Clubspaces Appeals to Strong, Family-Centric Demographic

By Nicole Zaro Stahl, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Online Tools Provide Everything Needed to Administer Youth and Adult Sports Leagues, Other Activities

The year is only half over, and already Clubspaces has added some major wins to its list of milestones, including a partnership with the Los Angeles Galaxy professional soccer team and an alliance with Sports Illustrated's SI Kids magazine. The company also recently surpassed the $100 million mark in fee processing through its online platform.

The inspiration of Duncan Jackson and partner Steve Viarengo, Clubspaces is an online hub of integrated tools that automate all aspects of club operation, from creating a website and maintaining a calendar to registering members and making schedules to publishing standings and player profiles. The organizational framework it provides is a phenomenal time-saver, while extra functions like game videos and training tips enrich the experience for all participants. During the youth baseball season this past spring, Clubspaces.com saw some 150,000 players registered, 75,000 games scheduled (complete with maps and driving directions), and 68,000 photos uploaded - "and this is only one sport, one market, one season, so it is just a glimmer of what we do," says Jackson, the company president.

Traffic was up 68 percent in the last six months, an obvious sign of the resilience of the youth-and-family demographic Clubspaces captures. While parents might cancel a vacation or hold back on a major purchase, they are still spending on their kids, and in many households, sports activities are the heart of the family, Jackson points out. "You can put your kids through spring baseball or summer soccer for $200. That's good economic value for the family and great for the child.

"We're very lucky in this market, with the demographics and the product we're offering," he continues. The good news for Clubspaces is that even with its growing numbers, it still has enrolled less than one percent of the 100 million participants in U.S. sports - the proverbial tip of the iceberg. While demand for advertising has softened overall, the company's ad revenue is up this year, which Jackson attributes both to growth and the fact that the product is so family-centric. "The healthier lifestyle that comes from participating in activities, coupled with getting families out and doing things together - this is a powerful combination," he emphasizes. It is also one that "is very close to our hearts."

The LA Galaxy partnership offers a way to strengthen the connection between young players and the professional sports teams they follow. Clubspaces management tools allow the LA Galaxy to reach out to the community through local youth sports organizations and their family supporters, offering features like kids clubs, behind-the-scenes blogs, video training, an online box office, and access to merchandise.

A cross-promotion with Sports Illustrated launches this month, and later this fall Clubspaces will begin its partnership with the SIKids.com website, serving as a vehicle for nominating outstanding young athletes for the Sportskids of the Month and Year programs.

Affiliations with other professional sports teams are on the horizon for 2010, Duncan indicates. Tune into www.clubspaces.com for updates.

Photo: Clubspaces' Duncan Jackson sees vast growth opportunities for the company.

Also in this issue...