Beer league softball and flag football have been around for ages, which shows there is a strong demand for adult recreational sports.
Rec sports are popular for many reasons. For instance:
- They give you a chance to burn some calories in a fun way
- They offer face-to-face human social interaction
- They let you relive your athletic glory days
Recently, I’ve seen a rise in “non-sports” sports leagues. Kickball leagues have taken off. A friend of mine even plays trampoline dodgeball on Monday nights!
Naturally, there’s an opportunity there.
Could you build a league of your own (or collection of leagues) that specializes in playground, backyard, or bar games?
Beyond kickball and dodgeball, what about:
- Wiffle ball?
- HORSE?
- Ping pong? or Beer pong?
- Shuffleboard?
- Darts?
- Croquet?
- Capture the flag?
- Kick the can?
- Frisbee golf?
- Ultimate frisbee?
- Tag?
If you have access to public spaces for the games, you could start with almost no overhead. All you’d need is a website to promote sign-ups.
The challenge would be in creating a critical mass of players and teams, but after that, many will stick around season after season if you provide a good experience. In that sense, it’s a lot like a membership site in that it becomes a recurring income stream.
People are busy, but shouldn’t be too busy to have fun with friends and meet new people. Plus there’s always the nostalgia factor of playing some old-school games. Retro is in, if not just for the irony!