The Volleyball Boom
Jamie Dubs
@jamiew
+0.2%
since Sep 30
The idea
I believe volleyball's growth in teens and now adults is a decade-long shift, not a quick trend, so I built a basket around everything that boom touches rather than trying to pick one winner. It owns apparel and footwear brands players wear, the retailers stocking the gear, equipment makers, the gyms and venues where people actually play, and a small slice of the pro game's data and broadcast side. I keep it spread across many names with no single-stock bets, hold a bit of cash on the side, and plan to hold for years unless the participation trend itself stalls out.
What it owns
- Every new player buys court shoes and kit, and the big US-listed brands capture that spend. · NikeNike is the leading maker of court shoes and apparel for volleyball players, positioning it to benefit as participation in the sport grows across age groups., Lululemon AthleticaIt dresses the adults getting into the game, especially the casual and rec crowd who buy athleisure to play in., On HoldingIt is a challenger in performance footwear where a growing sport offers the chance to win court share from established giants., Under ArmourIt outfits school and club teams, and teens driving the boom mostly play in organized teams that buy kit.27%
- Adults getting into the sport need courts, clubs, and venues, and these companies own them. · Life Time GroupIt runs the clubs where adult players get court time and has been adding courts as members ask for them., Planet FitnessIt is a broad bet on adults getting more active, the same wave carrying volleyball from a teen sport into an adult one., EPR PropertiesIt owns the buildings where people pay to play, the experiential venues that host casual sports.21%
- More players means more balls, nets, and training gear sold across the sport. · Amer SportsWilson makes the volleyballs played in gyms and on courts worldwide, so rising participation in the sport flows directly to ball sales and replacement demand., GarminIt sells the watches and trackers amateur athletes wear when a hobby turns into training, which happens as adults get serious about a sport., Escalade Inc.It sells the backyard nets and systems that casual and just-for-fun players set up at home.18%
- Sporting goods retailers sell the whole boom at once, whichever brand wins. · Dick's Sporting GoodsIt sells the balls, knee pads, and shoes where families actually shop, collecting a cut of the boom no matter which brand wins., Academy Sports and OutdoorsIt sells volleyball gear at lower prices, which matters because much of the boom is teens and casual adults on a budget.16%
- Pro volleyball leagues need broadcasters and data providers as they grow. · ComcastIts NBC networks put pro volleyball on television, which is how a participation boom turns into a spectator sport., SportradarIt is a data rail under pro sports, collecting fees as new leagues like pro volleyball plug in and grow., Genius SportsIt runs data for pro leagues, and a maturing pro volleyball scene needs that layer to sell rights and stats.10%
- Cash8%