Cosmic Sports will expand its entertainment-focused baseball tour into five Major League Baseball stadiums in 2027 following a season that saw attendance grow by 400 percent.
Record-breaking 2026 baseball tour results
The company sold 750,000 tickets across 74 games in 2026, with every event selling out, according to data reported by FOX Business. This performance marks an increase from the 150,000 tickets sold during the previous year's tour. Founder Chris Martin attributed the growth to a model that prioritizes fan engagement alongside professional athletic performance.
The tour differentiates itself by integrating elements like black lights, bubble machines, confetti, laser displays, and pixel LED lighting. Players wear non-traditional uniforms that react to the black light environment, acting as their own light sources. Martin said that the 2026 tour in Buffalo featured a high-profile fireworks display that became a signature moment for the season.
Cosmic Sports narrows the gap between athletes and fans
Martin emphasized that the core of the Cosmic Sports model is narrowing the gap between professional athletes and their fans. The organization requires players to participate in pre-game street parties, interact with the crowd during active play, and sign autographs after the final out. He said that this balance is challenging for athletes, as the company expects high-level competitive play alongside these entertainment duties.
“A player struggling in the batter’s box can still perform trick plays, interact with the crowd, or sign autographs, and that contribution can impact people’s lives,” Martin told FOX Business. He contrasted this approach with athletes who may post strong statistical performances but lack engagement with the audience, characterizing the latter as not the type of talent the company seeks to recruit.
Expansion into ice hockey at Lake Placid
Beyond baseball, Cosmic Sports is entering the ice hockey market. The inaugural hockey tour is scheduled to open on December 18 at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York. The venue is historically significant as the site of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” where the United States men’s Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union.
Martin said that the hockey tour will feature a different technological configuration and on-site experience compared to the baseball events. He said that the choice of Lake Placid reflects the location’s history and its reputation as a training hub for players. While the company intends to expand into additional sports, Martin indicated that the immediate focus remains on the upcoming season rather than long-term projections.
The baseball tour visits five MLB-affiliated ballparks
The baseball tour will make its first-ever appearances at five MLB-affiliated ballparks. Martin credited the rise of entertainment-based sports products to the influence of the Savannah Bananas and founder Jesse Cole, while maintaining that Cosmic Sports provides a distinct, previously unseen product for fans.
The company continues to iterate on its production design, adding new sensory elements to each tour cycle. Martin said that he chooses not to speculate on the business’s trajectory five or ten years into the future, citing the volatility of targets and metrics in the current environment.
