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Saturday Signal in Sports
Why Sports Tech Isn’t Just a Trend—It’s the Next $100B Asset Class
Chris Wilkerson
May 24, 2025
So here’s the deal:
I’m not claiming to be the oracle of all things sports and tech.
But I’ve always felt like there was room—and a need—for someone to just say what they see. In their own words, and not worried about who else thinks what.
There are a ton of newsletters out there. Some break news. Some hype it up.
This one? It’s just me sharing what I think, what I’m seeing, and where I believe this space is heading.
A couple years back, I was already banging the drum on year-round fan engagement.
Talked about it like it was the next arms race. (just ask my co-founder Jeff Byrd at Sideline)
Even brought it up at the NFL Combine on a panel this year...
Half the room looked at me like I had two heads.
Now? Fan engagement is the centerpiece of every strategy convo.
I’ve never had a crystal ball.
Just a habit of thinking for myself.
And over time, I realized something:
Every time I said the “crazy” thing out loud, a few people would nod and say, “I’ve been thinking that too.”
That’s all the signal I needed.
So welcome to the first issue of Saturday Signal, where I’ll talk about things happening - then give you my $0.02 on it.
Let’s talk about where this thing is going next.
🚀 The Growth is Real
The sports tech sector is projected to grow from $18.7B to over $100B by 2033.
Yet today, it still makes up just 1% of total sports investment dollars.
Most of the capital? Still chasing teams, media rights, and league equity.
But the real value? It’s being built underneath—in infrastructure:
AI & data tools powering smarter front-office decisions
Wearables & recovery tech improving athlete performance
Fan platforms driving engagement beyond game day
This is the code layer of modern sports—and it's massively underpriced.
💰 Follow the Money
In just the past month:
The signal is loud: sports isn’t just fun—it’s a financial engine.
And tech is what’s powering the next phase.
🧠 Why It Matters
Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys
As sports ownership becomes more institutional and ROI-driven, teams aren’t just assets to hold—they’re businesses to grow.
And what grows a team’s value?
Stronger brand
Deeper fan relationships
Better athlete performance
Tech enhances all three.
From scouting software to fan gamification to sleep optimization for players—this is where the alpha lives now.
👀 What’s Next?
I’ve said this a few times and I will keep saying it:
“The next wave of value in sports won’t come from who wins the game.
It’ll come from who builds what’s under the hood.”
😎My $0.02
Everyone wants to own the team.
Very few (so far) are focused on building what actually makes it win.
That’s the edge.
The scoreboard is loud. But the tech under the hood? That’s where the next wave of value is coming from. IMO.
Not just highlights and hype.
We’re talking:
Recovery platforms that extend careers
Fan tools that build lifelong loyalty
Data that turns instinct into edge
It’s not a side category anymore.
Sports tech is becoming the infrastructure of the entire industry.
And yeah—the money is starting to figure that out. My real insight here…I have spoke with several family office’s the last few months in depth about what their game plan is to get into sports tech, planning, trying to understand where they can fit and leverage their current assets (ownership) in doing so.
It is a very early on process where everyone is figuring out where they will fit. Heck yesterday I had a FoF’s that had a hard time understanding what ‘sports tech’ really is. Don’t worry…we had a full on learning session which featured some great products. (no shame, I was glad to get deep into it)
Obviously—
It’s still early.
Watch as more and more eyes turn from just team ownership to the lay of the land starting with athletes at the youth sports level all the way to the top. It matters.
Key Takeaways for this one:
Don’t sleep on youth sports. Massively underserved market.
Tech = infrastructure. Owners who get that will win.
AI will drive value—not sole AI companies, but companies that use AI within their product creating more efficiency.
Data is still king. Period.
A note from me,
Thanks for hanging out for the first edition of Saturday Signal.
I’ve always loved talking shop—sports, tech, investing, the stuff in between.
I read a ton of newsletters and articles myself, and I’ve often felt like I had my own $0.02 to add.
So now I’m doing it here. And maybe you agree, maybe you don’t, maybe you get something out of it.
If I can help, look at something, or you just want to talk strategy—shoot me a note.
And if this resonated with you, I’d love if you shared it.
Let’s build what’s next.
— Chris Wilkerson