• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Tune in Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. ET for Future of Sports: Stadium Sophistication. Register now

Sports Collectibles are the New Alternative Assets

Design: Alex Brooks

The alternative asset space has experienced accelerated growth over the last 24 months. Platforms that promote investing across a variety of verticals ranging from NFTs and culture to farmland have seen increased funding and transaction volume. This week’s Heat Check breaks down the growing trend of alternative asset investing and fractionalized ownership.

The Heat Check provides context on the various verticals which have arisen out of the “financialization of everything” movement. In this context, marketplaces have been established to facilitate the trading of assets that previously would have been inaccessible to mainstream consumers. One of the largest verticals that has emerged is the culture vertical. Culture asset platforms have seen strong traction and adoption, with the most recent example being StockX announcing its plan to IPO sometime early this year.

Other platforms in the space have also seen considerable volume and adoption:

  • GOAT
  • Royalty Exchange
  • StarStock
  • Alt
  • Rally
  • Collectable

So why does the alternative asset space matter? According to reports from BlackRock and JP Morgan, institutional investors poured $1.1 trillion in new money into alternative assets in 2021 with total alternative assets under management above $9 trillion. Traditionally, this represented investments in private equity, real estate, and hedge funds by large institutional investors. Recently consumers have looked to get in on the alternatives game and their preferred asset classes are wide ranging.

NFTs and trading cards have been two of the more popular investing vehicles for consumers over the past two years. NFT volume trading reached $13.1 billion and the domestic trading card market is anticipated to reach $61 million by 2027.

Check out the full report here.

ICYMI: Last week, we published a new Heat Check on investor predictions for 2022. You can access that report and our entire catalog of research at Insights HQ.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

MLB Caps Big Year With 27.3M Viewers for World Series Game 7

Fox generates a historic audience total for the dramatic World Series conclusion.

CFP Rankings Show Is Latest Disney–YouTube TV Dispute Casualty

ESPN remains dark for the service’s 10 million subscribers.

CBS Draws 30.8M for Chiefs-Bills, the NFL’s No. 2 Audience of 2025

The Bills’ win is the NFL’s second-most-watched game of 2025.
Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka–Kyrgios Match Not Disclosing Prize Money

Some match rules will be altered to “level the playing field.”

Featured Today

Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field following the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium

College Football’s Coach Buyout Bonanza: All Your Questions Answered

Schools owe their fired coaches millions in buyouts—and it isn’t over.
Oct 13, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Susanna Sullivan of the United States of America finishes seventh in the Chicago Marathon at Grant Park
October 31, 2025

More Races, More Money: The New Calculus for Pro Marathoners

More races per year mean more money—but the math isn’t simple.
Oct 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.
October 31, 2025

Shohei Ohtani Card Market Is Surging—With No Signs of Slowing

Cards have spiked hundreds of thousands of dollars from their initial value.
September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium
October 26, 2025

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Woodi Washington (5) runs after a reception during the Armed Forces Bowl football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Navy Midshipmen at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024.
August 19, 2025

Oklahoma Selling Fans Tickets to Press Conferences

Press conference tickets for the Sooners’ season opener are already sold out.
September 3, 2025

Ohio State–Texas Showdown Was Most-Watched Week 1 CFB Game Ever

Fox drew 16.62 million viewers on Saturday afternoon.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

On Location is redefining the Olympic experience by creating lasting connections beyond the Games.
August 11, 2025

NBA Christmas Schedule Leans on LeBron, Steph While Betting on Flagg

The Lakers, Warriors, and Rockets are all in action.
August 10, 2025

Bears CEO: Arlington Heights Only Local Location for New Stadium

The Bears currently play in Soldier Field in downtown Chicago.
August 8, 2025

Three Schools Sue Mountain West, Commish Over Withheld Funds

Boise State, Colorado State, and Utah State intensified the court battle.
Courtesy: Harlem Globetrotters
July 25, 2025

The Harlem Globetrotters Have Changed Hands Repeatedly, but Keep Making Money

The team is gearing up for its 100th season.