The Game Plan

By Jay Kapoor, Tim Katt

One-of-a-kind podcast from Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt where we interview professional athletes about the business ventures they pursue off the field. The Game Plan both highlights success stories and discusses the challenges that current and retired athletes face in approaching their next chapter. By bringing these stories to life, we hope to provide a more open and honest look into what makes our guests "more than an athlete"

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Detlef Schrempf — Seattle Supersonic Legend on Finding Success in VC & Wealth Management

The Game PlanMay 13, 2020

00:00

33:39

DeShone Kizer — Psychology of Digital Collectibles and Introduction to Vaulting with NFL QB's New Startup: One of None

Human beings have been collecting non-utilitarian items for millennia. It just so happens that with the advent of the digital age, we're now able to collect items from around the world and display them digitally for fellow collectors all over the world to admire as well. Add to this Digital Collectibles, like NFTs, and you've got a space ripe for tech innovation.

Into this fray comes DeShone Kizer, standout QB at Notre Dame who played 5 years in the NFL before launching his own startup One of None, which uses blockchain technology to launch limited-edition hybrid assets, letting collectors seamlessly exchange between the physical and digital versions of their items. DeShone explains what 'vaulting' is and why it is an important part of the infrastructure that allows for the transaction of digital goods that are tied to unique and timeless physical assets.

We also discuss the importance of bringing your full self to your business as an entrepreneur and some of the personal challenges that DeShone has shared making the transition from NFL QB to startup founder. I really enjoyed this conversation with Deshone and learned a ton about the world of digital collectibles so I'm thrilled to be able to share the conversation with all of you.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show highlights professional athletes' stories that will help our listeners raise their game both in business and in life

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips

You can follow us on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content! Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

May 03, 202243:38

Sheldon Day & Amir Carlisle — Demystifying DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) & Building Wealth via The Players Company

If you listen to this show regularly, you know that the shifting interest of athletes from endorsement to ownership is something we talk about a lot. Well, it turns out that in the last few years, athletes aren’t the only ones that are thinking about how to get ownership in the brands, companies and financial institutions they help build as early adopters, micro-influencers, or simply as customers.

You may come across terms like Web3, Creator Economy, or even DAOs as in 'Decentralized Autonomous Organization.'

Today’s episode focuses on the latter through the lens of The Player Company, founded by our two guests NFL Defensive Lineman Sheldon Day and former Wide Receiver Amir Carlisle. Teammates and friends since their earliest days at Notre Dame, the two co-founders are leveraging this unique infrastructure to provide both education and investment opportunities to both athletes as well as their communities at large.

Together with Amir and Sheldon, we dug into what DAOs are and how using tokens, they unlock and incentivize behaviors around managing and investing money that simply isn’t possible in the current "Web 2 Ecosystem". We certainly learned a lot from our guests about the power of group economics and though it's early days for both their company and the Web 3 ecosystem at large, I’m optimistic about this new model of participation that the Players Company hopes to unlock.

About The Game Plan

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Mar 15, 202248:53

Bennie Fowler — Super Bowl Champion WR turned Best-Selling Author on Leadership & Business Coaching

In many ways, Bennie Fowler's story is the epitome of resilience and exactly the kind of journey we love sharing onThe Game Plan every week. Bennie had tremendous success in college at Michigan State and like many of his fellow players, expected to hear his name called during the NFL Draft. Unfortunately, that announcement never came.

Instead, Bennie chose to focus on maximizing his opportunity, fighting to make his way on the roster for the Denver Broncos and catching passes from NFL Legend and Future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. In addition to Peyton, Bennie has also played with Future Hall of Famers Eli Manning and Drew Brees. Bennie compares and contrasts leadership lessons from all 3 QBs as well as how he reflects on and applies these lessons in a business context.

Bennie also shares with our listeners the difference between business consulting and business coaching and how Bennie's post-NFL ambitions brought him to the latter and how he works with promising businesses and founders every day. This episode is literally one you can't afford to skip!

About The Game Plan

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Mar 02, 202242:04

Shane Monahan — Irish Rugby Pro on Evolution of Social Audio & Building Audio Platform Limor

Podcasting and social audio as a viable business has seen explosive growth in the past decade, the last few years especially. With Spotify having spent over $1Bn to acquire both tech and talent, apps like Clubhouse raising at multi-billion valuations, and even platforms like Twitter launching their own social audio Spaces, we felt this topic deserved a deeper dive.

Given the global range of social audio, it's only fair that our guide on this journey joins us from across the pond in Ireland. Shane Monahan played at the highest level of professional rugby in both Ireland and the UK, falling in love with startups and entrepreneurship along the way.

Shane and Jay dive into the trajectory of Shane's career, the future ahead of podcasting and social audio, the state of the landscape for apps like Spotfy Greenroom, Clubhouse, Twitter Space and more -- and why Limor wants to do for audio, what TikTok did for videos.

About The Game Plan

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Feb 15, 202247:16

Luke Bonner — Former Pro Basketball Player Empowers Athletes to Choose Ownership with NFTs via PWRFWD

In this week's episode of The Game Plan, we venture into the wild, wild west of the internet: Digital collectibles, NFTs and Web3. What does it mean for athletes, how is it changing how athletes think about their personal brands and ability to monetize their work on and off the field, and who the key stakeholders in this new tokenized world are and will be.

Our guide through this wild and rocky terrain is Luke Bonner, former pro basketball player who has spent his entire career, helping his peers and those that came after he think about brand development and ownership, well before NIL became a buzzword. Luke played both overseas and in the NBA D-League, after which he spent many years advising college and pro athletes on the key labor relations issues of the last decade. Looking ahead to the next decade, Luke is now applying all of his knowledge to building PWRFWD, the definitive athlete-to-consumer marketplace.

To-date PWRFWD has worked with athletes including Sue Bird, Mo Bamba, Breanna Stewart, Sony Michel, Tacko Fall and more. Special thanks to our friend and PWRFWD investor Jordan Fliegel for the intro to Luke.

About The Game Plan

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Feb 01, 202245:39

Steve Mesler — Gold Medal Olympic Bobsledder on Teaching Life Lessons to K-8 with Classroom Champions

The essence of an entrepreneur is to recognize a problem, realize you're the best person to solve it, then get to work solving it. With the amazing work he has done over the last decade with Classroom Champions, Steve Mesler is a great example of one such entrepreneur.

Despite bringing home a gold medal for the USA in the 2012 Winter Olympics, former Olympic bobsledder Stever Mesler jokes that his job consisted of "running hard for a few seconds then sitting for a minute". He tells us how he went from an injury-filled track career in college to making the US Olympic Bobsled team. So how did he translate that Olympic experience into building an international non-profit, serving thousands of schools and tens of thousands of K-8 students?

The Game Plan co-host Jay Kapoor dives into all aspects of building Classroom Champions with Steve Mesler and uncovers why sports is such an important construct to teach life-long lessons to young students.

About The Game Plan

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Jan 18, 202247:43

Blaine Scully — US Rugby's "Captain America" on Decade+ of Leadership Lessons and Having Humility to Start Over

For over 10-years Blaine Scully donned the red, white, and blue for Team USA and led the team to 3 World Cup appearances.

Blaine says his foray into the sport was almost accidental "Rugby found me. When you find what you want to do, everything just clicks" so we discuss what that feeling was like and how the sport took him down the road less traveled playing for teams in the UK including the Cardiff Blues and Leicester Tigers.

We also discussed Blaine's great podcast and video show "Captains Code" where we spoke to leaders across sport about some of the hardest decisions they have had to make and the lessons they impart on building high-performing cultures.

This was a really fun and candid conversation with a leader on the international stage about having the perseverance to make it to the highest level... then having the courage and humility to start over.

About The Game Plan

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Jan 11, 202232:19

Brendon Ayanbadejo — 3x NFL Pro Bowler turned PE Investor Grew Orangetheory Franchises to Multi-$100M Exit

While it's not uncommon to see two brothers make it to the NFL one after each other, this is a first for The Game Plan. We're thrilled to have Brendon Ayanbadejo, the younger brother of Season 2 Game Plan guest Femi Ayanbadejo. Which brother brought more energy and enthusiasm to the show, it's really hard to say so we'll let you make that call!

Brendon knew the NFL stands for "not for long" and started preparing for life after the game much sooner than a lot of his peers. Despite this, he still had a pretty epic 10-year career in the NFL, going from undrafted FA to making the Pro Bowl 3x as a Special Teams maven and winning Super Bowl XLVII.

As he transitioned from the NFL and got his MBA, Brendon helped bring Orangetheory Fitness to his home state of California as a franchisee and developer. He invested a few million as a founding partner of West Coast Fitness which now has over 55+ franchises at the time of a successful exit to a private equity backer a few years ago. As he jokes "Sports is just competitive fitness" and Brendon shares his Pea-Pod Theory that helped him find a problem, passion, and purpose to be dedicated to in his post-NFL career.

Beyond that, Brendon's interests are as varied as the roles he played on the football field. He's passionate about health & fitness tech of course but he pairs that with his love of EV & Battery tech, FinTech across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other Crypto assets. A few companies he's directly invested in include Tonal, Pathwater, Impossible Foods, Hyperice, aXiomatic, and Rubric and we discuss how he enjoys investing both as a VC as well as a PE investor

As Brendon likes to say "Through the grief and strife, we have the choice to adapt & innovate, or succumb to the powers that be. The underdog that I am, I choose to adapt & innovate." This was an uplifting and inspirational conversation with a former NFLer thriving in his second act.

About The Game Plan

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full-length episodes and fun video clips

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Jan 04, 202240:55

Joe Hawley — NFL Center Shares Keys To Unlocking Personal Growth on "The Other Side of Fear"

Joe Hawley has nothing left to prove to anyone. In fact, he came to this very realization himself standing on the sidelines with his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates during Week 1 of his last NFL season. Right then he decided that he was finally done proving something in NFL. He was now ready for the challenges waiting for him on the other side of playing professional football.

But like any good epic story, Joe first needed to embark on his own hero's journey. A spiritual journey in purpose, but also a literal one. Joe Hawley sold almost all his things and set off for a cross-country road trip in a camper van with his dog, to visit as much of the United States as he could. He chronicled much of his travels himself via his Man Van Dog Blog and his one-of-a-kind journey was also chronicled in both Men's Health and USA Today

Now the founder of The Hart Collective, Joe Hawley sits down with Jay Kapoor to share some of the realizations he came to on his road trip, how he came to terms with his place in the universe, what it really means to be a professional athlete, how anyone can develop a digital presence, and why the only way to grow as a person is to seek out the things that scare you the most.

This was a fantastic, life-affirming conversation with one of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking guests we'd had on The Game Plan and we can't wait for your to hear this episode with former NFL Center and Founder of the Hart Collective, Joe Hawley

About The Game Plan

Did you know you can watch, as well as listen to The Game Plan? Check out our YouTube Page for full length episodes and fun video clips

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Dec 21, 202154:22

Christian Ponder — NFL 1st Round Pick QB on Building a Community for "Forever Athletes"

In terms of football, Christian Ponder is probably best known for his three years as the starting quarterback at Florida State under head coach Bobby Bowden. What most people don’t know, however, is that Ponder also won the 2010 Bobby Bowden Award, presented to the top student-athlete among FBS schools, and graduated from Florida State in just two and a half years with a degree in finance and a 3.73 GPA.

Today, Ponder is seeking to develop a community of other like-minded former athletes who have taken their drive from sport and converted it into business pursuits and other passions. Ponder is co-founder of The Post, a professional membership community launching early in 2022 that will help athletes apply their unique skill set to achieve their professional goals.

In our conversation . . .

Ponder talks about his decision to retire early from the NFL, “When I left it was actually much more difficult than I anticipated. Although I tried to distance myself from it, that probably made it more difficult because it’s so hard for so many of us when it’s such a deep-seeded part of our identity and who we are, and overnight it’s gone.”

Ponder describes the natural crossover between being an athlete and an entrepreneur; ”You have to have the work ethic. It takes a tremendous amount of work to go from just an idea to actually starting a business. Teamwork and communication are tremendously important in the startup experience.”

Ponder on why athletes have a common bond that sets them up for success beyond sports, “It really comes down to the soft skills of the work ethic and the leadership and the grittiness and being goal-oriented and always striving to get better and dealing with failure and dealing with success… these soft skills that sport teaches you. For those that achieve the highest level of sport, those qualities will make you successful at anything in life. You just have to take it from the scope of athletic ability and apply it to the scope of business and professional potential.”

You can follow Christian Ponder on Twitter (@cponder7) and Instagram (@cpseven).

* * * * *

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

You can follow us on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content! Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Dec 14, 202129:13

Tony Kanaan — IndyCar's Ironman Shares His Investment Philosophy, Triathlete Training and How He Keeps Passion To Succeed Alive

With 24 seasons spent thrilling crowds and proving doubters wrong in IndyCar, there's little wonder why Tony Kanaan has become such a fan favorite. But one has to wonder why the 46-year-old who moonlights in numerous triathlon and Ironman competitions, keeps coming back for more. What drives IndyCar Champion and Indy 500 Champion to keep coming back for more? We unpack that together in this funny, inspiring, emotional, and life-affirming episode — our first of Season III of The Game Plan.

Our thanks to Matt Campagna and the team at Reflexion for putting us together with Tony. Watch Tony in action with Reflexion here

Follow Tony Kanaan (@TonyKanaan | @TKanaan) and Reflexion (@ReflexionLLC) on Twitter and Instagram

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show highlights professional athletes stories that will help our listeners raise their game in business and in life

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Dec 08, 202101:00:20

The Game Plan Returns for Season III

Over 60+ episodes, The Game Plan has shared countless stories from the world's greatest athletes that have helped our listeners raise their game in business and in life. Now we are back with an EPIC Season III sharing even more triumphs, setbacks and lessons from on AND off the field.

Jay Z famously said, "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man..."

Much in the same way, the greatest athletes in the world are more than just entertainers on the courts and fields—they are brands and enterprises unto themselves. Properly cultivated, athletes can position themselves to turn the millions they make playing sports into potentially billions in generational wealth. Those are the crossover names we remember long after they’ve stopped playing. The Magic Johnsons. The Roger Staubachs. The Michael Jordans.

SUBSCRIBE HERE: Don’t Miss an Episode of The Game Plan www.thegameplan.show

About The Game Plan

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Dec 07, 202119:05

Season 2 Finale — Lessons in Investing, Entrepreneurship and Gratitude: A Look Back at Season 2 of The Game Plan

We’re closing out Season 2 of The Game Plan by looking back on our favorite moments from the past year and pointing out the can’t-miss wisdom from Super Bowl champions, Olympic gold medalists, and an array of talented athletes who found their second callings as entrepreneurs and investors.

Hosts Tim Katt and Jay Kapoor will add new commentary as they retrace past conversations full of sharp insights and authentic emotion. Featured guests in this episode include:

Rob Dyrdek, a former professional skateboarder who became an entrepreneur and investor.
JJ Redick, an NBA shooting guard and the founder of Three Four Two Productions.
Hilary Knight, a hockey player who won Olympic gold with Team USA and founded the PWHPA.
Apolo Anton Ohno, a former speed skater and eight-time Olympic medalist who became an author and entrepreneur.
Isaiah Kacyvenski, a former NFL linebacker and founder/partner of Will Ventures.
Ryan Mundy, a Super Bowl champion and the founder of Alkeme.

Be sure to follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

***

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

You can follow us on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content! Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

May 17, 202130:34

Vernon Davis — New Routes and Creative Streaks: How Former NFL Tight End Unlocked Full Potential Through Acting and Investing

As an athlete, Vernon Davis was a dynamic tight end who could line up anywhere and prove to be a mismatch for all three levels of the opponent’s defense.

He spent the majority of his career with the San Francisco 49ers before winning a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in 2015 and finishing his career with the Washington Football Team. Over 14 seasons, Davis appeared in two Pro Bowls and led the league in receiving touchdowns in 2009.

Today, Davis has found his footing as both an actor and investor. He is the host of MTV’s The Challenge: Double Agents Reunion Part 2 and appeared in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars shortly after his retirement from the NFL. As an investor, Davis has gotten behind the beverage brands Riff and Path Water.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

May 10, 202136:44

Avery Johnson — How "The Little General" Compounded Success From NBA Player to Coach to Private Equity Investor

As a point guard, Avery Johnson played in the NBA for 16 years. He achieved the pinnacle of success in 1999, winning the NBA title as the floor leader of the San Antonio Spurs.

In 2004, Johnson retired from the game and moved up the bench transitioning from active player to assistant coach. Shortly after his start in coaching, Johnson found success as a head coach, leading the Dallas Mavericks to the 2006 NBA Finals. That same year Johnson was rewarded with NBA Coach of the Year honors, and became the fastest NBA head coach to win 100 games. He would later go on to take head coaching roles with both the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets and the University of Alabama. At each of those levels, Avery Johnson learned the key traits of resilience, perseverance, and effective management that serve him off the court today.

Today, “The Little General” has moved beyond coaching and into business as a successful real estate investor. In early 2020, Johnson formed Avery Capital where he focuses on investment opportunities exclusively tied to the General Services Administration or “GSA”; an independent government agency that manages federal property.

May 03, 202142:19

Will Allen — The Rooney Rule for Venture Capital: How A Former NFL Safety Empowers Diversity in Startups

After winning a national championship and being a consensus first-team All-America selection at Ohio State, Will Allen was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 and went on to play in the NFL for 12 years, most notably with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Off the field, Allen has been driven by two things: his desire to help others and to keep learning. In 2008, he established the Will Allen Foundation to provide resources for underprivileged youth around academics and education. Allen has led by example, taking on a number of internships and continuing ed programs at both Harvard and Northwestern.

In 2008, Allen made his first investment in a real estate opportunity. Despite the financial crisis, the investment paid off and kicked off Allen’s career in investing. Today, Allen is a partner at the newly formed Magarac Venture Partners, a fund focused on backing historically overlooked founders, such as those in the Midwest and women and minority entrepreneurs.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@gameplan.show

Apr 26, 202150:56

Dave Scatchard — From NHL Hockey Player to Life Coach Transforming the Way People Live

As a hockey player, Dave Scatchard played more than 650 games in the NHL, and he is best known for his time with the Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders. He delivered when it counted most, recording hat tricks in two postseason games for the Islanders.

Hatchard’s career on the ice was cut short due to concussion-related trauma. The physical, mental and emotional toll put him in a downward spiral. After years of therapy at the Mayo Clinic, he was unable to find a way to reconcile the damage that had been done to his body.

Fortunately, he hired a life coach, which eventually led him to closely follow Tony Robbins and other motivational speakers. Hatchard embraced a new way of thinking that transformed his life. So much so that it has led him to his second act as a peak performance coach. Today, Dave Scatchard is the CEO and founder of All Star Coaching.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at talkback@sporttechie.com

Apr 19, 202148:25

Dave Anderson — How Former NFL Wideout Turns Data Analytics into "Ballspeak" as CEO of Breakaway Data

Dave Anderson finished his senior season at Colorado State in 2005 with the most receiving yards in the Mountain West Conference and was later drafted by the Houston Texans in the seventh round. He went on to play in the NFL for six seasons.

After football, he went to business school at USC Marshall and earned his MBA in Data Sciences. This launched Anderson into his second act, working with sports properties, athletes, and teams to help them better understand, incorporate and monetize their data.

Today, Anderson is CEO of BreakAway Data, a sports analytics company that he incubated in late 2020 out of his sports performance advisory business Gains Group. BreakAway Data was developed in partnership with Gains Group clients such as the Los Angeles Dodgers.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Apr 12, 202144:13

Jay DeMerit — Underdog Story of Positivity & Perseverance That Fuel This Former EPL Captain's Content Aspirations

Jay DeMerit was not a household name in American soccer when he first started his professional playing career. As a matter of fact, he was not even drafted or signed by any Major League Soccer clubs following his graduation from college in 2001.

When most athletes would have called it quits, DeMerit doubled-down on his professional soccer aspirations and moved to England in an attempt to find a club to play for. Despite this uncommon approach to becoming a professional athlete, DeMerit found his way onto a club in the ninth tier of English soccer.

From Southall, DeMerit underwent a meteoric rise through the ranks of English Soccer, eventually finding himself with Watford. On May 21, 2006, in the play-off final, DeMerit headed in the game's first goal and was named Man of the Match as Watford gained promotion to the Premier League by defeating Leeds United 3–0.

DeMerit not only achieved his dream of playing in the Premier League, he went on to cap for the USMNT 25 times, including a CONCACAF Gold Cup win and appearances in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In 2011, DeMerit was also the first player signed by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC for their entrance in MLS, where he played four seasons.

This non-traditional journey of professional success now fuels DeMerit off the pitch as the founder of Rise + Shine; a masterclass-type platform catered towards Gen Z.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at talkback@sporttechie.com

Apr 05, 202149:23

Marques Colston — Super Bowl Champ Shares His "Separation Mindset" and Paving a Path for Retired Athletes

Marques Colston made a living as a wide receiver in the NFL by creating separation and getting behind defenses. During his 10-year career with the New Orleans Saints, he became one of Drew Brees’s favorite targets, racking up more than 700 receptions to go with 72 touchdowns. In Super Bowl XLIV, Colston helped bring home the Lombardi Trophy with seven catches for 83-yards.

Today, Colston has taken his separation mindset to the classroom. As an adjunct professor at the University of New Orleans, he’s helping the next generation of athletes become business leaders. Colston has gained an entire curriculum of insights since his NFL retirement in 2016, but his passion for business started early in his playing career; he often read business books in the offseasons, especially when he was healing from multiple injuries that sidelined him early in his career.

We first started talking with Marques about his off-field pursuits more than two years ago at a SportTechie conference. It was that conversation that helped inspire the creation of The Game Plan.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Mar 29, 202139:59

Rob Dyrdek — Building a Dyrdek Machine That Helps Turn Startup Ideas into Successful Businesses

Rob Dyrdek may be best known as a TV personality for his hit shows Rob & Big, Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness, but prior to his rise on the small screen, Dyrdek was making money as a professional skateboarder. Dyrdek grew up in a small town in Ohio and began skateboarding at the age of 11. His passion for skating eventually brought him to Los Angeles where his ability to draw sponsorship provided a steady income and set the stage for a career in entertainment.

Dyrdek parlayed his ability to draw sponsors into multiple business opportunities, including the ownership of a skateboard company of his own. He then went on to launch the Street League Skateboarding competition and enterprise which has grown into an international sports media and entertainment property.

Labeled as one of the "most influential skateboarders of all-time", Dyrdek has fused together his passion for art, science and creativity, to launch the Dyrdek Machine; a venture creation studio that partners with idea-stage entrepreneurs. The company acts as a co-founder by providing hands-on expertise, process, and amplification to help build and launch consumer products alongside entrepreneurs.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Mar 22, 202152:21

Roger Mason Jr. — How this NBA Veteran–Turned–Entrepreneur Uses Content to Empower Athletes On–and–Off The Court

Roger Mason Jr. has always been ahead of his time. As a professional basketball player, he spent time with seven different NBA franchises, most notably the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Hornets. Similar to the way NBA players switch teams frequently today, Mason Jr. bet on himself through short-term deals that maximized his earnings, including stints in Greece and Israel after his rookie deal expired. He also sought out markets that would raise his profile off the court, leading to his signing with the New York Knicks in 2010.

While playing, Mason Jr. began to show an insatiable curiosity for business opportunities off the court. This led to his ascension within the NBPA, where he eventually became deputy executive director alongside Michelle Roberts, the NBPA’s current executive director.

Toward the end of his playing career and during his time with the NBPA, Mason Jr. had an idea for a player-led media platform that would enable athletes to tell their stories to fans directly. This was before social media had become ubiquitous, and it led to the eventual company he founded in 2014, Vaunt.

Today, Roger Mason Jr. is do-founder and CEO of Vaunt, which creates in-person, once-in-a-lifetime experiential events and streams high-quality content. The company provides fans with access to professional athletes, while also creating opportunities for players to build and monetize their own brands.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Mar 15, 202133:53

Ryan Mundy — Opportunity in Mental Wellness and Raising VC to Build a Category-Defining Business

Ryan Mundy was a hard-hitting safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and Chicago Bears who played in two Super Bowls and hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with the Steelers in 2009. He didn’t always have the best on-field reputation, having been fined multiple times in his career for illegal hits, but he’s ultimately shown himself to be a mature, innovative and humble person who is working to have a positive impact on the world.

Mundy, who retired from the NFL in 2014, was one of the first pro athletes to dip his toes in venture capital, including investing in bitcoin as early as 2016. Today, he has moved across the table as an entrepreneur. Mundy is the founder and CEO of Alkeme, a platform for mental health and wellness that focuses especially on the Black community.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at talkback@sporttechie.com

Mar 08, 202143:50

Yael Averbuch — How Former USWNT Member Brings The Beautiful Game to the Masses with Techne Futbol

A former National Player of the Year at the University of North Carolina and two-time NCAA Women's College Cup champion, Yael Averbuch went on to have a 16-year professional soccer career, including significant time with the US Women’s National Team.
Averbuch took her leadership on the pitch and in the locker room to the board room where she played an instrumental role in the creation of the NWSLPA in 2017, serving as Executive Director until 2020.
Today, Averbuch is CEO and founder of Techne Futbol, a soccer training app she launched in 2016. Always looking to incorporate new skills and techniques in the development of her own game, Averbuch found herself doing small group and individual training. Looking to expand those efforts and reach more players, Averbuch was naturally pulled into the creation of training videos on YouTube and a weekly email she sends out every Sunday featuring a new training drill. This evolution from player to teacher laid the foundation for what is now Techne Futbol; a system that helps players get better.
About The Game Plan
The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.
You can follow us on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content! Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.
Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Mar 01, 202146:14

Josh Johnson — How NFL Journeyman QB Built The Ultimate Gaming League to Bring People Together

For over 12 seasons, Johnson has continued to make a place for himself on NFL rosters, building relationships throughout the league along the way.
A fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft out of San Diego, quarterback Josh Johnson has been the ultimate journeyman, appearing on the roster or practice squad for 13 NFL teams. Away from the game, he’s more boss than role player.
Johnson, 34, has partnered with fellow NFL players to form the Ultimate Gaming League, a multi-game competitive league with team franchises that brings together athlete and celebrity talent to create unique content and events around gaming. Such talent will feature four franchises including Da Fam Gaming, Ochocinco Gaming, 4 Brothers Gaming, and Glitxh Gaming. Competitions will center around Call of Duty, Madden NFL, NBA 2K, and FIFA.
Other NFL players to form the league, which is launching its inaugural season this month, include former NFL All-Pro running back Marshawn Lynch, Ravens defensive back Marcus Peters, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, and more.
About The Game Plan
The Game Plan is a weekly podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.
You can follow us on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content! Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.
Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Feb 22, 202132:46

Hilary Knight — How This Olympic Gold Medalist Is Building a Sustainable Future for US Women’s Hockey

Few professional hockey players have experienced sustained success on the ice like Hilary Knight. A native of Palo Alto, California, Knight followed in the footsteps of her future Team USA teammate and past TGP guest, Angela Ruggiero, when she attended Choate Rosemary Hall. Following boarding school, Knight went on to lead the Wisconsin Badgers to two National Championship games, including an NCAA Championship trophy in her Sophomore season, a year when she became the Badgers record-holder for points, goals and power-play goals in one season. She extended that success into her Olympic career where she won silver medals in 2010 and 2014, and most recently a gold medal in the 2018 winter Olympics.

Knight has been a professional hockey player for nine years, and the game has become her personal mission off the ice as an outspoken leader rallying against subpar playing conditions and compensation.

Rather than settle for less, Knight, along with more than 200 other professional hockey players walked away from the game to form the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA).

Today, Knight has teamed up with other players on the 2021 Dream Gap Tour, a group of PWHPA players traveling around the US and Canada to call attention to the game of Women’s Hockey. The tour kicks off later this month on February 28 with the first-ever professional women’s hockey game hosted at Madison Square Garden.

You can follow Hilary Knight on Twitter and Instagram. To learn more about the PWHPA, go to https://pwhpa.com/
Special thanks to past TGP guest Haley Rosen from Just Women’s Sports for making the introduction to our guest.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at talkback@sporttechie.com

Feb 15, 202127:55

Ray Austin — Former NFL Player’s Rise to Co-founder & Commissioner of Fan Controlled Football

With the confetti from Super Bowl LV having fallen in Tampa, a new professional football league awaits. This Saturday, the Fan Controlled Football League will launch its inaugural season on Twitch at 8 p.m. ET.

At the helm of this new fan-first experience is commissioner Ray Austin, an alum of the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and the XFL. Beyond his career as a defensive back, Austin is known for his modeling and acting career, including roles on Empire and Chicago P.D.

Austin, 46, brings a dynamic energy and passionate voice to the FCF, which allows fans to participate and vote for plays through a custom app. Through Twitch, the league will also offer unique camera perspectives, as well as various game hosts, including a feed of commissioner Austin.

In our conversation . . .

Austin talks about his leap from pro football player to actor: “The reason I got into acting [was] because Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson were like superstars to me . . . I was like, ‘Wow, so they played football and they ended up being on TV because of that?’ I was like, I love it. That's what I'm going to do.”
Austin explains the genesis for the idea that eventually led to him co-founding Fan Controlled Football: “I was literally at a semi-pro football game watching one of my buddies . . . where he had his phone with him. I was just like, ‘Man, what is your coach doing?! Man, tell your coach to run a sweep, tell him to run a play-action pass, man.’ And I had to go talk to the team after the game. So I'm just saying, ‘You know what? Let me get your phone number, coach . . . and I just texted him, ‘Run a sweep, run Cover 2.’’ And when it happened, I was just like, ‘Oh my goodness . . . I got something here!’ ”
Austin shares the story of embracing a potential competitor as his co-founder: “[Tony Paris] said, ‘Man, I love your idea, but I’ve got a guy that you might want to meet . . . he's working on the same thing.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, snap!’ Then I got nervous. Like, ‘Oh man, somebody's working on this? What's going on? OK. Who is this guy? What does he do?’ You know? And he's like, ‘Man, why don't you just go meet him?’ So I talked to him on the phone and flew up and met Sohrob Farudi, the CEO [of FCF].”
Austin discusses what makes the FCF unique: “It's basically a live video game. We are trying to construct a live video game, allowing fans to literally control actual athletes. And, and I'm not just saying on the field as just calling plays, but we're talking about, you know, that sport escapism, everybody always wanted to, you know, call that play . . . so why don't you say or do something about it then?”
You can follow Ray Austin on Twitter (@rayaustin36) and Instagram (@rayaustin36), as well as the FCF (@fcflio and @fcfl).

Feb 08, 202145:35

Isaiah Kacyvenski — The Power of Will: How an NFL Veteran Raised $55M for Will Ventures Against All Odds

Isaiah Kacyvenski is one of the most decorated Ivy League football players of all time. While at Harvard, he won Ivy League Rookie of the Year and then followed that up with All-Ivy League first-team honors over his final three seasons. He received the Nils V. “Swede” Nelson Award, which is given to "best, most academically talented" football player in New England, and also the Harvard University Male Athlete of the Year following his senior season.

After Harvard, Kacyvenski was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in 2000, becoming the highest draft pick in Harvard history (fourth round, No. 199 overall. Beyond his contributions as a linebacker, he was a pivotal player on the Seahawks’ special teams and helped in their run to Super Bowl XL. More impressive than any on-field accomplishment, however, is what Kacyvenski overcame just to have the opportunity to play football in the first place. He dealt with bouts of homelessness as a kid and the tragic loss of his mother during his senior year of high school.

That power of will is what keeps driving him as he enters the next phase of his professional career. Last year, Kacyvenski announced a $55 million dollar early-stage venture fund focused on health, wellness, media and content; the fund is called Will Ventures. Along with fellow former Harvard football player Brian Reilly, as well as other Harvard student-athlete graduates Kirby Porter and Alexis Nocolia, Kacyvenski is seeking out “relentless entrepreneurs with the will to change the world.”

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at talkback@sporttechie.com

Feb 01, 202147:32

Apolo Ohno — How America’s Greatest Winter Olympian Perfects His Toolkit and Finds Ways to Win Every Day

Apolo Anton Ohno is the most decorated winter Olympian in U.S. history. Appearing in three Olympics from 2002-2010, he medaled eight times across four events, including golds in the 1500m and 500m speed skating events. In 2007, Ohno experienced competitive success off the ice too, winning the reality TV show Dancing with the Stars. He was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2019.

Today, Ohno finds himself as locked in as ever. Driven by curiosity and hard work, he has explored various endeavors since retiring from speed skating. He’s developed a supplements company, been a TV game show host and Olympics analyst, and continued his work as a philanthropist and motivational speaker. Ohno is currently focused on writing his latest book, Hard Pivot, which he plans to release later this year.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at talkback@sporttechie.com

Jan 25, 202153:33

Chris Pronger — How Hockey Legend & 2x Gold Medalist Curates Hall of Fame Luxury Travel Experiences

A legendary defenseman who was inducted into the hockey hall of fame in 2015, Chris Pronger is recognized as one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history. In 2000, Pronger was the first defenseman since Bobby Orr to win the MVP trophy before advancing to the Stanley Cup finals with three different teams (Edmonton, Anaheim, and Philadelphia), winning the Cup with the Ducks in 2007. He complimented his 18-year NHL career with four Olympics appearances with Team Canada, winning Gold Medals in the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics
Today Pronger is co-founder and President of Well Inspired Travels, a boutique luxury travel company that caters to elite athletes, entertainers, business owners, and C-Level executives. Pronger started the company with his wife, Lauren, prior to the CoVid-19 pandemic. Despite headwinds, Pronger has continued to build his company through relationships and customer service.
You can follow Chris Pronger on Instagram (@thechrispronger) and LinkedIn. Check out Well Inspired Travels at www.wellinspiredtravels.com/.
* * * * *
About The Game Plan
The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.
You can follow us on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content! Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.
Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Jan 18, 202143:02

Jon McGraw — Unlocking the Performance Mindset to Make Even Mundane Jobs More Enjoyable with Vision Pursue

A walk-on at Kansas State who was taken in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft by the New York Jets, Jon McGraw went on to play 10 pro seasons in the NFL, making stops with the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs along the way. For all his success, including winning the prestigious Ed Block Courage Award in 2011, the process of playing football wasn’t always a great experience for the hard-nosed safety. The daily grind took its toll and he felt his focus was suffering.

Toward the end of his career, McGraw stumbled across the concept of Process-Oriented Psychology. Instead of focusing on the end result, he learned to find purpose in the day-to-day aspects of the job and found joy in the sport again.

This ultimately led McGraw to pursue an entrepreneurial path after football, sharing what he’d learned with other pro athletes and corporate executives working in high-stress environments. He co-founded Vision Pursue alongside his business partner, Russ Rausch, a former hedge fund operator. Today, Vision Pursue works with high-profile clients in sports and business, including the Miami Heat, the San Francisco 49ers, and FedEx.

About The Game Plan:

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

You can follow us on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content! Subscribe to the Game Plan on Youtube for lots more content as well.

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Jan 11, 202142:19

Jason Campbell — How Former Quarterback Found Himself Again After NFL Retirement

When Jason Campbell walked away from football in 2015, it was not for a lack of interest from NFL teams. Instead, Campbell had fallen out of love with the game and was struggling with the idea of being relegated to backup roles on struggling teams that weren’t going to be in Super Bowl contention. Fast forward to today and we see an older, wiser version of Campbell who stands by his decision to retire.

While learning from veterans such as Mark Brunell during his playing career, Campbell laid the groundwork for life after football by creating business relationships and being smart with his money. Jason is now an investor, entrepreneur, and podcast host. But he hasn’t left football completely behind. He now also works as a football analyst for his alma mater, Auburn University, where he led the Tigers to an undefeated season in 2004.

We cover all this and more in The Game Plan, including one early investment opportunity in a well-known ridesharing service that served as a hard-won learning experience for Campbell.

Huge thanks to our mutual friend Albert Sye at Mean Circle for making the introduction to Jason and for being a great friend and supporter of the show!

About The Game Plan:

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Jan 04, 202140:41

Femi Ayanbadejo — Leveraging NASA Technology to Personalize Your Fitness and Maximize Performance via HealthReel

To tell Femi Ayanbadejo that he can’t do something is to place a bet on his success. Known for his smash-mouth, do-anything approach to playing running back in the NFL for 11 seasons, Ayanbadejo has carried his tenacity off the playing field into entrepreneurship as founder of HealthReel—a virtual health assessment app powered by NASA technology.

During his playing career with five teams, mostly with Baltimore and Arizona, Ayanbadejo connected with the athletic trainers and medical personnel in ways that most players don’t. Those relationships and his obsessiveness about health and achieving optimal performance inspired him to start his own gym and human performance center. His curiosity still not quenched, he sold his equity in the company and enrolled at Johns Hopkins University, where he earned an MBA focused on Digital Health.

Today, Ayanbadejo aspires to bring impactful and inspiring health data to everyone who wants it!

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Dec 21, 202050:38

Rocky & Luke Collis — Athlete Brothers Team Up Off the Field to Bring Elite Training to the Masses

As outside general counsel to the USWNT players’ association, Rocky, the older Collis brother, has led the way in counseling the players in a highly publicized legal battle with U.S. Soccer around equal pay and better playing conditions. His work has led him to also join forces with Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press, Tobin Heath and Meghan Klingenberg (a former guest on the podcast) to create a new for-good apparel company, Re—Inc.

Luke, meanwhile, has had a bent for making a societal impact off the field by serving as a field organizer for Stacey Abrams’ Georgia gubernatorial campaign in 2018. This was on the heels of leading the Philadelphia Soul to back-to-back ArenaBowl Championships in the previous two years.

Today, the brothers have reunited on a new mission that is driven by their mutual love of sport. Motivated by the expert training and evaluation they sought out as professional athletes, they now hope to democratize elite coaching for all athletes. They have joined forces with renowned biomechanics coach Tom House and elite mental performance coach Jason Goldsmith on a new training app called Mustard. Rocky is the CEO; Luke is the Launch COO and Head of Product. Mustard, of course, is thought of as the secret sauce of throwing, as in, “Put some mustard on it!”

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Dec 14, 202055:31

Lonie Paxton — How a 3x Super Bowl Champion Built Business Relationships That Define His Post-NFL Career

Three Super Bowl Rings, Two Careers, One Approach to Doing Business: How Lonie Paxton Embodies The Patriot Way

In New England, all the Super Bowl trophies, the Hall of Fame players and the stern look on Bill Belichick’s face can be summed up in one mantra: The Patriot Way. Simply put, that means always doing your job at the highest level, whether you get any part of the glory or not. For our guest Lonie Paxton, that was especially true, as no one flies under the radar more than long snappers—unless, of course, you mess up.

A 12-year NFL veteran, Paxton spent his first nine seasons in Foxborough, Mass., winning three Super Bowls. He was the long snapper on Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning 48-yard field goal in Super Bowl XXXVI. (If you remember him at all, you might remember him as the lineman who sprinted downfield and pantomimed making snow angels in the end zone to celebrate.)

Paxton, who spent the final three years of his NFL career in Denver, took his lunch-pail approach to football and applied it to pursuits off the field, building a successful career as an advisor and partner to companies including Red Bull and GoPro. In this week’s episode of The Game Plan, he retraces that journey and explains how he never let the moment get too big—on the field or off.

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at hello@thegameplan.show

Dec 07, 202034:49

Tina Charles — WNBA Superstar Gives A Voice for the Voiceless & Leads a Life That Goes Straight to the Heart

Hearing Tina Charles recount the emotions she felt when meeting a man whose life had been saved by one of the 425-plus portable AED devices that her foundation has purchased and installed to date, it's easy to forget that she’s in the middle of what is surely a Hall-of-Fame basketball career.

Charles, 31, is the Center on the Washington Mystics. A two-time national college champion at UConn, she was the first pick of the 2010 WNBA draft and won Rookie of the Year that season. Two years later, she was league MVP. She’s a seven-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Her impact goes far beyond the hardwood. She’s active with her non-profit organization, speaks out for social justice reform, and has even produced her first film. She shares the encouragement she received from famed New York filmmaker Spike Lee, leading to her eventual premiere of the film at Tribeca Film Festival. You can follow Tina Charles on Twitter (@tinacharles31) and Instagram (@tina31charles). To learn more about her production company, visit Thirty-One Enterprises.

Slight Correction: We noted in the intro Tina's high school Christ The King was in Brooklyn, it's actually in Queens, NY

Click here to listen >>>

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at talkback@sporttechie.com

Nov 30, 202037:43

JJ Redick — How Curiosity Built the Podcast Star and His Growing Media Empire

This week's episode of The Game Plan features New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard JJ Redick, who is also the co-founder of ThreeFourTwo Productions.

In our conversation . . .

Redick explains how he had to move his off-season training session to 7 a.m. to accommodate a busy day that included speaking to a Stanford Business School class in the morning and hosting two guests of his own later in the day—not to mention making sure that his sons, 4-year-old Kai and 6-year-old Knox, got enough dad time.

Redick tells the story behind him becoming the first active professional athlete to launch his own podcast. While commonplace today, it was anything but for athletes to publicly explore their interests outside the game just four short years ago, much less broadcast them to the world.

Fast forward to today: Redick has recorded more than 125 podcast episodes and has over 170,000 subscribers on YouTube. His new show, The Old Man and The Three, features guests such as NBA teammates like Zion Williamson, presidential candidates and Hollywood stars.

Few media personalities, much less professional athletes, are able to unlock the human and emotional side of their guests like Redick. When asked what makes this possible, he said, "Reps are the biggest key . . . you get a few under your belt, you figure out what works, what doesn't work, and you get a little bit of confidence. You feel stronger about your own creative performance and you keep building and keep growing from there.”

It is through meticulous dedication to his craft that Redick has grown such a passionate following. To that end, we also discuss the importance of him owning his production company, which will produce new shows along with his co-host, Tommy Alter, and production partner, Cadence13.

As for his basketball career and his upcoming 15th season, Redick has no plans of slowing down anytime soon: “The one obsession that I've never gotten sick of, that I've never gotten tired of, the rabbit hole that I have no desire to ever climb out of—that's playing basketball. Shooting a basketball and watching that ball go through the net . . . there's no better feeling in the world to me.”

You can follow JJ Redick on Twitter (@JJ_redick) and Instagram (@JJredick). Subscribe to The Old Man and the Three podcast wherever you listen to The Game Plan. Click here to listen >>>

About The Game Plan

The Game Plan is a weekly SportTechie podcast hosted by venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. The show features professional athletes and their business interests beyond sports.

Question? Comment? Story idea? Let us know at talkback@sporttechie.com

Nov 23, 202042:49

The Game Plan Returns for an Epic Season 2

Years ahead of his time, Jay-Z declared, “I'm not a businessman; I'm a business, man.”

SUBSCRIBE HERE: Don’t Miss an Episode of The Game Plan

Those kinds of entrepreneurial and investment journeys are at the heart of The Game Plan, which is joining forces with SportTechie to bring you Season 2 starting Nov. 23. We’ll drop a new episode every Monday, highlighting insights from athletes who are making the transition from people who simply endorse checks to those who write them.

The conversations that co-hosts Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt have with athletes are always wide-ranging, highlighting their successes and working through the challenges they face when it comes to business ventures and investments. But our bottom line with this podcast isn’t about money—it’s about giving you an open and honest look at what makes our guests more than just athletes.

Nov 23, 202001:45

Season 1 Finale — The Game Plan: Greatest Hits

Be sure to tune into the final episode of Season 1 of "The Game Plan" as Jay and Tim take a look back and highlight some of their favorite moments from the past year including audio clips from Super Bowl Champions, Olympic Gold Medalists, All-NBA team honorees and Hall of Famers.

Listeners new and old will enjoy listening to these highlights, as well as the color commentary of The Game Plan hosts Jay Kapoor and Tim Katt. We explore why these moments really stood out in a season full of insight, authenticity, and emotion.

Featured guests include:

Hall of Fame inductee, Olympic Gold Medalist and Sports Innovation Lab Co-Founder Angela Ruggiero
USWNT member, FIFA Women's World Cup Champion, and Co-Founder of Re-Inc Meghan Klingenberg
Former All-NBA Shooting Guard, Team USA Olympic Gold Medalist, and Founder of Twenty-Two Ventures Michael Redd
3x Super Bowl Champion, media personality, and Co-founder of "Mark's All-Pros" Mark “Stink” Schlereth
Super Bowl Champion and founder of The Wine MVP Will Blackmon
Former Major League Baseball player and Co-founder of Players for the Planet Chris Dickerson

Jay and Tim also wrap the episode with key takeaways from Season 1 of The Game Plan including:

✍🏿 Athletes-Investor strategy

🔌 The power of humility and authenticity

🗣 Dispelling the "Broke Athlete" narrative

🤸🏼‍♀️ The exciting future for women's sports

Special thanks to Will Richardson and Meghan Roxas for all of their help in producing and promoting Season 1 of The Game Plan.

Be sure to follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

Sep 30, 202043:51

Matthew Dellavedova — Lessons from Investing in Venture Capital, Angel Syndicates, and Trading Cards

NBA World Champion and host of "The Delly Podcast" Matthew Dellavedova joins The Game Plan to discuss his off-court leap into tech investing and podcasting including:

😇Forming his own investment syndicate on Angel List

🎴 Investing in store-of-value assets like cryptocurrency and trading cards

🇦🇺 Australia as a hotbed for sport science innovation

💸The one thing he wishes he had done differently at the start of his investment career

Dellavedova shares with Tim and Jay how he first started to learn about venture investing in Milwaukee of all places (while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks), and how his Aussie roots have influenced his investment interest areas in sport science and biometrics. We also discuss why trading cards have skyrocketed in value over the past year, and the influence the Covid pandemic has played on asset values.

In this episode, Dellavedova gets candid about the investment lessons he has learned over the years including one key thing he wishes he had done differently when he first started writing venture capital checks. We go deep on the things our guest looks for in a company when making an investment, and how important it is to align with the right people both on and off the court.

On the court, Matthew Dellavedova is best known as the point guard for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers where he won an NBA World Championship with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in 2016. Dellavedova has been in the NBA since 2013, and prior to that, he played college basketball for Saint Mary's College where his number 4 was retired. He is a proud Aussie who has appeared for the Australian National Team in both the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics, as well as multiple World Cups.

You can follow Matthew Dellavedova on Twitter and Instagram (@matthewdelly), and subscribe to "The Delly Podcast" wherever you listen to The Game Plan!

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

Sep 23, 202046:14

Shareef Abdur-Rahim – NBA G League President shares how the G League grew into the NBA's Secret Weapon

President of the NBA G League and 12-year NBA Veteran Shareef Abdur-Rahim join Tim and Jay on this week's episode of The Game Plan to discuss his journey from pro athlete to league executive. This episode places a special focus on the evolution of the NBA G League over the past decade including:

🏗 Strengthening League Structure; realignment with NBA markets and team owners

🔁Two-way contracts; enabling a greater development capacity for NBA teams

🇲🇽Mexico City; the G League's expansion into a foreign market

✨G League Ignite; the G League's select team for high school graduates

In addition to going deep on the evolution of the NBA G League we also break down our guest's transition from pro athlete to league executive which included six years with the Sacramento Kings as both a coach and front office executive. Following his team roles, our guest went on to get his MBA at USC Marshall School of Business where he also interned for the NBA League Office. Our guest shares his perspective as to what it was like being a 6'9" former NBA All-Star turned intern.

Beyond his role as NBA G League President, Shareef Abdur-Rahim is best known for his career on the basketball court including 12 years in the NBA where he logged service time with the Vancouver Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trailblazers and Sacramento Kings.

In high school, Abdur-Rahim was a First Team Parade All-American and 2x Mr. Georgia Basketball, which led him to eventually star for the Cal Golden Bears as a First-team All-Pac-10 honoree. After freshman year of college, our guest declared for the NBA draft where he was the third overall pick of the vaunted 1996 NBA draft class featuring future Basketball Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, and Steve Nash.

You can follow Shareef Abdur-Rahim on Twitter @ShareefAbdur_R as well as the NBA G League on Twitter and Instagram @nbagleague.

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

Sep 16, 202049:46

Eric Winston — Blocking & Tackling of Negotiating the CBA as NFLPA President

This week former NFLPA President, Eric Winston, joins The Game Plan to give listeners a peek behind the curtain on the most recent NFL CBA negotiation. Winston is an 11-year NFL veteran where he is best known on the field for his role as an offensive tackle for the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Arizona Cardinals, and Cincinnati Bengals.

Winston served as President of the NFLPA from 2014-2020 where he played a critical role in negotiations with the NFL around player health and safety, financial literacy, and workplace conditions, especially in the locker room. Most recently, Winston wrapped up his role as President of the NFLPA with the successful negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement that is set to run through 2030.

Our guest now holds the role of Chief Partnerships Officer at OneTeam, a group jointly founded by the NFLPA, MLBPA, and RedBird Capital Partners. OneTeam manages the commercial licensing rights of athletes across a diverse cross-section of properties, creates new marketing opportunities through its Athlete Marketing business, and generates unique deal flow and investment opportunities through its Venture Investment capabilities.

In this episode, we explore what went into developing the recently agreed upon CBA, and how our guest was able to manage the voices and needs of over 2,000 players to help bring labor peace to the NFL for the next decade.

Our guest also shares the key things from his playing career that have made the biggest impact on his work off the field, and helps us understand the things OneTeam is doing to help empower professional athletes around the world. Listeners won't want to miss our discussion around the early visibility the NFLPA and OneTeam had to Unicorns like Uber, Slack, and DocuSign

You can follow Eric Winston on Twitter @EricWinston and visit https://joinoneteam.com/ to learn more about OneTeam Partners.

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

Sep 09, 202056:53

Chris Dickerson — Combating Climate Change and Inspiring Environmental Justice via Players for The Planet

In our most raw and emotional episode of The Game Plan yet, former Major League Baseball player Chris Dickerson shares his perspective with Tim and Jay on the many things plaguing our world right now including climate change and the fight against racism and social injustice.

Dickerson put in service time as an outfielder for five different Major League clubs including the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and Cleveland Indians, but is best known off the field for starting "Players for the Planet", a non-profit organization launched in 2011 to make sustainability and environmental responsibility foundational values of sport.

In this episode our guest shares his perspective on the catastrophic effects things like single-use plastics and e-waste are having on our planet, and how you as a listener can help affect change through better daily habits and awareness.

We also explore how the issue of climate change is connected with the social injustices that are currently in the national spotlight, and our guest shares his perspective on the recent player strikes across professional sports leagues.

You can follow Chris Dickerson on Twitter and Instagram, as well as Players for the Planet to follow everything Chris is up to and to see how you can get involved in the fight against climate change.

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

Sep 02, 202001:07:23

Brendan Harris — Tapping into Major League Players' Full Earning Potential with X10 Capital

Former Major League Baseball player Brendan Harris joins Jay and Tim to discuss his role with X10 Capital, a private equity fund that provides athletes with the ability to start tapping into future earnings today.

X10 Capital is headquartered in San Francisco and led by former professional athletes, pro scouts, GMs, global executives, professional investors, and data scientists. We discuss the X10 Capital model and why it makes sense for superstar athletes to partner with a private equity fund early in their careers.

On this episode, Harris takes us through his decision to go to business school shortly after his playing career came to an end, and what the transition was like going from sharing a locker room with players like Mike Trout and Joe Mauer to sharing a classroom with business executives. Harris shares great advice for other pro athletes making the transition into life after sport, including the idea that making high-stress decisions on the field for years can indeed translate to the boardroom.

Listeners won't want to miss our guest's story about getting into Wharton's Executive MBA program and scrambling to fulfill the program's job requirement. The result was not your ordinary business executive role.

To keep up to date on everything Brendan is up to you can follow him on both Twitter (@BrendanHarris23) and Instagram (@b.harris_23). Listeners can also check out X10 Capital at https://www.x10capital.net/

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

You can also follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Aug 26, 202058:10

Dan Kennedy — Breaking Down MLS' Expansion Strategy & Building Up a Commercial Real Estate Empire

This episode of The Game Plan features Dan Kennedy, former Major League Soccer goalkeeper turned real estate investor.

Dan is now Managing Partner at Driven Capital Partners in Long Beach, CA where he focuses on commercial real estate development and property management, working with other professional athletes to help them generate a passive income that will pay off well beyond the prime of their career.

We start this episode by exploring the evolution of Major League Soccer and the role that rapid league expansion has played over the years. Dan shares his perspective as a player in the pivotal years of MLS, including tense moments as a member of the executive board of the MLS Player’s Association.

Dan also talks about his transition from a career as a professional soccer player into a business professional, and the role business school played in helping him find his way in life beyond the pitch. We discuss his front office role with the LA Galaxy, and why he ultimately decided to change things up and pursue a career in commercial real estate development.

Listeners won’t want to miss Dan’s candid point of view on what every professional athlete should be doing with their money (that most aren’t doing today). Special thanks to Tim’s former colleague Andrew Hayes for making the introduction to our guest.

Be sure to follow Dan on Twitter and Instagram (@1DanKennedy) to keep up with everything he is doing today, as well as his investment group’s website: https://www.drivencap.com.

If there is a guest you’d like to see join us on a future episode of The Game Plan please follow and reach out to co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) on Twitter!

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news & updates, as well as bonus content!

Aug 19, 202001:06:56

Alex Magleby — US Rugby Legend and "Full Contact CEO" on Building & Sustaining an Emerging Sport

US Rugby legend and CEO of the New England Free Jacks, Alex Magleby, joins The Game Plan to give listeners an in-depth look at the state of rugby in the US and where the game goes from here.

On this episode our guest shines a light on the history of rugby coming to the US and shares what drew him to the game at a young age. After sustained success on the field, including three national championships at Dartmouth, our guest went on to drastically improve the US Men's National Rugby Team as head coach.

We also explore the growth of rugby in the US and how CoVid has impacted Major League Rugby. This conversation includes a discussion around the role of athlete as investor as our guest describes what it's like to have NFL players Nate Ebner & Patrick Chung as investors in the Free Jacks. Listeners will enjoy hearing about how the Free Jacks are being built as a community-first franchise.

Follow Alex on Twitter and Instagram to stay up on all of his latest news, and be sure to check out the New England Free Jacks at https://www.freejacks.com/.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

You can also follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Aug 12, 202046:24

Stewart Bradley — NFL Linebacker turned B2B-Investor Shares Alternatives to Venture Capital

SaaS investor and former NFL linebacker Stewart Bradley joins The Game Plan to share his life journey and evolution from football player to sophisticated tech investor.

Shortly after his seven-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, and Denver Broncos came to an end, our guest chose a different path; joining Goldman Sachs as an investment banking analyst in their esteemed technology media and telecom (TMT) group. Stew shares with us his decision process in choosing this path, and why he ultimately opted to go into banking versus pursuing an MBA.

Today, our guest is General Partner and Co-Founder of El Cap holdings where he is carving a unique path in the crowed software investment landscape. Stew shares with us the currency, beyond capital, with which he is building the fund. We also explore his investment thesis and the types of companies he looks to back.

Seasoned investors familiar with enterprise software and the SaaS landscape will especially appreciate what Stewart has to say about investing in "opinionated software products".

We also discuss the power of effort and focus and how these two attributes over the long term have helped lead our guest to success both on and off the football field.

Learn more about Stewart Bradley's investment approach by visiting El Cap Holding's website at https://www.elcapholdings.com/ or emailing info@elcapholdings.com.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

You can also follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Aug 05, 202050:21

Dhani Jones — The Art of Storytelling in Entrepreneurship, Investing, Media and the NFL

TV personality and NFL alum Dhani Jones joins The Game Plan to share his perspective on all things media, technology, and storytelling.

Dhani Jones played 11 years as a linebacker in the NFL, including time with the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Cincinnati Bengals. During his NFL career, Dhani became the first active player to be featured on the NFL Network as an analyst. Dhani details those early days of the NFL Network where he did everything from interviewing players on the sideline of playoff games to helping pack up the cable truck after games.

In addition to his work as a football player and football analyst, our guest became a household name through his television work as the host of the Travel Channel's "Dhani Tackles the Globe" and CNBC's "Adventure Capitalists". Dhani shares the story of what it was like to work for two well-known companies in Cincinnati (the Cincinnati Bengals and Scripps Networks) at the same time, and how a run-in with Bengal's owner Mike Brown in the team cafeteria led Dhani to play some of the best football of his career.

Other topics included on this episode include how a Montessori education as a kid helped fuel Dhani's curiosity today, and how the desire to go out and do something is the most important attribute someone can have on their way to becoming an entrepreneur.

Today, Dhani is Chairman of QEY Capital, an investment group he founded with fellow University of Michigan alum and Goldman Sachs veteran Ebow Ivory Vroom.

You can follow Dhani Jones on Twitter and Instagram for all of his latest interests and activities off the field. Visit https://qeycapital.com/ to find out more about Dhani's approach to investing.

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

Jul 29, 202059:31

Haley Rosen — Elevating Media Coverage of Female Athletes with Just Women's Sports

Former international soccer player, Stanford alum, and media entrepreneur Haley Rosen joins The Game Plan to discuss her journey which started with her as one of the top soccer recruits in the country to where she is today as Founder of Just Women's Sports.

On this episode, our guest shares how a realization that just 4% of sports coverage is dedicated to women's sports led her to pave her own entrepreneurial path. We dig into the launch of Just Women's Sports and how our guest plans to carve out a niche in a world saturated with sports content, but short on women's coverage. This includes the details of her fundraising journey. We also discuss what it's like to launch a sports-focused business in the midst of a global pandemic where almost all sports have come to a grinding halt.

Haley touches on her playing career where she details the shocking differences between being an amateur athlete at one of the top college athletic programs to joining a lower league futbol club in Europe. We explore what led her to ultimately give up on her professional playing career, a reality many of our listeners will empathize with.

Make sure to follow Just Women's Sports on Twitter and to sign up for the newsletter at https://www.justwomenssports.com.

Special thanks to Milos Ribic for making the introduction to Haley, as well as to our producer Will Richardson who edited this episode.

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

Jul 22, 202047:32

Pat Connaughton — Building Foundations for a Real Estate Development Career after the NBA

Pat Connaughton, Small Forward for the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks, joins Tim and Jay on The Game Plan live from a job site(!!) in Milwaukee as he prepares for the NBA to restart at the end of this month.

In this episode, we explore Pat's foray into real estate development, and how he is turning heads around the NBA not just for his explosive vertical on the court, but also the path to wealth he is building outside the game.

Pat goes deep on the real estate investment and development expertise he has gained over the years; a passion he first found as a kid growing up outside of Boston where he joined his dad on various job sites.

We uncover how Pat has leveraged his platform as an NBA athlete and Notre Dame alum to unlock opportunities not otherwise available to the general public.

We also touch on the NBA restart and what our guest has been doing to stay in game shape throughout the global pandemic.

Listeners will find it interesting how Pat, a two-sport athlete in college, ultimately decided to pursue a career in the NBA versus trying his hand at baseball, where he was drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 MLB draft as a pitcher.

Make sure to follow Pat Connaughton on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with his latest efforts.

Listeners can also check out his feature in The New York Times from earlier this year.

Special thanks to Friend of the Pod, JJ Redick, for making the introduction to Pat, as well as to our producer Will Richardson who edited this episode.

Follow co-hosts Jay Kapoor (@JayKapoorNYC) and Tim Katt (@Tim_Katt) for all things sports, media, tech, and venture capital.

Follow The Game Plan on Twitter (@thegameplanshow) and Instagram (@gameplanshow) for show news and updates, to recommend guests, and for bonus content!

Jul 15, 202059:37