Today, I’m joined by Paris Wallace, founder & president of the National Cycling League (NCL), a co-ed professional league revolutionizing cycling’s US presence.
Under Wallace’s leadership, the NCL is leveraging technology, diversity, and community to cultivate a fandom of the future. This year, it kicked off its inaugural season with noteworthy backing from NBA player Kevin Durant, NFL player Jalen Ramsey, and DraftKings CEO Jason Robins, among others.
In this episode, we discuss the NCL’s gender-equal approach, its strategies for engaging recreational cyclists in the metaverse, and plans to grow the sport in the US.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- The four key pillars for launching a successful sports league
- How Paris is applying his learnings as a 2x-exited healthtech entrepreneur
- The NCL’s roadmap for building a diverse, values-oriented professional league
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Chapters:
(01:44) Paris’ and the NCL’s background
(03:32) Identifying the opportunity to create a cycling league
(06:34) NCL’s 4 pillars of fandom
(09:17) The rise of niche sports
(13:07) Incorporating the metaverse into NCL
(14:08) Making competitive cycling a feasible career
(16:23) NCL race format and locations
(21:05) The leagues business model
(23:26) Founding a league with diversity, equality, and strong values
(29:58) Improving access to cycling
(33:40) Current track record and future roadmap
(35:55) Conclusion