A major player in the health and wellness industry purchased Wrightsville Beach-based sports management software firm PlayerSpace, according to a recent announcement.

The buyer, Daxko of Birmingham, Alabama, offers tech and payment options to member-based fitness programs and facilities all over the world, a news release stated. 

The PlayerSpace team, led by founder Todd John, will continue to operate out of its offices at 527 Causeway Drive (pictured below) in Wrightsville Beach. Among the major industry segments for PlayerSpace, John said Tuesday, is the YMCA market.

"We are excited to build upon a long-standing partnership and officially join the Daxko team," John stated in the release. "With PlayerSpace as part of the Daxko family, we will be able to empower more YMCAs and JCCs in streamlining their membership and participant management systems, provide delightful experiences and grow revenue."

The amount of the transaction was not disclosed.

Originating in 2006, PlayerSpace has expanded its sports program management offerings over the years to include volunteer management, camp management, program marketing and other services to a growing number of member-based nonprofits.

“It got to a point where we were saying,'Look, right now you might might be using seven to 12 different software programs to do something that two software programs could do, us being one of them and your member management system being another,” John said, “and we're already integrated with your member management system.’ The largest member management system on the market is the one that bought us ... So now the value proposition is you can completely consolidate your technology vendors with best-in-class services and provide an optimal user experience for all of your customers.”

In the past 22 years, Daxko has grown to serve customers in 58 countries, 10,000 facilities and over 20 million members.

Ron Lamb, Daxko's CEO, stated in the release, "Our vision at Daxko is to power health and wellness throughout the world. PlayerSpace supports that vision by facilitating safe and engaging youth programming like sports, camps, swimming, gymnastics and more to their communities."

For his part, John said he is pleased with the outcome of his and his team’s efforts over the past 14 years and doesn’t mind parting with the title of owner as he continues in a leadership role.

“I've grown so much throughout,” he said. “I couldn't ask for another thing out of this, out of what this has given me. ... There's nothing bittersweet about it. It's just sweet.”