Collaborative Fund announces an investment in the American professional football club D.C, as well as its home stadium Audi Field. This institution has a management scale of approximately $1 billion and has previously invested in companies such as Lyft, Reddit, Sweetgreen, and Olipop.

This transaction continues the trend of tech capital entering professional sports. Previously, Thrive Capital established Thrive Eternal, which is dedicated to holding sports and cultural assets, and has successively purchased shares in the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sports assets have become new targets.

The approach of Collaborative Fund is different from that of Thrive. It does not establish a separate permanent capital instrument but instead makes direct investments from the early-stage funds, considering this investment as a layout that is closer to infrastructure.

In terms of D.C and United, the team owns Audi Field, and there are also related real estate rights in the surrounding area. The article mentions that American football is seeing increasing market attention due to factors such as the World Cup, the Los Angeles Olympics, and rising participation among young people.

The stadium is also used as a distribution channel.

Collaborative Fund Partner Craig Shapiro said that a team and its stadium are not just assets to hold; they can also become a showcase for the associated brand. For example, Whoop can conduct interactive activities on-site, and Olipop can also be integrated into the consumption scenarios on matchdays.

The article also mentions that the valuation of D.C and United has risen from $35 million in 2008 to $785 million. This transaction still requires approval from MLS.