2025 TAKE BACK SPORTS IMPACT REPORT
22
Rec leagues gave me the 
space to have fun, be free  
and be a kid.”
– A’JA WILSON“
Track and field 
was an endurance 
challenge for me 
and one of the  
reasons I don’t  
get so tired on  
the court.”
– COCO GAUFF
“
Youth sports is a beautiful  
environment for self discovery, 
building confidence and  
community and friendships.” 
– STEPHEN CURRY“
23
TakeBackSports.org
The commitment to youth sports is embedded across the organization, 
reflecting a shared belief in the power of play to shape confident,  
healthy communities. Youth sports serves as a cornerstone of Disney’s 
broader youth development strategy, aligning storytelling, community 
investment and cultural influence to drive meaningful impact.
Many ESPN employees are deeply involved in youth sports as  
parents, coaches and advocates, and have actively participated  
in Take Back Sports initiatives. Positive Coaching Alliance  
facilitated multiple workshops to equip employees with practical 
strategies for fostering positive youth sports experiences. These 
workshops emphasized sportsmanship, well-being and long-term 
athlete development. As youth sports seasons transition, we 
continue to recognize and highlight employees who are making 
meaningful contributions to healthier youth sports environments 
within their local communities.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
50%
OF FAMILIES 
REPORTED IT 
WAS THEIR 
CHILD’S FIRST 
TIME PLAYING 
A SPORT.
WERE FIRST-TIME 
EVERY KID 
SPORTS PASS 
APPLICANTS.
69%
THE DISNEY
DIFFERENCE
THE DISNEY
DIFFERENCE
THE DISNEY
DIFFERENCE
One way this comes to life is a collaboration 
between Disney Jr.’s Let’s Play initiative 
and Take Back Sports. ESPN and Disney 
Jr. teamed up with the nonprofit Every 
Kid Sports to introduce sports to 
preschoolers, paying for sports registration 
fees—marking the first time preschoolers 
benefited from these resources and  
making sports accessible to even the 
youngest kids facing financial hardships. 
More than 1,200 young children from 
income-restricted families from Chicago, 
Fresno, Calif., Houston, Los Angeles,  
New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh, N.C. and 
San Francisco received fall sports passes  
to cover fall registration fees across 22  
different sports helping more young  
children experience sports for the first time. 

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