This summer, I had the opportunity to work with Bloom Sports Partners, where I gained a comprehensive understanding of both North American and European sports markets and strengthened my ability to translate industry trends into actionable insights. Over twelve weeks, I contributed to projects spanning soccer, basketball, expansion franchises, emerging ventures, and club-level organizational assessments. Each project challenged me to engage in intensive research, think critically, synthesize complex information, and communicate recommendations clearly for use by company leadership and clients.

My first project focused on foreign ownership in soccer—what works and what doesn't. Given the immense popularity of European soccer among international investors, this was a critical and timely topic. My work culminated in a slide deck featuring in-depth case studies of successful acquisitions, as well as less successful examples where on-field performance and fan engagement declined. Based on these studies, I concluded the presentation by distilling three essential "do's" and "don'ts" for foreign investors considering a purchase. The team appreciated the insights, and I found it especially meaningful to contribute to a sport I am deeply passionate about, having represented Croatia at youth levels and played collegiately for both Harvard and Stanford.
 

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After that, my work shifted to European basketball, a market that is becoming increasingly attractive to investors as European soccer grows more saturated. With the NBA actively exploring the creation of a permanent league overseas, the timing made this research particularly relevant. I examined the NBA's European proposition in detail and mapped ownership patterns across Europe's existing domestic competitions. I then assessed how the establishment of an NBA league in Europe could reshape the basketball ecosystem and affect investor strategies. These findings were distilled into a concise but detailed paper positioning Bloom as a thought leader in this emerging space and providing the company with a strong foundation for future client engagements.

I also led research on expansion franchises across North America's major leagues. By analyzing the early performances of new franchises against established ones, I helped determine realistic benchmarks on both the men's and women's sides. The analysis highlighted that while challenges are inevitable, expansion teams can and should expect measurable success early when backed by committed leadership and strategic investment. This project required extensive data analysis, and the results were synthesized into a framework that Bloom can use when advising franchise executives themselves or clients interested in pursuing or supporting expansion opportunities. 

Another project explored emerging sports ventures. My work evaluated the competitive format, ownership model, and growth strategy of fifteen new leagues—highlighting both key opportunities and challenges to expansion and sustainability. The resulting analysis provided Bloom with a concise overview of these ventures, allowing the company to stay ahead in conversations with clients seeking alternative investments in sports and to remain on top of developments shaping the broader industry.

Finally, my work concluded with an organizational assessment for a US-based soccer club. I gathered staff feedback across various dimensions, including leadership, direction, and on-field performance. After compiling the survey responses, I translated the data into a concise presentation for club executives, summarizing the results and providing actionable recommendations for improvement. This project gave me valuable first-hand experience in presenting quantitative and qualitative data in a way that could directly inform leadership decisions and organizational strategy.

In all, I am very grateful for my time at Bloom Sports Partners. Thank you to Bobby Warshaw, the company's VP and fellow Stanford Soccer alum, for bringing me on board, and to Ashley Lehr for her guidance and mentorship throughout the summer. I leave Bloom with a deeper understanding of the complexities and opportunities shaping today's sports landscape, and with greater clarity and preparation to contribute as a leader moving forward.