Ashwin Desai [#40]: How OneTeam Partners Helps Athletes to Leverage their Name, Image, and Likeness

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Ashwin Desai, Senior Vice
President of Games & Experiences at OneTeam Partners.


Ashwin’s career spans media, entertainment, and sports, beginning
in film and TV financing before moving to the likes of
NBCUniversal, Formula One, and 2K. 


Joining Formula One in 2018 during its digital transformation
under Liberty Media, Ashwin worked on a broad range of projects,
from live streaming deals with Twitch and Facebook, to global
betting partnerships, gaming deals, and fan experiences like F1
Arcade and the F1 Exhibition.


Now at OneTeam Partners, which was founded as a joint venture
between the NFL Players Union, the MLB Players Union and Redbird
Capital, Ashwin leads their games and experiences portfolio,
helping athlete collectives to explore gaming, gambling, and
emerging technologies.


We touch on a number of fast-evolving areas, from NIL and
gambling legislations, to what opportunities are there around
player data and AI.





Time Stamps


2:30 - Ashwin's Journey


4:00 - Working on Formula 1 under Liberty Media


7:00 - Founding Story of OneTeam Partners


12:00 - Negotiating Players Rights for EA's College Football Game


18:00 - Athletes Balancing Individual vs Collective Power


23:00 - Dominance of Dual Licensed Video Games and Potential
Growth for Single Licensed Games


27:00 - Competitive Socialisation and Fan Experiences Outside of
the Stadium


29:00 - Ideas for New Venues


35:00 - Taking the NFL Combine to Other Sports


37:00 - Leveraging Athlete Data


42:00 - Utilising AI for New Commercial Opportunities


46:00 - Approaching New Areas with Caution


48:00 - Expanding into Other Markets





Additional Links


Connect with Ashwin on LinkedIn - Here


Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here