Ashwin Desai [#40]: How OneTeam Partners Helps Athletes to Leverage their Name, Image, and Likeness

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Ashwin Desai, Senior Vice President of Games & Experiences at OneTeam Partners.

Ashwin’s career spans media, entertainment, and sports, beginning in film and TV financing before moving to the likes of NBCUniversal, Formula One, and 2K. 

Joining Formula One in 2018 during its digital transformation under Liberty Media, Ashwin worked on a broad range of projects, from live streaming deals with Twitch and Facebook, to global betting partnerships, gaming deals, and fan experiences like F1 Arcade and the F1 Exhibition.

Now at OneTeam Partners, which was founded as a joint venture between the NFL Players Union, the MLB Players Union and Redbird Capital, Ashwin leads their games and experiences portfolio, helping athlete collectives to explore gaming, gambling, and emerging technologies.

We touch on a number of fast-evolving areas, from NIL and gambling legislations, to what opportunities are there around player data and AI.

Time Stamps

2:30 - Ashwin's Journey

4:00 - Working on Formula 1 under Liberty Media

7:00 - Founding Story of OneTeam Partners

12:00 - Negotiating Players Rights for EA's College Football Game

18:00 - Athletes Balancing Individual vs Collective Power

23:00 - Dominance of Dual Licensed Video Games and Potential Growth for Single Licensed Games

27:00 - Competitive Socialisation and Fan Experiences Outside of the Stadium

29:00 - Ideas for New Venues

35:00 - Taking the NFL Combine to Other Sports

37:00 - Leveraging Athlete Data

42:00 - Utilising AI for New Commercial Opportunities

46:00 - Approaching New Areas with Caution

48:00 - Expanding into Other Markets

Additional Links

Connect with Ashwin on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here