Photo Creds: Rihanna & Fenty’s virtual world in Roblox.
🤝🏽A Personal Invitation: On August 13th, The 4th Quarter is hosting our first ever Founders & Investors night in NYC. We’ve already locked in an S-tier crowd (think up-and-coming founders, VCs, and creators) and we wanted to give you an exclusive invite.
It’s intimate & invite-only, so if you want in, RSVP now, or just hit reply to reach us directly!
Until then, we’ll tell you why advertising in video games is the next frontier of brand spend…
Budweiser Walked So Roblox Could Sell
In 1984, the first ever “advergame” hit the arcade: Tapper. Strategically placed in bars, the game had one simple objective: play as a frantic bartender, slinging ice-cold Budweisers to thirsty (and increasingly antsy) customers.
And yes… it was fully sponsored by Anheuser-Busch.
The Budweiser branding didn’t last long - national arcade rollout sparked backlash over kids getting exposed to beer marketing, and Tapper was quickly reskinned to Root Beer Tapper. But the idea left a lasting impression: brands could capture attention and build loyalty not through static ads, but through gameplay.
That strategy sounded abstract back then. Today, brands are falling behind if their ads aren’t built to be played.
Brands Need Attention, Video Games Have Them
The consumer landscape is approaching a critical inflection point: by 2030, Gen Z is projected to control $12.6T in spending power, with Gen Z & Gen Alpha together accounting for ~30% of a projected $67.2T in global consumer spend. The companies that win now will lock in the next generation of brand loyalty, and the battle for their attention is fiercer than ever.
Forward-thinking consumer brands were quick to pivot - transitioning from expensive paid-media on long-form video to influencer-driven ads that felt more authentic, tapping content creators whose audience trusts them like friends, not influencers.
But for younger audiences, even that isn’t fast enough:
Low attention spans: With attention spans under 8 seconds (vs. 12 for millennials), Gen Z and Alpha scroll faster and swipe quicker, making snap judgments on whether content is “in-or-out”
Content saturation: It’s not just other brands you compete with - it’s every creator, meme, or story that’s on their For You Page
Everything, everywhere, all at once: Unless your marketing is the original Doritos Super Bowl commercial-level iconic (where viewers rewatch for pure enjoyment), companies now have to maintain constant brand exposure across every content channel just to convert a young customer - let alone build brand affinity
And even the brands that get social media right are running into a harsh reality: mean reversion. As more players pile into the same tactics, the first-mover advantage compresses. Customer acquisition cost is soaring - brands now lose an average of $29 per new customer acquired, a 222% increase from 2013 - 2022. As digital ad spend climbs, effectiveness declines, and competition will ultimately end up as a race to the bottom.
To win this market, the smartest brands can’t just continue to shift channels - they have to play a new game entirely.
The original Tapper was a glimpse of a brand’s dream - a piece of content that advertised their product while being interactive and sticky. Players kept coming back to the arcade just to virtually serve Budweisers for fun.
And that’s gaming’s edge.
70% of Gen Z and Gen Alpha prefer gaming over watching video content, because no other medium delivers that level of interactivity and immersion. It's not just entertainment - it’s a behavioral loop. But back in the Tapper days, advertising inside games was limited. Arcade cabinets didn’t come with checkout flows.
So how are the most creative brands gamifying attention today?
Immersive experiences.
Through platforms like Roblox, which now sees ~112M daily active users, brands are building entire digital worlds where product interaction happens natively - and now, with e-commerce layered in. Since Roblox’s Shopify integration launched this May, players can buy physical goods without ever leaving the platform.
The best example? Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty x Roblox collab:
Players created 450K+ custom lip gloss shades inside the virtual Fenty Beauty House
Over 1.1M+ votes were cast to pick the winning shade - which was then launched as a real product and sold out in 10 days
Fenty then doubled down via a launch of a first-of-its-kind Roblox store, where players can purchase Fenty products directly in-game using Shopify’s embedded checkout
This isn’t marketing alone. It’s the future of commerce, where the ad is now the game - and the game is the store.
Sports-Tech Market Activity: Investors & Deals
Venture Capital
XO Armor Technologies, a protective equipment startup specializing in developing custom 3D-printed gear, raises funding in oversubscribed round (July 31st)
Serves 40+ college and pro teams using iPhone scans and Bambu Lab printers for custom protective gear in under an hour
New funding to automate AI design tools, enabling 24/7 equipment production without manual input and outside consultation
Investment led by Benson Capital; other investors include Clifford Capital and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama [SBJ]
Grass League, a high-stakes team-based par-3 golf league, represented by WME, raises $2.75M in Seed funding (July 31st)
Funding supports key hires, expanding sales & partnership efforts, and scaling operations
Investment led by Creator Sports Capital and Old Tom Capital to scale league ops and content production [SBJ]
MyPrize, a free-to-play multiplayer social casino platform, raises $21M in funding at $250M valuation (July 31st)
Reportedly on pace to exceed $100M in annual revenue and reach profitability by EOY 2025
Funding to expand creator onboarding, global reach, and AI-driven engagement platform
Investment backed by Dragonfly, Boxcars Ventures, and family offices; round brings total funding to $38M [Next.io]
Sava, a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) startup that developed the first under-the-skin biomarker-detecting multi-molecule biosensor, raised $19M in Series A funding (July 31st)
Clinical trials show 10 days of accurate CGM data — double industry standard and world-first for microsensors
Funds to scale team, manufacturing, and prep for regulatory approval
Investment led by Balderton Capital and Pentland Ventures; other investors include Norrsken VC and JamJar Investments, among others; round brings total funding to $32M [Sava]
Stan, an Indian mobile-first gaming social platform geared towards Gen Z gamers and creators, raised $8.5M in funding to expand beyond 25x growth within last 2 years (July 31st)
Funding to support India expansion & mobile-first markets, AI-driven personalization, and creator tools for building gaming-focused communities
Investment backed by Google, Bandai Namco, Square Enix, and Nazara, among others [ISN]
United Pickleball Association, the parent company of the MLP and PPA Tour, raises $15M for international expansion and player incentives (July 25th)
UPA also seeks to provide junior player opportunities within the sport
Funds to boost incentive-based player pay, enhance broadcasts, and drive international expansion, seeing a spike in interest in the UK and Asia
Investment backed by Dundon Capital, SC Holdings, among other existing UPA investors; total capital raised now ~$100M [Sportico]
Krafton, a South Korean mobile gaming publisher and Holdco known for ‘PUBG: Battlegrounds’, acquires Last Epoch’s Parentco Eleventh Hour Games for $96M in full buyout (July 25th)
Krafton acquires 100% of EHG for $96M, to expand its ARPG portfolio
Last Epoch has sold 3M+ copies since 2024 and posted strong engagement post-update
Deal will fund console expansion, live-service scaling, and global publishing support [GamesBeat]
SPiN (Sports Profile Network), a sports-only social network for families, athletes, coaches, teams, and organizers, raises Seed funding (July 29th)
SPiN serves as a hub for stakeholders in youth and amateur sports to find players, teams, & tournaments and promote events, among other features
Investment led by KB Partners [LinkedIn]
M&A and Investments
Betsperts, a fantasy and betting media group, acquired fantasy golf analytics platform Fantasy National to grow Betsperts Golf platform (July 25th)
Golf has grown 50% YoY for Betsperts; the company achieved profitability in 2024, projected to generate seven figures in 2026 revenue
Ongoing funding round has raised $1.5M+ to support new DFS tools and subscription offerings [Sportico]
Next 3, a SM&E investment firm backed by the Tisch family, acquires stake in SailGP US team (July 31st)
Follows team’s expressed $10-20M raise ambitions, at $125M valuation
Joins investor group including Avenue Sports Fund, whose $35M acquisition valued team at $70M post-money
Next 3’s portfolio includes TMRW Sports, LOVB, NY Giants, and Gotham FC, among others [SBJ]
United Football League (UFL), a spring football minor league, adds BodyArmor co-founder Mike Repole as investor, set to control business operations (July 31st)
ECB finalizes £520M in franchise sales for the 100-ball cricket league, The Hundred (July 30th)
Six of eight team deals closed, raising £520M ($691M), cumulatively valuing teams near £1B ($1.3B)
£500M to fund English and Welsh ecosystem; £50M ($66M) committed to grassroots cricket with remainder distributed across pro counties [SportsPro]
UK-based Aston Martin F1 racing team agrees to minority stake sale at £2.4B ($3.2B) valuation (July 30th)
Cricket Australia (CA), Australia’s cricket governing body, weighs private investment in Twenty20 league Big Bash teams to raise $65M+ ahead of expansion plans (July 29th)
BBL remains one of the last major leagues without private ownership
Boston Consulting Group report recommends selling minority stakes in all 8 BBL franchises before expanding, to protect franchises from dilution
Move could boost player salaries and lift CA’s reserves above AUS$100M (US$65M) [SportsPro]
R360, a breakaway rugby league featuring a global circuit format, attracts ~£15M ($20M) bids from FSG, Glazer family, and Red Bull (July 29th)
Eight-city franchise league aims to launch Sept. 2026; each team priced around ~£15M; Possible locations include London, Tokyo, and Dubai, among others
League offering up to $1M salaries to star players; 10+ England internationals have agreed in principle to join [SportsPro]
Helios Investment Partners, an Africa-based PE firm, targets $750M fund following $50M investment to spotlight African continent in sports (July 29th)
Helios to raise $750M, fifth fund targeting broader tech and innovation sectors
Follows IFC and Proparco’s $50M investment into Helios S&E to back content and infrastructure growth
Partnered with ex-NBA exec Masai Ujiri, Helios-backed Zaria Group opened its first venue in Kigali to serve Africa’s youth market [SBJ]
L.A.B. Golf, a golf putter manufacturer brand known for its Lie Angle Balance (L.A.B.) tech, is acquired by consumer-focused PE firm L Catterton for $200M+ (July 29th)
Global triathlon organizer Professional Triathlete Organization (PTO), raises ~$50M in Series C funding to target international expansion and race format innovation (July 28th)
Triathlon viewership in Saudi Arabia surged 6K% from 2022–24; T100 event likely to be hosted there soon
New funding to support PTO’s mass participation strategy and international expansion, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region
Investment led by Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports; other investors include Cordillera, Verance, and Sequoia’s Michael Moritz [PTO]
Harburg Group named first foreign owner in Saudi Pro League, acquiring stake in Al Kholood (July 25th)
Harburg, led by US investor Ben Harburg, purchases 100% of Al Kholood
Deal is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader privatisation push, with aims to boost SPL revenue to $480M by 2030
Paramount-Skydance’s $8B merger approved by FCC, clearing way for closure in coming weeks (July 25th)
Strategic shift as Paramount’s film chief Brian Robbins expected to exit post-deal
Jeff Shell (ex-NBCU) to lead as President; Cindy Holland (ex-Netflix) to oversee streaming division [SBJ]
NFL reportedly nears minority stake acquisition in ESPN for up to 10% (July 25th)
League reportedly finalizing deal up to 10%, with likelihood of final share being smaller
ESPN would gain full ownership of NFL Network and NFL RedZone under current deal terms
No equity stake in NFL itself; broader media asset swaps and strategic partnerships also expected [SBJ]
Photo Creds: NBA in serious talks to build out Europe-based league with FIBA.
Strategic Ventures
Premier League club Burnley FC partners with VR training systems company Rezzil for first-ever live VR match broadcast (July 30th)
Burnley vs. Lazio to stream in real time via Meta Quest headsets, free on Premier League Player
Rezzil’s VR tech offers panoramic stadium views, live commentary, and immersive match visuals [Burnley]
Lucra Sports, a white-label social competition software service, partners with video-challenge platform GotGame to power real-money skill-based challenges (July 31st)
GotGame targets next-gen athletes and creators underserved by traditional fitness and social platforms
Partnership enables seamless real-money tournaments within GotGame’s video-first, TikTok-style app [Reuters]
MLS’ Chicago Fire partners with hydration monitor startup Nix Biosensors to enhance player hydration amid period of heat-induced fatigue concerns (July 24th)
Initiative brought forward by Director of Player Wellness, Darcy Norman, with experience in prestigious teams including Bayern Munich, AS Roma, USMNT, and 2014 World Cup-winning German National Team
Nix Pro platform to deliver real-time sweat, fluid, and electrolyte data during matches and training; aims to individualize hydration plans to reduce fatigue and optimize recovery [EnduranceSportswire]
NBA courts stakeholders for potential Europe-based league backed by FIBA (July 28th)
Commissioner Adam Silver and Mark Tatum are meeting with PE firms, IB firms, and sovereign funds to finance a new Europe-based league
New league would feature 12 permanent teams + 4 wild cards, using FIBA rules and allowing EuroLeague participation [Sportico]
NFL Detroit Lions partner with German soccer club 1. FC Köln (FC Cologne) to target cross-border fan engagement and brand expansion (July 24th)
Multi-year deal includes joint events, youth clinics, commercial opportunities, and co-branded digital content to deepen U.S.–Germany fan engagement
Aligns with Detroit Lions’ push into Germany under the NFL’s Global Markets Program, launched in 2024 [Detroit Lions]
APEX Capital, a global early–growth stage sports investment firm, partners with Indian S&E, and brand licensing firm Baseline Ventures to expand into Indian market (July 29th)
Alliance gives APEX access to India’s fast-growing sports IP ecosystem, backed by Baseline’s local expertise
Partnership enables cross-border capital flow, with Indian investors gaining exposure to U.S. and European sports deals [SportsMint]
Betterguards, an ankle performance brace innovator for injury prevention and recovery, partners with NBA Athletic Trainers Association (NBATA) to launch new ankle tech (July 23rd)
3-year partnership formed with NBATA, forms innovation committee to drive product development
Already used by ~24 NBA teams; upcoming products to target sub-elite athletes and other joints [SBJ]
Lawsuits
Prediction market Kalshi and Robinhood sued by three Indian Tribes claiming reservation betting-enabled violations (July 28th)
Blue Lake, Chicken Ranch, & Picayune Rancherias claim violations of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), Tribal Gaming Ordinances, and the RICO Act, among others — accusing platforms of allowing people on reservations to place ‘bets’ via their phones
Additionally, as other states contest Kalshi’s business model and lack of licensing approval, the company claims no wrongdoing, insisting prediction markets lack sport-betting characteristics, including ‘odds being set’ [Sportico]
Job Board & Opportunities: Week of August 1st
Here are some cool roles we found and personally curated this week - enjoy!