David Abrams – Sports Ecosystem Investing at Velocity (Capital Allocators, EP. 303)

<p><span style="color: #333333;">This sponsored insight features David Abrams, Founding Partner of Velocity Capital Management. Velocity is a newly formed firm that focuses on investing with founders to build best-in-class sports, media, and entertainment companies.<br /> <br /> Our conversation covers David’s background, long experience in distressed investing on Wall Street and at Apollo, and personal investments in sports-related businesses that led to serving at CIO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. We then turn to the formation of Velocity, the firm’s focus, deal sourcing, diligence process, value-added ownership, and example of its investment in the X-Games.<br /> <br /> <strong>Show Notes:</strong><br /> (01:31) Wall Street in the late 1980s<br /> (02:57) David’s background<br /> (08:41) Investing in European distressed at Credit Suisse<br /> (14:41) Building a business inside Apollo<br /> (17:41) Operating experience and lessons learned<br /> (25:23) Joining HBSE<br /> (28:27) Formation of Velocity<br /> (30:13) Velocity’s focus<br /> (32:59) Opportunity set in sports ecosystem<br /> (34:22) Sourcing deals<br /> (37:22) Due diligence process<br /> (40:15) Value added ownership<br /> (41:38) X-Games investment example<br /> (46:24) Team and advisors<br /> (48:25) Capital raising environment<br /> (49:50) Closing questions<br /></span></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Learn More</strong> </p> <p>Follow Ted on Twitter at <a href= "https://twitter.com/tseides?lang=en">@tseides</a> or <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedseides/">LinkedIn</a> </p> <p>Subscribe to the <a href= "https://capitalallocators.com/">mailing list</a> </p> <p>Access Transcript with <a href= "https://capitalallocators.com/signup">Premium Membership</a> </p>