GamePlanU Presents
Sports Innovation &
Athlete Entrepreneurship
A non-accredited sports innovation infrastructure integrated alongside university Innovation & Entrepreneurship Centers — building the next generation of sports founders.
$3T+
Global Sports Industry
6
Innovation Categories
2027
National Championship
CT
Championship Location
The Opportunity
Why Sports Innovation?
The $3 Trillion+ global sports industry continues to trend through rapid advances in technology, pro team valuation projections, and a new asset class for PE/VC. Universities are uniquely positioned to become innovation hubs for the next generation of sports founders and builders.
Ecosystem Includes
Teams, Leagues & Media
Tourism & Hospitality
Wearables & Performance
Fan Engagement Platforms
Streaming & Media
College Athletics
Stadiums & Pro Team Valuations
Sports Betting & Gamification
Health, Wellness & BioMed
Smart Venues & Real Estate
Community & Youth Sports
Cross-Campus Model
Campus Stakeholders
The SIE framework is intentionally designed to fit within existing university infrastructure through a cross-campus collaboration model.
| Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center | Program Leadership |
| Athletics Department | Athlete Engagement |
| Business School | Finance |
| Engineering School | Product Innovation |
| Communications / Media | Content Strategy |
| Law School | IP & Tech Transfer |
| Alumni Relations | Advisors & Angel Seed Capital |
| Advancement Office | Sponsorship & Donor Support |
| Career Services | Career Pathways |
| Research Labs | Commercialization Opportunities |
Academic Year Structure
Core Program
The SIE Program follows a semester-based innovation model that moves from ideation to launch over the course of an academic year.
Fall Semester
Ideation + Education + Team Formation
- Kickoff Event & Sports Innovation Summit
- Startup Student Pod matchups
- Industry Speaker Series
- Weekly office hours
- Innovation Sprint
- Workshops
Spring Semester
MVP Development + Pitching + Qualification
- Prototype development
- Demo days & investor feedback
- Content creation
- Startup showcases
- Campus championship
- National championship qualifiers
National Competition
Championship Pathway
Universities participating in the SIE ecosystem become official qualifying campuses for the SIE National Championships. 2027 National Championship Weekend — End of May — Connecticut.
□
Campus
Local innovation & pitch competition
→
□️
Regional
Multi-school qualifier rounds
→
□
National
2027 Championship Weekend · Connecticut
Competition Categories
National Championship Categories
□
Technology Innovation
AI, data analytics, software, fan platforms, media technology, or performance technology.
□
Science & Performance
Sports science, recovery, nutrition, biomechanics, health & wellness, or human performance.
⚙️
Engineering & Product
Wearables, smart equipment, hardware, venue technology, training devices, robotics & sensors.
□
Bold Ideas
Disruptive non-technology concepts challenging conventional thinking across sports, media, and fan engagement.
□
Community Impact
Non-profit ventures creating positive social impact through youth sports, accessibility, mental health, inclusion, or education.
□
Alumni Founders
Pre-revenue ventures that started on-campus and bridged post graduation. Alumni Founders compete as one group.
Industry Access
Speaker Series
Live-stream and in-person access to sports industry executives, investors, and innovators.
George Bodenheimer
CEO ESPN (Retired)
Laura Gentile
CMO ESPN/ESPNW
Sean Bratches
CRO ESPN
Tim Scalan
SVP Octagon Talent
Zach Brown
CEO F1
Steve Raab
President SportsNet NY
Dan Mannix
Founder UnderDog
Gabby Roe
Avenue Capital
Tony Schiller
Partner Paragon Sports
Chris Heatherington
CEO Fathead
Doug Kimmel
Sports Agency & Investor
Rob Thompson
NFL & Disney Media Group
Dave Giglio
USOC
John Brody
NFL, MLB, Learfield, WWE
Nick Carparelli
Bowl Season
Implementation
Program Timeline
Phase 1
Months 1–2
Months 1–2
Campus Alignment
Stakeholder meetings, program customization, marketing launch, recruitment strategy, faculty & alumni engagement.
Phase 2
Months 3–5
Months 3–5
Startup Activation
Workshops, student pods, founder office hours, innovation sprints, prototype development.
Phase 3
Months 6–8
Months 6–8
Showcase & Qualification
Demo day, campus championships, investor panels, media storytelling, national qualification.
Affiliate Partnership
Annual Fee Options
Member
$5k
Entry-Level Partnership
- Submission for National Championship Category Nominations
- Program Playbook
- Monthly Group Partners Meeting
- Invite to Stream Live Speaker Series
Tier 1
$25k
One Semester Pilot
- National Affiliation
- Program Playbook
- Monthly Workshop Stream
- Marketing Assets
- On-Campus SPRINT Workshop
- Founder Nominations — National Selection Board
Most Popular
Tier 2
$50k
Full Year Program
- Full Cross-Campus Program Design
- (2) On-Campus Workshops
- Weekly Office Hours
- Workshop Stream
- National Championship — Automatic Qualifiers
- Bid to Host Regionals
Tier 3
$180k
National Flagship School
- All Tier 1 + Tier 2 Assets
- Title & Host Executive Speaker Series
- Entrepreneur-in-Residence Weekly Office Hours
- National Championship Host — 3 Years
- Co-Branded Summer Accelerator
- Naming Rights Opportunities
- Media/Content "The Road To" Production
- Brand Integration as National Hub
Let's Build
Something
Big.
Something
Big.
Ready to bring the SIE program to your campus? Reach out to learn more about affiliate partnership opportunities, program customization, and how your university can become an official qualifying campus for the 2027 National Championship.
✉ [email protected]2027 National Championship — End of May weekend in Connecticut. Announcement coming soon. Secure your campus's qualifying spot now.
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