Takkle

Takkle.com emerged in 2005, positioning itself as an online community and social network specifically designed for high school athletes. The company was founded by David Birnbaum, who also served as its CEO, with the vision of creating a dedicated platform for amateur athletes, coaches, and fans to connect through their shared passion for sports. The platform allowed users to create detailed player and team profiles where they could upload photos, videos, and track statistics, offering a service that even major sports media outlets like ESPN did not provide for the high school level at the time.

The business model focused on carving out a niche in the burgeoning social networking space by targeting the underserved amateur athletics market. Initially centered on high school sports, the company had broader ambitions to eventually encompass all forms of amateur athletics, including intramural, club, and youth leagues, thereby creating targeted marketing and sponsorship opportunities. This strategy attracted significant investor interest, leading to a Series A funding round in November 2006. Key investors included Greycroft Partners LLC, WMG Investments, and IJ Smith Enterprises LLC. One of its notable early achievements was a partnership with Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" feature, which showcased amateur athletes, providing Takkle with valuable brand visibility.

The platform served multiple functions: high school students used it for social networking, coaches for team organization, and it held potential as a tool for college recruiters to scout talent. After roughly two years of operation and raising a total of $12 million in funding, Takkle.com was acquired in February 2009 by Alloy Media & Marketing. The acquisition, reportedly in the mid-six figures, was a strategic move for Alloy to integrate an athletic recruiting platform into its Teen.com Network, which reached over 20 million unique users. Following the acquisition, Takkle's team of approximately 10 employees was to be retained within Alloy's structure. Keywords: high school sports, amateur athletics, social network, athlete profiles, team management, college recruiting, sports statistics, David Birnbaum, Alloy Media & Marketing, Greycroft Partners, WMG Investments, Sports Illustrated partnership, online sports community, youth sports, player statistics, team profiles, sports media, athletic networking, amateur sports