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Key people at Active.com.
Active.com was founded in 1999 by Mitch Thrower (Co-Founder).
Based in Dallas, Texas, the Active Network platform provides cloud-based event management software and an online registration portal for endurance races, youth sports leagues, and recreational activities. Founded in 1998 by Jim Woodman, Mitch Thrower, and Eric Mathis, the organization expanded its market reach early on by purchasing the amateur sports network eteamz. The business processes tens of millions of registrations annually and historically generated over 280 million dollars in annual revenue with a workforce exceeding 2,000 employees. Private equity firm Vista Equity Partners acquired the company for approximately one billion dollars in 2013 before selling its communities and sports divisions to Global Payments for over one billion dollars in 2017. Following this transaction, the outdoors division was spun off into a separate entity called Kalkomey, while the core registration software integrated with Global Payments.
Key people at Active.com.
Active.com was founded in 1999 by Mitch Thrower (Co-Founder).
Active.com, operated by ACTIVE Network (also known as Active Network, LLC), is a leading technology platform providing cloud-based software for event registration, participant management, secure payments, and data insights to drive participation in sports, recreational events, camps, classes, and community activities.[1][2][4] It serves event organizers including non-profits, race directors, YMCAs, universities, parks, camps, and commercial entities worldwide, solving challenges in efficient registration, marketing, and analytics to connect organizers with participants globally.[1][3][4] The company has demonstrated strong growth through acquisitions, product launches like Activity Cloud (2015) and fitness apps (e.g., Couch to 5K), and ownership changes, including its 2013 acquisition by Vista Equity Partners for $1.05 billion and later involvement with Global Payments.[1][2]
ACTIVE Network traces its roots to 1999, founded initially as Active USA in a small San Diego office by a team including CEO Dave Alberg (noted as overseeing growth since 1999), targeting amateur and recreational athletes with event information.[1][3] It rapidly expanded via mergers and acquisitions in 1999-2000 with companies like LeagueLink Inc., RaceGate.com, EnterOnline, Eteamz, Sierra Digital, and GetSetGo, evolving into a comprehensive provider of management software.[1][2] Key milestones include going public on NASDAQ in 2011 (ticker ACTV), private acquisition by Vista Equity Partners in 2013, further buys like JumpForward (2016) and TeamPages (2017), and strategic partnerships, growing from a few employees to over 2,000 across 25+ global offices while reaching $280 million in revenue by 2010.[1][2][3]
Active rides the wave of digital transformation in recreational sports and community events, capitalizing on rising demand for online registration amid growth in amateur athletics, endurance racing, and youth programs.[1][3] Timing aligns with post-2010 mobile proliferation and cloud adoption, enabling scalable solutions for fragmented markets like parks, YMCAs, and global races previously reliant on manual processes.[2][4] Favorable forces include e-commerce in events (boosted by apps and data analytics) and partnerships (e.g., Hotels.com), positioning it to influence ecosystem efficiency; its tech serves millions, standardizing participation tools and fostering community platforms like Active.com.[1][3]
Active is poised to expand in virtual/hybrid events, AI-driven personalization for registrations, and emerging markets like private campgrounds or university athletics, leveraging its acquisition momentum and global footprint.[2][4] Trends like wearable integration, post-pandemic fitness surges, and data monetization will shape growth, potentially amplifying influence through more app ecosystems or partnerships. As a mature player connecting organizers and participants, it remains central to participatory sports tech, evolving from event software pioneer to full participation platform.
