Want to whack a ball like Serena? Start by logging onto SportsEdTV

By Riley Kaminer

Do you want to serve a forehand like Serena Willians? Drive your golf ball down the green like Jack Nicklaus? Shoot three-pointers like LeBron James?

If so, where do you turn for instruction? Getting in-person instruction from a top coach would quickly become pricey. Meanwhile, trolling through a platform like YouTube to learn a new move could take time and lead to uneven results.

A digitally-forward way to up your game could be by visiting SportsEdTV. The Miami-based startup has developed a digital platform containing thousands of world-class coaching videos. In addition to this library of content, SportsEdTV has a Reddit or Nextdoor-style community platform where sports enthusiasts can easily connect and compare notes. There is also a marketplace side to the SportsEdTV platform, where people can offer their products and services to the community.

Victor Bergonzoli [pictured below] is the captain of SportsEdTV. The co-founder and CEO told Refresh Miami that this mix of tools makes the startup’s offering unique in the space. “Everything is under one virtual roof.” He also emphasized the high quality production value of the content, which is filmed by NBC crews.

A full-time staff of seven people run the platform, which receives between 10 and 20 million visitors each month from around the world. This is even before you include FIBA, China’s basketball federation, and people who stream SportsEdTV through OTT devices. Since launching in 2018, the company has amassed a social media following of 750,000 users.

SportsEdTV has free and paid membership tiers. The company also makes revenue from transactions in their marketplace, while additionally working with sports brands on placing their products in videos.

So far, SportsEdTV has raised $7 million. The company is currently closing a convertible note, and Bergonzoli signaled that it plans to raise an additional $20-30 million through a Series B round next year.

Bergonzoli underscored the massive opportunity for the continued growth of SportsEdTV. “2.5 billion people in the world play sports. That’s bigger than the number of sports fans or sports betting.”

“We want to keep access to the content free or close to free,” he asserted, noting the company’s overall mission of helping people globally get healthier and more active.

Bergonzoli, a Swiss native who has been in the US for the better part of two decades working on tech and in startups, also shared a perhaps even more ambitious goal for SportsEdTV. “All I want is peace in the world, and sports can be a great diplomatic tool.” He explained how the Chinese students watching the basketball videos on SportsEdTV actually like the fact that the content is in English because it helps them learn the language and culture. “That’s beautiful,” said Bergonzoli.

*A behind-the-scenes look at a SportsEdTV shoot.*

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Riley Kaminer

I am a Miami-based technology researcher and writer with a passion for sharing stories about the South Florida tech ecosystem. I particularly enjoy learning about GovTech startups, cutting-edge applications of artificial intelligence, and innovators that leverage technology to transform society for the better. Always open for pitches via Twitter @rileywk or www.RileyKaminer.com.