iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Munich did not disappoint! Oktoberfest with colleagues from A&M Germany was a welcome reminder that time together outside the office strengthens collaboration inside it. Do what you love, love what you do, and appreciate the people you get to do it with. Prost!

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Collaborative Fund is investing in D.C. United and Audi Field through the same vehicle it uses for startups. The venue could become infrastructure for its portfolio brands. Can those synergies create durable cash flow without weakening the fan experience?

techcrunch.com

Thrive Capital led VCs into pro sports ownership; Collaborative Fund just upped that play | TechCrunch

Collaborative Fund just bought into D.C. United and its stadium, with firm founder Craig Shapiro pitching it as a way to showcase for the firm's startups.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The most useful part of an unconventional career is carrying one discipline into the next. Counseling, technology, and consulting all taught me different lessons. The industries changed, but the challenge stayed remarkably consistent. Each pivot gave me another way to help people make change work.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Chelsea's reported £950M buyout offers simpler ownership. For sports investors, clear governance and decision rights are critical, impacting capital allocation and management accountability. How much is clearer control worth when ownership friction becomes an operating constraint? Source: Reuters

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The interesting question is how well these businesses can bring all those pieces together without losing sight of the core asset: the team and the fan experience. www.ft.com/content/8acfb405-b58c-40…

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Someone still has to figure out the systems, teams, relationships, priorities, and day-to-day decisions. Private capital can help fund that shift. But the value comes from what owners and operators do with it.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Now, more of those pieces are being brought together under one roof. That’s a big operating change. A franchise, a venue, real estate, and hospitality may all sit within the same ownership structure, but that doesn’t mean they automatically work well together.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

One part of the Arctos interview got me thinking about how sports ownership is changing. O’Connor talks about how owners once focused on the franchise and licensed out everything else: real estate, hospitality, and other surrounding assets.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

There’s a real balance between locking in enough certainty to move forward and keeping enough flexibility to respond when circumstances change. The NFL’s next rights decision will be interesting. The structure behind it is just as interesting.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

When they put that option in place, they couldn’t know exactly how fans would watch games or what the media landscape would look like. They did know it would change. That’s a smart way to structure a long-term deal. You make a commitment, but leave room to reassess when the facts are different.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

The most interesting thing in this Goodell interview isn't anything about streaming or the media companies circling each other right now. It’s the opt-out clause the NFL built into its media rights deals. The league can revisit and repackage those agreements after the 2029–30 season.

cnbc.com

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says league could rework TV packages in next media deal

The NFL has an opt-out clause at the end of the 2029-30 season in which it can resell and redistribute its media rights.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

LIV Golf reportedly absorbed more than $5B and still ended up in Chapter 11. Capital secured elite talent and disrupted the sport; recurring revenue never supported the cost structure. Player ownership may improve alignment, but can it repair the underlying economics?

axios.com

LIV Golf files for bankruptcy protection

LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The live game remains the scarce asset. AI expands its value by turning events into personalized highlights, analysis, commerce, and community. Teams and leagues that control first-party data and build these capabilities directly can deepen fan relationships and reduce distributor reliance.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Hyrox grew from roughly 700 participants in 2017 to 1.4M last season and is now valued at about €600M. Unlike a scarce sports franchise, its race format can be copied. Can its community, brand, and operating infrastructure become proprietary enough to support that valuation?

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Every time PE shows up in a headline, people ask if the investment is good or bad, like that's a yes or no question. It never was. Two investors can write the same check to the same organization and land in totally different places because the incentive was different.

usatoday.com

Why youth sports must prioritize kids over profits | Opinion

Rising costs are hurting youth sports. Former NFL player Izell Reese explains why participation must come before profit.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Feels like the smartest move in sports media right now is building what everyone eventually needs. www.sportspro.com/news/finance-inve…

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

DAZN skipped the bidding war for national rights. They just bought the pieces underneath it. The venue deals, the tech, even YES Network's old spot. So when a league needs a home, DAZN's already standing there.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

$67.5M for the Lakers in 1979. $12.5B now. Easy read: sports got popular. Real story: sports got investable. 74+ teams now have PE involvement. Media deals made revenue predictable for a decade-plus, not tied to wins. Where does that shift hit first: roster spend, venues, or ticket prices?

tucson.com

Why have private equity firms taken an interest in buying professional sports teams?

The Lakers’ $12.5-billion sale reflects private equity’s growing appetite for professional sports, where loyal fans, lucrative media deals and soaring valuations promise reliable returns.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

After nearly 15 years at Alvarez & Marsal, I’m proud to see A&M named among Forbes’ World’s Best Management Consulting Firms for 2026. The recognition reflects a 40-year culture of independence, hands-on execution, and, above all, exceptional people. Well deserved.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

The US Open raised player compensation by 20% to $108M. Champions receive 10% more, while first-round payouts rise 27%. The allocation recognizes that a Grand Slam’s value begins with the full field. Should player compensation become a defined share of tournament revenue? Source: US Open

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

A Bezos-backed consortium is taking a minority stake in Liverpool while FSG retains operational control. The structure can add perspective without disrupting leadership, provided governance gives the new investors a meaningful voice and management clear authority.

bbc.com

Jeff Bezos: Amazon founder's consortium bought close to 40% of Liverpool

A consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos bought close to 40% of Liverpool from Fenway Sports Group (FSG).

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Rogers’ 12-year NHL deal gives Amazon exclusive Wednesday games and selected playoff series in Canada, while free-to-air broadcasts end. Rights can be packaged across platforms, but fans judge the strategy more simply: how easy is it to find the game?

apnews.com

Amazon Prime to stream Wednesday NHL games, playoff series in Canada under Rogers deal

Amazon’s Prime Video will exclusively broadcast Wednesday night NHL games in Canada in English and French starting next season.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

The Lakers’ valuation rose from $10B to $12.5B in about a year. A 25% jump at that scale says more about scarcity than short-term operating performance. Which levers can still materially grow a sports asset already priced as one of a kind?

sports.yahoo.com

Lakers’ $12.5 billion sale shows why private equity loves sports — and won’t leave

As sports valuations explode, private equity confronts the big question: When to cash out.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

On complex projects, junior team members are often given tasks, but rarely a point of view to defend. I’d change that. Give each person ownership of one critical assumption: why it holds, what could break it, and when to escalate. That is how execution work develops judgment.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Sports franchise valuations price media rights, sponsorships and venue economics. I would also examine the cost of turning novelty into habit. A packed opening weekend proves interest. The harder question is how much it takes to keep fans returning once the occasion is no longer new.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Sports franchises are becoming increasingly financeable assets. Rising media-rights revenue and valuations give owners more ways to access capital while retaining control. The real test is how intelligently they use that flexibility without putting the underlying asset at unnecessary risk.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

The growth of women’s sports will create opportunities far beyond the field. The next generation of coaches, analysts, engineers, media leaders, and executives is being shaped now. Investing in those pathways could be one of the most important parts of sustaining the momentum.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

FIFA exploring a stake sale in a new $20B commercial entity is a very interesting idea that may receive some major organ rejection. The asset is undeniably attractive, but the governance and liquidity questions are significant. I’m curious what the investor community thinks.

wsj.com

https://www.wsj.com/sports/soccer/fifa-exploring-stake-sale-in-new-20-billion-entity-ba135528?mod=hp_lista_pos2&utm_source=www.futureparty.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=rent-an-apple&_bhlid=bf35d943148a9ef881b0f4cad806141475248d4a

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

On a complicated project, the people doing the best work can be the easiest to overlook. When someone catches a dependency early or solves an issue before it escalates, their contribution may never become visible. Great execution deserves specific recognition.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

The Caitlin Clark conversation keeps coming up for a reason. Every once in a while, an athlete comes along who doesn’t just elevate a team — they change how people see an entire sport. The next challenge is turning that attention into sustainable growth for the WNBA.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

As media becomes more fragmented, relevance becomes harder—and more important—to achieve. Vector-based targeting is an interesting step toward helping brands better understand audiences and create more meaningful connections across streaming and digital platforms.

digiday.com

‘Future of targeting’: Media agencies tentatively explore vector-based planning

Vector-based targeting is ‘very experimental’, but could offer AI-forward advertisers a better way of directing media buys.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Strategy matters. So do relationships. Some of the most meaningful value we create comes from connecting clients with the right people at the right time. That's something I never take for granted.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

2027 upfronts are the real tell. First time NBCU walks in without Comcast behind it. That's when you find out where the leverage actually sits. #DigitalMedia #MediaBuying

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

There's a long list of things that work fine inside a larger parent—ad tech, inventory relationships, distribution infrastructure—that you don't really stress-test until they have to function independently. That process takes longer than most people expect.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

The Comcast-NBCU split is getting a lot of coverage around what it means for ad pricing. That's a real conversation. But the more interesting question is what NBCU looks like operationally once it's standing on its own.

digiday.com

What will NBCU's conscious uncoupling from Comcast mean for brands?

As media players continue to merge, media giant Comcast is set to spin out its TV business NBCU, having implications for upfront markets.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

When we look at sports investments, the age curve of a sport's top talent is one of those things that shapes everything downstream: sponsorship structures, media rights cycles, how you think about franchise value over time. It doesn't always get talked about that way, but it probably should.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Basketball is almost the opposite. You can build a decade-plus commercial and franchise story around one player, and LeBron is the extreme version of what that looks like when it works.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

And that clock matters a lot more than people realize when you're thinking about sports as a business. Tennis cycles through its stars fast. The commercial window around a single player is short, which makes the sport itself the asset rather than any individual name on it.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Something I keep coming back to after this French Open. Mirra Andreeva wins Roland Garros at 19. LeBron James is 41, heading into his 24th NBA season, and still one of the best players on any given night. Every sport has its own clock.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

After the numbers this tournament has put up, it'd be surprising if they weren't sitting at that table for the men's rights too. #FIFAWorldCup2026 #SportsRights #MediaRights

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Two of the most valuable sports properties in the world, going to market simultaneously, chasing the same budgets. Someone's going to blink. Netflix already has the next two Women's World Cups.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Who's buying the 2030 World Cup rights? That's the real question coming out of this tournament. Fox paid $485 million for this one. The next deal could be four times that. And it's not just the price. The NFL's next broadcast deals land around the same time.

nbcsports.com

World Cup rights and NFL rights could be on the market at the same time

The World Cup is racking up huge numbers for Fox.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

And it's going to show up in how sports properties structure deals and think about their audience ecosystem. The World Cup is always a good read on where things are heading. tinyurl.com/266ztfhw #FIFAWorldCup2026

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

But the audience relationship around the game is getting carved up fast. Younger fans aren't sitting through 90 minutes. Instead, they're finding creators who breathe the sport. That's a distribution story.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

There's a guy covering this World Cup by visiting every nation in the tournament and livestreaming it on Twitch. His audience tells him where to go in real time. No authorization, no corporate process. He just shows up. Traditional broadcasters still own the rights and the live match.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Sports betting will keep growing, but trust is what will determine its future. Innovation drives adoption. Strong governance protects integrity. Without both, the industry has a much harder path forward.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Cases like this reinforce why governance can't be an afterthought. As sports betting expands, protecting the integrity of the game has to be just as important as growing the market.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Rights deals, distribution, sponsorship, numbers like these move through those conversations fast. The World Cup has always been a good read on where things are going. This one is moving faster than most expected. tinyurl.com/2yz9czrc

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Telemundo's World Cup opening game drew 13.4 million viewers, a 229% jump over 2022. Streaming and linear didn't split the audience. They stacked. That's the part worth paying attention to. Gregory Jensen and I spend a lot of time on exactly this.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

The question of where audiences are and how you reach them keeps getting harder. This deal is a pretty clear answer to that. Own the moment before the content starts, and you own a lot.

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