Built to Win — How this Team Owner Brings Championship DNA to Barcelona
Exploring Jason Robinson's Journey from Athlete to Football Franchise Owner
Whatsup Squad,
If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a sports team, you’re not alone.
Since 2019, there have been at least 20 private equity investments in major league sports teams, according to PitchBook. This compares to just six of those deals from 2016 to 2019.
Just last September, Goldman Sachs opened a “sports franchise” division to give its wealth management clients the ability to invest in teams, leagues, stadiums, and other sports opportunities.
To better understand the evolving landscape of franchise ownership, I sat down with Jason Robinson to discuss his journey from playing football to owning and operating the Barcelona Dragons of the European League of Football.
Jason shares insight into his experience as a high school quarterback, the transformation of the Boise State football program, the ownership group at Elite Sports Equity, and the standard for the Barcelona Dragons.
Darren Douglas: Tell me about yourself. How did you get here?
Jason Robinson: My story has been a little bit of a journey from just working and consulting with sports tech startups to now, where I am running, managing, owning, and operating a professional franchise.
What I've started to learn is that I was a lot more prepared for this profession than I may have previously realized.
Being a starting quarterback as a 14-year-old on varsity, and playing for my dad in that capacity, it wasn’t your average sports experience.
I had to learn how to motivate, inspire, win with, and play alongside people who were in some cases, three, or four years older than me.
With my father being a high school coach and the dean and my mother being a principal, I also had some perspective on the administrative side of sports as well.
And then obviously being part of the Boise State football program, one of the greatest startups in American football history. Those things have started to start to pay dividends as I've worked in the day-to-day with the Dragons.
Douglas: Can you describe the transformation you witnessed at Boise State?
Robinson:
Douglas: Transitioning to your role as an owner, how did the Elite Sports Equity team come together?
Robinson: Malcolm Smith is somebody that I've known for years. He was very instrumental in helping me with Playbook Five, helping us get our feet off the ground, and understanding what our products doing and their efficacy.
As it relates to Elite Sports Equity, Malcolm is the perfect story in sports as well. Coming out of USC as a seventh-round draft pick, no one would expect that he would become a Super Bowl MVP - especially as a defensive player.
As we talk about inspiring the other side of the world, who better to have, not just as an investor, but as an energy that's around the team?
Now, as the bigger leagues look to us, they have to take a stronger look because our team has somebody who played in the NFL at the highest level and on the biggest stage.
Marcelia Freeman, with her background in private equity and as an experienced angel investor, also brings a wealth of knowledge. To speak too much about her work in finance almost does her a disservice because she's so knowledgeable about administrative issues.
Not only is she on the board at Florida A&M University, but she also helps us navigate the investor world of private equity, relationships, and sponsors.
Martin Roache is another investor, former PGA golfer, and real estate developer in South Carolina. He not only played on the PGA level but also on the Hooters Tour, which is like a secondary professional circuit.
It’s kind of like what we’re doing with the Dragons. What are the minds of the people that are at that next level? What are the players looking for? What are the sponsors looking for? What are the rights holders looking for? He also was an HBCU national champion at South Carolina State University so he's seen success and he understands success in sport.
And then the last, I guess, notable investor, Rajinder Balarman is the Managing Director at Matrix Partners India. One of the big things about this platform and with the Dragons is we want to use it as an opportunity to help scale other businesses specifically in sports technology.
We want this to be a tech-enabled team, so having someone who understands innovation and has connections to other investors sets us up well.
You can't be too picky in the investor world because you need money, but I will say that I've tried to be as intentional as possible, you know about who we have at the table.
I always look at any business the same way, whether it's an investment vehicle, an American football team, a startup, or a dry cleaner, you have to always be prepared for the day that you have nothing but the people.
Douglas: How did the opportunity to invest in the Barcelona Dragons get on your radar?
Robinson:
💡 Final Thoughts
Jason Robinson has proven to be a winner both on and off the field and his experience demonstrates how athletes can leverage their playing careers to succeed as leaders.
His insights reveal a shifting landscape in the world of professional sports. Beyond the traditional powerhouses like the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, a new breed of emerging leagues is carving out its niche.
These leagues are not only attracting dedicated fan bases but also fostering unique communities around them.
Looking ahead at this season, Jason is excited to reestablish the team from a competitive standpoint and maximize the fan experience at each home game.
The Dragons recently released their schedule for the upcoming summer, so who is ready to take a trip to Barcelona?
Until next time ✌🏾