Ep 30: From the Gridiron to the Ground Floor: How Fantasy Sports Are Fueling the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
🌐 Website: https://fantasysportsstrategies.com/ 🔗Email: scott@fantasysportsstrategies.com
By Sherry Sutton | Heart of the Hustle Show
Discover how fantasy sports are evolving into a multi-billion-dollar ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. In this episode of Heart of the Hustle, Scott Hoyt reveals how founders can thrive in this booming industry—and how brand trust is the game-changer.
Introduction: When Fantasy Becomes Strategy
What happens when decades of marketing brilliance meet a 36-year obsession with fantasy football? You get Scott Hoyt—former Procter & Gamble marketing exec, branding guru, and now the founder of a strategic consultancy for fantasy sports startups.
In this Heart of the Hustle episode, I sat down with Scott to talk about his pivot from corporate branding to building a niche service company in the booming fantasy sports space. Spoiler alert: there’s way more to fantasy sports than just Sunday drafts and touchdown dances.
If you're a founder, marketer, or creator thinking about breaking into an industry full of passion-driven consumers and billion-dollar valuations, this blog is for you.
The $25 Billion Industry You’re Probably Sleeping On
Fantasy sports isn’t just for the hardcore NFL junkie or that coworker who won't shut up about his fantasy league. It’s a global, tech-fueled industry with:
70+ million users in North America
Over $25 billion in projected value by 2028
A startup ecosystem teeming with innovation
Scott described it perfectly: "It’s a small, tight-knit community inside a gigantic market.” That makes it a unicorn breeding ground for smart, niche businesses.
Problem: The Innovation Is There, But the Strategy Isn’t
There’s no shortage of fresh ideas in fantasy sports—whether it's gamification layers, analytics platforms, or content hubs. What’s missing?
Brand strategy
Marketing execution
Sustainable go-to-market plans
Scott saw a pattern: brilliant technologists and passionate fans were launching businesses with great products but missing the strategic foundation to grow. Enter: Fantasy Sports Strategy, his consultancy for startups in the space.
Agitation: Why Most Fantasy Startups Fumble at the 5-Yard Line
1. They Skip Branding Basics
Founders often mistake a logo for a brand. As Scott puts it:
"Branding is about trust. And trust comes from clarity, consistency, and performance."
2. They Try to Be Everything to Everyone
Instead of niching down, many startups spread themselves too thin. They're afraid to alienate anyone—but in the process, they excite no one.
3. They Ignore Storytelling
In an industry built on community, connection, and engagement, storytelling isn't optional—it’s your growth engine. But most startups bury their “why” behind tech specs.
Solution: Strategy, Simplicity, and Showing Up as You
Scott’s business is built around three pillars:
🎯 1. Strategic Positioning
He teaches founders how to carve out a space in a crowded ecosystem—without diluting their identity. Think Procter & Gamble-level positioning, but tailored to the fantasy space.
🎥 2. Content That Builds Trust
Whether it's digital media, pitch decks, or platform UX, Scott and his team help companies build experiences that feel credible, cohesive, and compelling.
📣 3. Messaging That Moves
From the 30-second elevator pitch to a full brand manifesto, his team shapes stories that stick. It’s not about selling features—it’s about signaling values.
And the best part? It’s all accessible to bootstrapped founders. Scott’s mission isn’t just about growing businesses—it’s about growing the industry.
"I’m not trying to be the next Accenture. I want to be the guy who helps get you over the goal line." — Scott Hoyt
Behind the Boom: Key Trends in Fantasy Sports
Scott gave us a full industry deep-dive. Here’s what’s trending:
1. 📈 Micro-Investing Meets Fantasy
Startups are gamifying investment and player performance—blurring lines between Wall Street and the NFL.
2. 🧠 AI Is Powering Predictive Play
AI is shaping draft strategies, injury predictions, and even win/loss forecasting. If you’re not thinking AI-first, you’re already behind.
3. 👩💻 Women Are One of the Fastest-Growing Segments
Women are not just playing—they're founding startups and commanding stages at national conferences. Female-forward platforms are coming for market share.
4. 🎰 Gambling Is Fueling Growth, But Watch the Line
The legalization of sports betting is creating crossover opportunities—but it’s also raising red flags around regulation and ethics.
5. 📱 Real-Time Platforms Are the Norm
Gone are the days of faxing in lineups (yes, that was a thing). Real-time stats, live engagement, and mobile-first experiences are table stakes.
Community Over Competition: A Hidden Advantage
Fantasy sports has an edge most industries don’t: built-in community.
Scott describes attending fantasy sports conferences like stepping into a room of long-lost friends. Everyone knows everyone. And newcomers? Welcomed with open arms.
This gives founders an unfair advantage:
Instant feedback loops
Built-in beta testers
A viral growth network
If you're building something for fantasy sports fans, you’re building with them.
Let’s Talk Funding: Where the Money’s Coming From
Forget unicorn-hunting VCs (though they’re circling too). Most fantasy startups begin with:
Angel rounds from fellow players
Bootstrap dollars from devs & creators
Community crowdfunding
And when they’re ready to scale? That’s when private equity, VC firms, and major sportsbooks start paying attention.
Pro Tip: The Fantasy Sports Gaming Association even runs pitch competitions with real investors in the audience. One past winner? PrizePicks, now a major player.
Case Study: How the Right Messaging Can Change the Game
Scott tells the story of a startup founder who couldn't nail their elevator pitch. It was costing them meetings, funding, and partnerships.
Over a single workshop, Scott’s team:
Refined their pitch to 30 seconds flat
Updated brand messaging to focus on user outcomes, not product features
Helped them land two high-value calls within a week
Small changes. Big wins. That’s the power of strategic storytelling.
The Story Behind the Brand: Scott Hoyt’s Pivot
Scott didn’t grow up in the fantasy sports industry. He built a powerhouse career in marketing with brands like Procter & Gamble, Southland Corp, and cutting-edge telecom startups.
After retiring early from a global nonprofit, he found himself wondering: What do I really want to do? The answer was simple:
"Help founders turn their passion into sustainable business."
Now, his boutique firm offers:
Marketing & brand strategy
Digital content development
Crisis comms and PR support
All focused on small, early-stage fantasy sports companies. The goal? Grow the category while elevating the people who love it.
My Take: Content Creation, The Easy Way
One of the reasons I love what Scott is doing is because it aligns perfectly with what we do at Heart of the Hustle Studio.
Most founders are:
Overwhelmed by content creation
Unsure how to turn interviews into actionable assets
Missing opportunities to build brand trust
Here’s the truth: your story is your most valuable marketing asset.
Imagine this:
You hang out in my studio for an hour. We record your story in a way that feels natural and empowering. You leave with a month of done-for-you social content. All based on your voice, your values, and your business.
Sound easy? It is. That’s the point.
Call to Action: Ready to Build Your Brand With Ease?
Want to walk out of a podcast interview with content, clarity, and confidence? Here’s your invitation:
🎙️ Be a guest on Heart of the Hustle. You’ll get:
A professionally recorded podcast episode
Video and audio reels ready for IG, TikTok, and LinkedIn
SEO-optimized blog post (like this one!)
Brand messaging that makes you unmissable
✨ All you have to do is show up. We do the rest.
Apply to be a guest today → www.heartofthehustle.com
FAQs About Fantasy Sports Startups
Q: Is fantasy sports the same as online gambling? A: Not exactly. Fantasy sports is classified as a game of skill in most states. Gambling is chance-based and has different regulations.
Q: What’s the best platform to build on? A: Depends on your niche. ESPN, Yahoo, and Sleeper are popular, but new platforms are rising fast.
Q: Do women really play fantasy sports? A: Absolutely—and they're launching companies too. The women-in-fantasy-sports movement is gaining major traction.
Q: Do I need a technical background to start a fantasy business? A: Not necessarily. What you need is a clear message, a real problem to solve, and a compelling offer. The tech can be outsourced.
Q: Where do I find funding? A: Start with angels, pitch competitions, and accelerators in the sports tech space.
Final Thought: Be You, Boldly
Scott said it best:
"In a crowded space, the best way to stand out is to be yourself."
Whether you're building in fantasy sports, marketing, or any space—trust is currency. Your story is your superpower.
Let’s build brands that actually matter.
– Sherry Sutton Founder, Heart of the Hustle
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Scott Hoyt on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.
