NYC’s FEENIX VENTURE PARTNERS BACKS YOUTH SPORTS INNOVATOR LEAGUE NETWORK

New York, 2018-Jan-22 — /EPR Network/ — Newark, NJ-based League Network PBC, an award-winning innovator in team sports fundraising and media announced today that they have secured the lead investment in their Series A2 investment round from NYC-based Feenix Venture Partners.

League Network was founded in 2016 by youth league leader and media entrepreneur Anne-Sophie Whitehead.  The Company operates the youth and amateur sports crowdfunding platform LeagueGrowth.com Assisted Fundraising alongside B2B media properties including TLCSportSummit.com.  Via its Feenix Payment Systems platform, Feenix will be the exclusive payment processor for LeagueGrowth.com, which raises millions for youth teams.

“Feenix Venture Partners’ unique focus on fast-growing payment processing businesses that use its Feenix Payment Systems platform made them the ideal choice to lead the round with new and existing League Network investors,” says League Network CEO Jay Whitehead.   Feenix joins existing League Network shareholders including its founders, pro athletes such as NFL Hall of Famer and 4-time Super Bowl Champion Ronnie Lott, impact venture investors such as Illuminated Partners’ James Lincoln, and tech luminaries such as Zenefits CEO Jay Fulcher and app venture catalyst Kiwitech.

“Providing venture and growth capital alongside payment processing services is the ideal way to enhance Feenix Payment Systems’ value to our merchant partners, and to enhance investor returns,” says Feenix Managing Partner Keith Lee.  “By backing fast-growth companies such as League Network in attractive online payment segments run by proven entrepreneurs, payments fees generate reliable returns.  And as equity shareholders, we’re investing for the long-term.”

In addition to LeagueGrowth.com Assisted Fundraising raising funds for large numbers of youth teams nationwide, the company produces the Tournament, League & Club Sport Summit, the first of which drew 250 youth tourney, league, club and facility leaders to Ripken Stadium on December 11, 2017, and another 1,000 via video livestream.  MLB Hall of Famer and youth sports entrepreneur Cal Ripken, Jr. headlined the TLC Sport Summit in 2017, which highlighted the $15B kids’ sports spending boom recently featured in Time Magazine, on NBC’s Today Show and on HBO Real Sports.  In 2018, League Network will produce multiple regional TLC Sport Summits, covering best business practices across 30 youth and non-NCAA team sports.  “Our secret is that our media platform drives demand for our fundraising platform,” explains League Network’s CEO.

“League Network was the result of my 15 years running a large New Jersey multisport youth league and realizing there is no single place for people like me to learn best practices or to easily and quickly raise team funds,” says League Network founder and serial media entrepreneur Anne-Sophie Whitehead.   “So we built League Network’s B2B media to help league leaders share success secrets and LeagueGrowth.com Assisted Fundraising platform to ensure teams’ financial viability.  And it’s all guided by our trademarked mission, ‘Better Leagues, Better Lives®’.”

About Feenix Venture Partners and Feenix Payment Systems

NYC-based Feenix Venture Partners provides venture and growth capital to fast-growth merchants who use its Feenix Payment Systems for front-to-end payment solutions. Unlike other merchant processors, Feenix partners with merchants, providing investment capital to grow your business, full transparency with aligned interests and processing integration, support and latest technology provided through its partnership with leading global processors that handle in excess of $1 trillion dollars of processing volume each year.  More information at FeenixPayment.com.

About League Network

Founded in 2016 at NJIT in Newark, League Network B2B media including TLCSportSummit.com is setting best practices for leaders in the $15B youth sports industry, and LeagueGrowth.com Assisted Fundraising is disrupting the $3B youth sports fundraising segment.  League Network is led by serial media, IT and fundraising entrepreneurs, backed by sports and tech investors and VCs, and is guided by its mission: ‘Better Leagues, Better Lives®’.  More at LeagueNetwork.com and LeagueGrowth.com.