Absolutely Ridiculous’ Post

Kobe Bryant’s career earnings in NBA salary are dwarfed by his returns off the court. Earning about $328 million over 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe was a visionary entrepreneur who also happened to be one of the greatest athletes of all time. BodyArmor In 2014, Kobe invested $6 million to acquire a 10% stake in BodyArmor, a sports drink company. In 2018, Coca-Cola invested $300 million in the company, bumping the valuation of Bryant’s stake to about $200 million at the time. When Coca-Cola purchased BodyArmor for $5.6 billion in 2021, his initial stake had reportedly grown to about $400 million. Bryant Stibel Venture Capital In 2013, Kobe co-founded Bryant Stibel, a venture capital firm. With over $2 billion in assets under management, the firm has invested in companies like Tile, Cholua, UFC, The Players' Tribune, and LegalZoom. Bryant surrounded himself with highly educated investors, seeking opportunities beyond the court to benefit his family for generations. Granity Studios In 2016, Kobe founded a multimedia company called Granity Studios. The studio won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018 for "Dear Basketball". Bryant was early to the game in terms of athletes founding their own media companies. Nike Kobe maintained a long-standing relationship with Nike, launching numerous successful signature shoe lines and apparel collections while he was an NBA player. His partnership extended beyond branding, focusing on innovation and performance, making his products a staple in basketball culture worldwide. ______ I find Kobe's entrepreneurial journey incredibly inspiring. I greatly admire individuals who are able to leverage their platform into great success as an entrepreneur. Some people in Bryant’s situation as a player may have gone into spending mode, but he saw an opportunity to build far beyond the basketball court. Rest easy, Kobe. #Sports #SportsBusiness #NBA #Basketball #LinkedinSports #Entrepreneurship

Endeavor Going Private in Deal With Majority Shareholder Silver Lake The transaction values the WME owner at $13 billion. TKO Group Holdings — formed last year by the merger of WWE and Endeavor-owned UFC — is not part of the Endeavor-Silver Lake transaction and will remain a publicly traded company. TKO “will continue to benefit from its connectivity to Endeavor’s expertise, relationships and significant capabilities,” Endeavor and Silver Lake said. _ _ _ _ _ _ | #digital | #linkedinsports | #sportsbusiness | | #investment | #privateequity | #marketing | #branding | #strategy | #sportsmarketing | #sportsbiz | #sportsbusiness | #sportsmedia | #sportsbroadcasting | #sportsindustry | #sponsorship | #digitalmarketing | #brand| #influencermarketing | #advertising | #socialmedia | #marketingandadvertising | #brands | #sports | #pr

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ smashes R-rated record with $205 million debut Reynolds and Jackman crush it together. The story of how they met on the set of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” in 2009 is a stellar example of leadership. From a NYT interview: REYNOLDS: My first day, I walked off the set and Hugh said, "How do you feel?" And I muttered, "Ah, I wish I could go back to that scene we shot earlier in the day because now I sort of see it." Five minutes later, everyone is being asked to come out of their trailers, lights are being flipped back on, wardrobe is being zipped back up. Hugh made it so I could shoot. He didn't even know me, we had just met. I thought, "If I'm ever lucky enough to be breathing the rare air that this guy breathes, this is how you do it." He called the experience an "antidote to cynicism," claiming it was a shock to learn you can be "successful and content." I don't know if anyone appears more content and wildly successful, and it's fascinating to see how his skill set has benefited his approach to investing. REYNOLDS & PRIVATE EQUITY Reynolds’ capacity for storytelling combines uniquely with his interest in private equity. He has an advantage few can match in his social media megaphone and “fastvertising” approach to promoting the brands he invests in. I first read about it when he invested in Aviation Gin. Sales reportedly doubled from $20 million to $40 million, and Jeffries estimated that the company sold 96,000 cases in 2019. Then in 2020 Diageo agreed to acquire Davos Brands LLC, a portfolio of brands including Aviation Gin, for $610 million (see professionally drawn infographic). He has also invested in or founded / co-founded the following: F1 Team Alpine, Wrexham AFC, Maximum Effort, Mint Mobile, Wealthsimple and 1Password (and others). (Notes: More on Ryan Reynolds' investment style posted on ASimpleModel.com. Full NYT Interview: “Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman on the Perks and Pitfalls of Playing Superheroes” by Kyle Buchanan.) #privateequity #leadership #deadpool

This is an interesting development. Back in January we got news of Youngone Corp., a South Korean clothing manufacturer to global outdoor brands like The North Face and Patagonia, lending 150 million Swiss francs ($176.8 million) at a 4.6% interest rate to its Switzerland-based subsidiary Scott Corp. Less than 3 months on, the board at Scott Corp has replace Beat Zaugg, the founder and the CEO with Juwon Kim. Replacing Beat Zaugg with Juwon Kim came in a time when Youngone has been facing a legal conflict with Scott’s founder and second-largest shareholder Beat Zaugg since 2022. Are we seeing a shift in power and ownership in the global brands that traditionally are founded in the west? Are Asian Conglomerates buying out such brands? With the likes of Amer Sports now in the hands of another Asian Conglomerate, will we be seeing more of this trend? https://lnkd.in/gN4VnDuJ

LeBron James makes $47.6 Million per season. But that's pennies compared to his business ventures: • Pizza chain • Health/wellness brands • Soccer & baseball teams ...and others make him worth $1.2 BILLION. His wealth-building blueprint is mind-blowing In 2022, LeBron did something no active NBA player had ever done before. He became the first active NBA player to be a billionaire. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. His real power move? It started 20 years ago with a decision that shocked the industry... LeBron chose Nike's $87M over Reebok's $115M for his first brand endorsment deal. Why? He saw something others missed: • Nike was a bigger global marketing machine • Long-term growth potential, not just upfront cash • Creative input on shoe designs Fast forward today: He closed a $1B+ Nike lifetime deal, 20 iconic shoes, global impact. But LeBron didn't stop there... Enter SpringHill Company, LeBron's $725M media empire. The game-changer? "Athlete Empowerment" Athletes don't just star in shows, they own them. Case in point: Naomi Osaka's Netflix series. Star and executive producer. Result: New revenue streams + brand building for athletes. His next move? It sent shockwaves in the football world... From fan to franchise mogul: LeBron flipped the script on sports investment. His initial $6.5M Liverpool FC stake ballooned to $90M+. Then he leveraged that into Fenway Sports Group, grabbing pieces of the Red Sox and NHL Penguins. And he's gone way bigger than just sports... Another game-changing move for LeBron: Turned down a $15M McDonald's endorsement for $1M Blaze Pizza equity. Why? McDonald's offered cash for his image. Blaze gave him ownership. Result: His $1M stake exploded to $30M as Blaze grew. As for Real Estate... LeBron's portfolio is as impressive as his stat sheet. $80M worth of properties, including a $36.75M Beverly Hills mansion. But it's what he's doing with these properties that's truly revolutionary... LeBron opened his "I Promise School "in Akron, OH Investment: $41M ROI: • Tax write-offs • Positive PR worth millions • Long-term community impact Lesson: Align business with genuine social good. It pays off. LeBron's philosophy? "I don't want to be a businessman. I want to be a business, man." (Okay, Jay-Z said it first, but LeBron's living it) This mindset has turned every deal into a potential goldmine. Shoes, media, schools: each of his ventures amplifies the others. LeBron's not in the athlete business. He's in the empire business. The game plan? Turn your name into a brand, your brand into a business, and your business into an ecosystem that reshapes industries. Your personal brand is your goldmine. LeBron's proof.

Amer Sports Inc (NYSE:AS) shares started trading on Thursday after the maker of Wilson tennis rackets and Arc’teryx outdoor clothing raised $1.37 billion in its discounted initial public offering, though its shares opened slighty higher in early trading. The group, which also owns Salomon, Atomic, and Peak Performance brands, last month said it aimed to raise IPO up to $1.8 billion with an offer price of between $16 and $18. However, the IPO was priced at $13 per share by its appointed investment banks, led by Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, JP Morgan and Morgan StanIey.  Amer, which is headquartered in Finland and remains 56% owned by China's Anta Sports, was valued at roughly $6.3 billion in the IPO. Its market cap crept higher in initial trading as the shares opened at $13.40. More at #Proactive #ProactiveInvestors #NYSE #AS http://ow.ly/jvP7105eWM0

$37BN in deals for sports technology sector across 2023. Investment bank Drake Star reported $37BN in deals and $7BN in new money raised across the sports technology sector in 2023. Deal value increased from $22BN in 2022 and defied the global M&A downturn. Drake Star tracks mergers and acquisitions across the global technology sectors which includes businesses in sports betting, athlete performance, franchises and media content. Endeavor led the way with their acquisition of WWE for $9.3BN. The largest financing deals tracked were China’s VSPO investment round worth $265M, EGYM $225M and F1 team Alpine’s $218M. One area that significantly reduced were sports tech IPO's. However Drake Star expects a strong year across the industry in 2024. ---------------- 📌Try my free sports newsletter You’ll get the latest sports business news and industry updates! Link in the comments 👇 #sports #sportsbiz #linkedinsports #sportstech

Multi-club ownership: Lessons learned from Red Bull Group Multi-club ownership has emerged as one of the most interesting and promising business models in the football industry. In recent years, the ever-growing commercialization of the industry has attracted many investors. The approach changed from buying single-clubs to creating a multi-club model. The Red Bull company was one of the first to forecast, predict, and recognize the potential of the multi-club ownership trend. The case of Red Bull Football Group shows us many best practices on how to manage and structure multi-club ownership. Red Bull did almost everything right in the development of their football group. However, there is one essential thing we can learn from Red Bull. In the beginning, the clubs were managed decentralized by the sporting directors who mostly did not stay longer than one year. Only in 2012 did Red Bull introduce a global office that started to steer the group strategically, centralized specific tasks to better allocate resources, and created synergies between the different clubs. The introduction of the two football experts Rangnick and Houllier was the starting point of Red Bull’s success story in the football industry. Taking a strategic and centralized approach to structure the multi-club ownership group right from the beginning is the most important lesson to learn from the Red Bull case. Based on an internal and external analysis, the owners should create a vision and strategy for their network to set the strategic direction for the clubs and the group as a whole. Furthermore, defining the role of each club, setting parameters for the playing philosophy, implementing a centralized scouting system, and introducing a global office that steers the group network are relevant parts of the initial strategic work. A global office has the following benefits:  - Optimising operations and using synergies (knowledge-sharing) - Cost-efficiency through centralized departments like HR, finance, or marketing - On-field performance and talent development using common systems and strategies at each partner club. To read the full article, find the link in the comments. If you are interested in learning how to strategically approach the setup of a multi-club ownership group, feel free to reach out to us. #footballanalytics #strategicmanagement #multiclubownership #football

Find joy in the journey and trust that the results will follow. Embrace the process with enthusiasm and dedication, knowing that each step forward brings you closer to your goals. Stay committed to your vision and take pride in the progress you make along the way. With passion and perseverance, success is inevitable. #LoveTheProcess #TrustTheJourney #JayTheLauncher #LauncHer

𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐍𝐁𝐀 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭. 💰 The talks are currently at an early stage, and the price of the franchise could be a significant factor with estimates ranging from $2.5 billion to $4 billion, reflecting the league's average franchise value. 🏎️ Red Bull already boasts a significant presence in sports, owning teams in football (New York Red Bulls, RB Leipzig), Formula One (Red Bull Racing & Red Bull Technology), and hockey (EHC München E.V.). ⚽️ The drink brand has recently invested in Leeds United, an English second-tier football team, and became its principal shirt sponsor, showcasing its commitment to expanding its sports influence. ⛹🏽 LeBron James has shown keen interest in owning an NBA team in Las Vegas, a goal he openly discussed in 2022, despite current NBA rules prohibiting active players from owning a team. But now he is planning to collaborate with RedBird Capital Partners for the deal. 🏀 NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, has indicated that expansion is a key focus for the league once domestic media rights deals are finalised, with Las Vegas being a prime candidate. 🏟️ There are proposals for new arenas in Las Vegas, including a multi-billion-dollar entertainment and sports arena by LVXP and a $3 billion sports district by Oak View Group. 🌟 Red Bull's aggressive expansion in sports, with a presence in almost every region, underscores its ambition to solidify its brand in the global sports arena. 🥤 Owning a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise would significantly boost brand awareness in the North American market, particularly among younger sports fans. 🎰 Las Vegas is becoming an attractive destination for sports franchises, evidenced by Major League Baseball (MLB)'s Oakland Athletics relocating there and Formula 1 debuting its race in the city last year. Red Bull's interest further emphasises the city's growing appeal. -- Do you believe that owning an NBA team will significantly boost Red Bull's brand among younger audiences? Why or why not? Haven't subscribed yet? Sign up for my newsletter - https://rb.gy/1iud4b #sportsmarketing #sportsbusiness #redbull #nba