The New York City Market
Youth Sports in New York City, by the Numbers
Population
8.48M
City of New York City.
Estimated Youth Sports Participants
738K
Ages 6–17 playing organized sports.
Zubie Five estimate — Census population × ages 6–17 share × Project Play participation rate
Community Reach
2.21M
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).
New York had 327,068 high school athletic participants in 2024-25, ranking 6 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 New York City
Each item below comes from a public source, linked on the card. We add to this list only when we can cite it.
Schools
New York City's public school system enrolled 884,644 students in 1,599 schools in 2025-26, which NYC Public Schools describes as the largest school district in the United States.
Parks & leagues
At an April 2025 City Council hearing on athletic field permitting, testimony counted approximately 1,000 youth leagues, 513 Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) schools, about 400 schools in other leagues, and 600 adult leagues holding NYC Parks field permits.
Youth organizations
The Police Athletic League (PAL) organizes leagues, tournaments, and special events for over 13,000 youth a year.
Research
Project Play published State of Play Harlem in 2018, a study of youth sports access in a five-square-mile area of New York City.
Working in New York City
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 New York City-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 New York City-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 New York City-area organization — jerseys, field signage, tournaments, and more — and put the support back into your kids' season.
See Options for Organizations →
Common Questions
New York City FAQs
Do you work with organizations in the New York City area? +
Yes. We work with youth leagues, school athletic departments, nonprofits, and parks & recreation departments in the New York City 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 New York City? +
Public sources show these examples of sponsor, team, and foundation involvement in the New York City area: New York City's public school system enrolled 884,644 students in 1,599 schools in 2025-26, which NYC Public Schools describes as the largest school district in the United States (
NYC Public Schools, Data at a Glance). 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 New York City? +
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 NY? +
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 New York City Program?
Your sponsors, found and handled, so your volunteers can get back to the kids.