The Great Aggregation Race: Building the Best in Sports

Sports are all about aggregating the best of the best.

  • Athletes
  • Coaches
  • Executives
  • Management Teams

If you do this…

You get a great product — which drives revenue.

Let’s Dive In ????

Different Aggregation Strategies in Sports

With globalization reshaping industries, sports is no exception.

We’re seeing a surge in aggregation efforts as leagues, organizations, and countries race to attract (and assemble) top talent.

Here’s how these strategies are taking shape:

1. Buy Talent

Saudi Arabia has emerged as a fascinating case study, showcasing how paying top dollar for marquee names can accelerate growth.

Their approach?

Focus on older, established talent with global fanbases:

  • Cristiano Ronaldo signing with Al-Nassr for a reported $200M per year.
  • Phil Mickelson headlining LIV Golf with a deal reportedly worth $200M.
phil mickelson and cristiano ronaldo saudi

This strategy isn’t about long-term development; it’s about immediate impact.

By aggregating stars with built-in audiences, they’re using recognition and spectacle to reshape perception — and it’s working.

Did you see this, by the way?

SURJ Sports, a company launched by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), has partnered with US-based Enfield Investment Partners to advance their new $4B sports asset fund.

2. Legislation for Talent

College football is navigating a transformative moment.

The landscape is shifting fast, and the headlines tell the story:

  • New JUCO rulings are shaking up eligibility.
  • Potential for 5 years of eligibility, adding depth to college careers.
  • Agents are taking 10-20% of contracts — far higher than the NFL’s ~3%.
  • NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals are skyrocketing, with QBs like Carson Beck reportedly earning $4M annually.
college football changing images

These changes are widening the gap between the “haves” and “have-nots,” pointing to an inevitable evolution: a Super League in college football.

Within a decade, players likely won’t jump straight from smaller schools like Toledo to the NFL.

Instead, a new pipeline will emerge:
???? Small College → Super Conference team → NFL.

This aggregation of top talent at the collegiate level will reshape recruiting, development, and fan engagement — creating ripple effects throughout the sports ecosystem.

3. New Leagues in New Areas

Emerging sports and leagues are pushing the boundaries of talent aggregation, especially in regions and sports with untapped potential.

Take track and field, for example, which has both NGBs and for-profit private leagues aiming to win the aggregation battle:

track governing bodies and leagues

Ultimately, success will hinge on who can aggregate the best talent (and sustain them).

Usually, that comes from who has the biggest bank account — and right now, the World Athletics Diamond League is winning that battle.

This same principle is playing out across other sports:

  • Padel: Multiple padel entities are locked in a battle to establish themselves as the dominant global league.
  • Volleyball: In the U.S., leagues like LOVB (League One Volleyball) and PVF (Pro Volleyball Federation) are vying for market supremacy, each trying to attract the best players and build a sustainable following.
  • Pickleball: Initially fragmented with numerous U.S. leagues, the sport consolidated into one dominant organization. But this came at a high cost — significant financial investment to align talent, sponsors, and infrastructure.
  • Cricket: As cricket goes global, new leagues in regions like the U.S. are making aggressive plays to attract talent from traditional powerhouses, creating opportunities for expansion and competition.

Two Organizations That Got Aggregation Right

When aggregation is done effectively, it leads to dominance and profitability.

This has been evident in both high-profile and niche sports, where organizations have redefined their spaces by assembling the best talent and creating unique structures:

  1. Professional Fighters League (PFL)
  • Introduced a season-long format with guaranteed payouts for combat fighters.
  • Leveraged this innovative structure to differentiate itself from competitors like the UFC (and scoop up some of their fighters).
  • In just seven years, PFL grew into a $1B organization, proving the value of a well-executed aggregation strategy.
pbr and pfl
  1. Pro Bull Riding (PBR)
  • Brought together the world’s top bull riders under one unified league.
  • Sold to Endeavor in 2015 for $100M.
  • Since then, its value has soared, with individual PBR teams now selling for $20M each — highlighting how aggregation builds long-term enterprise value.

The Lesson

Talent aggregation creates value — for leagues, fans, and investors.

Whether you’re building a team, a league, or a business, the formula remains simple: Be the best aggregator of talent, and you’ll rise to the top.

Stay tuned, as we’ll be exploring in a future newsletter how aggregation principles extend to companies — and why it’s a strategy you can’t afford to ignore.

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