Diamond Kinetics 2024 Year In Review
2024 is winding down, and what a year it was for Diamond Kinetics! This year, fun fueled progress. We turned BP into a blast and brought Big League excitement straight to the backyard. From the ever-refreshing library of MLB and MLB player content in the DK App, to collabs with exciting new partners, to the acquisition of sidelineHD, it’s been a huge year of growth, passion, and progress in our mission to make the game of baseball even more fun for youth players. Join us in taking a look back at some of the highlights from our biggest year ever as we gear up for even bigger things in 2025!
2024 MLB Season Highlights in the DK App
The DK App delivered the thrill of Major League Baseball directly to players' fingertips, delivering fresh, interactive MLB content that inspired players of all ages to get swinging and grow their love of the game, truly turning backyards into ballparks across the country.
Weekly 1v9 Swing Challenges
Every week, players faced off against a rotating lineup of MLB players in 1v9, a distance-based swing competition. Those who beat "The MLB 9" unlocked eligibility to win exclusive weekly prize packs, including $100 MLB Shop gift cards. It was a unique opportunity for kids to compete head-to-head with Big Leaguers like never before!
MLB Featured Players
Have you ever dreamed of swinging like an MLB All-Star? The DK App made it possible with weekly MLB player content drops featuring stars like Steven Kwan, Willy Adames, Christian Walker, and more. Each drop included a swing challenge, an interactive hitting lesson, and a Diamond Decision mini-game — all centered on that week’s featured MLB player. Challenge winners scored prize packs with signed memorabilia from the week’s featured player, allowing kids to grow their fandom and connect with these players.
Diamond Decision Challenges
A favorite of MLB fans, Diamond Decision Challenges allowed users to engage with MLB highlights in a new way. Players earned XP and showcased their baseball IQ by predicting in-game outcomes and guessing key metrics from top MLB moments.
PLAY BALL Weekend Impact
The DK App was the virtual home of MLB’s PLAY BALL Weekend, enabling youth players nationwide to participate even if they couldn't attend PLAY BALL events in person. With an assortment of new PLAY BALL-themes challenges, guided hitting lessons, Diamond Decisions, and more, over 10,000 players created DK App accounts during the event, logging an impressive 155,616 swings as part of MLB’ annual celebration of youth baseball. The event brought the spirit of PLAY BALL to backyards across the country.
All-Star Game Takeover
DK was front and center during MLB’s All-Star Game festivities. In-person activities at PLAY BALL Park during All-Star FanFest, like All-Star Swing Match, were just the beginning. The DK App featured exclusive All-Star Game activities, including the All-Star Swing Match, All-Star Barrel Speed Showcase, and the All-Star Game Home Run Distance Derby, allowing youth players to swing like the stars. By the end of the All-Star Break, over 100,000 swings had been recorded in celebration of the Midsummer Classic.
From Opening Day to the All-Star Game and beyond, the DK App was at the heart of every major MLB event, giving players a new way to experience, compete, and fall in love with the game. Youth players didn’t just watch the MLB season, they were a part of it. Stay tuned for even bigger swings ahead!
Partner Collaborations
The DK App was a hub for exciting collaborations with the most beloved brands in baseball. These partnerships brought unique app experiences to young players, giving them even more reasons to stay engaged with the game.
Marucci and DK joined forces to create the world’s only true smart bats — the CATX Smart and CATX2 Smart. These USSSA-approved bats feature a built-in DK Sensor in the knob, empowering players to track their swing metrics during both practice AND in-game. But the innovation didn’t stop there. The DK App was packed with exclusive Marucci content, including Guided Hitting Lessons, interactive Challenges, Diamond Decisions, and more. It's a game-changing partnership that’s redefining how players train, compete, and improve.
Baseballism brought its distinctive blend of baseball culture and fashion right into the DK App experience. Players were able to compete in a challenge, Guided Hitting Lesson, and Diamond Decision themed around Roberto Clemente Day. Challenge winners received a Baseballism prize pack featuring gear from Baseballism’s coveted Roberto Clemente drop.
Big League Chew, a brand synonymous with baseball dugouts everywhere, made its presence felt in the DK App with a fun and flavorful Diamond Decision and swing challenge where young hitters could swing for a chance to win Big League Chew prize packs,
DK and USA Baseball gave players of all ages and skill levels a chance to be a part of one of the most exclusive baseball events of the year, the MLB Draft Combine. Players competed in a Draft Combine-themed Swing Challenge, where players could win a prize pack featuring exclusive Draft Combine gear that was otherwise only available to combine invitees.
Franklin brought the hype to the DK App this October with the Franklin Beyond Hype Swing Challenge, giving players a shot at winning a prize pack featuring custom Franklin batting gloves. The excitement didn’t stop there — fans took to DK’s Instagram stories to cast their votes in daily polls, deciding which MLB player’s Franklin batting gloves were truly "Beyond Hype." After a heated competition, Elly De La Cruz's gloves claimed the crown as the fan-favorite. Hard to argue with that pick!
Players didn’t just get swag from these collabs — they created deeper connections between young players and the brands that fuel their love for the game. By blending the fun of swing challenges and Diamond Decisions with development, the DK App became a space where young athletes could engage with the wider baseball world, swing after swing.
Accelerating Innovation In Youth Sports Tech With sidelineHD
One of the defining moments of 2024 for DK was the acquisition of sidelineHD, a groundbreaking youth sports media platform specializing in live streaming and video highlights. sidelineHD is reshaping the youth sports experience by empowering parents to create professional-quality live streams of youth games, complete with integrated scoreboards, player profiles, and real-time sports data. Using AI-driven technology, sidelineHD automatically generates highlights and video clips, allowing players and families to instantly capture and share key moments. This not only deepens players' love for the game but also supports their development and exposure on recruiting platforms, opening new doors for the next generation of athletes.
The integration of sidelineHD’s live streaming and video highlights capabilities will unlock new possibilities for both DK and sidelineHD users. Based on game outcomes, players in the sidelineHD app will now be exposed to more personalized training and instruction pathways, gaining access to guided hitting sessions and MLB content to help them improve their skills while having more fun with DK’s interactive content, challenges, and lightweight mobile games.
The acquisition of sidelineHD will allow DK to continue to thoughtfully integrate technology to personalize and enhance player experiences while fostering a love for the games. Stay tuned in 2025 for even more exciting news and innovations coming from sidelineHD.
As we reflect on an action-packed year, it’s clear that the DK App continues to change the game for young athletes, empowering them to swing smarter, play better, and stay connected to the game they love. From innovative partner collaborations and exclusive MLB content to unforgettable in-app challenges and real-world prizes, 2024 was a season to remember. But this is just the beginning — with even more exciting features, events, and partnerships on the horizon, DK is ready to make 2025 the best year yet for young players everywhere. At DK, the future of baseball is always on deck. Keep playing, keep swinging, and as always — GAME ON!