Take Back Sports

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Take Back Sports is a youth sports initiative led by ESPN and powered by Disney, designed to get and keep kids playing sports. With only 38% of kids playing sports on a regular basis, ESPN is helping parents, coaches and caring adults take back sports and make it fun again. Together with its league, business and community partners, Take Back Sports is working to make the youth sports system more accessible so that kids across the country have the opportunity to play sports.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

ESPN has not only been able to drive impact through its grantmaking, but it also is moving the needle on the narrative around youth sports by leaning on its platforms to reach sports fans and drive critical conversations around the current landscape through storytelling on our platforms to ensure we reach sports fans anytime, anywhere. 

To enhance storytelling and drive change in youth sports, ESPN leverages its wide reach and partnerships with leagues, teams and advertisers to highlight critical youth sports issues and inspire participation. Collaborations with professional athletes further underscore the importance of youth sports and ESPN’s four pillars. 

Understanding Disney has an even wider reach, ESPN has gained buy-in from its parent company and secured youth sports to be a part of the Enterprise’s CSR strategy. This has led to ESPN’s collaboration with Disney Jr. to ensure that preschoolers are introduced to sports and enjoy the benefits of playing.

Additionally, ESPN serves on the Aspen Institute’s 63X30 committee aimed at getting 63% of kids playing sports by 2030. ESPN works closely with the Aspen Institute to better understand the critical issues in youth sports, while also working closely with the committee to create sustainable impact in youth sports. 

Objective

Youth sports is at a crossroads—only 38% of kids ages 6- to 12 regularly play sports. As costs rise and fun declines, many are missing out—even though research shows that sports are vital for children's physical, mental, and emotional health.

Through nonprofit partnerships, ESPN has expanded sports access for underserved youth nationwide. Six years ago, we launched the successful ‘Don’t Retire, Kid’ campaign with Kobe Bryant, but the pandemic exacerbated participation challenges. 

While benefitting kids and society is essential, getting kids to play sports is also a smart business decision—our research shows that youth athletes are 14 times more likely to become avid fans, and early exposure increases the likelihood of lifelong fandom. To grow our audience and engage young fans, it’s vital we get kids involved in sports.

This organization-wide commitment marks the first time our parent company, The Walt Disney Company, has included youth sports in its CSR strategy.

Increasing youth sports participation also is important to the leagues and the entire sports industry. To sustain our industry in the long-term, we need to work together to engage the youngest sports fans early and get them playing. 

Strategy & Execution

ESPN's comprehensive youth sports initiative centers on four strategic pillars: Community Rec Leagues, Quality Coaching, Multisport Play and Having Fun. ESPN invested $5M in leading organizations—including Special Olympics, Boys & Girls Clubs and Positive Coaching Alliance—to remove participation barriers. Through a multi-platform campaign, ESPN targets parents of 5–11-year-olds and coaches, providing resources to maximize participation and retention.

Leveraging its reach and partnerships, ESPN spotlights youth sports issues and mobilizes support via collaborations with professional athletes and league partners. Take Back Sports soft-launched at the College Football Playoff National Championship with Nick Saban and the CFP Foundation. At the Aspen Institute’s Project Play Summit, ESPN unveiled its $5M commitment and a partnership with Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. ESPN also introduced the $100K Innovation Challenge for nonprofits delivering innovative solutions for youth sports.

Youth sports content appeared across programming—including NBA Today’s features and PSAs with the Currys, Manning brothers and Scott Van Pelt. ESPN engaged 20 athlete ambassadors and built TakeBackSports.org to offer free parent resources. Collaborations with Disney Jr. and Every Kid Sports helped preschoolers start sports, while an ESPN.com parenting quiz provides customized support for positive youth sports experiences.

Organizations

• ESPN

Links

•   Website

Credits

Tina Thornton
Executive Vice President, Creative Studio and Marketing
ESPN

Kevin Martinez
Vice President, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN

Jennifer Paulett
Director, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN

Angela Woods
Director, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN

Juanita Galvis Rueda
Senior Manager, Grants Administration
ESPN

Paul O'Connor
Senior Manager, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN

Donald Brooks
Senior Manager, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN

Patricia McTeague
Sr Mgr, Client Communications & Corporate Citizenship
ESPN / Disney

Lisa Kovlakas
Manager, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN

Caitlyn Cohn
Specialist, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN

Roxanne Ryan
Sr. Executive Assistant
ESPN