As the NCAA Lacrosse Final Four kicks off this weekend in Philadelphia, we took a look at the business of the fastest growing sport in the U.S.

Unlike just about any team sport, lacrosse espouses a culture of individual style and brand focus, even with kids as young as first grade. Combine that with the earning power of the sport’s families – 43% with household incomes above $100K – and it’s easy to understand why larger brands are banking on the sport’s continued growth.

Brands like Maverik, Warrior, STX, Brine, Cascade and FlowSociety are sitting in pretty good positions when it comes to apparel and equipment. But lax also is fast becoming a platform for companies outside the sport who want to engage audiences from pre-teen through young adults.