Batter Up: The Return of the Backyard Sports Franchise

Revitalizing and relaunch a brand almost 30 years after itsintroduction is never an easy task. However, when the brand was as popular and influential as the iconic Backyard Sports franchise of the late 1990s and early 2000s, thechallenge can be especially daunting.Second-grade teacher turned entrepreneur Lindsay Barnett, however, loves competition, as she tells me, and is more than up to the challenge. The result is an on-trend hybrid that relaunches the property for a new generation of kids—and creates a kidult sensation with those who grew up with thesegames. We talk about how Lindsay is making magic with the brand, and her insights behind why this brand, why now, and how a decades old, niche product can be back in the game. With an animated special already racking up views in the millions on YouTube, a licensing program that appeals to a broad range of ages, and a storyline that’s supportive, imaginative, and fully engaging, we fully expect that in the next year, Lindsay and her team at Playground Productions will knock this one out of the park.