Beyond the Game: Eli Manning on Building the Future of Youth Sports

Eli Manning is on with Greg — but we didn't bring him on to talk football. We brought him on to talk business.

Watch the full episode here.

Eli is a Partner at Brand Velocity Group (BVG), where he sources and helps build the firm's portfolio companies. BVG recently acquired RCX Sports, one of the biggest platforms in youth sports. We wanted to understand why — and what it means for the industry.

The timing matters. Senator Christopher Murphy (D-CT) and Representative Christopher Deluzio (D-PA) recently introduced the "Let Kids Play Act," and it's sparked real debate. Most people agree with the spirit of the bill — protecting kids and families from predatory practices in youth sports. But a lot of the pushback we've seen is about the specifics: critics argue the bill paints private equity with too broad a brush.

Here's the thing — we don't think this is a PE problem or a "mom and pop" problem. We think there are good actors and bad actors on both sides. PE-backed and privately owned youth sports companies alike can exploit families, and PE-backed and privately owned companies alike can also expand access, improve quality, and help more kids play. The bill, as written, likely needs to evolve to have a real shot at passing — and that evolution needs to be grounded in what's actually happening in the market, not assumptions about who's doing the harm.

That's exactly why we wanted Eli on. Not to referee the debate, but to add a firsthand voice to it — he makes the case that BVG's acquisition of RCX is motivated by exactly the outcome this legislation is trying to protect: more kids getting access to and participating in youth sports, and that private equity can be a force for that good, if it's held to the right standard.

This is the role we want Youth Inc. to play in the industry: a platform where the full spectrum of this ecosystem — operators, investors, policymakers, and families — can hear each other out and work through hard, nuanced questions in public, not just in press releases or committee rooms. We're not here to tell you what to think about the Let Kids Play Act or about PE in youth sports. We're here to make sure you're hearing from the people actually building and legislating this space, so the industry can get to real, workable change together. Change that actually helps more kids experience the joy of playing.

Give this one a watch or a listen. Available now on our YouTube channel and wherever you get your podcasts.