News
Schoolyard Social: Where Competition Builds Community
Brooklyn startup launches app that transforms local tournaments into real-world connections—and proves people are hungry for authentic experiences beyond the screen.
Remember when competition meant showing up somewhere real, not just climbing digital leaderboards from your couch? A Brooklyn-based startup is betting that nostalgia—and a growing appetite for genuine human connection—can reshape how we play, compete, and build community in 2025.
The Problem: We’re More Connected Than Ever, Yet More Isolated
Schoolyard Social launched its flagship app in October 2025 with a simple premise: technology should bring people together in person, not keep them glued to screens. In an era of endless scrolling, algorithmic friendships, and virtual everything, the platform offers something refreshingly analog—real people, real competition, real community.
“People are craving real-life ways to meet and belong,” said Win Smith, CEO and co-founder. “Competition gives you a reason to show up, and there’s less pressure to ‘click’ socially. Instead of swiping or making small talk at a bar, players build community around a shared interest.”
It’s a pitch that resonates. In just one month since going live, Schoolyard Social doubled both its revenue and number of tournaments compared to the entire previous year. From 800-player basketball tournaments at Barclays Center during the Aptos Crypto Conference to Sunday pickleball leagues sponsored by Sixpoint Brewery, the app is proving that people will show up—literally—when given the right reason.
How It Works: Tournament Tech for Everyone
Built in partnership with ISBX, the digital product agency behind work for Nike and other major brands, Schoolyard Social combines everything you need to run a tournament into one streamlined platform: hosting tools, bracketing, scoring, leaderboards, messaging, and payment processing.
The genius is in the simplicity. Anyone can organize a local, skill-based tournament—no tech background required. Whether it’s college beer pong leagues, corporate wellness competitions, neighborhood bakeoffs, or city-wide basketball brackets, the app handles the logistics so organizers can focus on creating memorable experiences.
And here’s the kicker: cash prizes. Players aren’t just competing for bragging rights; they’re getting paid for doing what they love. It’s a model that turns casual players into invested community members and one-off events into recurring traditions.
The Origin Story: Whiteboard Brackets to Venture-Backed Startup
Schoolyard Social wasn’t born in a boardroom—it was born from real demand the founders couldn’t keep up with.
“When we started, we were organizing events with whiteboard brackets and Instagram buzz,” said Harry Stanton, co-founder and COO. “The interest quickly outpaced us; venues, clubs, companies and creators all started asking us to organize their tournaments. So we built an app anyone can use to scale what hosts were already doing manually.”
The founding trio brings serious credentials to the table. Smith is a former Wesleyan University tennis captain and Sony Music executive producer. Stanton is a former NCAA lacrosse national champion and early hire at Fanatics Betting and Gaming. Peter de Saint Phalle, the third co-founder and CMO, is an experiential marketing veteran whose agency work includes global campaigns for Ogilvy and George P. Johnson.
Together, they’ve combined backgrounds in sports, technology, and brand activation to build something that feels both nostalgic and necessary—a platform that turns everyday rivalry into community.
The Brand Play: Authentic Engagement Beyond Digital Impressions
Schoolyard Social isn’t just attracting players—it’s attracting brands looking for deeper customer relationships. Sponsors including Sixpoint, vitaminwater, PaddleSmash, and Justworks are partnering to activate products and build brand awareness through live demos and in-office events.
“Just as people crave lasting connections, brands want sustainable relationships with customers,” said de Saint Phalle. “Schoolyard Social lets brands meet audiences where they play, activating products and creating real-life connections that deepen over time—not just experiential advertising or fleeting digital impressions.”
It’s a smart positioning. In a world where digital ad fatigue is real and consumers are increasingly skeptical of online marketing, brands that show up in authentic, community-driven spaces have a competitive advantage. Schoolyard Social offers that access—not through banner ads or sponsored posts, but through meaningful participation in the moments that matter to players.
What’s Next: Campus Expansion and Nationwide Growth
The company recently raised $860,000 through an oversubscribed SAFE note to accelerate growth. Expansion plans include a nationwide College Ambassador Program and collegiate events at business schools like Stanford and Columbia.
It’s a strategic move. College campuses are natural breeding grounds for competitive social experiences, and students are often the early adopters who set cultural trends. If Schoolyard Social can embed itself in campus culture, it has a shot at becoming the go-to platform for a generation that’s increasingly vocal about wanting less screen time and more real-world connection.
Why This Matters: The Post-Digital Playbook
Schoolyard Social represents something bigger than just another app. It’s part of a growing movement toward what the company calls “the post-digital age”—a recognition that while technology has connected us in unprecedented ways, it’s also left many of us feeling more isolated than ever.
The platform’s tagline says it all: “Competition tech designed to get you off your phone.”
In a media landscape dominated by endless content consumption and passive scrolling, Schoolyard Social offers active participation. In a social ecosystem built on curated personas and performative posting, it offers genuine interaction. In a world where “community” has become a buzzword stripped of meaning, it offers the real thing—people showing up, competing, connecting, and building something together.
That’s not just good business. It’s a blueprint for how technology can serve humanity instead of the other way around.
The Bottom Line
Schoolyard Social is betting that the future of social connection isn’t more sophisticated algorithms or immersive virtual worlds—it’s getting people back in the same physical space, doing things they love, with other people who share their passion.
If the early results are any indication, they might be onto something. Because at the end of the day, no amount of digital engagement can replace the feeling of showing up, competing, and belonging to something real.
Ready to turn your passion into community? Download the Schoolyard Social app on the App Store or Google Playand find your next tournament.
For more information about Schoolyard Social, visit their press kit or explore upcoming tournaments in your area.
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Last Updated on November 13, 2026 by Daily News Staff
STM Daily News | November 12, 2026
Graffiti Cleanup Transforms Oceanwide Plaza
LOS ANGELES — The unfinished skyscrapers known as downtown Los Angeles’ “Graffiti Towers” have reached a visible milestone: most of the exterior tagging has been removed, although completing the long-stalled Oceanwide Plaza development remains a separate challenge.
City officials celebrated the cleanup November 12. According to the mayor’s office, crews cleared graffiti from roughly 250 balconies across the three-tower complex opposite Crypto.com Arena and near the Los Angeles Convention Center. Remaining work has included touch-ups on windows and other exterior areas.
Oceanwide Plaza was envisioned as a mixed-use destination with residences, a luxury hotel, shops and restaurants. Construction stopped in 2019 after Beijing-based developer Oceanwide Holdings could no longer finance the project.
In early 2024, trespassers covered the unfinished towers with graffiti, turning them into an internationally recognized sight. The property also attracted dangerous stunts and heightened concerns about security.
The development entered bankruptcy in February 2024. This July, a bankruptcy court approved a purchase arrangement involving KPC Square, a joint venture between KPC Group and Lendlease. Graffiti removal began while the acquisition was still pending.
What Comes Next for LA’s Graffiti Towers?
The partnership is targeting a January 2027 closing, according to the Los Angeles Business Journal. Financing, a construction contract and required approvals remain important steps before the development can be completed.
For downtown residents and businesses, the cleanup marks tangible progress at a prominent property. However, it does not mean the towers are ready to open, and no firm opening date has been announced.
Sources
- Los Angeles Mayor’s Office, November 12, 2026: https://mayor.lacity.gov/news/mayor-bass-celebrates-graffiti-removal-oceanwide-plaza-clearing-way-full-restoration-and
- Los Angeles Business Journal, November 9, 2026: https://labusinessjournal.com/real-estate/cleaning-up-oceanwide/
- City News Service / MyNewsLA, November 12, 2026: https://mynewsla.com/life/2026/11/12/graffiti-cleanup-milestone-marked-at-oceanwide-plaza-in-downtown-la/
Forgotten Genius Fridays
David Crosthwait: The Engineer Behind Indoor Comfort
David Crosthwait helped solve the challenges of heating large buildings, including Radio City Music Hall. Explore his inventions and lasting engineering legacy.
Forgotten Genius | STM Daily News
When audiences enter New York’s Radio City Music Hall, they notice the stage, the lights, and the sweeping auditorium. The engineering that keeps the building comfortable rarely receives applause.
One of the people behind that comfort was David Nelson Crosthwait Jr., a Black engineer and inventor whose work helped advance heating, ventilation, and temperature control in large buildings.
His career offers a reminder that some of the most useful inventions work quietly around us.
Solving the Problem of Heating Large Buildings
Heating a large building takes more than producing enough heat. Different areas can have different needs: one side may face bitter wind while another receives warming sunlight. Delivering the right amount of heat throughout the building requires careful control.
Crosthwait devoted much of his career to those challenges. A Purdue University engineering graduate, he worked for the C.A. Dunham Company, developing equipment and systems for heating and ventilation.
His inventions included improvements to boilers, thermostat controls, and vacuum pumps. These components helped engineers manage the movement and regulation of heat in larger buildings.
One example appears in U.S. Patent No. 1,727,965, granted in 1929. The patent describes a vacuum steam-heating system designed to serve different sections of a building at different steam pressures. That allowed the system to address varying heating needs while using a shared steam source.
Behind the technical drawing was a practical question: How could one building provide comfortable conditions in spaces that needed different amounts of heat?
His Connection to Radio City Music Hall
Crosthwait’s best-known projects included designing the steam-heating system for Radio City Music Hall at Rockefeller Center.
It was a fitting assignment for an engineer whose expertise centered on the demands of large buildings. While performers entertained audiences, the systems behind the scenes helped make the experience comfortable.
His contributions extended across a substantial body of work. The National Inventors Hall of Fame credits him with 39 U.S. patents and 80 international patents, spanning heating, refrigeration, controls, and other technologies.
Sharing Knowledge and Breaking Barriers
Crosthwait also helped other engineers learn. He wrote technical material, contributed to engineering guides, and later taught steam-heating theory and control systems at Purdue.
In 1971, he became the first Black Fellow of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Purdue awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1975, and the National Inventors Hall of Fame inducted him in 2014.
His legacy rests in the practical details of engineering: controlling pressure, improving equipment, and making complicated systems work together.
The next time you settle into a comfortable auditorium on a cold evening, consider the ingenuity behind that warmth. David Crosthwait helped make indoor comfort an engineering achievement worth remembering.
Discover more inventors and innovators through the Forgotten Genius series in The Knowledge at STM Daily News.
Related Links
- National Inventors Hall of Fame: David Crosthwait — Biography covering his inventions, patent totals, Radio City Music Hall work, teaching, and professional honors.
- Rockefeller Center: A Rock Center Innovator — Highlights his role in designing Radio City Music Hall’s steam-heating system.
- Original 1929 Patent: U.S. Patent No. 1,727,965 — Technical drawings and Crosthwait’s description of a steam-heating system serving different building sections at different pressures.
- Purdue University Libraries: Historical Timeline — Documents his 1913 graduation and contributions to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
Sources: National Inventors Hall of Fame, Rockefeller Center, Purdue University Libraries, and U.S. Patent No. 1,727,965.
Family
The House That Hosts: When Your Home Becomes Your Holiday Entertaining Partner
The House That Hosts: There’s a special pleasure in opening your home for the holidays to share the menu you’ve imagined, welcome guests to the glow of a room ready for company and enjoy the anticipation of familiar faces at the door. This year, make sure the house itself can lend a hand.
The House That Hosts: When Your Home Becomes Your Holiday Entertaining Partner
(Feature Impact) There’s a special pleasure in opening your home for the holidays to share the menu you’ve imagined, welcome guests to the glow of a room ready for company and enjoy the anticipation of familiar faces at the door. Every detail is an opportunity to make the loved ones you’ve invited feel especially welcome.
This year, make sure the house itself can lend a hand.
From the kitchen to the living room to the guest bathroom, residential technology offers new ways to turn a host’s imagination into a memorable experience. The best innovations don’t take over the occasion. They help the person bringing everyone together make it extraordinary.
Nor does a home need an elaborate network of connected gadgets. A few well-chosen technologies can make a difference. Explore these ideas from the bathroom design and technology experts at TOTO to level up the different hosting areas of your home as you prepare to gather with family and friends this holiday season.
The Kitchen: Bringing Something Extraordinary to the Table
The holidays invite a little culinary ambition, and today’s kitchens are borrowing a few tricks from professional chefs.
Imagine presenting a beef tenderloin cooked to a perfect rosy pink from edge to edge, thanks to the precision of sous vide cooking. Or bringing a platter of roasted root vegetables to the table, their edges beautifully caramelized and their centers tender, prepared in a steam-convection oven. On an induction cooktop, precise, responsive heat helps turn fresh mushrooms into a golden, savory accompaniment.
These technologies put sophisticated techniques within reach of adventurous home cooks, opening the door to new preparations and dishes worthy of special occasions. Experiment with new flavors and rich cuisines that fill your home with enticing aromas and your guests with awe at the first bite.
Nothing says “happy holidays” quite like watching guests discover what you’ve created for them.
The Living Area: Setting the Stage for Connection
Holiday gatherings have a rhythm all their own. The first arrivals are greeted with excitement, conversations pick up where they left off months (or years) prior, and before long, the room is filled with laughter and the pleasure of being together.
Today’s smart lighting systems allow hosts to create and schedule scenes that shift from the sparkle of a festive welcome to the softer, golden glow of an intimate evening. Multiroom wireless audio systems can bring lively music into the kitchen while keeping it a gentle accompaniment to conversation in the living area. Digital art displays can turn a television screen into a gallery of artwork chosen to complement the celebration, bringing holidays past to life as loved ones mingle in the present.
Successful holiday entertainment engages people not merely as observers, but participants. A short film could start an inspiring conversation, the right music might get people dancing and atmospheric visual-audio experiences, like a crackling fireplace or soft snowstorm, can create a relaxing seasonal backdrop for shared activities.
With the atmosphere changing quietly in the background, no one needs to interrupt a favorite story to adjust the lights or lower the music. The host can simply enjoy the company they’ve brought together.
The Bathroom: The Art of Personal Comfort
The most gracious hosts think beyond the rooms where guests gather. Fresh towels, fragrant soaps and a few unexpected comforts can make the guest bathroom feel every bit as welcoming as the rest of the home.
Technology adds a new dimension to that hospitality. Consider a TOTO WASHLET bidet seat, which offers the welcome warmth of a heated seat, the refreshing pleasure of warm-water cleansing and the soothing comfort of warm-air drying. It’s an unexpected luxury that makes an everyday experience feel special.
Hosts can choose an option that complements their home’s character. The S2 offers inviting simplicity with convenient side-panel controls. The sleek S5 pairs contemporary elegance with a wireless remote. Meanwhile, the S7A adds a touch of theater with a lid that opens automatically, a softly glowing nightlight and personalized cleansing settings.
Even the housekeeping benefits from a little ingenuity through automatic PREMIST and EWATER+: One mists the toilet bowl before use to help keep it cleaner, while the other cleans the cleansing wand and, on select models, the bowl itself with electrolyzed water.
It’s another way a thoughtful host can anticipate guests’ needs and make them feel wonderfully welcome.
Long after the last guest has departed, what lingers isn’t the sophistication of the house. It’s the meal that inspired compliments, the conversations no one wanted to end and the little surprises that made everyone feel at home.
Those are the moments that make holiday entertaining special. Behind each one is a host whose warmth, creativity and attention to detail made it possible, with a little help from the house. Explore more sophisticated bathroom upgrade ideas for the holidays and beyond at TOTOUSA.com.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (holiday table)
SOURCE:
TOTO
