What Make A Play Foundation does

Make A Play Foundation (MAP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 by Amal Z. Yamusah and headquartered in Ewing, New Jersey. The organization operates the MAP Professional Development Association (PDA), described as the first professional development league modeled after sports leagues, serving approximately 1,500 college and high school student-athletes annually across two divisions — the Major League for college athletes (20 corporate-sponsored fellowships annually across four seasons) and the Minor League for high school athletes (four university-sponsored fellowships). The platform gamifies career preparation through leaderboards, rankings, scouting combines, and playoff-style competitions that mirror professional sports structures, with reported outcomes of 90% of college athletes attending US News Top 50 universities and 82% of playoff athletes securing job offers at leading companies. Since 2020, 15 Olympians (including Naomi Girma and Lauren Scruggs) have participated in the program, and 1,000+ athletes have been placed at top employers.

MAP's core technology includes the MAP 360° Dashboard (a HUDL-style scouting platform combining resumes, mock-interview film, and peer analytics), Custom Draft Boards (hand-selected athlete shortlists), MAP Draft Lottery, MAP Scouting Combine, MAP Report Cards (narrative assessments), and the Draft Room Portal — a password-protected hub centralizing all partner-facing tools and benefits. Athletes access fellowships free of charge via a virtual platform; revenue is generated exclusively through tiered corporate League Pass subscriptions (Standard $30K, All-Star $40K-$75K, Premium $50K-$100K annually), with an optional Parent Pass for high school families. The corporate partner roster includes Morgan Stanley, UBS, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, Deloitte, Oliver Wyman, Vista Equity Partners, NFL, MLS, Guggenheim, Kraft Heinz, Heineken, DICK'S Sporting Goods, JMI, and Sixth Street. Distribution is hybrid: virtual fellowships for athletes and direct enterprise sales for corporate sponsors. The organization operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees.

Name

Make A Play Foundation

Legal name

Make A Play Foundation

Website

https://makeaplayfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Make A Play Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the first professional development sports-style league for student-athletes, serving 1,500+ elite college and high school athletes annually through gamified fellowships funded by tiered corporate League Pass sponsorships from blue-chip enterprise partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Athletic Professional Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Professional development fellowships
• Student-athlete career services
• Corporate talent pipelines
• Nonprofit sports league
• Workforce readiness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ewing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Partnership Fees (League Pass): MAP generates revenue through tiered corporate partnership packages called 'League Passes' that give companies access to student-athlete talent pipelines, scouting tools, and recruiting benefits. Pricing ranges from $6,000 (discounted entry) to $100,000 (premium) annually. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making all partnership contributions tax-deductible.
2. Minor League Parent Pass: Optional premium intelligence package for parents of high school athletes in MAP's Minor League program, providing professional-grade development insights and long-term planning tools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Make A Play Foundation operates the Professional Development Association (PDA), a sports-style gamified professional development fellowship league for student-athletes, segmented into Major League for college athletes and Minor League for high school athletes. Corporate partners gain access to fellowship talent and proprietary scouting tools through tiered League Pass subscriptions, while athletes participate free of charge. Supporting offerings include scouting reports, player showcases, custom draft boards, and a MAP 360° talent intelligence dashboard.

Product overview

The Make A Play Foundation (MAP) is a national nonprofit offering the Professional Development Association (PDA), the first sports-style career development league for student-athletes. The organization operates two leagues: the Major League for college athletes (20 fellowships annually across four seasons) and the Minor League for high school athletes. Corporate partners access talent through tiered MAP League Passes (Standard, All-Star, Premium) via the Draft Room Portal platform, which includes scouting reports, custom draft boards, player showcases, the MAP 360-degree Dashboard, scouting combines, and the MAP Draft Lottery. The ecosystem also includes the MAP Parent Pass for high school programming and the MAP Legends alumni roster for partner recruiting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MAP Professional Development Association (PDA): The first sports-style career league - a year-round system where student-athletes compete, train, and showcase their skills across four seasons of professional fellowships

Products and services

• Professional Development Association (PDA) The flagship sports-style gamified professional development league for U.S. student-athletes, segmented into Major League (college athletes) and Minor League (high school athletes). Operated as the parent program of Make A Play Foundation.
• Major League The college-athlete division of the PDA fellowship, providing free professional development, mentorship, and corporate talent-pipeline access to U.S. college student-athletes.
• Minor League The high-school-athlete division of the PDA fellowship, delivering career-readiness resources to U.S. high school student-athletes, with the parent-facing MAP Parent Pass as a supporting paid channel.
• Draft Room Portal Password-protected online partnership hub where corporate League Pass partners access MAP's talent intelligence, scouting tools, and fellowship resources.
• MAP 360° Dashboard Proprietary searchable talent intelligence platform used to track athlete progress, MAP Report Cards, and partner-facing insights across the PDA.
• MAP Parent Pass Paid subscription for parents of Minor League (high school) athletes that unlocks access to MAP's talent intelligence tools and visibility into their athlete's corporate-readiness progress.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of college athletes attend US News Top 50 colleges and universities
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Wells FargomajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Winter NXT fellowship and Summer D-League (Management Consulting track). Athletes work on real business challenges including Special Purpose Credit Program analysis and Homebuyer Access grants.
• Bank of AmericamajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Winter Formula 1 (Investment Banking) and Summer Training Camp (Data/AI/Product Management) fellowships. Hosts mock interviews for Strategy & Management Summer Analyst roles and developed Erica AI assistant case study.
• Oliver WymanmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Winter D-League fellowship. Athletes work on airport transformation strategy case studies and compete for Consulting Summer Intern positions.
• DeloittemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Winter X-Games fellowship and developed strategic vision playbook for NWSL partnership. Athletes compete for Strategy Analyst positions.
• MicrosoftmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Spring Game Managers fellowship and Summer Training Camp (Data/AI/Product Management). Athletes work on AI sports training copilot design projects and compete for Product Management Intern positions.
• Kraft HeinzmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Spring D-League and developed brand rebranding case study for U.S. Heinz products. Athletes compete for Management Trainee positions.
• HeinekenmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Spring Senior Bowl fellowship. Athletes compete for Global Graduate Fellow positions through mock interviews.
• Vista Equity PartnersmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Summer Victory Formation fellowship. Athletes work on software acquisition recommendations and compete for Summer Private Equity Analyst positions.
• DICK'S Sporting GoodsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Summer D-League fellowship. Athletes developed business process recommendations following Foot Locker acquisition and compete for Summer Management Trainee positions.
• NFLmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Summer Premier League fellowship. Athletes develop recommendations for two new NFL expansion teams by 2035 and compete for Management Trainee positions.
• GuggenheimmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Fall Diamond League fellowship. Athletes compete for Summer Investment Banking Analyst positions in a wealth management and investment banking track.
• MLS (Major League Soccer)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Title sponsor for Fall Legacy Bowl fellowship, connecting sports business interests with athlete development in a career track focused on sports management.
• Sixth StreetcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Entering Year 2 of partnership (2025), highlighted by one Summer 2026 analyst hire (Grace Hoverman) and three Early Insights invitations. Year 2 introduces four new benefits including MAP 360 Dashboard, Report Cards, and League Title Sponsorships for Spring 2026 (Growth) and Fall 2026 (Asset-Based Finance) fellowships.
• JMIcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Entering Year 3 of partnership (2025), JMI invested in discounted 2026 pricing ($6,000) to demonstrate meaningful improvement and position MAP as a leader in developing buy-side talent. Partnership focuses on 2026 and 2027 Summer Analyst pipelines for investment management roles.
• UBScoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Entering Year 5 of partnership (2025), UBS has produced 50+ total hires since 2021, including 9 for Summer 2025, 14 for Summer 2026, and 12 for Summer 2027. UBS serves as title sponsor for multiple fellowships including Women Playmakers, N.I.L., and Money Ball. 80% of outcomes concentrated in investment banking, sales & trading, and wealth management.
• Morgan StanleycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Entering Year 5 of partnership (2025), Morgan Stanley has produced ~100 total hires since 2021, including 17 for Summer 2025, 24 for Summer 2026, and 22+ for Summer 2027. MS serves as title sponsor for Bull Rush (Markets/Sales & Trading), Skills Challenge, and multiple fellowships. Notable alumni include Dubem Amene, OLY (Fixed Income, Nigeria Olympic Track & Field).

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Opendorse: NIL athlete marketing and brand-management platform serving NCAA athletes, universities, and brand partners. Adjacent to MAP in athlete monetization but focused on brand-deal execution rather than career prep and corporate talent pipelines.
• INFLCR: Athlete brand-building and NIL platform powering content distribution, deals, and brand programs for college athletes and university athletic departments. Comparable to MAP on the student-athlete support axis but with a content/deal orientation rather than corporate recruiting.
• RippleMatch: Early-career recruiting platform using machine learning to match students and recent grads to jobs at enterprise employers including Fortune 500 firms. Closely comparable to MAP on the talent-pipeline-to-employer value proposition and partner mix, though without the sports-themed athlete persona.

Direct peers

• Handshake: Early-career talent marketplace connecting college students and recent graduates to employers through university partnerships. Directly comparable to MAP on the talent-pipeline value proposition but operates at significantly larger scale and is sport-agnostic.
• Athletes for Hope: 501(c)(3) nonprofit connecting professional athletes with charitable causes and community service opportunities. The closest peer to MAP on nonprofit structure and athlete-centric mission, though focused on philanthropy rather than career placement.
• Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation: Athlete-centered foundation providing sports and educational opportunities for youth, founded in the legacy of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Comparable to MAP as a 501(c)(3) athlete development nonprofit serving young athletes through programs, though with a more traditional sports-skills focus.
• Positive Coaching Alliance: Nonprofit developing "Better Athletes, Better People" through coach and parent education in youth sports. A peer on the sports-based youth development axis, but focused on coaching culture rather than career outcomes or corporate recruiting.
• Aspen Institute Project Play: Youth sports development initiative of the Aspen Institute working to increase access and quality in youth athletics. Comparable to MAP as a mission-aligned sports-youth-development effort, though operating as an institute initiative rather than a direct-service nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• Excel Sports Management: Athlete representation and sports marketing agency representing professional athletes and coaches across baseball, golf, basketball, and football. Comparable to MAP in athlete career stewardship but focused on professional (not student-athlete) placement and endorsements.
• Wasserman: Global sports marketing, talent management, and representation agency working with elite athletes across endorsements, broadcasting, and career transitions. A broader incumbent that overlaps with MAP's athlete-to-career placement mission but operates as a commercial agency rather than nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/make-a-play-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Make A Play Foundation