Arete Sports Group

What Arete Sports Group does

Arete Sports Group is a privately held sports advisory, consulting, and investment firm that operates two related service lines from a small, founder-led team based in Peoria, USA. The core Arete Sports Group business evaluates early-stage investment opportunities in sports properties and sports-related technologies and provides direct advisory support to portfolio companies. The firm's secondary brand, Make it Count (also referenced as Make it Count Enterprises), delivers consulting engagements spanning business development, strategic planning, and leadership training, structured across three engagement tiers — Assessment, Strategic Roadmap, and Implementation. Customers include professional sports teams, leagues, sports-tech ventures, and innovation-oriented companies in financial services and technology verticals.

The firm does not operate a proprietary technology platform of its own; its primary product is human capital and the engagement frameworks it deploys with clients. Its underlying technology footprint is limited to portfolio exposure rather than internal capability — for example, Mastery is described in the portfolio as a set of neuroscience-backed generative AI tools for mental performance coaching. Service delivery is bespoke and founder-led, with no disclosed self-service or productized distribution channel.

Arete monetizes through professional services fees on consulting engagements and through returns on a portfolio of equity and franchise investments that includes The Picklr (indoor pickleball facilities), LA Mad Drops (Major League Pickleball franchise), Ipswich Town FC (English Premier League football club), Mastery (AI mental performance tools), Player (soccer talent identification), Group Spot (group communications), and ChowCall (military-focused food delivery). The firm is entirely founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional investors or external capital structure, and markets itself primarily through direct outreach, referrals, and Tom Neale's personal brand and network.

Name

Arete Sports Group

Legal name

Arete Sports Group LLC

Website

https://aretesportsgroupllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arete Sports Group is a privately held sports advisory, consulting, and investment firm that provides strategic planning, business development, and investment services to sports properties, sports-tech companies, and innovation-driven startups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Advisory & Consulting

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence) (MPAKAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sponsorship Sales, Valuation & Analytics Services (Rights Sales, Measurement, Consulting) (MPAKALAK)

Keywords

• Sports advisory services
• Sports consulting
• Strategic planning consulting
• Investment advisory services
• Business development consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Peoria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Advisory Services: Advisory services evaluating investment opportunities in early-stage companies with alignment to Arete's mission and values, particularly in sports properties and related technologies.
2. Make it Count Consulting: Consulting services offering business development, strategic planning, and leadership training at all levels of involvement from assessment to implementation, serving companies in sports, financial services and technology verticals.
3. Investment Returns: Returns from portfolio investments in sports-related companies including The Picklr, LA Mad Drops, and other portfolio companies where Arete holds ownership stakes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Arete Sports Group is a sports advisory, consulting, and investment firm that evaluates early-stage investment opportunities in sports properties and related technologies while providing business development and strategic growth support. Through its Make it Count consulting arm, it delivers business development, strategic planning, and leadership training to companies in sports, financial services, and technology verticals.

Product overview

Arete Sports Group operates as an advisory services and investment organization offering two primary service lines: Arete Sports Group (investment and advisory services evaluating early-stage sports and technology opportunities) and Make it Count (consulting services with three engagement tiers: Assessment, Strategic Roadmap, and Implementation). The portfolio includes The Picklr (indoor pickleball facilities), LA Mad Drops (professional pickleball franchise), Ipswich Town FC (English Premier League football club), Mastery (AI-powered mental performance tools), Player (talent identification for soccer), Group Spot (group communications), and ChowCall (food delivery for military).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arete Sports Group Advisory & Investment

Quantifiable outcome

• Led San Jose Earthquakes to MLS Cup Championship
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Major League Soccer (MLS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2023, Tom Neale served as a consultant for MLS helping launch their MLS Next Pro initiative. This represents a consulting engagement rather than investment.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Parthenon-EY (Sports Practice): Strategy consulting practice with a dedicated sports business group advising leagues, teams, and sports-related companies on growth, M&A, and transformation. Overlaps with Arete's 'Make it Count' consulting offering, though delivered through a global consulting platform rather than a boutique.
• The Chernin Group: Media and sports investment and operating firm with portfolio exposure to sports, OTT, and consumer brands. Comparable to Arete's sports investment and advisory thesis, but with institutional backing and a broader media mandate.
• Legends Hospitality: Hospitality, merchandise, and advisory firm founded by the Yankees and Cowboys that works with sports and entertainment properties on strategy, premium hospitality, and venue operations. Overlaps with Arete's advisory work for sports properties, though at significantly larger scale and with venue operations as a core offering.
• SPORTFIVE: Global sports marketing, sponsorship sales, and rights advisory firm. Comparable to Arete's sponsorship and sports-property advisory work, but operating globally and at institutional scale.
• RedBird Capital Partners: Private investment firm with a major sports franchise and media portfolio (e.g., AC Milan, Liverpool FC, IPG, Skydance). Overlaps with Arete on sports investment and on advising sports properties, but operates at far larger scale and with institutional capital.

Direct peers

• TurnkeyZRG: Executive search and advisory firm specialized in sports, entertainment, and media. Comparable boutique advisory model serving sports organizations, with overlap in senior leadership, board, and operational consulting mandates.
• Saban Capital Group: Private investment and advisory firm with sports, media, and entertainment exposure including direct sports franchise investments. Comparable investment-plus-advisory model targeting sports properties and adjacent verticals.
• Bruin Capital: Sports, media, and consumer-focused investment and advisory firm. Closely comparable business model combining operating expertise, advisory work, and equity investing across sports properties and adjacent verticals.
• Arctos Partners: Sports-focused private investment firm that takes minority stakes in professional sports franchises and sports-related companies. Directly comparable to Arete's investment-in-sports-properties thesis, though at materially larger AUM and with institutional LP backing.
• Elevate Sports Ventures: Sports advisory, consulting, and partnership sales firm working with brands, leagues, teams, and venues. Direct peer on the consulting/advisory side of Arete's business, with overlapping client profiles in professional sports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Arete Sports Group