NFL, NBA Stars Betting On New Cycling League Becoming Spectator Sport

A startup league is looking to make one of the most popular fitness activities into a popular spectator sport.

The National Cycling League announced a $7.5 million seed round on Thursday to fund its short-form, technology-forward racing league.

• The round was led by Will Ventures, co-founded by retired NFL player Isaiah Kacyvenski, and included investments from NBA star Bradley Beal, NFL players Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James, Kevin Byard, and Casey Hayward.
• Teams will race on closed-circuit street tracks in Miami Beach, Atlanta, Denver, and Washington, D.C., with an overall champion announced at the end of the season.
• Men and women will race on the same courses and will win equal prize money.

“We will field two, co-ed city-based teams, bringing together world-class domestic and international racing talent,” said NCL CEO Paris Wallace. “The goal is for our teams to instantly become the top teams in U.S. pro racing next year.” 

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Heart Racing

The NCL is emphasizing its technology platform as it works to grow an audience. The league will track cyclists’ biometrics while they race and plans to allow fans to compare their own performance to the racers’ through a metaverse platform. 

The league will have a unique scoring system designed to catalyze drama and lead changes in which teams are awarded points after each lap.