On February 19, 2025, Sports Business Leaders hosted another event at Yards Brewing Co., bringing together nearly 200 founders, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and former pro athletes. The night featured a keynote from two-time NFL Pro Bowler Carl Pickens and showcased innovative startups including Mingma, Bantee, Sports Shawties, and Save Our Sundays. Leaders from the Eagles Autism Foundation, Philly Sports Trips, and Wheelhouse Cards added to the strong Philly sports presence. Special thanks to sponsors Insperity and Duane Morris LLP for helping make the night possible.

On March 26, 2025, Sports Business Leaders hosted another high-energy event at Yards Brewing Co., bringing together a vibrant mix of founders, creatives, executives, and sports professionals. The night featured a keynote from Bryan Fetzer, who shared insights from his 28-year career across coaching, broadcasting, and performance as he builds PsyOPTIMAL, a mental training platform. Special thanks to our sponsors Archer & Greiner, P.C. and Wheelhouse Cards for their continued support. The room was filled with leaders from NIL, emerging leagues, and sports tech—showcasing the depth and momentum of Philadelphia’s growing sports business community.

Todd Pride said it best at our May 14th event in Philadelphia: “Sports unites people like nothing else in society.” That spirit of connection was on full display at our Spring Finale at Yards Brewing Co., where over 150 founders, investors, and sports business leaders came together to close out the first half of 2025. Just nine months ago, SBL started as an informal meetup with five people—and now we’ve hosted nine events across six cities, connecting more than 1,000 sports professionals. Huge thanks to Daniel Kukainis of Schwartz Financial and AJ Rudowitz of Duane Morris LLP for sponsoring the night, and to guest speaker Justin Leusner for sharing his entrepreneurial journey. From NIL to performance tech, SBL continues to bring together the builders shaping the future of sports.

On July 8th, we partnered with Nick Hughes and Founders Live to host our latest Sports Business Leaders event at Yards Brewing Co.—and the Philly sports business community showed up strong. The night featured our first-ever pitch competition, where Parul Khosla, founder of Arena, took home the win with a compelling vision for careers in sports, media, and entertainment. We also heard impressive pitches from Meredith Tretiak (RYLA), Ken Myers (CORAL), Lucas Espada (ShowNxt), and Shaun Jayachandran (Crossover Basketball & Scholars Academy). Special thanks to our sponsors at Johnson Kendall Johnson and Schwartz Financial Associates for their ongoing support. It was a pleasure to welcome new faces like Roger Loughney, Jean K. Bley, and Matt Farrell, and as always, we’re grateful to the core members of our community who continue to bring the energy and connection that make SBL Philly so special. Events like these are a reflection of the momentum happening across Philadelphia’s growing sports business ecosystem.