How Dakota Selects saved thousands and brought teams closer with Engine

The Problem

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Dakota Selects runs a busy fall program that picks up immediately after the Fargo Youth Baseball summer season. This means the team’s travel logistics need to shift quickly between different tournaments, locations, training programs, and rosters. Coordinating blocks through traditional “stay-to-play” models often created challenges: limited flexibility, locked-in contracts, and a lot of manual work for a small volunteer-led staff.

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They needed a solution that would help simplify coordination, and free up time for coaches and volunteers, without adding complexity or overhead. 

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The Evaluation

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Dakota Selects first learned about Engine through their partnership with The Allegiance, an organization that connects elite youth programs with trusted vendors and partners. After exploring Engine’s platform, the team was immediately drawn to its no-contract model, and focus on real savings. Not to mention the UI was simple and easy to use, so there were no concerns about sharing this out to families and volunteers.

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“The cost savings were the biggest thing,” they shared. “We’ve already saved close to $30,000 for families and around $8,000 for coaches and staff rooms—just from bookings.”

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While they had experience using other platforms like SaxSports under the SportsConnect umbrella and local CVB partnerships, Engine stood out for its ease of use and responsive support.

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The Solution

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With Engine, Dakota Selects can now manage all of their team travel through one simple, easy-to-use platform. Families can book directly using custom travel links, ensuring that everyone stays together while still getting competitive rates. Not only does this help save the families money and headaches, the athletes are able to stay closer together, fostering better relationships between teams and players. Engine’s group travel tools make it easy to coordinate across tournaments, while its customer success team provides fast, personal support whenever issues arise.

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“The communication from the Engine team has been awesome,” said the team. “Ashley and the support staff have been great—any time we’ve had a hiccup, it’s been resolved quickly.”

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They also appreciated Engine’s flexibility, allowing families to book independently while still benefiting from the organization’s negotiated rates and rewards.

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The Impact

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Since adopting Engine, Dakota Selects has seen measurable results in just a few months. The organization has saved families over $30,000 and reduced its own travel expenses by another $8,000, all while making trips smoother and easier to coordinate.

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“Engine has completely changed the way we handle travel. Families are saving money, our kids are staying together, and we’re putting those savings back into the program. The process is smoother, the experience is better, and it just makes sense. At this point, if you’re not using Engine, you’re doing it the hard way.”

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Through The Allegiance partnership, Dakota Selects also receives Platinum-level Engine Rewards, using points to offset coach travel and reinvest in the program. Beyond the savings, families now stay together more often, creating stronger bonds between players and coaches, an outcome that aligns perfectly with the program’s mission to grow both on and off the field.

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