NBC Sports Next Partners with US Center for SafeSport

NBC Sports Next, the sports technology division of NBC Sports and home to youth sports software platform SportsEngine, has entered into a partnership with the US Center for SafeSport (Center).

The new agreement establishes a long-term partnership between the two entities and names SportsEngine a Preferred Membership Platform Provider of the US Center for SafeSport.

The mission of the US Center for SafeSport is making athlete well-being the centerpiece of our nation’s sports culture through abuse prevention, education, and accountability. An independent nonprofit, the Center opened in March 2017 and provides sports organizations at all levels with methods, policies, and programs to help prevent abuse. It serves as a professional and confidential place for more than 11 million athletes, coaches, and other participants in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement to report sexual, emotional, and physical abuse and misconduct.

The US Center for SafeSport’s Core Trained course is required for millions of adult participants in the US Olympic and Paralympic Movement, whose 55 national governing bodies encompass over 11 million members. Through this partnership, the Center—the nation’s federally designated national safe sport organization—offers all SportsEngine users the ability to complete Core training and many more abuse awareness and prevention online courses within the SportsEngine HQ platform, which can seamlessly track eligibility and credentials for athletes, coaches, and other sport participants. SportsEngine will also publish Center athlete safety guidance and resources to its millions of parents, athletes, coaches, and league administrator users.

“Partnering with SportsEngine will greatly expand access to SafeSport abuse awareness and prevention trainings and resources, enabling athletes and allies across America to accelerate positive culture change at every level of sport. SportsEngine’s technology and vast reach in youth sports will help us educate and train more athletes, coaches, parents, and administrators to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse in sport settings,” Ju’Riese Colón, CEO of the US Center for SafeSport, said.

“We are honored to partner with US Center for SafeSport to serve as a resource as they continue their mission to advocate for safety in youth sports. Helping to provide safe, positive youth sports experiences is a moral imperative and remains at the core of what we do at SportsEngine. We are proud to support the U.S. Center for SafeSport as it works to fulfill its vision of changing the culture of sports, set higher standards for youth and amateur sport organizations and establish training, policies and best practices for protecting athletes,” said Brett MacKinnon, SVP and General Manager, Youth and Rec Sports, NBC Sports Next.