By Contributor,Melissa Houston

Copyright forbes

Rebecca Kacaba, CEO & Co-founder, DealMaker
Christina Lilly Photography

Imagine if you could own a part of your favorite sports team? How would that feel? The dream of owning part of a sports team has been a privilege reserved for billionaires and out of reach for the average sports fan. But now, things are changing. DealMaker, a leading capital-raising platform, has just launched DealMaker Sports, which is a new division designed to transform the sports fan experience into an investor experience.

DealMaker Sports is the newly launched division of DealMaker designed to bring fans closer to the teams they love. Instead of just being spectators, fans can now get more involved with the teams they love and become part owners which unlocks unique perks like having access to exclusive events, merchandise opportunities, and even voting rights on team matters. It’s about turning fandom into partnership and giving fan communities a seat at the table.

“We’re witnessing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to realign the business of sports around its most powerful asset: the fans,” said Rebecca Kacaba, CEO and co-founder of DealMaker. “When fans become stakeholders, engagement rises on every level, from attendance and merchandise to loyalty.”

DealMaker Sports is making it possible for everyday fans to invest directly in their teams, often for just a few hundred dollars. It’s an opportunity to hold a concrete position; one that can appreciate or depreciate like any other investment, while also granting fans a deeper connection to the teams they love.

Redefining the Fan to Investor Journey

In this model, fans are not just financial supporters; they are shareholders. Depending on the team and the structure of the deal, investors can enjoy perks with their teams such as:

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Invitations to annual general meetings,

the right to vote for a fan representative on the board, and

exclusive merchandise or stadium access.

Being a fan is emotional for many, and the emotional return on sports ownership often rivals the financial one. Owning even a small stake in a team means joining a privileged circle of insiders. It turns passion into partnership.

Fans who invest in their favorite team often report stronger loyalty to their team, higher game attendance, and greater involvement in team culture. DealMaker Sports is betting that the combination of emotional and financial returns will define the future of sports investing.

Looking Ahead in Fan Ownership

The opportunities extend beyond professional franchises. College athletic programs, athlete-led businesses, and women’s leagues are all areas where fans can be investing. Athletes are increasingly business savvy and launching brands that tap into their star power, from apparel to sports drinks. Women’s sports are attracting attention and capital, and fan-led ownership could accelerate that trajectory.

Ten years from now, Kacaba envisions sports investing becoming as mainstream as buying stocks or ETFs. “Sports are an emotional investment, but they’re also a financial one,” she said. “All leagues are competing for attention, and the key to success will be engagement with fans and community.”

The bottom line is that with DealMaker, investing in your favorite team can now be another type of investment in your portfolio. For the first time, you won’t just buy a jersey or a ticket to a game; you could be buying into the future of your team. The payoff is more than financial as it offers a front row seat to shaping the next chapter of sports.

Melissa Houston, CPA, is the author of Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Profitable Business, the founder of She Means Profit, and creator of ProfiVise — the “CFO in your pocket” that helps small business owners grow profit, manage cash flow, and make smarter financial decisions.

She Means Profit is dedicated to advancing women entrepreneurs with the financial education, strategic coaching, and business resources they need to break financial barriers, scale profitably, and build sustainable wealth. Our mission is to increase the number of women-owned businesses generating $1 million+ in revenue, ensuring that more women achieve financial independence and long-term success.

The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace any professional or expert accounting and/or tax advice whatsoever.

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