Community Highlights: Meet Danny Lefebvre of TRI SPORTS

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danny Lefebvre.

Hi Danny, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
The question I get asked most often is: “How did this all start?” Well, when the economy was booming and Internet start-ups were all the rage, I found myself working 70-90 hours a week and having no social life. At that time, I wished someone else would come along to start a social organization like TRI SPORTS, so I could meet other busy professionals like myself. Then, when the economy slowed and the investing environment cooled, I looked to start a new company, this one more resistant to economic fluctuations and investor whims. The Triangle being an area largely composed of transplants and the lack of a great way to make new friends was the perfect environment for a sport & social club. Our first sports league was scheduled for the week of September 11, 2001. After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, we debated postponing week 1 of leagues until a more appropriate time but eventually decided it’d be best to offer the social opportunity for those who felt comfortable with getting out of the house. What we found, with perfect attendance that week was validation that people need people, and a club like TRI SPORTS that helps people build a solid social support network is a great thing.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our concept was a smash hit from Day 1. But with the area growing so rapidly, a severely-lacking recreational infrastructure added almost no new parks & gyms to its inventory over the last 20 years as large tracts of land were developed for new retail & residential projects. So, despite selling-out many of our adult leagues, we found our league growth restrained initially and then shrinking in size due to the existing parks & gyms being prioritized for all youth activity above any adult recreational activity. And in 2017, the City of Raleigh, for all intents and purposes completely excluded all adult sports groups from any weeknight activities moving forward; effectively crushing all adult sports leagues in the area, causing many to fold or move out of town. That was the year we opened our 21-acre sports park to host many of our sports, and social, and private/corporate events.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Headquartered in Raleigh, TRI SPORTS, LLC is one of the leading companies in the United States that organizes, markets and operates adult recreational sports leagues and social events. The company began in response to the high demand for well-run sports leagues with an integral social component here in the Triangle area. Activities are targeted towards professionals in their 20s, 30s & 40s who are looking for more than just a sports league. TRI SPORTS is a founding member of the Sport & Social Industry Association (SSIA).

TRI SPORTS offers recreational sports leagues six days a week. Most leagues offer a social component at a nearby sponsor bar. All leagues have great prizes for league champs & offer much more than just sports. While it is not a singles club – most activities are open to couples & singles -TRI SPORTS is responsible for hundreds of marriages and hundreds of thousands of friendships created over the years. If you’re looking to get plugged-in socially and meet lots of fun & interesting people while enjoying great recreational opportunities, look no further!

In addition to the organization of sports leagues, TRI SPORTS also has a wide variety of professionally run social events and activities, including out 1,000+-person award-winning bar crawls for Halloween & St. Pat’s. TRI SPORTS was recognized in 2018 as the Nation’s Best Event Producer (mid-sized club division) for its production of events like the Boogeyman Bar Crawl (http://BoogeymanCrawl.com/), NYERaleigh.com – Rockin’ Raleigh New Year’s Eve, and the Raleigh St. Pat’s Pub Crawl (http://StPatsCrawl.com/). The awards are presented at the Annual Sport & Social Industry Association Conference.

TRI SPORTS is also the only sport & social club in the country to own its own sports park – MAC SPORTS & Entertainment ( https://www.themacnc.com/) – which was built in 2017 to host many of its sports, social, and corporate events. ABC11 story – https://abc11.com/business/family-stakes-future-on-brier-creek-sports-facility/3902891/

The best part of TRI SPORTS is knowing we’re making a difference in people’s lives. TRI SPORTS is now responsible for over 400 engagements and tens of thousands of friendships. I can’t tell you the number of times somebody has moved away from the Triangle, only to return within a year, to tell me that their new city didn’t have anything like TRI SPORTS and they just couldn’t get plugged in socially. Which is exactly the point; we’re your one-stop shop for instant social life, sports leagues and travel. We hope to see you soon. – Danny Lefebvre

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Book: The Social Ref by Shawn D. Madden is an excellent inside look at becoming a referee in a social sports league, where the official serves as ambassador, teacher, master of ceremonies, impartial judge, coach, and friend, while never stepping up onto the superiority pedestal.

Link: https://www.SocialRef.net/

Pricing:

• Most activities are ~$7 a week and include a $3.75 credit at our sponsor bar following games.

Contact Info:

• Email: trisports@trisportsnc.com
• Website: MEETandCOMPETE.com
• Instagram: /meetandcompete
• Facebook: /trisportsnc
• Twitter: /meetandcompete