Premier Sports Network’s Post

Very interesting article about the investment trends in professional sports and the increasing role of private equity firms in sport that is now seen as an asset class. Key Takeaways: 🏀 Skyrocketing Values: Global investment in professional sports jumped from <$10B in 2008 to >$30B last year! Key Drivers: 💻 Tech Boom: From paperless tickets to AI strategies, tech is revolutionizing sports. 🎰 Gambling Gold Rush: Legal sports betting is a game-changer. 📺 Media Must-Have: Decline of cable has made sports essential for media giants. 🌐 Global Expansion: Growing markets & booming women's sports open new doors. 💰As a result we have seen an impressive franchise value growth since 2004: NBA: +1,176% to $3.8B NFL: +523% to $5.1B MLB: +631% to $2.4B NHL: +714% to $1.3B https://lnkd.in/dt8hM82V #SportsInvestment #PrivateEquity #TechInSports #FranchiseValues #SportsBusiness #InvestmentTrends 

A longish but insightful read from Front Office Sports on private equity investment in sports and the dramatic escalation of team values (500-1000%) since 2004. And this while most U.S. leagues preclude or extremely limit foreign investment! This has fueled new ventures in golf (LIV, TGL), the rapid expansion of women’s soccer (NWSL) and the creation of new leagues (Unrivaled). Still, some in private equity see sport as a niche investment compared to tech, medicine or real estate. Hard to imagine people getting as passionate about an app, hospital or office building as they do about sports but what do I know? :-)

Technology is changing how leagues/teams operate and how fans consume sports. And the money is following great ideas. In 2023, the sports tech sector saw $37B in deals and $7B in new money raised for investment funds. 2024 will probably be another strong year of funding as well. But raising capital as a founder isn't for the faint of heart. It takes: - Persistence - Persuasion - Product - Patience - Passion (Plus a great pitch deck) Check out these 17 sports startups and the pitch decks they used to raise millions from investors. #sportstech #sportsbusiness #investing

Youth sports companies are about to explode. This announcement from Greg Olsen and Youth Inc. is an early example of what will happen. Why? In order of events, here's how I think it plays out: 1) 💸 Huge money - like big, PE money from the likes of multi-sports-team-owner Josh Harris - is flooding into youth sports because it's a highly-fragmented, very un-corporate space ripe for consolidation. 2) 🏟️ That money will quickly aggregate a diffuse market of local and regional organizations into a few large, national organizations. 3) 🧒 Parents and players will seek out "the best" for their kids as the free-for-all of NIL money and opportunities trickles down into high school or (gross) middle school. 4) 🌎 These large, centralized organizations will serve as the platform for huge product and service businesses to market to the millions of players and parents at scale. Standardization of products and best practices will come too. Much like Apple provided the platform of the App Store for huge businesses - like Uber, Airbnb, DoorDash, and countless others - centralized sports leagues and organizations will allow companies that previously would have had to go town-to-town selling their wares to strike one or two key partnerships to reach national scale. 🧠 Think photo, highlight, uniform, equipment, training, field care (fences, backstops, goals, scoreboards, diamond dry, DUGOUT BUTT PADS, whatever), and others being able to reach instant scale by selling to a youth basketball organization that has 4.2 million participants. Charitably, this will provide great opportunities for kids to have a pro-level experiences. Less charitably, this will remove some of the charm from local rec league dads trying to figure out how to get 12 8-year-olds to PAY ATTENTION FOR 30 DAMN SECONDS WHILE WE TRY TO SHOW YOU HOW TO FIELD A GROUND BALL WITHOUT GETTING CLOCKED FROM A BAD HOP. Oh, and also, tons of advertising opportunities. #youthsports

Exciting growth in sports is drawing private equity firms into emerging markets with expanding fan bases and commercial potential! 🏈🏟️ Investments span leagues, academies, and grassroots programs, nurturing talent and broadening sports' reach to a wider audience. As Front Office Sports reports, technology, betting, and increased funding are driving this boom, with global sports investments surpassing $30 billion annually. #Sports #PrivateEquity

#CA-based ALT Sports Data secures $2.5million in seed #funding. This round was co-led by Eberg Capital and Relay Ventures, with additional participation from Trinity West Ventures, NuFund Venture Group and several notable sports and technology industry veterans. ALT Sports Data is at the forefront of #utilizing proprietary data to activate a growing wave of new sports #enthusiasts. Their mission revolves around building the most extensive database and league portfolio in #alternative sports, offering a gateway for sports book #operators to tap into an audience of over 83 million potential bettors in the United States alone, with a global reach exceeding 1 billion. This funding round comes as ALT Sports Data has secured 17 official league rights deals and 35 commercial #agreements. With early revenue being generated across three fronts: data, demand generation, and league services; and the #infrastructure built and now proven, in 2024, these funds will be utilized to efficiently scale the #business. ALT Sports Data is the leading source of official and #unofficial alternative sports trading data unlocking millions of #participatory fans and potential bettors for #sportsbook operators, media platforms and event producers. ALT Sports Data, Inc. Eberg Capital Relay Ventures Trinity West Ventures, LLC NuFund Venture Group Simon Sokol Joe Dunnigan To share your startup story write us on - [email protected] #altsportsdata #funding #startup

Exciting news! Robinhood secures a partnership agreement with the prestigious KLUTCH Sports, headed by the formidable Rich Paul. Robinhood, a leading US neobroker, has recently inked a significant partnership with KLUTCH Sports Group. This collaboration designates KLUTCH Sports and its Property Sales division as Robinhood's agency of record, focusing on partnerships within sports and entertainment sectors. Additionally, KLUTCH Sports' Founder and CEO, Rich Paul, has been appointed as a tactical brand advisor for Robinhood. Paul's role involves guiding Robinhood's marketing endeavors in sports, entertainment, and media while working collaboratively with Vlad Tenev, Robinhood's CEO and Co-Founder, to unearth fresh, innovative partnership prospects at the nexus of sports and business entrepreneurship. Robinhood's new venture with the KLUTCH Sports team aims at unlocking various opportunities with personalities from sports, entertainment and business entrepreneurship, further enhancing Robinhood's reach beyond conventional finance and technology spheres. #Partnership #Innovation #SportsAndBusiness

Fascinating read about how sports is the billionaire's new playground as teams become the latest PE trophy… because when you think of stable, risk-averse investments, you definitely think of organizations that pay millions to petulant 20-somethings who throw, kick, or hit balls. 🏀🏈⚽️   𝐓̲𝐡̲𝐞̲ ̲𝐠̲𝐚̲𝐦̲𝐞̲ ̲𝐩̲𝐥̲𝐚̲𝐧̲: Buy a #sports team, preferably one with a rabid fanbase that'll pay for overpriced beer 🍺 and jerseys 👕 even when the team is losing.   Phrases like “leveraging fan loyalty for strategic synergies” often mean squeezing every penny while being confident that fans will still show up because it’s their team.   “𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥.”   It's the ultimate uncorrelated asset: the economy might tank, but loyalty to a losing team? That's forever.   📈 The valuations have gone through the stadium room. The article hints at a bubble forming, with PE firms passing these teams around like a hot potato, hoping to sell to another firm at a higher valuation. A practice PE folks call "selling to a greater fool."   𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲: I think PE is the MVP that many struggling teams desperately need.   While much focus is given to iconic global brands being taken over, I think the exciting PE opportunity is with the underdogs. PE knights in shining Armani are swooping in to rescue teams teetering on the edge. PE can bring money for new players, better facilities, and, most importantly, a fighting chance to win. 🏆   Cynics argue that it's merely finance bros finding their way back to the field, but this time, to buy the team. I say, who cares if they raise the playing field, elevate the game, and produce a better product for #fans, players, and the community?   Is it a win-win? The odds are good.   Plus, I get to write a LinkedIn post crammed with lots of sports puns. #SportsInvestment #FanExperience https://lnkd.in/d-T_XnPX

May 16th, NYC🥇Exciting News from Columbia Venture Community! The sports world is buzzing with one of the hottest topics: NIL (Name, Image, Likeness). This $1B+ market is transforming, and we're thrilled to host the CEO of OpenDorse, the leading NIL platform and one of TIME's most influential companies, Blake Lawrence "NIL and the open transfer portal have reshaped college sports. I'm eager to reveal what's happening behind the scenes." Don't miss Blake and our stellar panelists Marques Ogden, Greg Kronenfeld, Jay Dixon, and Chloé Katz, MBA as they dive into:  ✅Game-changing investing strategies in the sports industry  ✅Identifying winning business ideas in sports  ✅Investing in athlete-led ventures  ✅How sports lessons translate into building and managing successful businesses  ✅The post-retirement identity struggle for athletes  ✅Real stories of elite training and life on the field Gain the competitive edge from the best in the game – this is an opportunity you don't want to miss! 💪 https://lnkd.in/gz75UrzS  #ColumbiaUniversity #CBS #NFL #IOC #Venture #Investors #ColumbiaVentureCommumity #Entrepreneurship #sports #NIL #privateequity #networking #community #events #technology

Private equity investment in sports is booming driven by high valuations and lucrative media rights deals. Since Major League Baseball (MLB) allowed outside investments in 2019, $59 billion has flowed into sports. Seeking to broaden the buyer base for their increasingly valuable assets, teams eventually opened the gates to private capital, and now at least a dozen teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) have private equity among ownership. Besides Arctos and Blue Owl Capital, some of the major private equity firms in the space include Bruin Capital, RedBird Capital Partners and Clearlake Capital Group. Despite high valuations, the sector remains attractive for its resilience and diversification potential. Perspective by Christopher C. Williams from Financial Advisor Magazine.