Mission

The Fieldhouse is dedicated to providing the finest learning environment in the country for young players to participate in the nation's premier grassroots basketball programs centered on a return to the concepts of fundamental skill training, complete player development, and teamwork as a means for creating young adults of character and integrity developed through the spirit of competition in facilities designed as a testament to the great American sport of basketball.

Market Background

The popularity of youth sports is at an all-time high. More than 54 percent of the country's 55 million 6 to 17 years olds are involved in at least one organized sport. According to the Washington D.C.-based Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, basketball is at the top of the list with 20 million kids hitting the courts annually - a 30% increase in the last ten years. Kids aren't just playing more, they are playing more seriously. As competition heats up, they are joining competitive leagues, tournaments, and training programs younger and embracing every chance to practice and compete. And parents are fueling the boom, sparing no expense to support their children's competitive potential.

Unfortunately when it comes to basketball, more does not necessarily mean better. The United States has been caught, and in many instances passed, by the international community in the game invented on its' soil. There has been no real caretaker of the game at the grassroots level in this country leaving groups like AAU and its "me first" and "win at all cost'" attitudes to emerge as the predominate style of play in competitive youth basketball. The lack of fundamentals and teamwork steal from the artistry and joy of participating in and watching the games and the selfishness rewarded instills undesirable character development traits in our youth. In short, the U.S. is at a crossroads in basketball and it all begins at the grassroots level. The Fieldhouse' developing nationwide network of premier basketball facilities and youth programs is poised to provide the framework upon which a return to the core values of the game can be built.

Traditional venues like schools and churches can no longer satisfy the general demand for court time. But as small, independent, pay-for-play venues have sprung up and tried to fill the gap, most find it's no "Field of Dreams." Without the right business plan, the right mix of services, and the right affiliations to keep facilities booked, these independent venues with no name recognition enjoy no competitive advantage in the market place and are doomed to failure - further eroding the state of the game as they struggle to survive.

The Fieldhouse is the first franchised business model to offer those with a passion for the sport the advantages of an established, reputable brand that players, coaches, and parents associate with great basketball, whether they are at home or on the road. The Fieldhouse franchise offers several competitive advantages over other pay-for-play basketball facilities: brand-name recognition; a proven business model; a state-of-the-art, cost-efficient, building design that are designed as "destination attractions" in and of themselves; operational cost savings, including thousands of dollars annually in insurance costs; and, equally important, access to a nationwide network of more than 10,000 basketball teams.

Also included in The Fieldhouse franchise package is a uniformly designed website that will provide instant brand recognition for coaches, players, and customers. The web application will contain a number of features designed to create a true "basketball community" online. The site will also including a proprietary official's scheduling software program that saves thousands of scheduling man-hours and tens of thousands of dollars in operational expenses.