Risk of Ruin Expected Goals
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Jan 21, 2026 Preston Johnson, an entrepreneur and sports bettor, shares his journey from poker to co-leading WAGMI United's groundbreaking NFT purchase of Crawley Town. He discusses the innovative but challenging crossover of crypto in sports, the complexities of fan relations, and the emotional highs of promotion drama. Preston reflects on lessons learned from financial strains and manager dynamics, revealing insights about data-driven signings and the pressures of ownership. Join him for a deep dive into the risks and rewards of blending sports with modern finance.
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How The Club Idea Started
- Preston Johnson got the idea to buy an English football club after a chance dinner conversation and immediate enthusiasm for a real-life "Ted Lasso" experiment.
- He and a group of crypto and sports people raised money quickly to merge NFTs with club ownership to fund spending.
NFTs As Fandom Signaling
- NFTs promise community signaling that mirrors fandom, so tokenized ownership could monetize international fans more than local season tickets.
- Crawley Town's small local base made it a target because a few thousand international NFT holders could outspend local supporters.
Don't Rely On Analytics Alone
- Expect marginal analytics gains to be small because clubs like Brighton already exploited moneyball decades ago.
- Compete by avoiding common mistakes and spending efficiently rather than assuming analytics alone will carry you.