Playfly Sports Company Profile

Background

Playfly Sports is a sports media, marketing, and technology company founded in 2020. The company is dedicated to enhancing the sports industry by providing innovative, digitally enabled solutions across high school, collegiate, esports, and professional sports sectors. Playfly's mission is to advance the passion of student-athletes, support academic institutions, and meet the objectives of media partners and professional teams.

Key Strategic Focus

Playfly Sports focuses on a consultative, data-driven approach to reach, engage, monetize, and measure fandom, offering partners a competitive advantage. The company operates through four core divisions:

Playfly Media: Integrates brands into live games, highlights, and other sports content across all U.S.-based MLB, NBA, and NHL teams on linear television, live streaming, and digital platforms.

Playfly Sports Properties: Manages sports marketing and multimedia rights for leading collegiate sports properties, high school athletic associations, and sporting venues.

Playfly Global Partnerships: Utilizes fan data and engagement technology to drive impactful sports marketing strategies, specializing in large-scale sponsorship sales, gameday revenue, and brand representation.

Playfly Tech: Provides cutting-edge solutions across emerging sports categories to engage fans and drive new revenue, leveraging in-house technical capabilities and content creation.

Financials and Funding

Playfly Sports has experienced rapid growth since its inception, achieving double-digit revenue increases across all business units. The company is backed by Access Holdings and Sinclair Broadcast Group, with additional support from non-equity investors Monroe Capital and MidCap Financial. Playfly is cash-flow positive and maintains low debt levels, positioning it for continued expansion.

Pipeline Development

Playfly Sports has expanded its portfolio through strategic acquisitions, including:

Outfront Media Sports: Acquired in 2020, providing initial college rights to 11 schools and high school athletic associations.

Home Team Sports, Impression Sports and Entertainment, and Fox Sports College Properties: Acquired from Fox in March 2021, enhancing the collegiate portfolio and expanding offerings into regional sports network advertising sales, naming rights, and large sponsorship sales.

The Aspire Group: Acquired in May 2023, adding consulting, research, and ticket sales services, and leading to the launch of Playfly Gameday, a division focused on fan engagement solutions and premium experiences.

Evolution Sports: Acquired in February 2024, marking Playfly's entry into the international market and strengthening its Global Partnerships division.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Playfly Sports differentiates itself through proprietary technologies and innovative methodologies, including:

Fandom as a Service: A consultative, data-driven approach to reach, engage, monetize, and measure fandom, providing partners with a competitive edge.

Vision Insights: A data analytics platform offering insights into fan behavior and engagement, enabling targeted marketing strategies.

Playfly Tech: Delivers cutting-edge solutions across emerging sports categories, leveraging in-house technical capabilities and content creation to engage fans and drive new revenue.

Leadership Team

Michael Schreiber: Founder and Executive Chairman. Schreiber has led transformations in digital distribution at NBC Universal, co-founded Hulu, and served as Chief Content Officer at Altice USA. He holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.

Craig Sloan: Chief Executive Officer. Sloan has been instrumental in Playfly's growth and strategic direction, overseeing operations and business development.

Lindsay Amstutz: Head of Playfly Media. Amstutz leads the media division, focusing on integrating brands into live sports content across various platforms.

Christy Hedgpeth: Head of Playfly Sports Properties. Hedgpeth manages sports marketing and multimedia rights for collegiate sports properties and high school athletic associations.

Nick Cartan: Head of Commercial Strategy. Cartan oversees commercial strategy, focusing on revenue growth and market expansion.

David Connolly: Head of Corporate. Connolly manages corporate operations and strategic initiatives.

Gene DeFilippo: Head of Market Strategy. DeFilippo focuses on market strategy and business development.

Haynes Hendrickson: Head of Business Development. Hendrickson leads business development efforts, focusing on new partnerships and growth opportunities.

Geoff Kalan: Head of Strategy. Kalan oversees strategic planning and execution.

AJ Machosky: Head of Business Development. Machosky focuses on expanding Playfly's business through strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

Ashley Marshall: Head of Growth & Innovation. Marshall leads initiatives in growth and innovation, focusing on new revenue streams and technological advancements.

Lalaine Omaga-Tran: Head of Finance and FP&A. Omaga-Tran manages financial operations and planning.

Nicolina O'Rorke: Chief Financial Officer. O'Rorke oversees financial strategy and operations.

Justin Threatt: Head of Sales & Business Operations. Threatt leads sales and business operations, focusing on revenue generation and operational efficiency.

Ken Wajda: Head of Financial Operations. Wajda manages financial operations and reporting.

Leadership Changes

In July 2023, Playfly Sports launched Playfly Sports Consulting, appointing industry leaders Michael Neuman and Dan Parise as co-heads. Neuman, formerly Founder & Managing Partner of Scout Sports and Entertainment, and Parise, previously Chief Marketing Officer at Rival, bring extensive experience in sponsorship and experiential marketing.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The sports media and marketing industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing digital consumption and fan engagement. The market is characterized by rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer preferences, presenting opportunities for companies that can adapt and innovate.

Competitor Analysis

Learfield: A dominant player in the collegiate multimedia rights space, managing over 150 college properties. Learfield offers comprehensive services, including sponsorship sales, ticketing, and digital solutions.

Legends: Specializes in premium experiences, hospitality, and sponsorship sales, with a focus on enhancing fan engagement and revenue generation.

Van Wagner: Provides multimedia rights management and sponsorship sales, focusing on collegiate and professional sports properties.

JMI Sports: Offers multimedia rights management, sponsorship sales, and consulting services, primarily in the collegiate sports sector.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Playfly Sports has established significant collaborations to strengthen its market position and expand capabilities:

Texas A&M University: Entered a 15-year multimedia rights partnership in February 2025, focusing on commercial growth, including Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, entitlements, premium hospitality, and emerging categories.

University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA): Partnered to launch Playfly Max, with Jordan Pelt appointed as General Manager to spearhead the initiative.

Arizona Interscholastic Association: Announced the 2025 Esports State Championship, hosted by the ASU School of Arts, Media and Engineering, highlighting Playfly's involvement in the esports sector.

Operational Insights

Playfly Sports differentiates itself through a consultative, data-driven approach, offering partners a competitive advantage. The company's focus on integrating brands into live sports content, managing multimedia rights, and providing cutting-edge technological solutions positions it uniquely in the market. Playfly's rapid growth and strategic acquisitions have expanded its capabilities, allowing it to offer comprehensive services across various sports sectors.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

Playfly Sports aims to continue its growth trajectory by:

Expanding International Presence: Building on the acquisition of Evolution Sports to strengthen global partnerships and enter new markets.

Enhancing Technological Capabilities: Investing in proprietary technologies and innovative methodologies to provide partners with advanced solutions for fan engagement and revenue generation.

Diversifying Service Offerings: Developing new divisions and services, such as Playfly Sports Consulting and Playfly Gameday, to address emerging market needs and opportunities.