- New subsidiary’s verticals include fan engagement, sports performance, live event operations, emerging categories, and tools for media and sponsors
- MLS’s Atlanta United and Mercedes-Benz Stadium among AMB Sports and Entertainment’s properties
- Steve Cannon to lead AMBSE Ventures
AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE), the parent company of the National Football League’s (NFL) Atlanta Falcons, is launching an early-stage investment fund.
AMBSE Ventures will target technology startups in the sports and entertainment sectors, with the goal of strengthening AMBSE’s various properties, which include Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Atlanta United and the US$1.6 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Initially, the fund’s verticals will be fan engagement, sports performance, live event operations, emerging categories such as esports and betting, and tools for media and sponsors to better engage with supporters.
AMBSE chief executive Steve Cannon will lead the new division, which is being backed by Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank (pictured above) and will begin operations without any outside partners.
Cannon confirmed to Sports Business Journal (SBJ) that AMBSE Ventures will be flexible in its approach, but would ideally do deals for small, revenue-generating companies. He added there are no geographic preferences for investments and expects several to be made within 12 months.
It sees AMBSE become the latest sporting organisation looking to invest in early-stage tech firms. In 2017, the Green Bay Packers partnered with Microsoft to launch TitletownTech, which aims to boost digital innovation and economic growth in the state of Wisconsin.
Since then, the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Milwaukee Bucks and Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers joined the Packers to form the Equity League. The investment fund, which is a division of TitletownTech, focuses on improving opportunities for underrepresented entrepreneurs and providing financial support for technology companies whose mission is to drive social change.
