Overview

The New Off-Court Play for NBA Stars Is Startup Equity…and potentially ownership in teams and leagues.

Today’s guest is a friend, entrepreneur, and partner of the Athlete Tech Summit I’ve attended in San Francisco over the past two summer’s. Together, Rudy Cline-Thomas and business partner Andre Iguoadala have reinvented the modern athlete over the last decade. And let’s face it, the NBA and their athletes are not only at the forefront of sports competition and entertainment, but they’re leading trends in pop-culture, and now venture investing.

After years of hard work and learning the business of sports and athlete representation, Rudy Cline-Thomas has become the source of advice and mentorship for professional athletes – especially in the NBA -- looking to break into early stage investments. His network includes some of the most successful CEO's and VC's in the valley, aside from star athletes like Andre Iguodala, Neymar, and David Beckham, to name a few.

On the podcast, we discuss how he forged a whole new role inside the sports industry, Iguodala's initial challenge, which lead to his career taking off, and his advice to folks looking to work professionally in sports.

After all, it’s an exciting time to be in the business of sports and media, isn’t it?

Suiting Up is a show that explores the psychology, playbook of tools, and strategies of the most influential people in sports, entrepreneurship, and entertainment.

Rudy Cline-Thomas

Rudy Cline-Thomas

Entrepreneur on Investing with NBA Players

Show Notes

4:05 Finding Inspiration From His Father
5:10 Landing an Internship With The NBA
7:30 Entering The Traditional Agency Model
9:45 Hourly Vs. Commission Models
11:45 Early Days of The Blueprint
18:20 Meeting Andre Iguodala And Developing Original Thought
22:05 The Athlete Tech Summit
26:10 Developing An Investment Thesis
29:45 Dealflow
31:35 Navigating Exclusive Endorsements
35:50 What Mastry Does Differently
37:45 Finding a Consistent Routine
39:20 The Importance of Building Relationships Outside of Social Media

Noteworthy Resources