Episode Details

On this episode of the Sports Business Leaders Podcast, we’re joined by Tyler Fox and Nick Schell, co-founders of BTA Sports, an AI-powered sports analytics startup based in Philadelphia.

What started as a casual fantasy football debate in Nick’s basement in August 2023 quickly evolved into a fast-growing platform built to bring transparency, probability, and data-driven thinking to sports betting and fantasy sports. Tyler and Nick share how their complementary backgrounds—Nick in finance and Tyler in AI and technology—shaped BTA’s unique approach: empowering users with clear insights rather than selling picks or taking deposits.

We dive into:

• Why BTA Sports focuses on probability and risk analysis over gut feelings

• How financial planning concepts inspired features like their Risk Analyzer and Fantasy IQ

• Building a 20-person, highly collaborative team across multiple countries

• Protecting innovation with three provisional patents

• Lessons learned from finding product-market fit and focusing resources on what actually drives growth

• What’s next, including their upcoming MLB launch timed with Opening Day in March

The conversation is a candid look at early-stage sports tech entrepreneurship, culture building, and staying flexible while scaling in a rapidly evolving industry.

A must-listen for sports entrepreneurs, operators, and anyone interested in how AI and data are reshaping betting and fantasy sports.