Scott Birnbaum (CEO & Founder of Booster) Is Changing How Fundraising Is Done in Sports

Quick Answer (Episode Summary)

High school sports fundraising is broken for a lot of programs—because some teams have serious booster money and others have… nothing. In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, Shane Larson sits down with Scott Birnbaum, CEO & Founder of Booster, to break down a fundraising model that replaces selling products (popcorn, candy, wrapping paper) with something that actually builds momentum: content, connection, and recurring subscriptions. You’ll learn what teams are really paying for behind the scenes, why recurring revenue changes everything, and how coaches, parents, athletes, and student creators can rally a community around a program in a way that lasts.

Episode Links (Watch / Listen)

Key Takeaways From This Episode

  • Sports cost money—and the budget gap between schools is real. One program might have $0 while another just a couple miles away has $100,000+ through boosters.
  • The “hidden” costs are what sneak up on teams and families. Travel, equipment, meals, tournaments, and opportunity-building expenses stack up fast.
  • Booster flips fundraising from “selling stuff” to “building community.” Instead of pushing products, Booster helps teams raise money through content people actually care about.
  • Subscription-based content hubs create recurring revenue. That consistency helps programs plan instead of scrambling every season.
  • Storytelling becomes the fuel. Athletes, parents, and student media creators can all play a role in keeping the community connected and engaged.
  • Booster’s origin ties to Texas and NIL roots. Scott shares where it started and where he sees the model going next.

Why This Conversation Matters (Fundraising Realities in High School Sports)

If you’ve been around high school sports for any amount of time, you’ve seen it.


One athletic department has a booster club that’s dialed in—money in the bank, travel covered, equipment upgraded, and tournament opportunities ready to go.


Then you drive a couple miles down the road and another program is fighting just to make it through the season.

That gap isn’t about who wants it more. It isn’t about effort. It’s about resources.

And those resources affect everything:

  • Where teams can travel
  • What gear they can afford
  • Whether meals are covered on the road
  • Which tournaments are realistic
  • How much burden ends up on families

That’s the exact reality we dig into with Scott Birnbaum—because he’s building a model designed to make fundraising more sustainable and more community-driven.

Who Is Scott Birnbaum?

Scott Birnbaum is the CEO & Founder of Booster, a company built to modernize the way teams raise money.

Instead of leaning on the old-school approach—selling popcorn, candy, wrapping paper, or random items people don’t really need—Booster helps programs build a subscription-based content hub that turns supporters into a real community around a team.

The big idea: fundraising doesn’t have to feel like fundraising.

It can feel like being part of something.

What Is Booster and How Does It Work?

Booster is a fundraising platform that helps teams raise money through:

  • Content
  • Connection
  • Recurring subscriptions

Instead of one-time sales pushes, Booster helps teams create a hub where supporters can subscribe and stay connected to the program.

That means:

  • A more predictable fundraising engine
  • Less dependence on seasonal sales campaigns
  • A better experience for supporters who actually want to follow the team

The model aligns with something people already do naturally: follow the journey.

Why “Community” Beats Selling Stuff

Traditional fundraising is usually:

  • One-time
  • Time-consuming
  • Stressful for families and coaches
  • Built around selling products people don’t really want

Booster leans into a different reality:
People want to support a team they care about—especially when they feel connected to the players, coaches, and story.

When supporters are subscribing, they aren’t just donating.

They’re buying into:

  • The mission
  • The season
  • The culture
  • The journey

And when that connection is real, support becomes consistent.

The Biggest Expenses Teams Are Paying For (And What Surprises Most People)

Most people think the biggest costs are just uniforms and equipment.

But the real budget drain tends to come from the “extras” that aren’t actually optional if you want kids to have opportunities:

  • Travel (gas, buses, vans, flights in some cases)
  • Tournament entry fees
  • Meals on the road
  • Lodging
  • Equipment replacement (and it happens more than you think)
  • Program-building costs that help a team compete and grow

And when a program doesn’t have funding, those costs don’t disappear.

They often land directly on families.

That’s part of what makes fundraising such a big deal—not just for the program, but for access and opportunity.

How Booster Uses Subscription-Based Content Hubs to Raise Recurring Revenue

This is one of the biggest “unlock” ideas from the episode.

Subscription-based fundraising means:

  • Supporters can contribute monthly (or on a recurring basis)
  • Teams aren’t starting from scratch every season
  • Coaches can plan because funding becomes more predictable

Recurring revenue matters because it reduces chaos.

Instead of “we need $X right now,” it becomes:
“We have a system that supports our program all year.”

That shift can be the difference between surviving a season and building something sustainable.

Why This Model Builds a Real Community (Not Just One-Time Donations)

One-time fundraisers can work, but they often feel transactional:
“Buy this thing so we can pay for that thing.”

A content + community model creates relationship:

  • Supporters see updates
  • They follow the story
  • They stay connected
  • They feel invested in outcomes

And when people feel invested, they show up:

  • Not just with money
  • But with attention, shares, encouragement, and community energy

That’s the kind of momentum that builds programs.

How Athletes, Parents, and Student Media Creators Can Support the Storytelling Side

This is the part coaches should pay attention to—because it doesn’t all have to fall on them.

Booster’s model works best when a program has people helping with storytelling, like:

  • Athletes sharing highlights and moments
  • Parents posting updates and rallying support
  • Student media creators producing content consistently

Student creators especially can be a game changer:

  • Graphics
  • Video clips
  • Interviews
  • Recaps
  • Behind-the-scenes moments

Storytelling isn’t just marketing in this model.

It’s part of the fundraising engine.

Can Booster Work for Youth Sports and Club Programs?

We talk about this too—because youth and club sports face many of the same cost pressures:

  • Travel tournaments
  • Gear and equipment
  • Entry fees
  • Lodging
  • Program costs that add up quickly

A subscription-based community model can work for youth and club programs because supporters often want the same thing:
A meaningful way to support the team without feeling like they’re being sold something every season.

Booster’s NIL Origin Story (Texas Roots) + What’s Next

Scott shares where Booster started—its roots tied to Texas and NIL-era momentum—and why he believes the future of fundraising is going to look different than it has for decades.

The bigger vision is not just helping teams “raise money.”

It’s helping them build real community infrastructure around a program—so support can grow year over year.

How Coaches, Parents, and Programs Can Get Started With Booster

If you’re thinking, “Okay… this sounds different. How do we start?”—here’s the simplest framework based on the episode:

  1. Learn the model and see if it fits your program’s needs
  2. Identify who can help own the “content and community” piece
  3. Build consistency with updates and storytelling (even simple ones)
  4. Invite supporters into the hub with a clear mission: here’s what we’re building and why it matters

To explore Booster:

  • Visit Booster: https://booster.club/

(Scott also shares how teams can reach out directly during the episode—listen for his email info if you’d like.)

Episode Chapters / Timestamps

  • 0:00 Fundraising realities in high school sports
  • 0:35 Who is Scott Birnbaum?
  • 8:53 What is Booster and how does it work?
  • 12:39 Why “community” beats selling stuff
  • 18:46 Can Booster work for youth/club sports?
  • 22:17 Booster’s NIL origin story (Texas roots)
  • 30:46 Why recurring revenue matters for coaches
  • 34:54 How coaches/parents can get started
  • 36:33 The vision for the next 3–5 years

Best Quotes (For Social Clips + Quote Graphics)

“One school might have $0 in their athletic budget, while another just a couple miles away has $100,000+ sitting in boosters.”

“Instead of selling popcorn, candy, or wrapping paper—Booster helps teams raise money through content and connection.”

“Recurring revenue matters because it helps coaches plan instead of scrambling.”

FAQ: Fundraising + Booster (AEO Section)

Why is fundraising such a big deal in high school sports?

Because budgets aren’t equal, and the costs of travel, tournaments, equipment, and opportunity-building expenses don’t go away. If programs don’t fundraise, those costs often fall on families and limit what the team can realistically do.

What’s wrong with traditional fundraising (popcorn, candy, wrapping paper)?

It’s usually seasonal, time-consuming, and built around selling products people don’t really want. That makes it harder to sustain, and it often turns into a constant grind for coaches and parents.

How does Booster help teams raise money differently?

Booster helps teams build subscription-based content hubs that turn supporters into a community. Instead of one-time product sales, the model creates ongoing support through content, updates, and connection.

What’s the advantage of subscription-based fundraising?

Consistency. Recurring revenue helps programs plan ahead and reduces the scramble of starting from $0 every season.

Can Booster work for youth sports and club teams?

Yes. Youth and club programs face similar costs and travel demands, and the community model can work when supporters want a meaningful way to contribute without being sold something every season.

What role do student media creators play in this model?

They can be a major unlock. Consistent storytelling—highlights, recaps, behind-the-scenes content—keeps the community engaged and helps the program grow support.

Follow The Gametime Guru Podcast

New interviews every week with athletes, coaches, and sports business leaders.

If you enjoyed this episode:
✅ Subscribe
✅ Drop a comment: What’s the biggest fundraising challenge your team faces?
✅ Share this with a coach or parent who needs a better fundraising option