The inspiration behind Betsperts' multi-brand strategy, and why community is the media “nucleus”

Betsperts Group has spent the past few years methodically acquiring fantasy sports and betting properties, building a multi-brand portfolio through a rollup strategy that CEO and co-founder Reid Rooney says was inspired by his and co-founder Austin Harper’s time at Stanley Black & Decker.

“Every time you walked [into] a job site or every time you were to talk to someone in construction or a facility, you had a tool and a brand with a niche for every need that they would have,” Rooney said on The Betting Startups Podcast. “It was a one stop shop.”

It’s a great metaphor for Betsperts and its current lineup of brands, including 4for4 (fantasy football tools), Dynasty League Football (year-round fantasy strategy), Bleacher Nation (Chicago sports news), Betsperts Golf, and most recently, Fantasy National. While each brand operates in its own lane, they share a common nucleus: loyal, engaged communities. 

“If you don’t have a community as the nucleus, I think it’s gonna be tough sledding for a long period moving forward when ChatGPT, TikTok, and Google search all become more and more difficult for ranking or getting people to visit you,” he said.

That focus on community is paired with a disciplined approach to acquisitions. Rooney targets profitable $1–10M revenue businesses with incremental traffic, tools, or tech that don’t compete with existing properties. Integration is deliberate, avoiding making big changes too quickly, instead listening to each brand’s team and customers before introducing operational efficiencies. “You have to let their culture tell you, ‘this is how we’ve done it previously,’ and then… show exactly the culture that you want,” he said.

Betsperts’ revenue mix spans ads, affiliate deals, fantasy DFS games, and subscriptions—though Rooney is most bullish on the latter in the near term, seeing it as the most predictable channel in a volatile market. Long-term, the “pot of gold” is iGaming revenue share when U.S. regulation catches up. The company has raised more than eight figures to date, with investors including Parlay Capital, Velo Partners, and Super Group.

But behind the growth story is a founder who’s candid about the toll the journey has taken. Rooney touched on his experience laying off staff for the first time, putting him into a “bit of a depression” and leading him to therapy and other founders to lean on for support. “There’s nothing more therapeutic than complaining or pitching to another founder with the exact same problem because you understand it,” he said. He’s learned to actively celebrate wins (a sentiment echoed by Sparket’s Evan Fisher last month), but says it's something most founders neglect. “You expect them, but you need to celebrate ’em. You need to appreciate it… just figure out a little bit of a celebration that can make it last a little bit longer.”

Now, with the business profitable and positioned for both organic and acquisition-driven growth, Rooney says he’s as energized as ever. “I feel like what we’ve worked so hard for and cared about so much is really starting to pay off,” he said. “Mental health, physical health… I actually feel like myself again.”

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