Let’s skip the small talk,
This week, InStudio Ventures launched its Sports and Performance fund with athletes like Jameis Winston, Cody Gakpo, and Nathan Aké, focused on building infrastructure through the active involvement of athletes.
Meanwhile, Kelsey Plum’s partnership with Maker’s Mark shows how intentional, calculated athlete moves are helping shape products and brand identity, moving beyond simple promotion.
More on both in this week’s edition of Backstage.
LINEUP
1. Headlines of the week 🗞️
2. Athletes in the Studio 💸
3. Kelsey Plum’s Mark 🥃
4. Community Roster 🔗
5. Company of the Week Presented by OPTYO: URVI🍬
NEWS
🚨Headlines of the Week🚨
InStudio Ventures launches $50 million Sports & Performance fund; Jameis Winston, Cody Gakpo, and Nathan Aké join as active partners (see more below).
Kelsey Plum partners with Maker’s Mark to release limited-edition bourbon, “Yam Jam by Kelsey Plum” (see more below).
Former LSU star wide receiver Malachi Dupre opens his third sushi restaurant, Kenji Kazoku in Metairie, Louisiana.
Jams, backed by Alex Morgan, Micah Parsons, and CJ Stroud has passed Uncrustables in same item sales at Target (six months after its debut).
Conor McGregor announced MAC Energy at The Beverage Forum.
John Wall joins Howard University as president of basketball operations.
A&A IN DEPTH
Athletes in the Studio
InStudio Ventures, founded by Danny Cortenraede, has launched a $50 million Sports & Performance Fund, making investments across NFL franchises like the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers, as well as the Aston Martin F1 Team.
The fund will also focus on platforms in analytics, health, and athlete development. The new initiative aims to own, but also closely manage, distribution, data, and decision-making through professional teams.
The addition of elite athletes in Jameis Winston, Cody Gakpo, and Nathan Aké makes it much easier for them to execute that vision.
According to Boardroom, the global investment firm aims to make “a bigger play at the intersection of sports, performance, and ownership.” While the firm has the platform and capital, the athletes have insights into the sports ecosystem regarding health, technology, and more.
“Beyond capital, we’re building this together with a select group of athletes across the The Premier League, NFL, NBA, and MLB — not as passive investors, but actively involved in deal flow, strategy, and company building” (Danny Cortenraede, LinkedIn).
Rather than focusing on owning teams through passive capital, InStudio’s Sports & Performance fund aims to focus on infrastructure, and building through professional athletes as investors and actively involved partners.
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
Kelsey Plum Makes Her Mark
Two-time WNBA Champion Kelsey Plum has partnered with Maker’s Mark to launch “Yam Jam by Kelsey Plum”. The limited edition bourbon, said to have strong notes of sweet potato pie, will release on May 7 in select retailers across Los Angeles.
Going beyond a simple partnership and product launch, Plum has genuine alignment with Maker’s Mark and the limited edition drop of Yam Jam. After taking part in Maker’s Mark’s Private Selection program, Plum worked directly with the brand to customize the bourbon’s flavor profile and create a product that reflects her own style and approach.
Moving deeper than that, a portion of proceeds will support the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, a cause connected to Plum through her brother, who serves as a firefighter in California.
CPG is one of the most natural categories for athlete business moves. When the product aligns with the athlete and the athlete is involved in building it, deals like this can become more personally significant than a simple endorsement.
Exclusive Offer:
OPTYO helps sports, fitness, and wellness brands grow their online presence by improving how they market and reach customers.
They are offering one month of their services for free (up to a $2,000 value) for Athletes and Assets™ Backstage readers.
To claim this, interested brands should visit the "Get Started" page at https://www.optyo.net/contact to schedule a Growth Strategy Intro Meeting. When prompted with "How did you hear about us?", select "Athletes & Assets."
MOST VALUABLE PLATFORM
Community Roster URL
Attention brands looking to partner with athletes!
If you’d like to access our community URL, please reach out to Noah.
COMPANY OF THE WEEK
Company of the Week Presented by OPTYO: URVI
URVI is a functional gummy brand offering supplementation across relaxation, performance, balance, and protection. Watch Noah’s interview with co-founder David Keuchen here:
Why should athletes care?
Accessible supplementing for lifestyle
Performance and functional value
International brand exposure
URVI Gummies are built around the idea of “lazy longevity,” offering simple, consistent supplementation across relaxation, performance, balance, and protection. Functional gummies give athletes an easy way to support overall wellness while fitting naturally into both training and everyday routines.