A New Era of Sports

Friends,

Welcome to the pound for pound best Sports Biz newsletter on the Planet!

Today we’ll see what’s happening around the Sports Biz world and do a deep dive on a new league that could change the way sports is played and fans watch at all level. Buckle up!

Around The Web

• Barstool Sports is fully owned by Penn Entertainment Now. They paid $551M in total.

• XFL: XFL Opener gets around 13,000 in stands 

• Web 3: Lebron’s 1/1 Unique Digital Card (NFT) sells for $69K

• NIL: In the first 19 months Texas A&M athletes have generated $19M in NIL deals

Featured Story

A New Era Of Sports

If you have ever put together a pick up basketball tournament in the neighborhood, you know how it can be difficult organizing everything. Try launching a new league and generating $7M in the first year!

Athletes Unlimited is a relatively new sports league that has taken the world by storm. Unlike traditional sports leagues, Athletes Unlimited does not have a draft, salary caps, or team owners. Instead, it is a player-driven league that allows athletes to earn a share of the league's revenue based on their performance.

The league was founded in 2019 by Jon Patricof and Jonathan Soros, with the aim of creating a more player-centric model of sports. Athletes Unlimited currently has: softball, volleyball, lacrosse and basketball with plans to expand into other sports in the future.

One of the key differences between Athletes Unlimited and other sports leagues is the scoring system. Athletes earn points based on their individual performances, rather than the performance of their team. This creates a more competitive environment, where players are incentivized to play their best in every game.

Another unique aspect of Athletes Unlimited is the way in which players are assigned to teams. Each week, the top four players in the league become team captains, and they select their teammates from a pool of available players. This creates a dynamic and ever-changing team environment, where players have the opportunity to play with and against different teammates each week.

In terms of compensation, Athletes Unlimited offers a minimum salary of $10,000 for each season, with the potential to earn additional bonuses based on individual performance. The league also offers a number of other benefits to its players, including health insurance, housing, and travel expenses.

Women’s basketball league launched last year and featured many top players from around the world. The league has already gained a lot of attention and is sure to be a major force in women's basketball in the coming years.

Some key players who have already made their mark in the Athletes Unlimited women's basketball league include:

• Sylvia Fowles: A three-time WNBA MVP and four-time WNBA champion who has already been named the player of the week twice in the new Athletes Unlimited league.

• Jonquel Jones: A two-time WNBA All-Star and the current WNBA leader in rebounds and blocks per game.

• Kayla McBride: A two-time WNBA All-Star who has been one of the top scorers in the Athletes Unlimited league so far.

• Natasha Cloud: One of the faces of the WNBA.

This year you will be able to watch a number of the games on WNBA League Pass too.

One of the most impressive things about Athletes Unlimited is the amount of revenue the league has generated in a short amount of time. According to Forbes, the league generated over $7 million in revenue in its inaugural season in 2020, with an estimated valuation of $30 million.

Athletes Unlimited has been able to generate such impressive revenue figures due in part to its innovative model, which emphasizes individual player performances and allows fans to engage with the league in new and exciting ways. With the addition of the women's basketball league, Athletes Unlimited is sure to continue to grow and thrive in the coming years.

For a quick and easy guide to how this works check out our friend Logan doing a breakdown

If you liked this article give us a shout on twitter too @SportsBizTeam