Good Recreation’s chairman, CEO, and VP of selling speak to Fox Enterprise in regards to the firm’s astronomical progress in recent times.
EXCLUSIVE: Good Recreation has change into the world’s largest and most complete scouting group, and over the past 5 years the youth baseball firm has grown exponentially.
Good Recreation started in 1995 and by 2024 had over 1.5 million individuals. Since its inception, over 310,000 gamers have dedicated to play school baseball, with greater than 15,000 gamers getting drafted into MLB and round 2,152 of these having made their MLB debut.
Nonetheless, in recent times, the corporate has grown exponentially underneath the management of Good Recreation’s chairman Rick Thurman and CEO Rob Ponger.
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A Good Recreation baseball rests on a area underneath the solar. (Courtesy of Good Recreation / Fox Information)
Thurman, Ponger and Jeff McDowell, vp of selling/promoting, spoke to FOX Enterprise in regards to the firm’s latest progress.
Thurman and Ponger joined Good Recreation in 2018, and whereas it wasn’t but the powerhouse it’s right this moment, Thurman known as the corporate a “unicorn in its house.”
Thurman stated the corporate was simply “scratching the floor of its potential” after they took over.
One in every of their targets after they took over was to construct a model round what they’d.
“On our very first day after we took over the enterprise, we had a gathering with 20 of the highest lieutenants at Good Recreation, and all people was sporting these T-shirts that stated PG on one facet and Nike swoosh on the opposite,” Thurman advised FOX Enterprise.
“And Rob (Ponger) checked out all people and goes, ‘OK, all people, that is gonna be the final time, regardless that Nike’s paying this firm like 50 grand to co-brand these items. This would be the final time you are gonna see co-branding on something with us. This model is gonna stand by itself and we’re gonna construct a model round what we have now right here.’”
Ponger stated after they got here, they noticed a “nice scouting group” that ran nice occasions for 14- to 18-year-old children. He stated Main League Baseball and school baseball groups knew what Good Recreation was, however not all people knew.
A participant fields the ball through the Good Recreation Nationwide Showcase at East Cob Baseball Advanced in Marietta, Georgia, on June 14, 2025. (Matthew Grimes/Good Recreation / Fox Information)
“The dad exterior having a catch together with his 10-year-old had no clue what Good Recreation was, proper? PG? By no means heard of it. Nicely, your child’s not of age but, so that you by no means heard of it. And that was an enormous concern for us finally, was right here is that this elite model, highly effective model and so few individuals knew about it,” Ponger advised FOX Enterprise.
Ponger wished to go down available in the market to the 9- to 13-year-old age group. To attempt to accomplish that, he wished to construct a media enterprise, with no higher time to take action than throughout COVID.
The corporate created PerfectGame.television, their very own streaming service that streams each sport. PG.TV has 53 million views to date this season.
The corporate’s social media has boomed, as they’ve accrued 650 million social media impressions this yr, 150 million extra on the similar time final yr. Good Recreation’s Instagram following is greater than some MLB groups.
McDowell stated Good Recreation goes to achieve a billion pageviews this yr.
They’ve extra followers than the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays and the Athletics.
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A participant on the sector on the Good Recreation Nationwide Showcase in Marietta, Georgia, on June 13, 2025. (Matthew Grimes/Good Recreation / Fox Information)
All of this was to assist attain the youthful demographic that doesn’t watch TV just like the older generations.
“I acquired 8- and 11-year-old boys – they don’t seem to be watching TV,” Ponger stated. “They’re watching YouTube, they’re watching Good sport.org and, and like they’re all going to those different means to, to observe baseball and to observe the children that they assume are cool, proper? So once more, nice, we simply took it in numerous direct media, merchandise advertising and marketing, model consciousness.”
“We have exploded it. And, and you recognize, aspirationally, we regarded within the mirror and stated, ‘Nicely, why cannot we be the Jordan model of baseball or perhaps of all sports activities?'”
All Good Recreation gamers have a web-based profile that may monitor their statistics all through their profession, from 11 to 18 years outdated.
“Put onto the participant profiles for all their highlights and at-bats, and actually then giving that child an athlete, a development all through their, their profession, which is one thing very distinctive. And, and people participant profiles are massively well-liked. You understand, the PG grades are, are, are the Bible successfully,” McDowell advised FOX Enterprise,
“These profiles drive, you recognize, 50 million web page views alone. So it, it is actually making use of that rigor and that elite experience that, that we had into broader markets to offer these children which might be growing, let’s face it, 9, 10 to 13, you recognize, you are, you are growing. So giving them that platform throughout the board as they turn into that elite athlete.”
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The commentators in motion on the set of Good Recreation TV. (Courtesy of Good Recreation / Fox Information)
For Ponger, although, the power for youths to have their baseball highlights serves a goal aside from for faculty recruiting, however to assist create lifelong recollections that final.
“On the finish of the day, they’re there to have enjoyable. They’re there to have video of themselves. I imply, who of all of us would not die to have video of us taking part in baseball at evening at 13 years outdated?” Ponger stated.
“We’d be exhibiting that off at household events. I imply, I want we had the sort of stuff. So we’re really creating recollections for these children that are not ever gonna play professionally. Hopefully a few of them play in school, however we’re nonetheless creating nice recollections for the remainder of their life, proper?”
“You bear in mind your first time going to Disney. We wish you to recollect the primary time you are taking part in baseball too, proper? And even should you’re not gonna go play for the Yankees or Pink Sox or no matter, it is nonetheless wonderful recollections and we are able to seize it now such as you’re part of historical past.”
Ponger hopes the highlights can permit children to create their very own content material.
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“I imply my 8- and 11-year-old children assume they’re their very own model, proper? Like they’re beginning YouTube channels, proper? So I believe you are gonna see extra of that and the power for a child to go to a 9-, 10-, 11-, 12-year-old occasion,” Ponger stated.
“It is content material. If we have now the sport. This child can go inform the story. He may do like a day in my life. I went to play baseball right this moment. I warmed up this fashion. After that, I watched my highlights on YouTube.
“This can be a digital album that follows your life proper now. In concept, a child can play in our tournaments from 9 to 18, and we may present you the whole development.”
Ponger stated one of many challenges for Good Recreation has been making an attempt to shift the “older, conventional cash to this dynamic youth platform.”
McDowell stated among the non-endemic manufacturers are beginning to “notice the facility of youth sports activities.”
“The mother and father management the family earnings, um, and the children affect the family earnings,” McDowell stated.
Former Padres pitcher and Corridor of Famer Trevor Hoffman, a Good Recreation investor, throws out the ceremonial first pitch earlier than the sport in opposition to the Atlanta Braves on opening day at Petco Park on March 27, 2025, in San Diego, California. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
“We have this distinctive platform that touches throughout all classes. If you consider it, what occurs when a household attends a Journey Ball Good sport occasion, they’ve gotta get Tide for his or her uniforms. They’ve gotta feed their canine earlier than they go away. They’ve gotta get, you recognize, they, they’ve gotta have Spotify after they get within the automotive.
“They’ve gotta lease a automotive if they don’t seem to be driving their very own. So there’s all these client touchpoints all through the life cycle of, of the expertise that manufacturers are beginning to notice the facility and potential.”
Along with increasing the corporate’s media enterprise, Good Recreation has expanded each domestically and internationally since Thurman and Ponger took over.
“When Rob and I got here in, Good Recreation was in six states and no different international locations. We had 10,000 groups and perhaps 150,000 children,” Thurman stated.
“Now we’re in 41 or 42 states. We’re in 12 international locations, and we’re form of inching up towards having a pair million children operating by the method.”
Thurman talked about moving into the Japanese market.
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Ponger stated the baseball highlights function greater than a school recruiting software – they assist create lifelong recollections. (Matthew Grimes/Good Recreation / Fox Information)
“Japan just isn’t a straightforward market to get into. They’re a bit hesitant to do lots with any individuals from the surface till they get to know you. However when you do a pleasant match, otherwise you do enterprise over there, and also you show your self to the Japanese tradition that you simply guys can really, you could really carry out, then it is form of carte blanche,” Thurman stated.
A few weeks in the past, Good Recreation hosted the Pacific Rim Match in Japan that was televised on TBS. It was the second match they’ve performed in Japan.
McDowell stated Good Recreation’s worldwide tournaments are a chance for households to journey.
“It is a household expertise. It is a journey. It is, it is a chance to go play in Spain and play, you recognize, different international locations. It turns into, you recognize, it turns into the Disney expertise for baseball,” McDowell stated.
Ponger stated that in international locations which have lots of poverty, just like the Dominican Republic, Good Recreation provides publicity that helps children advance their baseball profession, after they in any other case could have struggled to take action.
“Getting these children within the DR the place, you recognize, there’s lots of poverty and, and youngsters that are not getting the identical probability, you recognize, they may not make it to the professionals with these 13-, 14-, 15-year-old children might need an opportunity to perhaps get a scholarship to a college within the States to play baseball, to get these PG profiles,” Ponger stated.
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A participant hits a house run in a Good Recreation occasion. (Courtesy of Good Recreation / Fox Information)
“Perhaps that even means one thing at a youthful age the place children would possibly come right here to play highschool ball. Go to JUCO School earlier.”
Ponger credit the corporate’s tradition for its progress.
“I believe what’s actually essential for us is the tradition of the corporate. And what Rick and I’ve introduced right here to me is Good Recreation. You understand, individuals work exhausting, um, they care about what they’re doing. They play exhausting. We’ve got a rule that I will not repeat ‘trigger it is being recorded, but it surely’s, it is, it is, it is the no fool rule, proper?” Ponger stated.
“Like, you recognize, you wish to be with individuals right here you could exit to dinner with, you could seize a drink with. And I will even say the workers that we have now, you recognize, are simply wonderful, and so they slot in, and so they go away all of it on the sector, and so they come dwelling, and so they’ll, you recognize, they’re able to do it once more tomorrow.”
Ponger additionally credited the corporate’s traders for serving to set up that tradition.
“Our funding group, Trevor Hoffman, who’s the captain of the All-American workforce, Ryan Klasko, Mo Vaughn, you recognize, the blokes which have come to our occasions, Alfonso Soriano, Tom ‘Flash’ Gordon is at each occasion. This group is there for the children,” Ponger stated.
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“They go away the egos, you recognize, at dwelling. They do not attempt to like, you recognize, one-up individuals, they care. They wish to train.”
Good Recreation has grown lots, however Ponger stated the purpose is to change into a legacy model.
“I believe we’re making an attempt to construct a legacy model, proper? And, and it is like, my view is why cannot PG be up there with the Jordan model someday? Elite, high-quality badge of honor,” Ponger stated.
“Whenever you put on PG, you recognize, you’ve got performed in one of the best, and hopefully you may proceed to put on one of the best down the highway. So, you recognize, recollections for all times, a model for all times, and hopefully, you recognize, when the 9-year-old is available in, it is simply, it is only a begin on their journey. That, you recognize, you recognize, perhaps 30 years from now, they will have children that may play in an ideal sport match.”
Good Recreation’s All-American Traditional will happen on Sunday, which is the corporate’s premier match.
Good Recreation’s All-American Traditional options the highest 60 highschool baseball gamers throughout North America. (Courtesy of Good Recreation / Fox Information)
Good Recreation’s All-American Traditional options the highest 60 highschool baseball gamers throughout North America and gives them with a platform to showcase their abilities on a nationwide stage. This yr, the nation’s high highschool gamers will compete at Petco Park, dwelling of the San Diego Padres.
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First pitch is ready for 8 p.m. ET on Sunday. Thurman known as the sport an aspirational occasion.
“Each child that performs in a Good Recreation occasion desires to get to that as a result of we’re acknowledging that you’re the most effective,” Thurman stated.
“We pay for the occasion. Children all are available from across the nation, they, it will get televised. It is in a Main League Baseball stadium, which is the cool issue for any child to play, you recognize, at a Main League stadium.”
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