The Profluence Pod 🌐

As sports continue to grow as an asset class, venture capitalist & tech executive Soma Somesegar has entered the space through ownership.  Soma is a majority owner of the Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket and a minority owner of the Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders. He is the current managing director of Madrona Venture Group.  This was a great conversation on Soma’s journey from a youth cricket player in India to the owner of a cricket team in the US.  Chapters: (01:40) Journey to Sports Ownership (07:20) Seattle Orcas (10:40) Operating a team vs. company  (13:00) Season 1 Major League Cricket (16:15) US Cricket expansion plans (18:45) Bringing sports downstream (22:40) Sports franchises' growth . Soma Somesegar: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-somasegar-113791a5/ . Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com 🎙 Podcast: https://profluence.com/podcasts/ 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 🕺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewpetcash 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q5jhAuCVT2FZCkLW5xBiQ/ . Thanks for listening! Make sure to hit the “follow” button to stay up to date on new podcasts.

Andrew Steinwold first bought Bitcoin in 2013 and now runs a $100M venture fund focused around the metaverse.  Sfermion is a multi-strategy investment firm focused on the immersive internet. Their mission is to accelerate the emergence of the metaverse by investing in the companies & founders creating the digital future.  Sports and the metaverse have massive overlap, which led to a great conversation around crypto, web3, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, and the blockchain.  Chapters: (01:45) What is the metaverse? (03:10) Andrew’s journey (Bitcoin 2013) (06:30) Tokens in sports (10:10) Key terms to know (14:10) What to watch in AI (20:15) State of web3 (in 2023) (23:15) Blockchain going mainstream (28:40) Concerns of CBDC’s (30:50) Applying sports to the metaverse . Andrew Steinwold: Website: https://www.sfermion.io/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndrewSteinwold LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-steinwold/ . Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com 🎙 Podcast: https://profluence.com/podcasts/ 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 🕺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewpetcash 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q5jhAuCVT2FZCkLW5xBiQ/ . Thanks for listening! Make sure to hit the “follow” button to stay up to date on new podcasts. 

Homefans is experiencing massive MoM growth for their marketplace where fans can connect, plan, and book sports trips and experiences hosted by locals. Luke Verbeek spent 1 year in the corporate world before jumping into entrepreneurship and founding HomeFans in 2014.  Homefans is currently focused on soccer in Europe and South America, but plans to expand to more sports and regions in the near future.  Chapters: (01:25) Idea behind Homefans (04:45) Finding his co-founder (06:20) HomeFans overview (13:30) AirBnB for sports model (15:10) Marketplace learnings (18:20) Expansion Roadmap (21:15) Trends in sports experiences . Luke Verbeek: Website: https://homefans.net/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-verbeek/ . Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com 🎙 Podcast: https://profluence.com/podcasts/ 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 🕺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewpetcash 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q5jhAuCVT2FZCkLW5xBiQ/ . Thanks for listening! Make sure to hit the “follow” button to stay up to date on new podcasts. 

Didier Occident speaks to some of the most significant football programs in the world about financial literacy, wealth building, and maximizing earnings off the field.  Didier created Secure The Bag to present this to collegiate teams like Alabama, Washington, and Florida State. He also founded Occident Wealth Management (under Northwestern Mutual) where he signed on more clients in 6 months than in the history of the division.  Chapters: (01:20) Didier’s rollercoaster journey (09:10) Financial literacy building blocks (12:40) Impact of NIL (16:30) Diversification  (19:40) Flaws in the education system  (23:35) Bridging wage gaps . Didier Occident: Website: https://www.stbprogram.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/didieroccident/ . Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com ✉️ Newsletter: https://www.petcashpost.com 🎙 Podcast: https://profluence.com/podcasts/ 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 🕺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewpetcash 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q5jhAuCVT2FZCkLW5xBiQ/ . Thanks for listening! Make sure to hit the “follow” button to stay up to date on new podcasts. 

Ferran is the CEO and Managing Director of Gasol16 Ventures, Pau Gasol's business and strategic investing vehicle.  Prieto also co-founded Everest Talent Management to help a variety of athletes to maximize their "off-the-field" impact and economic opportunities. Working with athletes is a long-term, strategic approach to their non-playing activities that not only make a mark on their sport but also "stand out from the crowd" and prioritize their broader impact on their fan base and the world. Chapters: (01:15) Ferran’s journey into sports (03:25) Building out Gasol16 Ventures (08:30) Working with athletes (12:10) Agents vs. business partners (15:45) Future of athletes off the field (18:30) American vs. European athletes (21:40) Educating athletes  (26:10) Trends to watch in sports . Ferran Prieto: Everest TM: https://www.everesttm.com/ Gasol16 Ventures: https://gasol16ventures.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-ferran-prieto-5b48802/ . Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com ✉️ Newsletter: https://www.petcashpost.com 🎙 Podcast: https://profluence.com/podcasts/ 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 🕺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewpetcash 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q5jhAuCVT2FZCkLW5xBiQ/ . Thanks for listening! Make sure to hit the “follow” button to stay up to date on new podcasts. 

(01:20): Business of Athletes - KD invests in cycling, Zion Williamson is in trouble, and more (06:00): NIL/College Sports - Pac12 is dying, Arch Manning deal, and interesting $5M collective agreement (10:50): Sports Business - $70M VC fund, $1B Adidas x soccer team deal, and other important stories

Combat IQ is the world's first AI-powered data analytics company dedicated to combat sports using machine learning and computer vision.  Prior to founding Combat IQ, Tim Malik worked as a professional football scout in the Canadian Football League.  They raised a pre-seed round in late 2022 and completed Techstars in London. Combat IQ plans to expand outside of just combat sports in 2024.  Chapters: (01:15) From scouting to machine learning (03:10) Building out team (5 PhDs) (06:00) Researching market  (08:00) Overview of Combat IQ (11:40) “Easier” sports for computer vision  (12:50) Overcoming startup challenges (16:00) Tech he’s watching (AI/ML) (19:20) Pro sports trends . Tim Malik: Website: https://www.combatiq.io/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timur-m-63397883/ . Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com ✉️ Newsletter: https://www.petcashpost.com 🎙 Podcast: https://profluence.com/podcasts/ 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 🕺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewpetcash 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q5jhAuCVT2FZCkLW5xBiQ/ . Thanks for listening! Make sure to hit the “follow” button to stay up to date on new podcasts.

Betr recently completed a $35M Series A2 ($300M valuation) led by tech entrepreneur Joey Levy and influencer Jake Paul.  Betr is labeled as the world’s first microbetting app with a heavy focus on sports out of the gate.  Joey Levy has been building in the fantasy and sports betting space since 2014 while at Columbia University.  Chapters: (01:20) Journey to Betr (05:50) 19-year-old founder (09:00) High-level overview  (13:00) Future of creator-led businesses (16:15) Mixing media w/ microbetting (23:15) 5-year vision for Betr (26:15) Sports trends to watch . Joey Levy: Website: https://www.betr.app/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-levy-5b4b00a0/ . Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com ✉️ Newsletter: https://www.petcashpost.com 🎙 Podcast: https://profluence.com/podcasts/ 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 🕺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewpetcash 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q5jhAuCVT2FZCkLW5xBiQ/ . Thanks for listening! Make sure to hit the “follow” button to stay up to date on new podcasts.

In July 2023, Better Collective acquired Playmaker HQ for up to $54M with $15M upfront.  Playmaker is a sports media platform, content machine, and emerging talent agency.  Brandon Harris is a long-time entrepreneur who has spent over a decade building in sports.  Chapters: (01:20) Entrepreneurial path (03:45) Overview of Playmaker  (05:20) Scaling to 70 employees (08:00) Business lessons learned  (12:00) Better Collective acquisition  (17:00) Future plans post-buy (19:00) Sports media trends to watch (21:50) Advice for startups creating content . Brandon Harris: Website: https://playmakerhq.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrisnext/ . Andrew Petcash: 🏠 Website: https://profluence.com ✉️ Newsletter: https://www.petcashpost.com 🎙 Podcast: https://profluence.com/podcasts/ 🐣 Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpetcash 🕺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andrewpetcash 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrewpetcash 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/ 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3q5jhAuCVT2FZCkLW5xBiQ/ . Thanks for listening! Make sure to hit the “follow” button to stay up to date on new podcasts.

(00:10) Business of Athletes (03:25) College Sports/NIL (07:15) Sports Business