The Profluence Pod 🌐

Audio Timeline:0:25 - Feel good stories* Philadelphia Phillies $50,000 donation and UNC student-athletes raising money for the Children’s Hospital. 2:00 - Business of Athletes* Potential Hall of Fame baseball player Jimmy Rollins is launching ScoutUS Pro, an app connecting athletes and scouts in one place.* Steph Curry filed the trademark “CURRYVERSE’ with an intent to use it in the metaverse. * Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s venture TMRW Sports has announced an array of high-level athlete investors:5:30 - Name, Image, and Likeness* Campus Ink announced a $2 million funding round to grow its NIL merch platform. * INFLCR says transactions from collectives account for more than one-third of total payment volume to college athletes with an average pay of $1,257. * Carlos Fuentes of the Denver Pioneers basketball team serves as their own in-house agent since he’s from Spain and can’t legally make NIL money. * Data Vault Holdings, a metaverse data tool, announced they have started minting branded NFT tokens for colleges across the US.9:45 - Future of Sports* DICK’s Sporting Goods launched a $50M in-house investment fund, DSG Ventures, to invest in the future of sport and retail. * The NBA has launched NBA equity, a private equity division to invest in startups.* Amazon Prime Video has signed a multi-year deal with amateur basketball league Overtime Elite (OTE) for exclusive global streaming rights. * The first-ever network to focus on female athletes, the Women’s Sports Network, launched this past week. * Knights of Degen, a sports gaming community in Web3, has entered into an agreement to acquire the blockchain-based fantasy sports platform, LeagueDAO.* The Minnesota Twins along with TechStars announced 10 startups for their next accelerator. Interesting StatAmericans don’t understand the popularity and money behind cricket…At more than $1 billion a year, India’s top cricket league (The IPL) — which only has 10 teams — now generates annual broadcast revenues on par with top leagues like the NFL ($10B), England’s Premier League ($6.9B) and the NBA ($2.7B). On a per-match basis, the IPL now ranks behind only the NFL. Via: NYTimesShort Passage of The Week:3 ideas as you end and start your year: • You don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.• Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.• Decide the type of person you want to be. Prove it to yourself with small wins.Tiny Changes, Remarkable ResultsSource: James Clear, Atomic Habits Side Note:People ‘steal’ my content all the time — and I usually let it slide as it’s flattering. But this past weekend, I couldn’t hold my tongue. This guy wrote a LinkedIn post bragging about how he got 700,000 impressions on a post he copied word for word from this newsletter. I love that people think my work is good — but at least credit me. And don’t people get kicked out of college for plagiarism? So why’s it fine on social media? Content can be a dirty game. Business JargonIt’s not always easy thinking long-term, but it’s required for the success you truly desire.Build like the Romans 🏟️The Colosseum in Rome is nearly 2000 years old. And for the most part, it’s still fairly intact. The Romans designed things that were built to last and used concrete stronger than any we use today. But when it co

Audio Timeline:1:40 - Business of Athletes* Mitchell & Ness, a lifestyle athletic apparel company, announced its roster of investors — LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Joel Embiid, Chris Paul, Odell Beckham Jr., and Devin Booker. * Eli Manning’s PE firm, Brand Velocity Group, launched an innovative investment sports-focused vertical, Brand Velocity Group Sports (BVGS).* NBA player Ben Simmons launched TrainingHub, a platform for amateur coaches in the sports creator economy.* Patrick Mahomes has become the 2nd largest shareholder in American State Bank after a large investment this past week. 5:35 - Name, Image, and Likeness* DexCom, a real-time continuous glucose monitoring for people with diabetes, announced the launch of Dexcom U, the first-ever NIL program designed to celebrate college athletes with diabetes. * The NCAA released "clarifications" of its NIL policy. More info in the podcast. 8:30 - Future of Sports* MSP Sports Capital announced it has acquired a majority interest in the Disney-owned network’s X Games.* LIV Golf reportedly spent $784M in its first season.Interesting StatPatrick Mahomes is an absolute legend. At age 16, he opened his first bank account at American State Bank. This past week, he became the second-largest shareholder in the company after buying a stake in the Texas-based bank. One more thing though….6 years after getting drafted into the MLB — he passed up the opportunity and instead became a minority owner in a baseball team (Kansas City Royals). Short Passage of The Week:The true leader in a group is rarely the person who talks the most.  * It’s usually the person who listens best. * Listening is more than hearing what’s said. It’s noticing and surfacing what isn’t said. Inviting dissenting views and amplifying quiet voices are acts of leadership.Source: Adam Grant, Think AgainFeel-Good StoryThere’s a lot of negativity in the world — which is why every Sunday I talk about a feel-good story in the podcast. Well…I’m going to put more emphasis on providing these stories as their own segments.This week’s story is incredible 🙏🏽Los Angeles athlete Zion Clark showed off his upper body strength by breaking the Guinness World Record for the “highest box jump with the hands” and “most diamond pushups” in three minutes. Born without legs, he has “no excuses” tattooed across his back. Here’s the video from Guinness World Records:Tweet(s)Usain Bolt the businessman. Business JargonWhat is an angel investor?Angels give support to start-ups at the initial moments and when (most) institutional investors are not prepared to back them. They may be families, friends, or former colleagues of the founders. They usually invest when a company is trying to go from PowerPoint to reality.💸 Check Size: $10K to $250K⌛️ Holding Period: 8 to 10 years💰 Target Return: >75% IRR or +10xAnd here’s a fun fact for you…The term "angel" came from the Broadway theatre when wealthy individuals gave money to help launch theatrical productions. The term "angel investor" was first used in

Audio Timeline:0:35 - Feel good stories* Giving back with a 50-mile run across the Grand Canyon.4:08 - Business of Athletes* Golf+, a VR golf platform raised a $6 million seed round with athlete investors including Tom Brady, Steph Curry, Mike Trout, and Rory McIlroy.* Christiano Ronaldo was named the most marketable athlete in the world according to SportsPro, with Serena Williams in 2nd and Lewis Hamilton in 3rd. * Sachin Tendulkar, one of India's most famous athletes, has become a strategic investor in the digital collectibles platform Rario.* Kevin Durant bought an MLP pickleball team.* Damian Lillard made his first tech investment in Kicks Crew, a digital sneaker platform.* Lionel Messi announced the launch of his new venture firm, Play Time, alongside experienced venture capitalist Razmig Hovaghimian.7:30 - Name, Image, and Likeness* Division I schools can expect to receive further NCAA rules guidance related to name, image, and likeness activity as soon as next week* Sad weekend at San Jose State due to an unfortunate electric scooter accident. * Collegiate sport fan experience platform Mercury has raised $7.5 million in a seed round led by Multicoin Capital.10:30 - Future of Sports* Will Ventures raised $150 million for Fund II, they will continue to invest in seed-stage companies in the consumer, health, sports, and entertainment sectors.* Next Play Capital, started by former Super Bowl champion Ryan Nece, has raised a $200M fund.* NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made $63.9M for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. Adam Silver (NBA) made $10M, Rob Manfred (MLB) earned $17.5M, and Gary Bettman (NHL) earned ~$10M. * EA Sports announced that it will be investing $11 million in women's soccer via its Starting XI Fund.* The Clippers are launching the NBA's first direct-to-consumer streaming service called "ClipperVision," which will feature 74 games and cost $199.99 for the season.* CoachMePlus, an enterprise-level digital fitness platform that helps coaches work with athletes to achieve their fitness and wellness goals, announced $1 million investment from angel groups. Interesting StatThis is wild…NBA players paid $36M in fines last season (up from $6.9M the previous year). That’s over $29,000/game — just including the regular season. What’s to blame?Well…NBA players make a lot of money (and sometimes the extra publicity from getting thrown out of a game is worth it). Basically a business expense at this point. Short Passage of The Week:* Hold the door for others and pick up trash that's not yours.* Compliment people behind their backs and encourage people when they're down.* Include people when they feel left out and hold yourself to a high standard.* Share your life with people you love and admit when you are wrong.* Celebrate others when they succeed and stand up for people that can't stand up for themselves.* Have the courage to say no to things that could jeopardize your future.* Realize doing the right things for the right reasons will never go out of style. * Be a good person.Source: Lewis Caralla, Georgia Tech's Strength CoachTweet(s)Mario Götze is setting a great example for athletes (both on and off the field):Business JargonChanging this sec

Audio Timeline:0:00 - Feel good stories* Amazing story from the Ironman World Championships, Cooper Kupp giving back in a major way, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft donating millions. 2:25 - Business of Athletes* World Champion Fantasy, an online fantasy esports platform, announced JuJu Smith-Schuster is now an equity owner in the company.* UBS announced the second season of "Front Office", a reality TV show that follows superstar athletes-turned-investors. * TBE Enterprises announced on Tuesday that it's creating a $1 million winner-take-all 7 vs. 7 competition soccer event in 2023. Chris Paul is an investor. * Tom Brady and Kim Clijsters will be buying an MLP Pickleball team. * Patrick Willis, a former NFL great, announced the launch of Universe 52, a members-only NFT community where fans can interact with him and unlock access to exclusive perks.* Former Super Bowl champion Ryan Nece announced that Next Play Capital raised $200 million for its third fund. 8:10 - Name, Image, and Likeness* It pays to be the son of a famous athlete (two legacy names sign massive NIL deals)* Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim has some strong words about NIL. 12:05 - Future of Sports* NFT-based athlete investment platform FANtium announced a pre-seed round of $2 million. Fans can invest in an athlete's seasonal earnings, as well as in the career earnings of up-and-coming younger prospects.* The BIG EAST Conference will release NFT tickets to attendees covering its 2022 Basketball Media Day. Fans attending MLB postseason games can receive commemorative NFT tickets that update 24 hours before the event.* Puttshack, co-founded by the creators of Topgolf, just received $150 million in growth capital funding led by BlackRock. In 2023, they expect to expand to Dallas, Denver, Houston, Nashville, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Scottsdale.* The MLB became the first major sports league in the US to enter an official contract with a CBD company.Interesting StatThis is wild…Injuries across Europe's five major leagues rose by 20% last season and cost clubs $527 million, the first time this figure has eclipsed the half-a-billion mark.  🤯*Injury cost is calculated by multiplying the daily cost of a player by the number of days they were unavailable. Players under the age of 21 were especially affected, with their number of injuries rising tenfold in the last four years.Yet, the increase in injury concerns isn't specific to soccer...The NFLPA claims artificial turf leads to a 28% higher rate of non-contact injuries as compared to when playing on natural grass.Short Passage of The Week:Ask questions that are so big that only your life can answer them. One of the biggest lessons in life is being able to distinguish between the stories other people have created about you and the truth you come to know about yourself...You begin to reject the scripts that other people wrote for you when you recognize that those words and actions do not align with your vision for your life. ― Dr. Thema Bryant, Homecoming Recommended MediaIf you haven’t watched the Redeem Team yet…tonight is the night. Unbelievable documentary.Tweet(s)Kim Kardashian has created $1B companies. Lebron James is creating a billion-dollar empire. Mr. Beast got offered $1B for his YouTube channel (and turned it down). Take a look at the power of athletes, entertainers, and creators. 👇

Audio Timeline:1:20 - Feel good stories* Joe Burrow is giving back in a big way and the cool story of a seventeen-year-old raising money for cancer.3:20 - Business of Athletes* Spanish athletes Pau Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, and Iker Casillas are investing in INDYA, a startup focused on improving the performance of athletes through technology and nutrition.* Annika Sörenstam and Vijay Singh (retired pro golfers) are investors in wearable golf technology deWiz’s $4M Series B round.6:00 - Name, Image, and Likeness* SAXX underwear signs South Carolina football players to one of the most creative NIL deals we’ve seen up until this point. * Mississippi State HC Mike Leach says players should be split between amateurs and professionals. * An array of other cool deals — from Reese’s to a dog. 11:55 - Future of Sports* onX announced an $87.4M Series B round to continue building their navigation and mapping technology for outdoor recreationists.* Verse Gaming, a social gaming company hosting peer-2-peer fantasy contests in sports announced a pre-seed funding round of $585k. * GAMURS, a leading esports and entertainment media network, announced it has closed a $12M Series A funding round co-led by Elysian Park and Cerro Capital. * PredictionStrike, a marketplace for trading shares of athletes, announced a $3M seed round led by MaC Venture Capital. * Basketball analytics startup ShotQuality has raised a $3.2M seed round co-led by KB Partners and TIA Ventures.Interesting StatThis is pretty wild:Sports Sponsorship spending (in billions) from 2014-2024. This is going to continue increasing, especially since the target market has increased now that college and high school sports are monetizable through name, image, and likeness (NIL). Short Passage of The Week:Brick by Brick, Day by Day * Culture isn’t built in a day. * Success isn’t built in a day. * Mindset isn’t built in a day. * Habits aren’t built in a day. * Greatness isn’t built in a day. * The foundation isn’t built in a day. It’s built one day at a time. Keep showing up. Keep doing the work. Passage by Kevin DeShazoTweet(s)Former MLB pitcher Jacob Turner put out an interesting thread regarding playoff baseball bonuses. Sports = Business. Business = Money. Therefore…Sports = Money (never forget that). Business JargonLet’s take a look at some of the unique ways to fund a startup. Bootstrapping:This is when startup founders invest their own money or get friends and family to invest in the business.Bootstrapping gives business owners more room to experiment with the business and product since there’s no pressure to meet the expectations of investors.Equity:Refers to the percentage of ownership in a business. VCs typically make investments in exchange for equity, a percentage of the company’s shares.Crowdfunding:Financing method where a group of individuals invests in your business. To run a successful crowdfunding campaign, you need to showcase your project to a large audience to convince them to invest.Depending on the type of crowdfunding, investors may receive shares, interest, or products or services for their investment. Quote“If you feel like there’s something out there that you’re supposed to be doing, if you have a passio

Audio Timeline:1:25 - Feel good stories* College athletes give back to the community thanks to their NIL money. 3:05 - Business of Athletes* Lebron James, Kevin Love, and Draymond Green are the newest investors in pickleball through Major League Pickleball’s 16-team expansion.* Chris Paul, Vernon Davis, and Jimmer Fredette are investing in Scout’s $2.6M seed round. The company helps users put together “investing starting packages”. * Kevin Durant and Billie Jean King are the newest investors in League One Volleyball, a new women's pro league, which has raised a $16.75 million Series A round. * Eli Manning (through his PE Firm Brand Velocity Group) has acquired uniform company SCORE. Carmelo Anthony, Nolan Arenado, DK Metcalf, and Klay Thompson are fellow athlete investors. * Abby Wambach is distancing herself from concussion company Odyssey Health as Brett Favre is reportedly its biggest investor. * Travis Kelce is investing in ZenWTR, other athlete investors include Aaron Rodgers, Richard Seymour, surfer Kelly Slater, and Tristan Thompson.10:45 - Name, Image, and Likeness* South Carolina women’s basketball players are set to receive $25,000 during this upcoming season thanks to a team-wide NIL deal. * 5-star football recruit David Stone put out on Twitter that he can’t “be bought” during his recruiting process.13:35 - Future of Sports* InGame Sports, an Egyptian gaming and sports technology startup has secured over $1M in a pre-seed round spearheaded by Opener.* Athletes Unlimited announced a $30M funding round to continue building out their women’s first athletic leagues.  Four-time Olympian Angela Ruggiero, Philadelphia 76ers owner David Blitzer, and Kevin Durant's 35V are investors. * Karate Combat, a prominent full-contact martial arts league, announced the decision to form a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) to transition its governance to fans and athletes.* The American Cornhole League (ACL) is one of the fastest-growing sports leagues in the world (challenging even pickleball). They have announced a strategic multi-year partnership with Legends agency. * SIQ Basketball raised an additional $3M from 16 new investors. They make the world’s first smart basketball and are used by Overtime Elite. Interesting StatThis is wild:High school sports in the United States with the most participants (and YoY change).Participation is down among the 10 most popular boys and girls high school sports compared to the last full pre-pandemic school year.Boys golf and girls volleyball are the only increases. This chart doesn’t include Esports — but that is definitely growing as well. Short Passage of The Week:We rob ourselves of joy because of the storylines we create around our painful challenges in life, be they physical, financial, mental, emotional, or spiritual. As we walk through the growth experiences of life's discomfort, we realize joy is right there in the midst of it all. Passage by The Daily CoachRecommended MediaThanks to the 50+ people who have sent emails regarding business ideas in pickleball after my post on Friday. It has garnered a ton of buzz and I am currently sorting through them to see if there are any opportunities that can benefit us all. Tweet(s)Figuring out what to message “busy” people is tough. This is a good br

Audio Timeline:1:30 - Feel good stories* Steph Curry donates 25 million meals and MJ’s financial literacy course3:30 - Business of Athletes* Former NBA star Pau Gasol has invested in Colvin, a flower marketplace based in Spain. * Arena Club, a new sports card collecting platform co-founded by Derek Jeter, has officially launched.* Perch, a weightlifting camera and data startup, has raised a $4M funding round that includes an investment from Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones. * Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Kyle Rudolph, Ndamukong Suh, Rob Dyrdek, and Luke Kuechly have all invested in the $6.5M Series A round of sports nutrition company, Momentous. * Chris Paul has invested in Umaro Foods, a Berkeley-based startup pioneering the use of red seaweed protein in plant-based meats. 8:50 - Name, Image, and Likeness* One of the top collegiate golfers, David Puig, has forgone his senior season to join LIV golf.* Scott Frost’s $16M buyout at Nebraska raises questions. * Texas spent $600,000+ on football recruits (in just two weekends). 13:00 - Future of Sports* Bridgestone Golf is partnering with LinksDAO to venture into the world of Web3. * New York Times is bringing advertisements to The Athletic on top of its subscription model.* Concussions among NFL players mandated to wear Guardian Cap equipment dropped by more than 50% this summer compared to the previous three-year average, according to data released Wednesday* A LendingTree survey shows that 41% of us will spend money on sports this fall, at an average of $664 on average. * Ares Management Corporation, a leading global alternative investment manager, announced that it has raised $3.7B of dedicated capital focused exclusively on investing in sports properties. * Cerebro Sports, a basketball data analytics company, has received backing from Mark Cuban who led their pre-seed funding. Interesting StatLast week, I featured where college football players come from — so let’s take a look at where college basketball players come from. Of the 5,510 Division I men's college basketball players, 85% of them come from the United States. California, Texas, and Georgia have produced the most D1 hoopers — and big cities like Houston, Chicago, LA, Baltimore, and New York City have the highest concentration. Heading to the international scene…Canada is the foreign country with the most players (146), ahead of Australia (66) and Nigeria (42).All in all, basketball is a worldwide sport with the average D1 team having 2.3 players on their roster from a country other than the United States. It makes me laugh when parents think their kid is going D1 just cause he scored 20 points in a high school game — you’re competing against the world for a spot, not just your local area. Short Passage of The Week:We often think we need a “perfect map of the future” to get started. What we actually need is “a general direction.” * Big career decisions don’t come with a map, but all you need is a compass. * The right next move is the one that brings you a step closer to living your core values. * In an unpredictable world, you can’t make a master plan. You can only gauge whether you’re on a meaningful path.Sourc

Audio Timeline:0:30 - Feel good stories* $16M raised by pro quarterbacks, $3M for mental health services, and Planet Fitness’ initiative for teenagers. 2:45 - Business of Athletes* Shaquille O’Neal is contemplating an investment in the NBL (Australia). He would join current NBA players Thaddeus Young and Khris Middleton. * Nicklas Bendtner, a former soccer star for Arsenal F.C., recently launched his own esports company known as Prosapia Esport ApS.* Luka Doncic is having some trademark trouble with the USPTO as his“LUKA DONCIC” failed to register due to similar trademarks not being owned by him.* LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Tobias Harris are investing in Neutral Foods, a carbon-free nutrition company, alongside Mark Cuban and Bill Gates. * Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr has joined Oofos, an active recovery footwear brand, as an investor and ambassador. * Tennis great Billie Jean King is helping to launch Trailblazer Venture Studio, a new accelerator supporting women-run businesses in sports and media. 9:30 - Name, Image, and Likeness* Heach Coach Dabo Swinney has re-signed with Clemson for over $100M* Purdue and Grambling State University offer school-wide NIL opportunities to enable all athletes in getting paid. * An NFT-run basketball tournament helping high school basketball players get paid and also educated on web3. 14:20 - Future of Sports* Venturerock launched a $75M sports tech venture investment company (VIC). Athlete investors include former Dutch soccer player Mark van Bommel and former New York Jets cornerback Bryson Keeton. * Science in Sport, a premium performance nutrition brand, has secured $3.5M in additional funding. * Sorare is teaming up with the NBA to serve as the official NFT fantasy partner and will debut a new fantasy offering for the 2022-23 season. * The sports NFT market size is at $2.6B in 2022 and is forecasted to reach $41.6B by 2032. * The Saudi National Development Fund (NDF) is adopting a program to finance the gaming and e-sports sector with $80M.* New York Knicks named the most valuable NBA team by Forbes Magazine at $5.8B. Interesting StatHere’s a map showing where most college football players come from:To no surprise…Southern California, Texas, and Florida are the hotbeds. Perhaps a breakdown for a later date as this stuff fascinates me. Short Passage of The Week:Two things you get every day:A chance, and a choice. It is our responsibility to make the most of them today! * Less phone, more reading.* Less facts, more intuition.* Less consuming, more creating.* Less commotion, more solitude.* Less talking, more listening.* Less controlling, more sharing.* Less judgment, more empathy.How will we spend our 86,400 seconds today?Passage by Clint HurdleRecommended MediaI enjoyed this piece by CJ Gustafson who is the founder and editor of Mostly Metrics.It’s a free weekly newsletter about startup metrics and business models.While I did a good bit of finance at Boston University, much of it slips out the backdoor. Always nice to stay sharp on the financial side of things.I’m a firm believer in knowing a little bit about a lot of things. A “generalist” is a term that you might have heard thrown around before. Tweet(s)With school starting back up I thought this was an interesting thread for parents:

Audio Timeline:0:35 - Feel good stories* Lacrosse player makes NFL roster and raising money for baseball disability 2:10 - Business of Athletes/Sports* Tim Tebow is investing in a Jacksonville expansion franchise that will compete in The United Soccer League (USL). * ALT Sports Data has completed its initial $1.5M Seed Round funding to expand its sports trading and consumer data operations. * Nike has generated the highest amount of NFT sales amongst brands, bringing in over $183M. * Yankee Global Enterprises will purchase a minority stake in defending Serie A champions AC Milan. Lebron James and Drake are part-owners through their partnership with Main Street Advisors. * SeatGeek is now valued at over $1B after completing their $238M Series E led by Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith, Accel, Arctos Sports Fund, and Wellington Management.* Minor League baseball groups will now have an opportunity to unionize with the help of an MLBPA campaign launched in partnership with Advocates for Minor Leaguers.* Predictive analytics company nVenue has received $1 million in new strategic funding from EBCI Holdings. 9:45 - Name, Image, and Likeness* Pro athlete paying college athletes to promote himself (it’s strange)* South Carolina’s innovative in-house NIL development* Quarterback buys the entire team $500 suitsInteresting StatWhen Serena won her first US Open match... * Tom Brady had not thrown his first Michigan TD pass. * LeBron James had not made his high school debut.* Gregg Popovich was 106th on the all-time wins list.* Tim Duncan was the reigning NBA rookie of the year.Short Passage of The Week:This Month, I Will…* Be honest with myself.* Lean into the beauty of self-trust.* Cultivate daily moments to experience joy.* Release all habits that diminish my power.* Let go of limiting beliefs that do not serve me.Passage by The Daily CoachTweet(s)Here’s a thought-provoker:Personally, I agree that society will consume less alcohol going forward (but don’t think it will become as taboo as cigarettes). Kids smoke vapes and e-cigarettes at an alarmingly high rate. And alcohol consumption is less for two reasons:* not as many blue-collar workers* more marijuana useEvery generation has its vices — they evolve and show up in slightly different ways. Financial JargonWhen it comes to money, we all have unique mindsets…Iman Shumpert’s belief system is one many of us have (but maybe don’t realize) 👇Takeaway:I’m a firm believer in making “self-investments”. If you’re able to spend $500/month on clothes…why not invest in your side hustle, business, or career skills?If you have no problem dropping $20 on candy at the gas station…why not the new book or yoga class?Investing in yourself is powerful (and has an extremely high ROI)! Quote“Resist the urge to obsessively compare your life journey — which you know intimately well, compared to other people’s highlight reels — which you see in passing.” - Michell C. ClarkThanks for tuning in today! Have an awesome Labor Day weekend — take some time to relax and clear your mind, you earned it. We’ll talk again on Wednesday. Peace,-APExtra CreditI had a great conversation with Merav Savir about the business of athletes and future of sports. Infront Labs hosts one of Europe’s top sports podcasts so it was an honor to be includ

Audio Timeline:1:30 - Feel good stories* An update on John Daly’s heartwarming donation and Kobe Bryant’s wife3:15 - Business of Athletes* Enhanced water company, Lemon Perfect, has brought on tennis star Sloane Stephens as an investor and ambassador. * Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick is launching his co-founded NFT platform FanField this fall.* The Player’s Impact, a venture capital firm for athletes, has launched its own internal communication system for the 190 members.* Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy teamed up to create TMRW Sports, which is in partnership with the PGA tour for their new league, The TGL. * Bill Ackman’s Prysym Capital invested $26M in Winners Alliance, a for-profit affiliate of the Professional Tennis Players Association designed to help professional tennis players pursue business opportunities10:00 - Name, Image, and Likeness* The first team-wide high school NIL deal* Hooters makes a unique move in football* A look at some interesting deals from this past week15:05 - Future of Sports* Smart training application, Perform, has raised $1.2M for its application which marries human coaching elements with intelligent features.* The Dallas Cowboys are the first NFL team to generate over $1B in annual revenue and the first team to be assessed at an $8 billion valuation. * Sport Buff, a live-streaming tool designed to create social games around video content, has raised $2.5M in seed funding.* EA Sports and Learfield are teaming up for the LevelNext collegiate esports league, that holds a $150,000 cash prize for the Madden champion.* Esports franchise Valhallan, announced its acquisition of the United Federation of Esports Athletes (UFEA) leagueInteresting StatThe mean number of injuries suffered per game in the NFL is approximately 4.9 times higher than the sum of other professional leagues. Teams don't want to pay for that kind of risk any more than they have to.Higher risk = lower guaranteed contracts. Short Passage of The Week* We can't change our past, but we can change our perspective.* We can't change our past, but we can choose to learn from it.* We can't change our past, but we can change our future."When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us." Passage by Clint HurdleTweetInteresting thread right here:It still blows my mind that Blockbuster had the chance to buy Netflix for only $50M and turned it down. Recommended ReadI talked about the rise of esports in the podcast — here is a supplemental read that I found pretty interesting:What makes an esports athlete an athlete? We asked the proshttps://www.thestar.com/sports/2022/08/25/this-is-a-sport-what-makes-an-esports-athlete-an-athlete-we-asked-the-pros.htmlFinancial JargonEast Asia is a breeding ground for innovation right now.A Harvard study has concluded that China, Vietnam, Uganda, Indonesia, and India are projected to be among the fastest-growing economies from now