The Tampa Market
Youth Sports in Tampa, by the Numbers
Population
415K
City of Tampa.
Estimated Youth Sports Participants
36.1K
Ages 6–17 playing organized sports.
Zubie Five estimate — Census population × ages 6–17 share × Project Play participation rate
Community Reach
108K
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).
Florida had 308,396 high school athletic participants in 2024-25, ranking 7 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 Tampa
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
The City of Tampa runs recreation youth leagues, including basketball (ages 5 to 17, $5 per player), soccer (ages 5 to 13, $35 per player), cheerleading, girls softball, girls flag football, and esports, and partners with CANDO Sports on the year-round Team Tampa program.
Sponsorship & partnerships
The Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning youth program on Feb. 27, 2026, with Tier 1 (AAA) boys and Tier 2 (AA) girls teams, alongside its NHL and NHLPA Learn to Play program for ages 4 to 11, which features eight one-hour sessions.
Youth organizations
The City lists seven Little League organizations, four tackle football clubs, and one soccer club as youth partner organizations.
Working in Tampa
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 Tampa-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 Tampa-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 Tampa-area organization — jerseys, field signage, tournaments, and more — and put the support back into your kids' season.
See Options for Organizations →
Common Questions
Tampa FAQs
Do you work with organizations in the Tampa area? +
Yes. We work with youth leagues, school athletic departments, nonprofits, and parks & recreation departments in the Tampa 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 Tampa? +
Public sources show these examples of sponsor, team, and foundation involvement in the Tampa area: The Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning youth program on Feb. 27, 2026, with Tier 1 (AAA) boys and Tier 2 (AA) girls teams, alongside its NHL and NHLPA Learn to Play program for ages 4 to 11, which features eight one-hour sessions (
St Pete Catalyst, March 3, 2026). 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 Tampa? +
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 FL? +
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 Tampa Program?
Your sponsors, found and handled, so your volunteers can get back to the kids.