Alexis Ohanian on Building Athlos, Leaving Reddit, and Investing in Women's Sports

The Genesis of Athlos

• 🚀 Alexis Ohanian aims to create the "Formula 1 of track and field" with Athlos, a venture focused on elevating women's sports.
• 💡 Ohanian's inspiration for Athlos stems from a desire to make track and field as captivating as other major sports, emphasizing human athleticism.
• 🎯 The venture seeks to build a spectacle around track and field, incorporating elements of racing and entertainment, with events like a long jump qualifier in Times Square.

Investing in Women's Sports

• 💰 Ohanian's foray into women's sports began with a tweet about women's soccer being an undervalued opportunity, leading to the co-founding of Angel City Football Club.
• 📈 Angel City FC saw significant value appreciation, highlighting the market's potential for rewarding excellence in women's athletics.
• 🌟 Ohanian has since expanded his portfolio to include other women's sports ventures, such as a UK women's soccer team, a women's sports bar franchise, and a professional women's volleyball team.

Athlos's Business Model and Athlete Focus

• 📊 Athlos prioritizes reaching a large audience through various platforms, even if it means foregoing immediate broadcast revenue, having reached 3 million viewers in its first year.
• 💸 A significant portion of Athlos's revenue is dedicated to athletes, with 10% of event revenue going into a pool for them, and a commitment to instant payouts.
• 🤝 Top athletes like Tara Davis Woodhall, Sha'Carri Richardson, and Gabby Thomas are given equity in Athlos, granting them a voice in shaping the league.
• ⚠️ Athlos differentiates itself from competitors like Grand Slam Track by ensuring prompt payment to athletes, addressing issues that plagued earlier ventures.

Navigating Reddit and Social Media

• 💡 Ohanian reflects on his departure from Reddit in 2020, citing a disagreement over the platform's handling of toxic communities like "watch people die" as a reason for his protest resignation.
• 🗣️ He emphasizes the importance of authenticity in online communities, a principle he is applying to his new venture, a revived Digg, which aims to be an antidote to bot-driven content.
• 🚀 Ohanian's core advice to founders remains "make something people want," stressing decisiveness, earnestness, and awareness of the impact of their creations.

Personal Reflections and Public Stance

• 💬 Ohanian discusses the challenges of public life, including defending his wife Serena Williams and his own stance on immigration, often facing online toxicity and criticism.
• 🧠 He highlights the importance of learning from past experiences and doing better, particularly in his role as a husband and father.
• 🌟 Ohanian's journey from a tech idealist to a prominent investor underscores his belief in identifying and nurturing overlooked opportunities.