Wave Sports + Entertainment

What Wave Sports + Entertainment does

Wave Sports + Entertainment (legal entity Bullpen Sports Network, Inc.) is a digital-first sports and entertainment media company headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 2017 by Brian Verne and Ishaan Sutaria, the company produces, distributes, and monetizes a portfolio of more than 13 original video podcasts and digital series spanning sports (New Heights with the Kelce brothers, Wingmen with the Tkachuk brothers, Podcast P with Paul George, 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony), comedy (Whiskey Ginger, Open Thoughts, So True), and lifestyle/entertainment (Big Bro with Kid Cudi, Straight to Cam, House of Maher, Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce). Content is distributed primarily through dedicated YouTube channels for each show, with companion merchandise sold direct-to-consumer via shopwavesports.com.

The company operates an integrated media agency (Wave Media Agency) that sells brand sponsorships and content integrations against the portfolio. Brand partners include Google, YouTube, AT&T, American Express, Coca-Cola, State Farm, Allstate, DraftKings, PrizePicks, 2K, MLB, Paramount Pictures, MTV, AG1, Liquid IV, and Buffalo Wild Wings. Revenue is generated principally through advertising and sponsorship, supplemented by merchandise sales and a stated intent to develop sports betting content. Underlying technology is a digital-first production stack paired with YouTube-hosted distribution and Shopify-style e-commerce; no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, APIs, SDKs, or patents are disclosed.

Wave has raised more than $65 million across six funding rounds, including a $27 million+ Series B in February 2022 led by TZP Group, and in 2023 became the home of the New Heights podcast whose Taylor Swift episode generated over 24 million YouTube views. Leadership includes co-founders Brian Verne (CEO) and Ishaan Sutaria (Co-CEO), Executive Chairman Rich Battista (appointed 2022), and functional heads across marketing, partnerships, studio originals, and strategy.

Name

Wave Sports + Entertainment

Legal name

Bullpen Sports Network, Inc.

Website

https://wave.tv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wave Sports + Entertainment is a digital-first sports and entertainment media company that produces, distributes, and monetizes 13+ original video podcasts and digital series featuring athletes and entertainers (including the Kelce brothers' New Heights), selling brand sponsorships through its Wave Media Agency and merchandise via shopwavesports.com.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Sports Media & Content Production

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Highlights, Clips & VOD Libraries (MPAKAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Media & Broadcast Sponsorship (In-Game Broadcast, Streaming Sponsorship) (MPAKALAF), Sports Programming Syndication & Highlights Distribution (MPABAMAG)

Keywords

• Sports media production
• Digital video podcasts
• Athlete content partnerships
• Sponsorship advertising agency
• Fan merchandise sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Advertising: Brand partnerships with major advertisers including Google, AT&T, Coca-Cola, State Farm, DraftKings, and others. The company operates an internal media agency that helps brands reach digital-first sports fans through talent partnerships and content integration.
2. Merchandise Sales: Integrated e-commerce shop (shopwavesports.com) selling merchandise for various shows including 'Not Gonna Lie' with Kylie Kelce, 'Podcast P' with Paul George, and '7PM in Brooklyn'. Direct-to-consumer merchandise sales tied to talent and shows.
3. Sports Betting Content: Development of sports betting content as part of funding allocation, targeting the growing legal sports betting market. Creating differentiated content for betting-adjacent audiences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wave Sports + Entertainment is a digital-first sports media production, distribution, and sponsorship agency that produces a portfolio of original video podcasts and digital series hosted by professional athletes and entertainers (e.g., New Heights, Wingmen, Podcast P, 7PM in Brooklyn, Big Bro). Content is distributed primarily through owned YouTube channels to digital-first sports fans, monetized via brand sponsorships through an internal media agency and via direct-to-consumer merchandise sold at shopwavesports.com.

Product overview

Wave Sports + Entertainment is a digital-first sports media production, distribution, and sponsorship agency offering a portfolio of original video podcasts and digital series. The platform operates primarily through YouTube channels for individual shows, with associated merchandise sold via shopwavesports.com. The portfolio includes 13 distinct shows spanning sports (Wingmen with NHL's Tkachuk brothers, Podcast P with NBA's Paul George, New Heights with NFL's Kelce brothers), comedy (Whiskey Ginger, Open Thoughts, So True), and entertainment/lifestyle content (Big Bro, Straight to Cam, House of Maher). The company functions as both a media network producing original content and a media agency facilitating advertising and sponsorship relationships with brands including Google, AT&T, Coca-Cola, DraftKings, and MLB.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Big Bro Digital video series hosted by Kid Cudi featuring guests from culture and entertainment in late-night style conversations; new episodes every Wednesday on YouTube.
• Whiskey Ginger

Quantifiable outcome

• Viral Taylor Swift episode generated over 24 million YouTube views
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Barstool Sports: Digital sports and pop culture media company built around founder/personality-driven content with sponsorship-led monetization. Comparable to Wave in audience demographic, YouTube/social distribution, and brand partnership model, though Barstool leans more comedy-laced editorial.
• The Ringer: Spotify-owned digital sports and pop culture media network producing podcasts, video series, and written content anchored by Bill Simmons. Comparable to Wave in podcast-led distribution, talent-driven content, and sponsorship revenue model, though with a more written/editorial heritage.
• Bleacher Report: Turner/Warner Bros. Discovery-owned digital sports media company producing social-first video, highlights, and original content for younger fans. Comparable to Wave in YouTube-first distribution and youth-skewed sports audience, though larger scale and integrated with traditional sports rights.
• Overtime: Digital sports media company producing short-form video content, original series, and athlete-led programming targeting Gen Z sports fans. Comparable to Wave in talent-driven, social-first sports content and brand-sponsorship monetization, though more focused on highlights and emerging athletes.
• Front Office Sports: Digital sports business media company producing newsletters, podcasts, and video content on the business of sports. Comparable to Wave in podcast/video-led distribution and brand partnership monetization, though focused on sports business rather than athlete-driven entertainment.

Broad incumbents

• Minute Media: Global digital sports media platform owning The Players' Tribune, FanSided, and 90min. Comparable to Wave as a digital sports media network monetized through advertising and content licensing, though broader portfolio across multiple verticals rather than talent-podcast focused.

Emerging players

• Meadowlark Media: Sports media production company founded by Bill Simmons producing podcasts (The Bill Simmons Podcast), documentaries, and live shows. Comparable to Wave in talent-driven sports content and podcast distribution, though smaller scale and more focused on long-form storytelling.
• Puck News: Subscription-based digital media company producing talent-driven newsletters and podcasts across sports, entertainment, and media verticals. Comparable to Wave in talent-led content monetization, though primarily text/subscription rather than video advertising.
• Just Women's Sports: Digital media company covering women's sports across video, podcasts, and editorial, with a growing roster of athlete-led content. Comparable to Wave in YouTube-first video podcasts and athlete partnerships (Cameron Brink, Ilona Maher), though narrower focus on women's sports.
• Whistle Sports: Digital sports media company producing athlete-driven short-form video content for social platforms, and a noted previous employer of Wave's Jake Chatzky. Comparable to Wave in talent-attached sports content and social-first distribution, though smaller scale and short-form focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wavetv
• Instagraminstagram.com/wavesportsent
• Xx.com/wseoriginals

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors12 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wave Sports + Entertainment