Business of Sport

Business of Sport Ep.31: Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Co-Owner & Governor @ Gotham FC, Building a billion dollar sports franchise

Jul 30, 2024

Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, co-owner and Governor of Gotham FC and owner of the NFL’s New York Giants, shares her insights on building a billion-dollar sports franchise. She discusses the booming NWSL and the intricacies of owning a women’s soccer team. Carolyn offers lessons from her time at Peloton, emphasizing branding and fan engagement. She explores the challenges of transforming Gotham from acquisition to NWSL champions and highlights sponsorship dynamics that amplify team loyalty. Discover how women’s sports are reshaping the landscape in the US!

49:08

Creator website

Episode guests

Carolyn Tisch Blodgett

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Investments in women's sports remain significantly lower than men's, but even minor shifts could enhance funding and visibility for women's soccer.

Building a supportive culture within women's soccer franchises fosters player retention and attracts international talent, essential for developing a global brand.

Increased media coverage has dramatically improved visibility for women's soccer, transforming accessibility and potentially expanding its fanbase significantly.

Deep dives

Investment Disparity in Women's Sports

A significant issue highlighted is that 99% of investments in sports have historically favored men's competitions, leaving women's sports significantly underfunded. The potential for growth in women's sports becomes apparent when considering even a slight shift in investment percentages, such as moving from 99% to 97% for men's sports. This shift could result in increased funding and visibility, thereby enhancing the cultural presence of women's sports, which has often been marginalized. As investments start to lean towards women's sports, there is an overwhelming opportunity for it to become a vital part of the sports culture.

Intro

5min

Innovating Women's Sports: Insights from Gotham FC

19min

From Acquisition to Championship: A Journey of Growth and Improvement

2min

Enhancing Fan Engagement in Sports Startups

8min

Navigating Sponsorship in Women's Sports

3min

Growing Football in the US

8min

Insights on US vs. European Sports Models and Innovations

4min

Carolyn is the co-owner and Governor of current NWSL champions Gotham FC. The NWSL is the flourishing women’s football, or soccer, league in the US. Much like the MLS, franchise slots for the league have become a coveted asset to own, with former Disney CEO Bob Iger reportedly paying $250m for Angel City last month.

Carolyn and her family’s ownership stake in Gotham was announced in 2023. They also own the NFL’s New York Giants. Carolyn also ran Peloton’s marketing department as the company rose from promising start-up to multi-billion fitness empire.

The success of women’s sport is a hot topic and while there are concerns over the structure and commercial viability of football in Europe, the US seems to have found a solution. In this show, we find out how.

In today’s show, we discuss:

How to own a team:

What is the process like to become the owner of an NWSL franchise?
Why the skills and experiences of owners are increasingly valuable as sports assets become more than ‘performance’ organisations.
Learnings from building Peloton into one of the leading brands in an increasingly competitive fitness industry.
Carolyn’s family are owners of the NFL’s New York Giants. What are the similarities between owning an established franchise in a developed league and an emerging team in a developing system?

The NWSL: an emerging player?

Women's football has been a driver of women’s sport in the US for many years, but a developed and successful league is key to building value into the industry.
What does the league do well and where are there areas for improvement? How easy is it to implement change?
Ensuring engaging competition from top to bottom is crucial to the competition’s success. How do you maintain that level of competitiveness and equality within the system?
Can NWSL teams become billion dollar franchises? What needs to happen to build value across the league to elevate the standing of the assets?

Women’s sport on the rise:

In recent history, women’s sport was not part of modern culture; the importance of changing the profile of various sports to propel female athletes into popular culture.
Female athletes have a major role to play in society outside of the sporting environment they operate in.
Building on the success of women’s football in the US to drive increased brand exposure and experiential opportunity for communities.
99% of investment in sport went into the men’s industry, but that is starting to change and the results are beginning to show.

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.