The Profluence Pod 🌐
Episodes
2023 Sports Business Year in Review with Kirby Porter, Founder of New Game Labs
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Reflecting on the trends and developments in sports business for the year 2023, the host speaks with Kirby Porter, the founder of New Game Labs. Por...
#99: Ben Sherwood - CEO, Founder MOJO Sports | Acquisition by TeamSnap & Youth Sports Fragmentation
17 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this exclusive interview, we break down TeamSnap’s acquisition of MOJO Sports with their respective CEOs. We cover the state of youth sports acro...
#98: Mike Sutcliff - CEO, Co-Founder Mobeus | From Corporate to Sports Startups
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After 30 years at Accenture, Mike Sutcliff has jumped into the sports entrepreneurship world co-founding 3 different companies. We touch on advice f...
#97: Kyle Pfaffenbach - Special Advisor LumosTech & Brooks Running | Optimizing Your Sleep & Limiting Jet Lag
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kyle Pfaffenbach is a high-end performance nutritionist, helping mostly athletes but also founders optimize their performance. Plaffenbach has a B.S...
#96: Griffin Taylor & Jared Effron, Co-Founders The Program NYC | Re-creating NYC as the Mecca of Basketball
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Program is a business focused on restoring New York City basketball at the youth and grassroots level. This includes a focus on media, merchandi...
#95: Andy Mitchell - CEO, Lega Serie A USA | Taking Media Background to Sports Through U.S. Soccer Growth
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With soccer growth ahead, Lega Serie A (Italy) launched a US division with Andy Mitchell leading the charge. The Serie A Championship is the premier...
#94: Allen Broome - CEO MediaKind | RSNs, Streaming, D2C, and Where Sports Are Headed
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
MediaKind is an end-to-end video delivery solution that serves some of the largest media properties in the world. After serving as the CTO for a few...
#93: Sandeep Rajan - Founder & CEO Grandstand | Building a Sports Creator Econony App
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Grandstand raised $2.75M to build out its creator economy/fan engagement platform. Sandeep Rajan previously spent time as a product leader at both D...
#92: Ludwig Sandgren - CEO & Founder GODSENT | Building and Owning a Professional Esports Team
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
GODSENT is a world-famous, Swedish esports organization with its legacy in the game Counter-Strike. To create the team, Ludwig Sandgren left his job...
#91: Chris Bevilacqua - CEO, Co-Founder Simplebet | Microbetting and Sports Media
19 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
All-American wrestler to founding what would become CBS Sports Network and now running a micro betting company in Simplebet. Simplebet is a B2B produc...
Building a Digital Family Office For Athletes w/ Michael Haddix Jr, CEO & Co-Founder of Scout
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Paul, Zion Williamson, Jimmer Fredette, and a few other pro players are invested in Scout. Clients include Iowa, Texas A&M, G-League, Florid...
Computer Vision (And Its Impact on Sports) w/ Sportradar’s SVP of Automated Content Luka Pataky
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Leading a team of 70+ artificial intelligence and computer vision experts, Luka Pataky has deep insights into where the space is headed. Sportradar ...
#88: Manuel Lopo de Carvalho - CEO, DMG Ventures | Using Daily Mail’s Media Reach to Invest in Companies
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
DMG Ventures recently made two sports investments: F1 Arcade and a new Padel tournament called The Hexagon Cup. DMG Ventures is the investment arm o...
Padel: Fastest-Growing Sport (w/ CEO of San Diego Stingrays & Taktika Padel Ryan Redondo)
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The sport of padel has exploded across Europe! Today we break down the business behind it and its expansion west. Ryan Redondo is a former All-Ameri...
#86: David Palmer - SailGP Team Owner & Founder FANVEST IO | Future of Ownership in Sports
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Fan-Owned SailGP Team by FANVEST IO provides a unique opportunity to become a team owner for as little as $5,000. David Palmer is helping coordi...
#85: Ben Keighran - CEO, Caffeine TV | Building Next-Generation of Live TV in Sports
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Prior to founding Caffeine, Ben Keighran sold Chomp Inc to Apple where he led the design of Apple TV for several years. Caffeine TV has had several ...
Pickleball: Exploring the Growth (with CMO of the APP Tom Webb)
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Webb is the Chief Marketing Officer of the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP). APP is an organization elevating the sport of pickleba...
#83: Rich Routman - CEO, The Sporting News | Raising $15M to Modernize a Sports Media Brand Founded in 1886
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Sporting News (TSN) was founded in 1886 as a weekly newspaper. They recently raised $15M to expand into commerce beyond just digital ads. LTV >...
#82: Jeron Smith - Co-Founder HEIR | Closing the Engagement Gap Between Athletes & Fans w/ Technology
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
HEIR raised $10.6M from Thrive Capital for their consumer-facing community platform for athletes to connect with fans — as well as other lines of bu...
#81: Meredith McPherron - CEO, Managing Partner Drive by DraftKings | Merging Sports, Entrepreneurship, and Venture Capital
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Drive by DraftKings is a multi-stage venture capital firm investing in SportsTech and Entertainment. Drive also has an all-star network consisting of ...
Tennis: A Broken Model (Exploring the Problems & Potential Solutions w/ John Butler)
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The fragmentation of tennis has come to a crossroads as Saudi Arabia is disrupting other individual sports and players are itching for stable pay. 3...
#79: Jon Anastas - CEO ClashTV | Merging Culture, Content, & Commerce in Sports
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Previously the CMO at LiveONE and ONE Championship, Jon Anastas jumped into the CEO seat at sports live-streaming startup ClashTV in 2023. Jon is ...
#78: Gary Goldberg - Founder SquadLocker | Scaling Sports Apparel Business & Next Frontiers of E-Commerce
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Third-generation textile entrepreneur Gary Goldberg is the founder of SquadLocker, which raised a $20M Series C in 2020. SquadLocker is a custom app...
#77: Icon Source Founder Chase Garrett: Building an NIL Solution For Athletes & Brands Pre-NIL at Icon Source
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Prior to jumping into the founder seat, Chase Garrett was a professional motocross rider, marketing manager at Red Bull, and personal agent to athlete...
Ramsey Baker: State of Olympic Sports and National Governing Bodies (NGBs)
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Former Executive Director of U.S. Figure Skating Ramsey Baker dives deep into Olympic Sports, National Governing Bodies, the IOC, and the upcoming 202...
#75: Frank Michael Smith - Sports Content Creator & Entrepreneur | Billions of Views and Multiple Business Endeavors
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Frank Michael Smith tells his story of how he has built an audience of more than 3 million followers/subscribers and billions of views around sports a...
#74: Mike Salvaris - Co-Founder Pro League Network | Building a Portfolio of Alternative Sports Properties
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Pro League Network's brands include SlapFIGHT Championship, World Putting League, CarJitsu, and the Pro Carrom Tour. They have an owned audience o...
#73: Ruari Bell - Founding Partner The Player’s Fund | Building An “Athlete-Fueled” Venture Fund
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Player’s Fund is the UK's first-ever “athlete-fueled” venture fund that aim to invest £40M with vehicle composed of athlete collectives...
#72: James Kimball - Founder Novo Sports Group | From WWE to NIL Agency
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
James Kimball was at the forefront of the WWE’s groundbreaking college athlete NIL program and is now building his own agency. Novo Sports Group i...
#71: Jordan Rogers - Founder Perseus Creative | From Inmate to Sports Executive
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jordan Rogers revamped his life after a stint in jail up the ranks at Nike and now with his own company Perseus Creative. Perseus Creative teaches a...
#70: Jim Cavale - Chairman Athletes.Org | Building An Association For College Athletes
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A multiple-time exited founder Jim Cavale is very involved in the NIL and college sports industry and sees the next opportunity with what he’s build...
#69: Tom Waterhouse - Founder Waterhouse VC | Building a Sports Wagering Empire
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2013, Tom Waterhouse (.com) was sold to William Hill Australia for a 20x plus exit. WaterhouseVC invests in listed and unlisted businesses related ...
#68: Kevin Jones - CEO, Founder Blue Wire | Scaling a Sports Podcast Network
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After getting fired from his sports radio job, Kevin Jones put his last $17,000 of savings to build Blue Wire. Kevin Jones has over 12 years of expe...
#67: Kyle Martino - Sports Entrepreneur, Former MLS Player | Building Pyramid of Soccer Companies
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kyle Martino spent 6 years in the MLS and is currently building a handful of soccer companies after many years as a TV analyst and a run for President...
#66: Soma Somasegar - Owner Seattle Orcas & Seattle Sounders | Growth of International Sports in the US
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As sports continue to grow as an asset class, venture capitalist & tech executive Soma Somesegar has entered the space through ownership. Soma i...
#65: Andrew Steinwold - Managing Partner Sfermion | When Sports Meets the Metaverse
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Steinwold first bought Bitcoin in 2013 and now runs a $100M venture fund focused around the metaverse. Sfermion is a multi-strategy investmen...
#64: Luke Verbeek - CEO, Founder Homefans | AirBnB For Sports Experiences
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Homefans is experiencing massive MoM growth for their marketplace where fans can connect, plan, and book sports trips and experiences hosted by locals...
#63: Didier Occident - Founder Secure The Bag Financial Literacy | Building Blocks of Wealth & Flaws In Financial Education
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Didier Occident speaks to some of the most significant football programs in the world about financial literacy, wealth building, and maximizing earnin...
#62: Ferran Prieto - CEO Gasol16 Ventures, Co-Founder Everest Talent Management | Building Athlete Business Empires
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ferran is the CEO and Managing Director of Gasol16 Ventures, Pau Gasol's business and strategic investing vehicle. Prieto also co-founded Everes...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (July 23-Aug 5)
06 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(01:20): Business of Athletes - KD invests in cycling, Zion Williamson is in trouble, and more (06:00): NIL/College Sports - Pac12 is dying, Arch Man...
#61: Tim Malik - CEO, Co-Founder Combat IQ | World’s First Computer Vision Data Analytics Company (dedicated to combat sports)
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Combat IQ is the world's first AI-powered data analytics company dedicated to combat sports using machine learning and computer vision. Prior to...
#60: Joey Levy - CEO, Co-Founder Betr | World’s First Microbetting App & Sports Media Brand | Just Raised $35M Series A2 ($300M valuation)
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Betr recently completed a $35M Series A2 ($300M valuation) led by tech entrepreneur Joey Levy and influencer Jake Paul. Betr is labeled as the world...
#59: Brandon Harris - CEO, Founder Playmaker HQ | From Idea to $54M Acquisition by Better Collective
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In July 2023, Better Collective acquired Playmaker HQ for up to $54M with $15M upfront. Playmaker is a sports media platform, content machine, and e...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (July 16-22)
23 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(00:10) Business of Athletes (03:25) College Sports/NIL (07:15) Sports Business
#58: Brian Woods - CEO, Founder Prep Super League (PSL) | Creating sports properties | NIL for high school sports | Downstream flow to youth sports | National high school football league
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Woods is building another sports property, after previously selling The Spring League to Fox and creating the USFL. Prep Super League is an el...
#57: Antonio Cacorino - CEO, Co-Founder APEX Capital | Athlete Investing | Sports, Media, & Entertainment | Europe vs. US Landscape | Value-Add of Athlete Investors
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Led by Antonio Cacorino, APEX Capital, is bringing the athlete investment movement into Europe. APEX focuses on investments in the sports, media, an...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (July 1-15)
16 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(01:30) - Business of Athletes: Dwyane Wade, London Basketball Team, and athletes following passion investments (10:40) - NIL: Senators making a state...
#56: Dan Rutstein - President Orange County SC (USL) | Soccer’s Extensive Growth | Running a Soccer Club | 2026 World Cup | Relegation Discussion | Dan’s Fascinating Career Path
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Soccer is growing at a rapid pace in the United States, and the USL is in a prime position prior to the 2026 World Cup on North American soil. Orange ...
#55: Bruce Buffer & Matt Whitteker - Co-Founders MILLIONS.co | Brand-Building 101 | ChatGPT Inclusions | Growth of UFC & Sport-Entertainment | AI Concerns + Opportunities
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bruce Buffer is the legendary UFC announcer and Matt Whitteker is an exited unicorn founder at SaaS company Assent. They came together to co-found t...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (June 19-30)
02 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(02:00) Business of Athletes - Chris Paul, Aaron Rodgers, and Victor Wemby make moves (06:10) NIL/College Sports - NCAA releases weird report and a p...
#54: Courtney Jeffries - CEO, VRTL | Virtual Menus for Teams | Understanding Sports Fan Engagement | Business of Live Entertainment | Overview of Sports x AI, Web3, AR/VR
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Before jumping into the founder seat, Courtney Jeffries worked for the Oakland Raiders, MSG, and was the Chief Operating Officer of Satisfi Labs. VR...
#53: Fabien Paget - CEO, Co-Founder 17 Sport | World’s 1st Sports Impact Company | Intersection of Sports, Business, and Purpose | Creating Social Return on Investments
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
17 Sport is the world's first sports impact company, working at the intersection of sport, business, and purpose. As a Certified B-Corp, 17 Spor...
#52: Agustin Rozadas - COO, Co-Founder OLIVER | Wearables to Moveables | FC Barcelona Partnership | Merging of Sports Tech, Data Analytics, & Artificial Intelligence |
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
OLIVER has raised over $1M and recently entered into a partnership agreement with FC Barcelona that also included an investment from the soccer conglo...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (June 12-18)
18 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(01:05) Business of Athletes (05:50) College Sports/NIL (08:40) Sports Business Thanks for listening today! I hope these weekly roundups keep you up...
#51: Keith Blakely - CEO, Chairman OnCore Golf | Product innovation in sports | Mixing AI, analytics, and hardware | Building a golf entertainment center | Technologies coming to sports
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
OnCore Golf is innovating unique products including their Genius golf ball that has a GPS tracking device inside its hollow-core construction. The tra...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (June 1-11)
11 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(00:30) Business of Athletes - tons of athlete investments to catch up on (05:30) NIL/College Sports - interesting news coming out of the NCAA (10:15)...
#50: Ian Goldberg - CEO, Founder iSport360 | Youth Sports Landscape | NIL Moving Downstream | Private Equity & Commercialization of Youth Athletics | Monetization of Club & AAU Teams
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Launched in 2017, iSport360 has raised ~$2M in capital to help youth sports coaches, players, and parents set goals, foster healthy team communication...
#49: Thad Young - NBA Player, Founder Reform Ventures
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thaddeus Young was drafted 12th in the 2007 NBA Draft out of Georgia Tech and has made $140 million playing for the 76ers, Timberwolves, Nets, Pacers,...
#48: Hugo Inglis - Olympic Athlete, Partner HIA | Connecting athletes with Charities | Competing in the Olympics | Good vs. average vs. bad charities | Rise of athlete communities
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hugo Inglis has participated in 3 Olympic games for New Zealand and is also building an exciting model around athletes + philanthropy. High Impact A...
#47: Anand Rajaraman - Owner SF Unicorns, GP Rocketship.vc | Global cricket landscape | Owning a pro sports team | 2x exited founder and VC | Where sports tech is headed |
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Anand is a two-time exited founder, Junglee (acq. by Amazon) and Kosmix (acq. by Walmart) that is now a founding partner of rocketship.vc and owner a ...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (May 22-28)
28 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(01:30) - Business of Athletes • Tom Brady, Steph Curry, and Dirk Nowitzki with big moves (03:40) - College Sports/NIL • Opendorse stays active an...
#46: Michael Raymond - Founder Raymond Representation | NIL Agency Space | Building a Talent Management Business | Athlete Entrepreneurs | Boutique vs Big Agencies (pros & cons) | Favorite NIL Deals
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Raymond is an up-and-coming talent agent currently representing professional basketball players, influencers, student-athletes for NIL, and E-...
#45: Cole & Cody Hock - Founders of Up North Management | Creator-Led Businesses | Sports content creators | Building a talent agency & the future of it | How startups & brands can leverage creators
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cole and Cody Hock are Forbes 30 under 30 co-founders with a background in the music and law industries which fueled their journey to creating Up Nort...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (May 15-21)
21 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Every Sunday I go into detail of the most important stories you need to hear more about... (01:00) - Business of Athletes (03:50) - College Sports/NI...
#44: Evan Kirkham - CEO, Co-Founder Outlier | Sports betting super app | Law background benefits as a founder | 5-year PAPSA anniversary | Sports betting & tech trends | Pivoting a company
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Outlier raised over $3M to pivot their original idea and build the first-of-its-kind sports betting platform where sports fans can browse, analyze, an...
#43: Loron Orris - Founding Partner Asia Sports Tech | Innovation waves in Asian sports | Building NBA Asia & IMAX Japan | Sports as an asset class | Overview of Asian sports ecosystem
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Asia Sports Tech is one of the leading business consulting and financial advisory firms in all of Asia. Loron Orris has 30+ years of experience in s...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (May 1-14)
14 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(01:20) - Business of Athletes (JJ Watt, Aaron Rodgers, and more) (06:15) - College Sports/NIL (betting scandals, new legislation, $300k to transfer, ...
#42: Don White - CEO, Co-Founder Satisfi Labs | AI sports chatbot | Integrating large language models | Psychology of fans and ticketing | Concerns with ChatGPT | Commerce combos in sports
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Satisfi Labs raised a Series A last year to continue building their AI chatbot, which is conversational and understands tens of thousands of intents. ...
#41: Tinus Le Roux - CEO, Co-Founder CrowdIQ | Psychology of Fandom | AI & Large Language Models in Sports | From Cool Tech Product to Monetizable Asset | Privacy & Data Ethics | Understanding Crowds
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CrowdIQ has signed deals with over 25% of the NFL for its state-of-the-art computer vision to provide actionable insights on the composition and behav...
#40: David Ortiz - CEO, Co-Founder SimWin Sports | Rise of digital sports | Bridging the AI & web3 education gap | Building in the sports metaverse | Expanding internationally and in new sports
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the entrepreneur seat since 19 years old, David Ortiz is now building at the intersection of web3, AI, esports, and content with SimWin Sports. T...
#39: Mark Neifeld - CEO, Commissioner Sport Fishing Championship | PGA Tour for fishing | Creating a Sports League from scratch & monetizing it | Sports media rights landscape | The streaming wars
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2021 Mark Neifeld founded the Sport Fishing Championship - the most extensive saltwater fishing championship series in North America - where he ser...
#38: Adam Fiske - CEO, Co-Founder Cipher Sports | Betting Landscape | Australian vs US market differences | Running a global company | Media-led ventures | Future of sports gambling
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last year, Cipher Sports raised a $5M Series A led at CEO by longtime sports media professional Adam Fiske. Cipher Sports arms users with the ultima...
#37: Malaika Underwood - Interim CEO OneTeam Partners | Group licensing in college sports | Growing women’s sports | Unionizing college athletes | Innovation in sports & player’s associations
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
OneTeam Partners aligns with world-class player's associations and helps athletes maximize their name, image, and likeness rights by focusing on f...
#36: Jason Shatsky - CEO, Co-Founder TicketRev | First-ever reverse ticketing marketplace | Problems in the ticketing industry | The art of pitching | $1.1M seed round post accelerator
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
TicketRev just raised $1.1M as the first-ever reverse ticketing marketplace - modeled after shoe marketplaces like StockX and GOAT. Jason Shatsky co-f...
#35: Michael Schreck - CEO, Co-Founder CSMG | Conference realignment | College sports rights landscape | Esports growing at universities | Group licensing, NIL, collectives, and sponsorship insights
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
CSMG helps their collegiate partners understand & maximize marketplace value for media rights and sponsorships and provides managed solutions for ...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (April 10-16)
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(01:00) Business of Athletes - more investors in TMRW sports, Steph Curry on the big screen, and several players buying soccer teams (04:15) NIL/Coll...
#34: Jonathan Ludwig - CEO, Co-Founder Fantium | Investing in athletes’ careers | Opportunities in web3 x sports | Angel invesing in Sorare | Future of tokenization
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan is a repeat entrepreneur having founded and sold his first company INCENT Corporate Services. He then spent the last few years as a web3 an...
#33: Jake Hirabayashi - CEO, Co-Founder The Futures App | From pro athlete to entrepreneur | Building a sports tech app | Starting in one niche | B2B vs B2C | Digital trends to watch in athletics
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Started by all former college & pro baseball players, The Futures App raised $2.65M to launch into the sports tech ecosystem. The Futures App prov...
#32: Steve Scebelo - President NFL Players Inc | Verticals NFLPA is focusing on | Group licensing | NIL & pro sports | Massive growth in NFL licensing revenue
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The NFL Players Inc is the 25th largest licensor in the world. Steve Scebelo took over in 2020 and has taken the company to record revenue numbers. ...
#31: Ahmad Nassar - Exec. Director PTPA | Rise of team and women’s sports | Building OneTeam Partners to $1.9B | NIL’s impact on pro sports | Addressing mental health | Athletes understanding leverage
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Before his current endeavor, Ahmad was the president of the NFL Players Inc. and the founding CEO of OneTeam Partners which was valued at $1.9 billion...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (March 27-April 2)
02 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(00:35) Business of Athletes Mike Trout and Tiger Woods team up for a golf course, a women's basketball coach makes an investment, and Steph Curry...
#30: Casey Schwab - CEO Altius Sports Partners | Placing general managers at Universities | NILs impact on pro sports | Evolution of NIL collectives | Full vision for college sports + needed tools
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Prior to founding Altius Sports Partners, Casey Schwab was the VP of business & legal affairs at the NFLPA, where he helped lead the NIL program f...
#29: Eddie Lewis - Founder TOCA Football | Impact of the 2026 World Cup | Soccer’s insane growth globally | Building a TopGolf for Soccer vertical | Journey from pro athlete to entrepreneur
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Founded in 2016, TOCA Football has raised over $50M in venture capital and built an impressive conglomerate in the soccer/football space. Prior to f...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (March 20-26)
26 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(01:10) Business of Athletes NFL QBs invest in women's sports and TMRW sports get more money from big-time athletes. (3:45) NIL/College Sports S...
#28: Jason Bergman - CEO, Co-Founder Marketpryce | First-of-the-first NIL brand deals | Transitioning business model | Team vs individual partnerships | How great companies are built | NILs Impact
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Prior to raising over $3M to build out Marketpryce, CEO Jason Bergman was a sports agent and also worked in the athlete marketing sector. Marketpryc...
#27: Ben Reynolds - CEO, Co-Founder Spalk | Creating a global sports commentary company | Benefit of athlete investors | Expanding a brand worldwide | Trends to watch in sports media | AI and sports
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2021, Ben Reynolds and Spalk raised a $3M Series A round which included several notable athlete investors and was headed by Greg Norman’s venture...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (March 13-19)
19 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(02:00) Name, Image, and Likeness - Cavinder Twins talk about NIL, walk-ons sign a huge deal, and more around the first college venture firm (06:55) ...
#26: Blake Lawrence - CEO, Co-Founder Opendorse | All things NIL | Collectives & NCAA policies | Increase in brands endorsing athletes | How data transforms industries | Future of college sports
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Opendorse is one of the largest companies in the NIL space and it all began with former Nebraska linebacker Blake Lawrence attempting to help just 1 a...
#25: Paris Wallace - CEO, Co-Founder NCL (National Cycling League) | Sports leagues of the future | Athletes as owners | Aligning values in companies | Why now is the time to build in sports
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With sports leagues changing and athletes embracing ownership, Paris Wallace saw the perfect opportunity to create the National Cycling League (NCL). ...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (March 6-12)
12 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Audio Timeline: (0:45) - Business of Athletes * Lionel Messi's new investment, Lebron James inks a lifetime equity deal, Lamar Jackson's contract saga...
#24: Dugald Macdonald - CEO, Co-Founder Sportable | Creating moneyball for rugby | Mixing data, technology, and sports | Scaling a sports startup globally | Athlete performance analytics
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A former rugby player himself, Dugald Macdonald wanted to connect the worlds of sport and data. He co-founded Sportable in 2015 alongside NASA enginee...
#23: Peter Frintzilas - CEO TeamSnap | Commercialization of youth sports | Private equity vs. venture capital | NILs downstream impacts | B2B vs B2C in sports | Where sports tech is headed
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
TeamSnap is one of the largest sports technology companies in North America and Peter Frintzilas is leading the charge after Waud Capital purchased Te...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (Feb 20-Mar 5)
05 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(02:00) Business of Athletes: - Giannis Antetokounmpo now owns two pros teams, Naomi Osaka invests in Ramen noodles and more athlete investment ...
#22: Patrik Olsson - CEO, Co-Founder Spiideo | Sports Camera Race | Scaling a Niche B2B Product | Sports Tech Trends to Watch | Hardware vs Software | Where AI is headed
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
AI video cameras/software is exploding across the globe and Patrik Olsson is at the forefront of it at Spiideo. Patrik was previously a Vice President...
#21: Vinit Bharara - CEO, Co-Founder Mojo | Building the first ever sports stock market | Raising $100M as a startup | How to find co-founders | Why now is the time to build in sports
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Vinit Bharara is a successful entrepreneur having founded and sold multiple companies: The Pit (acquired by Topps) Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon)...
#20: Adam Faris - Sports Creator, Co-Founder Dapper Life | Turning TikTok videos into a business | Life of a sports creator | Building to over 2.5 million followers
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sitting on an audience of over 2.5M followers after graduating from Oregon, Adam Faris is thinking bigger than just content. He is a co-founder of Dap...
#19: Sean Clifford - Founder Limitless NIL, Penn State QB | Creating, scaling, and exiting his agency while playing college football | Life of an athlete entrepreneur | Where NIL is headed
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When NIL went live in July 2021, Sean Clifford didn’t just sign endorsement deals – he created an agency, Limitless NIL, to help other players max...
#18: Tracy Deforge - CEO, Founder The Player’s Impact | Athletes as investors | 30-year career in sports | Females as athletes vs influencers | Creating communities | NILs impact on youth sports
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tracy Deforge is building The Player’s Impact, along with being on the board of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and USA Handball. A deco...
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (February 6-19)
19 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
(01:05) - Feel good stories Figure skating star Yuna Kim has donated $100,000 to aid earthquake recovery efforts in Turkey and Syria. Michael Jorda...
#17: Ben DiNucci - Pro QB, Founder of True Brvnd | Journey to the NFL | Inside look at pro athlete finances | Story behind True Brvnd & his other entrepreneurial ventures |
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ben DiNucci is a professional football player, playing 2.5 years for the Dallas Cowboys and now for the Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL. DiNucci is als...