-brand youth sports platform headquartered in Lombard, Illinois, founded in 2008 by former professional lacrosse players Jake Deane and Mike Gabel. The company delivers management, events, consulting, media, hospitality, and back-office business services to youth and club sports programs, with True Lacrosse (described as the nation's largest premier lacrosse organization) as its flagship brand. The platform spans 14 brands and integrated partners, including Championship Events, Premier Hospitality, Champion Volleyball Club, Maryland United, IBLAX, Annapolis Youth Lacrosse, Philadelphia Freedom, and True Cali Gold, operating across more than 60 cities and 25 states with over 14,000 active athletes.

The company's core technology is the League Apps registration and e-commerce platform, which powers program registration, travel team sign-ups, tryouts, tournament entries, and uniform ordering, supplemented by standardized payment plan and discount code infrastructure. Business services for operators cover sales and marketing, business development, operations and logistics, capital/finance/accounting, human resources, media and content, and apparel sourcing, and the organization operates a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (True Foundation) focused on accessibility and affordability of youth sports. The Koomba partnership (announced January 2026) extends the platform into mental performance, sport psychology, and sport nutrition services through a network of 150+ providers.

True Sports Group generates revenue through program registration fees (seasonal and year-round travel team participation, with pay-in-full and payment plan options), tournament and event fees under the Championship Events brand, uniform and apparel sales through partner vendors, and B2B professional services revenue from club operators leveraging corporate back-office support. Distribution combines direct enterprise outreach to club owners (including a March 2026 national inquiry period for new operators), a self-serve consumer registration funnel for families, and a network of local market operators running TSG-branded programs. In October 2025, TZP Group, a New York-based private equity firm, partnered with the company to formally launch the True Sports Group platform and fund growth, and the company completed a merger with California Gold in December 2025 to form True Cali Gold.

Name

TRUE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INC.

Legal name

True Sports Group

Website

https://truesportsgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

True Sports and Entertainment Inc. (True Sports Group) is a multi-brand youth club sports platform providing management, events, consulting, media, hospitality, and back-office business services across 14 brands in 60+ cities and 25 states, serving 14,000+ athletes, with TZP Group private equity backing since October 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports Club Management Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK), Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE)

Keywords

• Youth sports management
• Club lacrosse programs
• Club sports consulting
• Sports event operations
• Sports hospitality services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lombard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Registration Fees: Registration fees for travel teams, travel team programs with seasonal participation options (Fall, Winter, Summer, FallWinter, WinterSummer, FallSummer). Full year pricing with pay-in-full or payment plan options. Pricing varies by market.
2. Tournament and Event Fees: Fees for participation in tournaments, showcases, and expos operated by Championship Events brand. Also includes tournament team fees.
3. Uniform and Apparel Sales: Revenue from apparel partners offering uniform and team store options for teams and communities. Can accommodate single team or entire community of supporters.
4. Business Services Revenue: Revenue from providing business services to club programs including sales and marketing support, business development, operations and logistics, HR, finance and accounting services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

True Sports Group provides an integrated youth sports platform that combines the operation of club sports programs (lacrosse, volleyball), elite tournament and showcase events, sports hospitality and travel coordination, and a portfolio of business services covering sales, marketing, operations, finance, HR, and consulting. The company sells back-office infrastructure and corporate support to club sports operators through a national inquiry period, while also collecting registration, event, apparel, and ancillary fees directly from families and athletes.

Product overview

True Sports Group is a multi-brand youth sports platform that operates as an integrated ecosystem of sports programs and business services. The core offerings include True Lacrosse (premier lacrosse training and team program), Championship Events (elite tournament operations), Premier Hospitality (travel and accommodations), and multiple regional sub-brands including Champion Volleyball Club, Maryland United, IBLAX, Annapolis Youth Lacrosse, and Philadelphia Freedom. These programs are supported by integrated business services covering sales/marketing, operations, finance, HR, and consulting, along with media/content services and apparel offerings. The organization also includes a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation. TSG provides a full professional support structure that allows local markets to focus on coaching and athlete development while leveraging national brand recognition, operational infrastructure, and private equity backing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• True Lacrosse: The nation's premier youth and high school lacrosse training and team program.
• Championship Events
• Premier Hospitality
• Champion Volleyball Club
• Maryland United
• IBLA (IBLAX.ORG)
• Annapolis Youth Lacrosse
• Philadelphia Freedom
• True Cali Gold

Products and services

• True Lacrosse True Lacrosse is the nation's premier youth and high school lacrosse training and team program and the flagship brand of True Sports Group, operating seasonal travel team programs across Fall, Winter, Summer, and combined seasons in 60+ cities and 25 states. It serves athletes seeking elite coaching and college recruiting exposure and is the central subscription/registration product of the platform.
• Championship Events Championship Events operates elite club sports tournaments, showcases, and expos that provide athletes with competitive playing opportunities and college recruiting visibility. It is a standalone event business within TSG, also sold to outside clubs seeking premium tournament access.
• Premier Hospitality Premier Hospitality provides in-house club sports hospitality and travel accommodations, ensuring seamless planning of club sports travel for tournaments and events. It serves TSG-affiliated clubs and is offered as a standalone service to manage hotels, transport, and logistics.
• Champion Volleyball Club Champion Volleyball Club is a nationally recognized girls' volleyball program headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, providing team training, tournaments, and competitive play for youth and high school athletes. It operates under the TSG umbrella alongside the lacrosse-focused brands.
• Maryland United Maryland United is a storied East Coast girls' lacrosse program, ranked as a top-ten national program, providing competitive club team training and tournament participation for athletes in the region.
• IBLA (IBLAX.ORG) IBLAX.ORG is Illinois' premier recreational club lacrosse provider, delivering recreational-level club lacrosse programs across multiple Illinois communities under TSG.
• Annapolis Youth Lacrosse Annapolis Youth Lacrosse provides recreational lacrosse programs in the Annapolis area, staffed and managed by TSG's professional coaching staff.
• Philadelphia Freedom (Freedom Lacrosse) Philadelphia Freedom is a premier Philadelphia-area lacrosse club for boys and girls, providing club team training and tournament play under the TSG umbrella.
• True Cali Gold True Cali Gold is a lacrosse training program serving Orange County and surrounding California areas, formed from the merger of True Lacrosse and California Gold. It provides regional club team training under the TSG platform.
• Club Sports Business Services TSG's integrated business services suite covers sales and marketing, business development, operations and logistics, capital/finance/accounting, human resources, and consulting for club sports operators. These services are sold to club owners and program directors who join the TSG platform, enabling them to focus on coaching while TSG runs the back office.
• Media and Content Services TSG's Media and Content Services connect club sports operators with industry content creators and freelancers for events, tournaments, and general social media needs, delivered through TSG's media relationships and in-house corporate marketing team.
• Apparel and Team Stores Apparel and team store services through TSG's apparel partners provide uniform and merchandise options for a single team or an entire community of supporters, sold through League Apps-integrated team stores and partner catalogs.
• True Foundation (501(c)(3) Nonprofit) The True Foundation is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of True Sports Group, with a mission to make youth sports more accessible and affordable and to support the development of local sports infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• More collegiate commitments than any other club program in the country
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KoombacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2025National strategic partnership providing True Sports Group's 30,000+ athletes with access to Koomba's elite mental performance coaches, sport psychologists, and sport nutrition experts. Partnership integrates pro-level mental performance and nutrition support directly into the True Sports athlete experience. Koomba's network includes 150+ providers working with professional, Olympic, and Power Four NCAA athletes. Focus areas include confidence building, resilience, performance under pressure, fueling for performance and recovery, and navigating the recruiting process.
• League AppscoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware partner providing registration and e-commerce platform for program offerings. TSG builds and manages registrations for travel teams, tryouts, events, tournaments, and uniforms through League Apps. Customer service and registrations department leverage League Apps expertise for family servicing.
• Lax.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner supporting recruiting exposure and digital infrastructure across the True Sports platform.
• Sports RecruitsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner supporting recruiting exposure and digital infrastructure across the True Sports platform.
• Fivestar MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner providing media visibility and content support across the True Sports platform.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• i9 Sports: National youth sports franchise operator offering recreational league play across multiple sports. Comparable to TSG on multi-sport youth sports platform ambitions and franchise/operator network model, though broader and more recreational than TSG's club/competitive focus.

Direct peers

• Resolute Lacrosse: National club lacrosse program offering club teams and recruiting showcases. Closely comparable to True Lacrosse in operating model and target market.
• NXT Lacrosse: Premier Midwest- and East Coast-based club lacrosse organization offering travel teams, showcases, and recruiting events. Direct competitor to True Lacrosse in shared geographies with similar subscription registration and tournament-driven revenue model.
• Team 91 Lacrosse: Long-standing national club lacrosse organization with strong East Coast footprint and showcase events. Direct peer on club programming, recruiting exposure, and tournament business.
• Carolina Regional Lacrosse (CRL): Regional powerhouse club lacrosse program in the Southeast. Comparable as a target-club for TSG-style acquisition/integration given its established regional brand and operator base.
• 3d Lacrosse: National youth and high school lacrosse training and club program operating across multiple U.S. cities. Closely comparable to True Lacrosse in product (club teams, training, showcases, recruiting exposure) and target market (youth athletes and families pursuing collegiate play).
• SweetLax Lacrosse: National club lacrosse program based in the Northeast with showcase tournaments and collegiate recruiting focus. Comparable to True Lacrosse on athlete development pathway, event operations (Championship Events analog), and collegiate commitment outcomes.
• Eclipse Lacrosse Club: Multi-region youth lacrosse club and showcase operator comparable to True Lacrosse on team programming, tournament events, and college recruiting exposure services.
• Long Island Lacrosse Club: Historic Northeast club lacrosse organization with deep local market presence. Comparable as both a direct competitor and a candidate target for TSG's national inquiry period expansion.

Others

• US Lacrosse: National governing body for lacrosse in the U.S. Not a direct competitor, but adjacent ecosystem participant setting rules, safety standards, and pipeline development that affects TSG's operating environment and partner relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/truesportsgrouphq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/truesportsgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries9 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 TRUE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT INC.