Brodie raises $3.6M to build "2K in real life" for adult basketball
What's the deal? BrodieDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Toronto-based startup that runs organised adult basketball leagues, has raised a $3.6 million seed round led by Lerer Hippeau and Golden VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The money funds expansion into four US markets: Atlanta, Long Island, New Jersey, and Seattle.
What's the endgame? Founder and chief executive officer Connor Renton started Brodie in 2019 as a side project while working at a bank, aiming to give adults the structure of school sports. It now serves more than 50,000 athletes and 50,000 fans across 20 cities, with over 600 games each week.
How it works: A Brodie season runs 12 weeks across six divisions, from first-timers to former college and professional players. Games are officiated and filmed, and an updated app adds career stats, leaderboards, team chats, and performance tracking.
Why now? Renton frames the pitch around routine and connection. "People are looking for real-life experiences," he told ForbesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. "You show up on this day — it's the same every single week, and you can look forward to something. It's an anchor for people."
Chicago player Lavese Jones, a 40-year-old father of three, plays for the Young O.G.s, a team that has won three straight championships. "I love the community and brotherhood that it has allowed me to build and continue to build," he said.
The investor case: Golden Ventures partner Ameet Shah described Brodie's goal as building "2K in real life," a league where a player's progress and season history carry forward. Brodie says its in-house content has drawn more than one billion views across social platforms.
The signal: Brodie's pitch tests whether a digital community can hold together offline. "Attracting users digitally is one thing, but hooking them offline is another thing entirely," said Lerer Hippeau managing partner Ben Lerer. "Brodie's done both."
Read more: complex.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
