Audio Timeline:
(6:55) - Business of Athletes
Aaron Rodger’s venture firm, Rx3 Growth, saw an annualized return of over 100% after dog food company Nom Nom was acquired by Mars Pet Care.
Sports trickshot YouTubers, Dude Perfect, are investing in Major League Pickleball’s Frisco franchise.
150 female soccer players from every continent sent a signed letter to FIFA in search of equal pay.
Edwin Diaz (New York Mets) signed the largest deal for a relief pitcher in MLB history but will miss the entire season after getting hurt at the World Baseball Classic.
(2:00) - Name, Image, and Likeness
Indiana University Athletics and IU Ventures have launched a new initiative to help develop a sports technology sector
The Cavinder Twins have made 7-figures in NIL deals but recently came out and talked about how hard “influencing” is.
(10:30) - Sports Business
AI video camera company, Pixellot, has signed a strategic partnership with China’s Internet giant, Baidu.
leAD Lake Nona and the NBAs Orlando Magic announced a multi-year partnership to create a sports tech venture arm.
25 British companies visited Saudi Arabia to explore key investment opportunities in the Kingdom’s sports sector.
The Atlanta Hawks launched a $50M venture capital fund for women and minority startups.
Interesting Stat
With March Madness underway…
Here is where most of the players in the US come from:
To no surprise — big cities like Chicago, NYC, LA, and Houston dominate.
And since it’s probably been a while since you’ve taken a geography class, these are the states with practically no D1 men’s hoopers: 🌎
Wyoming, New Mexico, both Dakotas, West Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Going deeper…
While very few players born in New England make it to Division 1 — most of the top prep schools reside there and produce a lot of highest-ranked players YoY.
Short Passage of The Week
Grow Anyway…
The people who have not yet found their own voices will think yours is too loud. Speak anyway.
The people who have not reconciled their own desire for change will see your choices only through the lens of fear. Change anyway.
The people who have not yet come to see their envy as a signal to the spaces in which they are destined to excel will see your growth as a threat. Grow anyway.
Source: Brianna Wiest, The Pivot Year
Recommended Media
If you’ve ever wondered why schools jump conferences after a March Madness cinderella run…
This is a large reason why:
Interesting Stat Part #2
More international players are competing in the NCAA D1 every year…
What surprises me?
How few players are from Latin and South America.
That despite China and India having over 2.8 billion people combined, they produce only a few D1 college hoopers.
Business Jargon
The marketing funnel has notable differences between B2C vs B2B companies:
It’s important if you’re a founder, investor, or even employee to understand how a company’s marketing leads to sales.
Quote
“A moment of clarity without any action is just a thought that passes in the wind. But a moment of clarity followed by an action is a pivotal moment in our life.” ― Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
Thanks for tuning in today!
Peace,
-AP
Weekly Roundup: Business of Athletes, Sports, & NIL (March 13-19)