Investment firm Brand Velocity Group (BVG) has acquired RCX Sports, which operates league-licensed youth sports properties including NFL Flag, Jr. NBA, MLB Pitch, Hit & Run, and NHL Street. The platform was previously owned by The Raine Group’s investment arm.
BVG is an independent sponsor that raises capital on a deal-by-deal basis, and the RCX represents the “cornerstone investment” for BVG’s specialty sports platform, launched in 2022. Limited partners in the RCX acquisition include Hamilton Lane’s social impact fund, St. Cloud Capital, Darco Capital, and Three Ocean Partners. Athlete investors in the deal include Eli Manning, a BVG partner, as well as Emmitt Smith, Peyton Manning, Klay Thompson, and Larry Fitzgerald.
BVG said the acquisition comes as youth sports “continues to gain importance across the broader sports ecosystem, with professional leagues increasingly turning towards grassroots programming to drive participation, fuel next-generation fan development, and unlock community-based opportunities. RCX focuses on the broadest segment of the youth sports pyramid, while expanding access (by easing cost and administrative burdens) and creating community opportunities through sports. With deep professional league relationships, a national operating infrastructure, and a proven multi-sport model that creates efficiencies for local operators and families, RCX is defining the next phase of youth sports participation.”
RCX’s growth has reportedly been driven in part by the rapid rise of flag football and the continued success of NFL Flag. Building on that foundation, RCX has expanded its model across additional professional leagues, demonstrating its ability to scale community-driven youth sports programs nationally.
Beyond capital investment, BVG will support RCX in furthering strategic and commercial partnerships, athlete and professional league connectivity, and operational resources.
RCX will continue to operate under its existing brand, with Founder and CEO Izell Reese and the current management team remaining in place.
Izell Reese, founder and CEO of RCX Sports, commented, “RCX was built to expand access to youth sports at scale, while delivering the quality, consistency, and trust our professional league partners, operators, and families expect. With BVG’s support, we can deepen our partnerships and remove more barriers to play. Sports build confidence, character, and community, and we are privileged to deliver these experiences to more kids and families nationwide.”
Eli Manning, a BVG partner, NFL Super Bowl Champion and longtime youth sports advocate, said, “RCX has built a differentiated platform at the intersection of youth participation, professional league partnerships and community impact. I’ve seen firsthand how sports can shape lives, and I’m excited to help RCX expand access to those experiences for more young athletes and families across the country.”
Dave Helgerson, head of impact investments at Hamilton Lane, commented: “RCX’s mission to expand accessibility and increase affordability in youth sports is precisely the kind of impact-aligned business we seek to support. When a company’s commercial success is inseparable from its social purpose, that’s a durable foundation for long-term value creation.”
Austin Ramos, a BVG founding partner, concluded, “RCX is exactly the kind of platform BVGS was built to support—a values-driven business with trusted leadership, national reach and significant opportunity to leave a lasting impact. From our earliest conversations with Izell and the RCX team four years ago, we have shared a vision for what affordable, accessible youth sports can mean for kids, families, and communities. RCX has translated that vision into a national platform, and we are excited to help scale its impact over the years ahead.”
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and The Raine Group, LLC served as legal and financial advisors, respectively, to RCX Sports. Sidley Austin LLP and Cohn Reznick Advisory LLC served as legal and accounting advisors, respectively, to BVG.
Image courtesy RCX Sports
