The Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, founded by Tom Farrey, aims to improve communities through accessible youth sports. Through its Project Play initiative, launched in 2013, the program connects leaders across sectors to address the rising costs, exclusion, and injuries in youth sports, mobilizing over $60 million in grants for community initiatives. Project Play’s campaigns, like #DontRETIREKid, have sparked global attention and action to keep kids engaged in healthy, accessible sports. Project Play creates system-level solutions by producing research, hosting the Project Play Summit, and offering resources like the Sport for All, Play for Life playbook. Its network of 20,000+ leaders, including 141 Project Play Champion organizations, collaborates on strategies to make sports more inclusive and impactful for all kids. Tom, a former ESPN journalist, has dedicated his career to reshaping youth sports. His reporting has won top awards and driven national conversations, and his book, Game On, catalyzed reform efforts across the sports ecosystem. With Project Play, Tom continues his mission to create a healthier, more equitable future for young athletes. Chapters: (2:52) - Landscape of Youth Sports and Private Equity (6:07) - The Role of Government in Youth Sports (8:52) - Data, AI, and the Future of Youth Sports (12:08) - Trends in Youth Sports Participation (15:09) - The Impact of Major Sporting Events (18:09) - Goals for Increasing Youth Sports Participation (20:50) - About the Aspen Institute and Future Initiatives Tom Farrey 🏠 Website: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/https://projectplay.org/ 💼 LinkedIn: / tomfarrey Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com 🐣 Twitter: / andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: / andrewpetcash

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#180: Tom Farrey - Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Founder| Shaping a Better Future for Youth Sports