Pro League Network Secures $2.2M in Funding, Boosts Unconventional Sports Betting Market

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Sporting enthusiasts and investors alike have found something to get excited about with the Pro League Network’s (PLN) recent success in its latest fundraising campaign, managing to secure approximately $2.2 million in capital. This tidy sum is indicative of a growing interest in PLN’s unique business model, which centers around facilitating niche sporting events and ensuring they meet the requisite criteria for sports betting outcomes.

At the helm of PLN are Cofounders Mike Salvaris and Bill Yucatonis, who are carving out a business in the sports entertainment industry by developing a portfolio of offbeat sports competitions that are fascinating, and often perplexing, in their novelty. Their goal is to provide wagering operators with sportsbooks praising as “fun, bettable, and live professional sports.”


In Salvaris’s words, PLN makes a pitch to its investors by offering them a chance to place their bets on various sports properties. The intrigue lies in the potential for one or more of these unique sports to rocket to unforeseen popularity, thereby earning the investors equity in those leagues. The approach is a one-to-many when investors come onboard with PLN.

One clear example is a game that PLN has christened CarJitsu, which pitches competitive jiu-jitsu fighters against each other inside a car. Other games in their portfolio include SlapFight, a contest seemingly derived from playground disputes, Major League Paintball, and an upcoming three-on-three basketball endeavor in collaboration with former NBA superstar Kevin Garnett known as Str33t. Overall, PLN is promoting almost 20 sports brands to date.

While PLN doesn’t directly partake in the gambling business, it plays a significant role in promoting integrity in the unconventional sports events it curates. The aim is to establish legitimacy around these games, making them suitable betting material for licensed sportsbooks.

As a part of the process, stringent integrity safeguards are typically put in place during these sporting events to thwart any issues related to match-fixing or undue external influence. Several US sportsbooks carry PLN’s sports, such as DraftKings and Bet365, in states that have approved these games and contests for betting.

In terms of digital consumption, PLN’s sports hit the bull’s eye according to company representatives. Co-founder Salvaris viewed PLN as an entertainment entity generating content tailor-made for wagering. He and Yucatonis envisioned their company as a solution to invigorating the betting scene during slower times.

To accelerate the growth of their league properties, the co-founders plan to utilize the acquired seed money judiciously. They are placing their bets on CarJitsu, the World Putting League, SlapFight, and Str33t. With games running for just 15 minutes, Str33t is carefully tailored to maximize betting opportunities and enable continued player engagement.

A pulse of anticipation thrums through PLN’s studio headquarters in Branson, Missouri, with plans to produce up to 40 hours of sports programming each week by the end of the year.

However, the question still lingers: Will PLN find its place in the hearts of sports bettors? Online discussion platforms like Reddit showcase polarized opinions for offbeat sports like CarJitsu. Some deem it “the stupidest thing to have ever happened to jiu-jitsu or cars” while others find it surprisingly entertaining to watch. Only time will tell if PLN’s unique sports approach will earn the bettors’ favor.