The Des Moines Market
Youth Sports in Des Moines, by the Numbers
Population
213K
City of Des Moines.
Estimated Youth Sports Participants
18.5K
Ages 6–17 playing organized sports.
Zubie Five estimate — Census population × ages 6–17 share × Project Play participation rate
Community Reach
55.6K
Estimated combined reach across participating families, siblings, and spectators.
Zubie Five estimate — participants × 3.0 household factor
Population here is the Census Bureau's Vintage 2024 estimate for the city itself, a different product from the American Community Survey figures on our Arizona and Nevada pages, so the numbers are not strictly comparable. The estimates use the same published chain as every market page: population × 15% × 58% = participants; participants × 3.0 = reach (see Sources).
Iowa had 139,344 high school athletic participants in 2024-25, ranking 21 among the 51 NFHS member associations. That count reflects participation, so a student who plays two sports counts twice. Source: NFHS, 2024-25 High School Athletics Participation Survey
What We Found
Youth Sports and Sponsorship in Des Moines
Each item below comes from a public source, linked on the card. We add to this list only when we can cite it.
Parks & leagues
Des Moines Parks and Recreation said in August 2023 that registrations for its first- through seventh-grade athletic programs had increased by over 75% since 2019, and that since 2021, 45% of participants had used its youth scholarships, with over 1,000 kids using them every year.
Sponsorship & partnerships
The city's Every Kid Gets a Ball program, offered in partnership with Friends of Des Moines Parks, gives every kid in its programs a free ball for that sport and had given out over 3,500 balls since it began in 2022, as of August 2023.
Sponsorship & partnerships
In June 2020 Pro Iowa, the Iowa Cubs, Iowa Wolves, Iowa Barnstormers, Des Moines Buccaneers, and Des Moines Menace jointly produced a free activity book for kids during COVID-19, available from each team's website.
Working in Des Moines
Available Nationwide, Built Around Your Program
Zubie Five has an established track record across Arizona, California, and Nevada, and works with organizations anywhere in the country. Finding sponsors is research, packaging, outreach, and negotiation, so your location doesn't limit access to it. Here's how it works for a Des Moines-area program.
Step 1
We learn your program
Your teams, your audience, your schedule, and the sponsorship assets you already have, so the package reflects what you can really deliver.
Step 2
We find sponsors for you
We research Des Moines-area and regional businesses that want to reach your families, then pitch and negotiate on your behalf.
Step 3
You run the season
Sponsors pay your organization directly. We stay the point of contact, so your volunteers can get back to the kids.
Get Started
Whether You Run a Program or a Business
🏟️
I Run a Youth League, School Program, or Nonprofit
Find corporate sponsors for your Des Moines-area organization — jerseys, field signage, tournaments, and more — and put the support back into your kids' season.
See Options for Organizations →
Common Questions
Des Moines FAQs
Do you work with organizations in the Des Moines area? +
Yes. We work with youth leagues, school athletic departments, nonprofits, and parks & recreation departments in the Des Moines area. Zubie Five is based in Tempe, Arizona, with an established track record across Arizona, California, and Nevada and availability nationwide.
Who already invests in youth and school sports around Des Moines? +
Public sources show these examples of sponsor, team, and foundation involvement in the Des Moines area: The city's Every Kid Gets a Ball program, offered in partnership with Friends of Des Moines Parks, gives every kid in its programs a free ball for that sport and had given out over 3,500 balls since it began in 2022, as of August 2023 (
Greater Des Moines Partnership, Aug. 18, 2023). In June 2020 Pro Iowa, the Iowa Cubs, Iowa Wolves, Iowa Barnstormers, Des Moines Buccaneers, and Des Moines Menace jointly produced a free activity book for kids during COVID-19, available from each team's website (
USL Pro Iowa, June 24, 2020). A program that pairs a clear package with the right local business can be the next one.
How does it work if Zubie Five isn't based in Des Moines? +
The work of finding sponsors, which is research, packaging, outreach, negotiation, and follow-up, doesn't require being on site, so we handle it remotely. Fulfillment, like hanging a banner or announcing a sponsor, stays with your organization.
Do the rules for sponsorship differ in IA? +
They can. School districts, state associations, and local governments each set their own rules, and they vary by state. Our
checklist for every other state lists the questions to ask and the primary sources to check. It is not legal advice.
How much does it cost my organization? +
For youth leagues, high school athletics, and nonprofits, getting started costs nothing, and we're only paid when sponsor money reaches your organization: a flat 20% commission with no seasonal minimum. Pricing for other programs, including bundled city and parks & rec programs, is discussed directly. Everything is in writing before we make a single call, and the full details are open for anyone to read on
How We're Paid.
Ready to Bring Sponsors to Your Des Moines Program?
Your sponsors, found and handled, so your volunteers can get back to the kids.