I’ve been thinking about this moment for more than 20 years.
Back in 2004, when Kelli and I were students at Kennesaw State University, I wrote a paper predicting a college sports transfer system that looks almost identical to today’s infamous portal. At the time, it sounded radical. Today, it’s reality.
But one part of that paper still hasn’t happened—yet.
And I believe the next 5–10 years will bring it to life:
A high school athletic portal is coming.
Not because schools want it.
Not because coaches want it.
But because systems evolve when money, mobility, and visibility collide.
And right now, all three are converging on youth sports.
From Power Five… to Power One
In that same KSU paper, I made another prediction:
College sports would eventually consolidate into one mega-conference.
A Power One.
Today, look at realignment. Look at the money. Look at the ratings.
It’s not far-fetched anymore.
In the Power One world:
- One super-conference
- Twenty powerhouse programs
- All owned by major corporations
- With players functioning more like minor leaguers than students
Imagine corporate-backed teams owned by the likes of:
- Coca-Cola
- Amazon
- Delta
- Nike
- Adidas
- Apple
- Tesla
- Walmart
- Disney
- Microsoft
- Comcast
- Meta
- AT&T
- Berkshire Hathaway
- PepsiCo
- Target
- JPMorgan Chase
- Verizon
- United Health Group
It sounds wild—until you realize pro leagues have been doing this for decades.
The Trickle Down: Why High Schools Are Next
What happens at the top always works its way down.
Here’s the truth I learned during my time with the 2025 Atlanta Regional Commission Regional Leadership Institute:
Property taxes fund schools.
Home values determine property taxes.
Winning sports programs raise home values.
High-performing schools follow.
So the cycle becomes clear:
Athletic success → school visibility → rising home values → stronger schools → more athletes → more success
That’s why places like Buford High School look like small colleges and win like them too.
The athletics aren’t separate from the academics—they enable each other.
If winning grows the district, the district will compete for talent.
And if you’re competing for talent, a portal becomes inevitable.
Youth Sports Is Already a Marketplace
Travel sports is a $40 billion industry, projected to hit $70 billion within 3–5 years.
Where does that money come from?
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Tournaments
- Private training
- Facilities
- Uniforms
- Equipment
- Media/streaming
- Organizational ownership
And yes—youth sports organizations are being bought, sold, consolidated, and franchised.
If we already have ownership at the travel-ball level, how long before we see it at the school level?
Schools for Athletics: The Next Logical Step
We’ve accepted arts-based schools like Fame and elite institutions like Juilliard for decades.
We accept:
- Olympic pipelines
- USA Soccer HQ in Atlanta
- Overtime Elite
- NBA academies
- MLB youth development initiatives
So let’s be honest—
Athletics already serves as the largest accelerator of academic self-efficacy in the country.
A dedicated School for Athletics isn’t far-fetched. It’s overdue.
So why does this matter?
Because none of this is really about sports.
It’s about:
- Economic development
- Community visibility
- City growth
- Housing value
- Educational opportunity
- Talent pipelines
- Systemic equity
A city that isn’t developing is a city that’s dying.
And sports is one of the most powerful economic engines on earth—especially in America.
Atlanta proves it every single year.
The Conversation We Need to Start
You don’t have to agree with my prediction.
You don’t have to like it.
But we should all be honest about this:
The future of athletics is moving toward mobility, consolidation, and corporate influence.
And if the future of college athletics shifts, high schools will follow.
The question isn’t if a high school portal is coming.
The question is:
Will we shape it responsibly—or let it shape us?
Let’s talk.
Let’s debate.
Let’s prepare.
Because the future is already here.
Most people just haven’t noticed it yet.
Featured image photo credit @boys_in_baseball
