Sports Teams as Investments: A New Way to Bet on the Game

InPlay Global is shaking up the world of sports and finance. They're creating a new kind of investment called Performance Securities. These will let people trade shares in sports teams, much like stocks. The idea is to make sports teams into something you can buy and sell, just like companies on the stock market. This isn't your typical sports betting. It's a regulated financial market. The price of these securities will change based on how well the team does, how popular they are, and other factors. For example, the Chicago Bears might start at a certain price, but that price could go up or down depending on wins, losses, and even rumors. InPlay plans to issue new securities every season. There will be one for the regular season and another for the playoffs. At the end of the season, there will be a final payout. The whole process starts over the next season. Trading will happen 24/7, with most activity expected during games. The company wants to make financial markets more understandable through sports. They believe this can help people learn about investing. Every game is like a performance update, making the market very transparent. InPlay is set to launch during the FIFA World Cup in 2026. After that, they plan to expand to other sports, including individual sports like tennis. They aim to make sports data a standard that everyone can rely on. But will this work? It's a big idea, and it's not clear if people will embrace it. Will sports fans want to invest in teams like they do in companies? Only time will tell.