Thrive Capital led VCs into pro sports ownership; Collaborative Fund just upped that play

Collaborative Fund is acquiring a stake in D.C. United and its Audi Field stadium, positioning the club as a platform for its portfolio brands such as Whoop and Olipop. The investment follows Thrive Capital’s Thrive Eternal vehicle, which bought the San Francisco Giants and later the Lakers for $12.5 billion, marking a new trend of venture firms owning pro-sports franchises.