With Focus on Community, Carlsbad’s Blast Motion Continues to Grow

When it comes to steering a business through a pandemic, community matters. That’s the sentiment from  Michael Fitzpatrick, CEO of Blast Motion, a Carlsbad sports technology company that offers motion analysis and performance insights for baseball, softball, and golf. 

Fitzpatrick, who co-founded Blast Motion in 2010, said he and his team found a rise in players practicing their sport as a result of the statewide stay-at-home order. To cater to its changing clientele, the company launched  “Training at Home” and “Remote Coaching” programs. The company also temporarily discounted its products by 50 percent. Internally, employees are now working from home as needed. 

Fitpatrick said it’s important to watch and listen to the needs of the market and your customers. When you can introduce programs, adjust pricing, or do something that helps them, it ultimately helps the business. We’re extremely happy that our actions have helped thousands of kids continue their training and become the best version of themselves in the sport they love, all while using a smart training aid that helps them improve and have more fun.” 

With the cancellation or changes to many sports worldwide, it’s unclear how the industry will evolve over time, but Fitzpatrick said Blast will continue to cater to its community of players and coaches.

“The one thing that is clear is that it will force long-term changes to business models and that it will touch every sport,” Fitzpatrick said. “For customers who use Blast, we’re able to provide them with some great alternatives that are helping them adapt to these changes and offer virtual or live training sessions, host tournaments, and provide improvement feedback. It’s clear to us that this type of solution flexibility will become critical to helping the industry evolve and allow our customers to successfully pivot to whatever change comes their way.”

Being headquartered in Carlsbad – home to many sports design and innovation companies and active lifestyle enthusiasts –  has also helped the company find continued success, Fitzpatrick said. 

“Thanks to the wonderful weather in Carlsbad, sports can be played year-round and athletes are very active,” he said. “ We’re fortunate enough to work in a place where the sun shines virtually every day, that is super close to the ocean, and that’s far enough away from big city life while still getting the benefits of being in a metro area. Carlsbad is a great place to work and raise a family. All of these factors, and many more, are very important for our success.”