Bobby Sharma is the Founder and Managing Partner of Bluestone Equity Partners, an institutional private equity firm focused on investing across the global sports, media, and entertainment ecosystem. Over the past two decades, he has built a reputation as one of the most experienced operators and investors in the industry, working across finance, strategy, league operations, and global sports development.

Before launching Bluestone, Sharma held leadership roles across several of the most influential organizations in sports. He served as Global Head of Basketball and Strategic Initiatives at IMG, where he helped expand sports businesses worldwide, developing leagues, academies, and media rights strategies across emerging markets including India, China, Brazil, and Africa. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly a decade helping build the NBA G League while working closely with the National Basketball Association on league operations, franchise development, and global strategy.

In this episode of the Profluence Sports Podcast, Bobby joins Andrew Petcash to discuss the evolution of sports as a global investment category, how private equity evaluates opportunities across leagues, media, and technology, and what founders should understand when building scalable businesses in the sports ecosystem.

Podcast Chapters:

02:27 Transitioning from Operations to Investment

04:50 The Role of Networking in Sports

07:11 Insights on Institutional Investment in Sports

10:07 Understanding the LP Perspective

12:33 The Complexity of Sports Investments

15:04 Emerging Trends in Sports and Entertainment

17:20 Investment Strategies and Portfolio Construction

19:54 Future of Sports Investments

22:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

#297: Bobby Sharma, Bluestone Equity Partners - How Private Equity Is Transforming the Sports Industry