Just Play Sports Solutions lands seven pro sports clients

A Kansas City startup is going pro.

On Tuesday, Just Play Sports Solutions announced it will partner with seven professional WNBA teams — the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Dallas Wings, LA Sparks, Seattle Storm and Washington Mystic. The teams represent the firm’s first foray into professional sports’ clients.

Founded in 2014 by two former college athletes, Just Play Sports Solutions is a mobile and web app for football and basketball teams. The platform helps digitize game playbooks and allows coaches to target information to specific athletes. Available on both iOS and Android devices, the app offers player analytics, video quizzes, interactive learning and more.

Austin Barone, co-founder of Just Play Sports, said that the firm’s traction speaks to the depth of the platform.  

“Working with the WNBA is a tremendous opportunity for us,” Barone said in a release. “Our recent success just proves that regardless of the level, coaches are needing better ways to prepare and teach athletes in this digital age. We’re proud that we’re quickly becoming the industry leader in sports technology and are excited to work with such elite teams across the country.”

The Kansas City-based startup has already made an impression on Curt Miller, head coach of the Connecticut Sun.

“We’re excited about implementing Just Play and have already noticed how quickly it has impacted the team in training camp,” Miller said in a release. “It’s helped our players both offensively and defensively, and we’ve successfully utilized it in scouting our three exhibition opponents in the preseason. The software allows us to hold each other accountable and ensure the coaching staff and players are all on the same page.”

The startup has already made a name for itself in the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball arena, including partnerships with the University of Kansas, UCLA and Duke University.

Barone is a member of Pipeline Entrepreneur’s 2017 class. While in college, Barone was recognized as Pipeline’s “Student Spotlight”, representing the University of Kansas.

Looking ahead, Just Play Sports Solutions said the startup is committed to signing with additional WNBA teams, as well as expanding its reach with NCAA Division I and II teams.

“We definitely see a lot of growth on the horizon. Potentially with other sports, and continuing to gain market share in the sports that we’re currently in,” Barone said. “I think that everybody in our office is really excited about what to come and the potential that we have.”