Georgia Tech has named Ryan Alpert, a seasoned collegiate athletics executive and one of the nation’s most respected leaders in revenue generation and athletic operations, as its next vice president and director of athletics, the school announced Tuesday.

Alpert currently serves as senior deputy athletics director and chief revenue officer at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Alpert brings to Georgia Tech nearly two decades of leadership experience across the Southeastern Conference and beyond, with a track record of success in fundraising, capital project management, external affairs and strategic planning. He will officially begin his new role later this month.

“Today’s announcement is a reflection of Georgia Tech’s commitment to elevating the competitive profile of our athletic programs on par with our academic profile,” said Georgia Tech president Ángel Cabrera. “Ryan Alpert is a dynamic, forward-thinking leader who understands what it takes to build a winning culture on a strong financial foundation. He brings deep operational expertise and a clear passion for student-athlete development. We are thrilled to welcome him to Georgia Tech.”

At Tennessee, Alpert played a central role in the Volunteers’ rise to national prominence across multiple sports. He helped lead the department to its highest-ever finish in the Learfield Directors’ Cup and to three consecutive SEC All-Sports Championships. As a senior executive, he oversaw business and finance, development, marketing, ticketing, capital projects, sponsorships and more — collectively helping Tennessee Athletics increase its annual revenue by over $100 million since 2022. In fiscal year 2024 alone, the department generated a record $228 million in operating revenue and raised nearly $140 million through the Tennessee Fund.

Alpert also served as the lead on the Neyland Entertainment District, a transformative public-private partnership that is revitalizing Knoxville’s riverfront and enhancing the game day experience around Neyland Stadium.

“I’m incredibly grateful to President Cabrera and the search committee for the opportunity to serve as the next athletic director at Georgia Tech,” said Alpert. “As college athletics continues in a period of rapid transformation, I’m excited about all the Institute has to offer and what we can accomplish together. Georgia Tech’s visionary leadership, combined with its world-class academics and commitment to competitive excellence, provides a strong foundation for the future. My family and I can’t wait to get to Atlanta and join the Yellow Jackets.”

Alpert’s previous leadership roles include deputy athletic director at the University of Missouri and Florida Atlantic University, where he helped engineer record-setting fundraising results and led strategic initiatives across external operations. He also served in development and leadership positions at the University of Memphis, where he played a key role in securing some of the largest gifts in the school’s athletics history.

Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, Alpert holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree from the University of Memphis. He and his wife, Rebecca, have two daughters, Mary Margaret and Annie.

Alpert first began his time at Mizzou in February 2016 as an associate AD. He then was promoted to senior associate AD for the final year and a half of his two-year tenure before he left for FAU.

He then returned in April 2020 for his second stint at MU. During his time he led the Tiger Scholarship Fund, was in charge of growing and forming revenue streams and was the sport administrator for both men’s and women’s basketball. Under his guidance, the TSF produced an MU record $50.4 million supporting Mizzou Athletics during the 2016-17 fiscal year.

Alpert also oversaw ticketing, fundraising and marketing as well as being the liaison to Mizzou Sports Properties.

Before becoming a Missouri Tiger, he was a Memphis Tiger for five years.

Can you imagine a world where being a loyal sports fan comes with unique perks, like special digital experiences and ownership of exclusive content? Well, that’s exactly what blockchain technology is making happen, shaking up how fans interact with their favorite teams. Today, we’ll delve into how blockchain is changing fan engagement in sports, featuring partnerships like BlockDAG’s with the Seattle Seawolves, and what possibilities lie ahead.

Blockchain’s Role in Fan Engagement

Blockchain isn’t just a tech buzzword anymore; it’s actively redefining how fans engage with sports. The rise of digital assets is allowing teams to create deeper connections with fans. This change isn’t just about making money off speculation; it’s focused on enhancing the fan experience itself.

Thanks to blockchain, fan loyalty and interaction are evolving too. With decentralized platforms, teams can offer unique rewards like NFTs and fan tokens. These tokens let supporters participate in decisions and access exclusive digital experiences, making fans feel more involved and connected to their teams.

BlockDAG and the Seattle Seawolves Partnership

Take the partnership between BlockDAG and the Seattle Seawolves, for example. As the Official Blockchain Partner for the 2025 Major League Rugby season, BlockDAG will enhance fan experiences through digital collectibles and tokenized content. Fans will own unique digital assets secured by blockchain, leading to more meaningful interactions with players and teams.

This partnership not only demonstrates practical blockchain applications in sports but also hints at increased fan loyalty and new ways to generate revenue. By weaving blockchain into everyday fan experiences, BlockDAG is ushering in a new era of sports engagement.

NFT Monetization in Sports

NFTs are playing a significant role in this transformation, presenting fresh revenue opportunities for teams and athletes. Selling digital collectibles, game highlights, and exclusive content allows sports organizations to earn while giving fans unique experiences. Plus, the resale of NFTs on secondary markets can provide ongoing royalties to creators, generating ongoing revenue beyond the initial sale.

This pivot towards digital assets allows teams to build direct relationships with fans and capture more value from their audience. As blockchain technology matures, monetizing digital assets will likely expand.

The Road Ahead for Blockchain in Sports

Of course, there are hurdles to overcome. Market volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and the need for user-friendly platforms could slow widespread adoption. But the emergence of new use cases, like crypto payroll platforms and stablecoin integration, offers growth opportunities.

By tackling these challenges and focusing on actionable solutions, blockchain could become a go-to option in sports. As more organizations adopt this technology, fan engagement will continue to evolve.

Crypto Payroll: The Next Big Thing in Sports

Among the most intriguing developments is the arrival of crypto payroll. Teams are beginning to experiment with cryptocurrencies and stablecoins for salary payments, offering players a new way to receive their earnings. This trend simplifies cross-border payments and aligns with the growing interest in digital currencies from athletes and fans.

As crypto payroll gains traction, it could reshape traditional salary structures in sports, providing players with more flexibility and control over their finances.

Summary: Embracing the Future of Blockchain in Sports

In conclusion, blockchain technology is reshaping fan engagement in sports, creating additional revenue streams, enhancing loyalty, and deepening connections between teams and fans. Partnerships like BlockDAG’s with the Seattle Seawolves highlight the practical applications of blockchain and its potential to revolutionize the sports landscape.

As the industry increasingly adopts blockchain, the future of fan engagement looks promising, with exciting opportunities on the horizon. By leveraging innovative technologies, sports organizations can foster a more interactive and rewarding experience for fans, ensuring a lasting connection between teams and supporters in this digital age.

• Early positive consumer testimonials from initial Company product sampling

• Sublingual nano technology delivers caffeine rapidly to the bloodstream, bringing its unique benefits to the pre-workout market

• Developed through over a decade of scientific research to deliver a patent-pending, fast-acting supplement formulation for maximum effect

• Completed initial production in four flavors

• Aspire to launch BUZZ BOMB™ at the FITCON and Fit Expo conventions in August

ESTERO, FL AND NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / July 9, 2025 / Aspire Biopharma Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASBP) (“Aspire” or the “Company”), developer of a multi-faceted patent-pending supplement delivery technology, today announced positive initial consumer feedback from the Company’s sampling of its sublingual pre-workout supplement, BUZZ BOMB™. Featuring 50mg of caffeine and designed to support sustained energy and mental focus, BUZZ BOMB™ is bringing its unique delivery technology benefits to the multi-billion-dollar pre-workout market to help athletes and fitness enthusiasts maximize their performance potential. Buzz Bomb™ provides nearly instant energy, in easy-to-use small sublingual packets, which can be taken right before and during work out as needed.

Last month, BUZZ BOMB™ began a soft launch of its product line, introducing it to strength trainers, consultants, and fitness professionals. Aspire sees BUZZ BOMB™ as more than just another supplement; it is a science-driven brand focused on understanding nutrition, performance, and the daily needs of athletes and fitness enthusiasts. BUZZ BOMB™ is a pre-workout solution that boosts endurance, energy metabolism, and overall performance, primarily through caffeine, a well-researched ingredient shown to enhance fitness results. Unlike pre-workout products that are mixed with water and taken well before a workout, BUZZ BOMB is sprinkled under the tongue for immediate effect.

TESTEMONIALS

“As a professional trainer, I have used Buzz Bomb to enhance my own workouts, and I will recommend it to all my clients as soon as it is available. When clients feel more energy and are more successful with their workout, it reflects well on me as a trainer, and they want to keep up their training with me. It will be a win-win for both of us!
Grace M.
Professional Trainer & Body Building Competitor

“I love Buzz Bomb! I can take it at the gym right before my workout. By the time I get my spinning shoes on, I’m good-to-go! It makes the workout so much easier.
Jennifer C.
Insurance Rep & Mother of Three

“I’ve seen a lot of pre-workout products in my gym, but this is the one I plan to recommend the most. It’s the fastest and easiest to use. No messy liquids, mixing or waiting around for it to kick in.”
London S.
Gym Owner

Aspire has started initial production of BUZZ BOMB™. The product is packaged in single serving packets for easy on-the-go use. Consumers will have a choice of four BUZZ BOMB™ flavors, including Tropical Fruit, Mixed Berry, Peach Mango, and Mocha Coffee, sold in 30 unit-packs.

“BUZZ BOMB™ is a key first step in our strategy to leverage the full potential of our sublingual nano technology. Our goal is to create a healthy, transformational, next-generation pre-workout brand,” said Michael Howe, Chief Executive Officer of Aspire. “The feedback from our initial product sampling with consumers, as recounted by numerous testimonials, has been very positive and encouraging. We learned that whether you’re hitting the gym, the trail, or just need to show up strong for your day, BUZZ BOMB™ delivers energy very quickly in a convenient easy-to-use single serving packet. We believe this brand has the potential to become a go-to energy supplement for athletes as well as consumers seeking an energy boost that fits their lifestyle requirements.”

Howe added, “We are excited about launching BUZZ BOMB™ at two of the major fitness conventions in early August. Aspire will be an event sponsor at both conferences where over 50,000 people interested in health, fitness optimization, nutrition, and overall well-being will be able to taste, sample, and experience the BUZZ BOMB™ pre-workout supplement.”

Howe concluded, “Aspire plans to follow up the launch of BUZZ BOMB™ with several other consumer products in the nutraceutical and supplement categories. These products have the potential to generate revenue for Aspire while we evaluate licensing opportunities with established companies in these industries.”

BUZZ BOMB™ Pre-workout Benefits:

• Speed – works nearly immediate vs. 20-30 minutes

• Convenience – easy to use single-use packets vs. mixing and measuring for beverages

• Energy management – use as needed to precisely manage caffeine intake

• Single Safe Active Ingredient – well-known benefits and use of caffeine

• Low manufacturing & packaging costs – competitive pricing with high margin potential

Pre-workout Supplements Market & Growth Drivers

According to Research and Market Reports recent report, “The global pre-workout supplements market size is expected to reach $27.97 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 5.9% from 2025 to 2030.”

About the Aspire Targeted Oral Delivery Platform

Aspire’s technology delivers fast-acting supplement formulations which have been developed by using our patent-pending methodology, and “trade secret” process. The technology’s new mechanism of action allows for rapid sublingual absorption. The benefits of “rapid absorption” are to provide rapid impact in more precise quantities.

About Aspire Biopharma, Inc.

Headquartered in Estero, Fl., Aspire Biopharma has developed a disruptive technology that can deliver supplements and drugs rapidly and precisely. For more information, please visit www.aspirebiolabs.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements made in this communication are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may generally be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “projects,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “future,” “propose,” “potential,” “target,” “goal,” “objective,” “outlook” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this communication, and on the current expectations of Aspire’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by any investor as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the control of the parties, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Aspire Biopharma Holdings, Inc.

Contact

PCG Advisory
Kevin McGrath
+1-646-418-7002
kevin@pcgadvisory.com

SOURCE: Aspire Biopharma Holdings, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

The FIFA Club World Cup has not only been “a perfect test case” for trialing innovations that might debut at the men’s FIFA World Cup 26, but it also has marked the grand unveiling of the Football Technology Center AG. That’s the joint venture created last November by FIFA and Hawk-Eye Innovations with an initial charge of assisting referees and automating data collection.

FIFA and Sony-owned Hawk-Eye first debuted Semi-Automated Offsides Technology at the Qatar World Cup in 2022, and now it has created an enhanced version of it. Only calls in which a player is within 10 centimeters of the offsides line require manual oversight from an official. Also at this tournament, the tabulation of event data — everything from shots, passes, corner kicks and the like — has been automated with computer vision algorithms, supplanting what historically had always been a very manual process.

Early feedback has been positive, putting those innovations on track for an appearance at next year’s tournament. The quadrennial World Cup typically serves as a debut for new tech. Goal-line technology first appeared in 2014, VAR in 2018 and SAOT in 2022.

“We recognize that, in order to do stuff which is pretty game-changing, you have to do it on a two-, three-, four-year cycle,” Rufus Hack, the CEO of Sony’s sports businesses, told SBJ. “It doesn’t take a year to develop the technology, to implement it, to refine it, to test it, to introduce it. And so we came on this concept of, let’s do an eight-year joint venture where, effectively, they put in some of their IP, some of their technology, their football expertise. We put in people, our technology expertise, our learnings from other sport.”

The vision of the FTC

The Football Technology Center is based in Zurich, like FIFA, and relies on dedicated personnel from both FIFA and Hawk-Eye. In lieu of a CEO, it is steered by a board of directors, consisting of Hawk-Eye’s Hack and Managing Dir Ben Crossing and FIFA’s Dir of Innovation Johannes Holzmüller and Technical Director Steve Martens. There is also a separate joint operational management committee with equal representation from both entities.

“We see this as potentially the Football Technology Center creating new football technologies, assets and IP, which then can potentially be commercialized-slash-distributed to the rest of the sport,” Hack said. “Ultimately, FIFA are very much about looking to democratize sports technology down to the member associations,” referring to the 211 countries and territories across six continents that are represented by FIFA.

“For us, this is less about a significant revenue opportunity of being able to create new products,” he added. “It’s more about being able to be thought leaders and sitting side by side with FIFA, who are effectively the guardians of football technology in the game, to be able to do these new innovations, and then potentially working together to distribute some of that for the rest of the football community.”

Hawk-Eye’s cameras and algorithms capture data from 29 points on the human body, so a player’s limbs, hands and feet are fully tracked. That generates millions of datapoints per game, but FIFA sought practical use of it.

“We have high-quality data available, but at the end of the day, we also want to have valuable information — an outcome, not only for officiating, but also for other areas,” Holzmüller said. “We needed to have some vehicle where we can develop and explore how this data can be used in the future.”

The lead time for many of these projects is long, but there other avenues that can be explored. For instance, Hack said it might be possible in the future to use technology to determine whether that ball has gone out of bounds or whether it struck a player’s hand or other part of the body.

“We believe in these big, long-term strategic partnerships,” Hack said. “We believe it provides a much better opportunity for the rightsholder and partner to co-invest alongside each other and genuinely feels like a partnership, rather than that buyer/supplier relationship.”

The rise of online sports betting in California is reshaping the state’s economic landscape. With potential tax revenues and business growth, this emerging industry offers significant opportunities. Understanding its impact is crucial for stakeholders and policymakers.

In recent years, the popularity of California Sportsbooks has surged, driven by the convenience and accessibility of online platforms. As more Californians engage in sports betting, it becomes essential to explore how this trend influences the state’s economy. The shift towards digital wagering reflects broader changes in consumer behavior and presents both challenges and opportunities for economic development.

Tax revenue potential from online sports betting

Legalizing online sports betting in California could generate substantial tax revenues. With its large population and tech-savvy demographic, the state is well-positioned to benefit financially. Licensing fees and gambling taxes could provide significant funds for state programs and infrastructure projects. This influx of revenue could help address budget deficits and enhance public services.

Beyond direct tax revenues, the online sports betting market could attract investments from major gaming companies. This would stimulate economic growth and create jobs in various sectors, including tech support, marketing, and customer service. By establishing a fair taxation system, California can balance regulatory oversight with economic incentives, fostering a sustainable environment for this industry.

Comparative analysis with other states that have legalized online sports betting shows promising revenue trajectories. States like New Jersey and Pennsylvania have reported significant tax windfalls, with monthly revenues often exceeding initial projections. California’s market size suggests even greater potential, with experts estimating annual tax revenues could reach billions once the market matures. These funds could be strategically allocated to education, healthcare, and problem gambling prevention programs, creating a sustainable cycle of social benefit.

Impact on local businesses and industries

The expansion of online sports betting has implications for local businesses across California. As residents engage with digital platforms, industries such as hospitality and technology stand to benefit. Bars and restaurants may see increased patronage during major sports events, while tech firms specializing in software and cybersecurity can support the growing online gambling sector.

Additionally, advertising agencies and media companies might experience increased demand as betting platforms seek to capture market share through targeted campaigns. This interconnected web of industries contributes to a dynamic economic environment fueled by online sports betting activities.

The ripple effect extends to professional sports organizations and venues within California. Local teams could benefit from increased fan engagement and sponsorship opportunities, while stadiums and arenas might see enhanced revenue through partnerships with betting operators. This symbiotic relationship between sports betting and athletic entertainment creates new revenue streams for existing sports infrastructure, potentially funding facility improvements and community programs.

The role of betting platforms in California

Betting platforms are central to California’s online sports betting ecosystem. They facilitate wagering and act as technological hubs that drive innovation and efficiency. By offering user-friendly interfaces and diverse betting options, these platforms cater to a wide range of preferences among bettors.

Robust betting platforms help establish trust among consumers by ensuring transparency and fairness in transactions. As these platforms evolve, they enhance user experience while safeguarding against fraudulent activities through advanced security measures. Collaboration between betting platforms and regulatory bodies is essential for maintaining ethical standards and promoting responsible gambling practices.

Future economic outlook for online sports betting

The future economic outlook for online sports betting in California appears promising. If current trends continue, substantial revenue streams could flow into state coffers from taxation and industry-driven investments. As more Californians embrace digital wagering, consumer spending patterns may shift towards entertainment-related goods and services.

This shift could impact retail sectors catering to bettors’ needs, such as sports merchandise retailers and travel agencies offering packages around major tournaments. While the rise of online sports betting presents opportunities, it is important to assess potential risks alongside rewards to make informed projections about its statewide impact.

This post is provided by a third party who may receive compensation from the products or services they mention.