About this idea
About 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. play sports, yet the adult sports ecosystem still lacks a dedicated social or professional platform (like how LinkedIn is where you find anything work related) making it difficult for players to find teammates, games, or opportunities. Many others have tried to build adult sports marketplaces, but they started by creating software for sports businesses and struggled to attract users. We are doing the opposite by building a social network for players first (similar to how Facebook prioritized connecting users) before onboarding businesses.
What makes VolleyNet different from platforms like Instagram is skill-level evaluation. In sports, players care about finding teammates and opponents at the right level and position. VolleyNet allows players to upload highlights so others can quickly evaluate skill level and compatibility and give likes when you think it match. As the network grows and courts join the platform (from our expansion plan), players will also be able to announce pickup games, which unlock the software for beginners of the sports who don't have video of themselves playing.
Impact
VolleyNet’s dream is to get more people out of their homes and playing sports. Research shows that about 14% of adults in the U.S.(roughly 38 million out of 267 million adults) do not play sports because they do not know other people to play with, highlighting how difficult it can be to find teammates and games.
VolleyNet solves this by making it easy for players and teams to discover each other and quickly add players to games. At the same time, the platform will support businesses by helping them reach local players. Similar to how Uber created earning opportunities through driving, VolleyNet aims to enable people to start sports-related side businesses—such as coaching, hosting leagues or tournaments, organizing pickup games, or running training sessions—directly through the platform.
What I'll do with $5,000
If VolleyNet wins the $5,000 prize, the funds will be used to execute the first phase of our growth strategy.
1. $3,000 will be allocated to marketing, primarily through sponsoring volleyball influencers on a pay-per-1,000-views basis. Our founder has connections with Division I programs such as Western Michigan University and DePaul, as well as a strategy to collaborate with larger volleyball creators like Out of System Volleyball and the McKibbin Brothers. We will also utilize physical outreach through tournament tabling at NCVF events and professional volleyball events such as VLA and MLV to reach competitive players directly.
2. $1,000 will be allocated to software development to continue building the platform and improving core features that help players and teams connect. These funds will cover infrastructure costs such as storage, design assets, and development tools. Our software costs remain relatively low because all three members of our team are software developers.
3. $1,000 will be allocated to legal expenses, including business formation, intellectual property protection, and insurance.
This allocation supports VolleyNet’s strategy of acquiring players first through digital and physical community engagement before expanding to leagues, tournaments, and other sports businesses.
Quick Bio
I’m a CS student at WMU. I built VolleyNet because I play w/ WMU-D1 team and coach volleyball, and I’ve participated in—or know people in—every part of the volleyball ecosystem the platform connects.
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