How to Build a Sports Brand With £0 and a Google Drive
Every few months, someone asks me the same thing:
“How do you launch a sport without funding, followers or favouritism?”
The short answer? You don’t wait. You build.
Because while everyone’s chasing sponsorships and broadcast deals, the real opportunity is to start smaller, smarter and sharper. And I’ve done it. Multiple times. From scratch. No agency, no media spend, no boardroom.
The reality is sport doesn’t need another PowerPoint. It needs new ideas, new energy and new fans. If you’ve got that (+ the right tools), you don’t need money. You need clarity, hustle and a deck that actually makes sense.
This is how you build a sports brand with zero budget and a Google Drive. It’s not a theory. It’s the same blueprint I’ve used to launch five startup sports with lean teams, no head start and no safety net.
Here’s what it really takes.
1. No One’s Coming to Save Sport
There’s a hard truth behind all of this.
Most sports are running out of fans.
Audiences are ageing out. Formats are stuck in the past. Consumption habits have shifted, but the product hasn’t. And rights holders? Too many are still relying on old playbooks, hoping the next generation will care.
They won’t. Not unless you give them a reason to.
That’s why when you’re starting something new (a brand, a league, a sport), your job isn’t to chase what’s already working. It’s to create something that should exist, but doesn’t yet.
You don’t need a flashy rights deal. You need a product that makes sense to a teenager on TikTok and your mate’s mum at the pub. Something fans can latch onto instantly, without needing to read the rulebook.
If the idea cuts through, you’re already ahead of 90% of the industry.
And here’s the kicker… if the idea doesn’t work, it’s better to find out before you’ve burned the budget.
Start with truth. Start with fans. Start with a format that actually fits the world we live in.
Then go build it.
2. If You Can’t Pitch It to Your Mum It Won’t Work
Before the deck. Before the branding. Before the logo.
You need an idea so clear, so crisp, so grabbable that your mum gets it in one sentence.
Because if she doesn’t, the media won’t. The talent won’t. The fans definitely won’t.
I’m not talking about dumbing things down. I’m talking about precision. If your concept takes three paragraphs to explain, it’s not ready. Simple doesn’t mean small, it means sharp. It means sticky.
Here’s the test. Describe your sport to someone who’s never heard of it. You’ve got 15 seconds. No jargon. No PowerPoint. If they look confused, back to the whiteboard.
The best formats I’ve launched started with:
A clear point of difference
A cultural hook that made it feel relevant, not random
And crucially, they were built for how people consume sport today. On their phone, in a scroll, with 10 seconds of attention.
You’re not just creating a competition. You’re creating a narrative that can move across platforms, moments and minds. It needs to feel fresh but familiar. Exciting but obvious. Easy to buy into but hard to ignore.
If you nail the pitch, everything else becomes easier.
If you don’t, nothing else matters.
3. Start with a Deck Not a Dream
Ideas are cheap. Execution is everything. But communication? That’s where most founders fall short.
The first thing I build isn’t a brand. It’s a deck.
Because if you can’t explain your sport, your format, your business model, your audience, your revenue streams and your timelines in 10-15 slides, you’re not ready to launch. Not to partners, not to talent, not to anyone.
This is your first real asset. It needs to feel premium (even if it’s built in Keynote at midnight). It’s not just a PDF. It’s your founder story, your credibility and your commercial shopfront. All in one.
Here’s what I always include:
The big idea - what it is and why it matters
The cultural shift - what problem it solves or trend it rides
The market - competitors, gaps, opportunity
The product - format, event, content or experience
The plan - roadmap, resource needs, key dates
The commercial - revenue model, partner potential, growth logic
The ask - next steps, what you need, what’s in it for them
Design matters. Clarity matters more. If it looks sharp and reads like strategy, people will take it seriously. I’ve seen decks land meetings before the website’s even live.
Start here. Build it once. Then send it often.
4. Steal the Spotlight Before You’ve Earned It
You don’t need a fanbase to start. You need borrowed reach.
And in sport, that means talent.
Not necessarily the biggest name. But the right name. Someone with credibility, cultural pull, and a following that trusts them. Ideally, they’re in the second half of their career. Still relevant. Still connected. But looking for what’s next.
Aligning with the right athlete changes everything. It gives your new sport a face, a voice, a story fans can buy into. It gives the media something to write about. And it gives you leverage in every conversation that follows.
This doesn’t have to cost you.
Sometimes it’s revenue share.
Sometimes it’s vision alignment.
Sometimes it’s just timing and trust.
But it only works if your product is something they want to amplify. Athletes have spent a career protecting their brand. If your idea doesn’t elevate it, they won’t touch it.
So before you approach anyone, do your homework:
Who are the voices in this space with loyal followings?
Who’s already building something themselves?
Who’s underused, undervalued, but has real community pull?
And crucially, what’s the win for them?
Get that right and you don’t just get reach. You get legitimacy.
5. Build the Team Without Hiring Anyone
You don’t need a team. You need a stack.
The right tools can replace entire departments if you know how to use them. And the beauty of launching lean is that most of what you need is either free or close to it.
Here’s my no budget builder stack:
1. ChatGPT
Your strategist, copywriter, planner and pitch doctor.
I use it to map out business models, refine decks, shape brand tone, even draft investor emails. If you’re stuck, start the conversation here.
2. Notion
Your project manager, content calendar and internal comms hub.
Every timeline, deliverable and deck lives here. It keeps you honest and lets collaborators plug in without chaos.
3. Canva
Your creative studio.
From social assets to one-pagers, Canva makes things look sharp without needing a designer. And templates mean you can move fast, stay consistent, and iterate on the fly.
4. Google Drive
Your HQ.
Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms - it’s simple, powerful, and everyone knows how to use it. Plus, it integrates with everything else.
5. Perplexity or Gemini
Your research assistant.
Quick competitor analysis, trend watching, or finding brand examples? These tools go deeper and wider than search alone.
That’s it. Five tools. Zero hires.
And if you’re not fluent in them, find someone who is. There’s a generation of creators out there who can turn around world class assets in hours.
No excuses. No bloat. No burn.
6. Don’t Wait for Traffic Make Noise Instead
Here’s what most early-stage founders get wrong.
They build the deck.
They line up the socials.
Then they wait.
You can’t wait. You have to create momentum.
No one’s sitting around waiting to discover your sport. You’ve got to put it in their feed, their inbox, their group chat. And you’ve got to track everything.
Here’s how I start:
Trackable decks
Use smart links (like Bitly or DeckLinks) so you know who’s opening, clicking and sharing. I even create clickable call-to-actions inside the deck to see who’s getting all the way to the end.
Targeted outreach
Not just cold spam. I build a hit list of warm contacts, and follow up with personalised messages, voice notes, or short Loom videos. Human beats corporate every time.
Conversations over campaigns
If someone replies, asks a question, or wants to know more - that’s traction. That’s the signal. Keep that fire burning. Don’t pitch and vanish. Follow up. Keep the momentum alive.
Micro data
Lead forms, email sign-ups, link clicks, replies, even WhatsApp feedback. It all counts. Don’t just chase traffic. Track interest. Real interest.
And if you’re publishing content, great. But make it loud, not pretty. You’re not trying to win awards. You’re trying to start conversations that lead to deals.
Early traction is messy, small and often invisible.
But it’s real. If you’re listening.
7. Momentum Loves a Map
When the calls start happening, the emails get replied to and a few people say, “I’m in” - it’s tempting to wing it.
Don’t.
Momentum’s fragile. It needs structure.
You don’t need a corporate strategy doc. You need a simple, focused plan that keeps things moving without spinning out.
Here’s what I use:
Three phase roadmap
Split your build into three stages - now, next, later.
Now: what’s live, what’s real, what’s locked
Next: what’s in production, what’s about to move
Later: what’s on the horizon, but not urgent
It helps you set expectations, manage partners and know what to say when someone asks, “So what’s next?”
Mini Gantt in Notion
Doesn’t need to be fancy. Just who’s doing what, by when, and why it matters. It keeps you and your collaborators accountable.
Priorities over plans
Momentum doesn’t care how pretty your Airtable is. Focus on the next three things that push the brand forward - the calls that close deals, the content that gets shared, the intros that unlock talent.
Always be stitching
As new conversations open up, build them into your map. Where does this partner fit? How does this piece of content fuel growth? If it doesn’t plug into the plan, it’s probably a distraction.
You’re not running a team yet. But you are running a brand.
Give your momentum a map and it won’t get lost.
8. Rejection Is Just R&D
If no one’s pushing back, you’re not being bold enough.
In sport (especially startup sport), rejection isn’t failure. It’s feedback in disguise. And if you’re smart, it becomes your roadmap.
You will get no’s.
You’ll get ignored.
You’ll get the classic “circle back next quarter”.
Good.
That means you’re moving. That means you’re learning what’s resonating and what’s not. The worst outcome isn’t rejection. It’s silence followed by inaction.
Here’s how I deal with pushback:
Categorise the no
Was it timing? Budget? Relevance? Risk?
Work out what kind of ‘no’ you got, and whether it’s a dead end or a delay.
Iterate, don’t implode
If someone didn’t get it, ask yourself why. Was the pitch wrong? Was the product too early? Or was it just not for them? Don’t change the whole game, just refine your play.
Keep the door open
Send updates. Keep them in the loop. People say no now, but if they’ve seen your momentum grow, they’re far more likely to say yes later.
Talk to your early fans
Your first 100 users, followers or leads are pure gold. Share what you’re hearing. Ask them why they care. Let their language shape your next pitch.
Rejection sharpens the story.
Pushback strengthens the product.
Silence? That’s your cue to speak louder.
9. Super Serve the First 100
Everyone’s chasing scale.
But scale without loyalty is worthless.
If you’re building a sport from nothing, your first 100 people matter more than your first 10,000 impressions. They’re your test group. Your early adopters. Your most valuable feedback loop.
These people showed up before the noise. Before the press. Before you were fully polished.
Treat them like co-founders, not just followers.
Talk to them directly.
Voice notes. Zoom calls. Honest emails. Ask what they like, what they don’t, what they’d pay for. Not just surveys — conversations.
Bring them in.
Give them behind-the-scenes updates. Involve them in naming things. Share prototypes. Let them shape what you’re building. It builds buy-in, but also builds better.
Reward them first.
Early invites. Early access. Exclusive drops. It doesn’t have to cost you — it just has to make them feel seen.
Most brands treat their community like a number.
The smart ones treat it like a team.
Your first 100 will be your loudest champions or your quietest churn.
Make the right choice.
10. The Mindset That Keeps You in the Game
Let’s be honest. Most people are expecting you to fail.
No budget. No team. No media backing.
It’s easier to doubt than to build. That’s just how it is.
But here’s the truth no one tells you - if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. And they’re not. You are.
The only thing that gets you through the quiet days, the nos, the “maybe next quarter” emails, the ghosted pitches… is mindset.
You don’t need to be delusional. But you do need to be relentless.
Clear on what you’re building. Obsessed with why it matters.
And ready to adapt when the signals tell you something’s not landing.
That means:
Thick skin when things go quiet
Sharp instincts when it’s time to pivot
Real discipline to show up again and again
And a short memory when things don’t go your way
Most of all, it means backing yourself. Especially when no one else is.
If the product’s good, and the value’s real and you’ve got 100 people who care? That’s not failure. That’s foundation.
You can build from that. You can scale from that. You can win from that.
Just don’t quit early.
Wrap Up
You don’t need a budget.
You don’t need permission.
You need an idea that makes sense, a story that travels, and the discipline to show up when it’s hard.
Everything else can be built with a laptop, a clear plan and a handful of tools that cost less than a round at the pub.
I’ve launched sports with zero funding, no team and nothing but belief in the product. And I’d do it again tomorrow.
Not because it’s easy.
Because it’s worth it.
Sport doesn’t need more noise. It needs new ideas.
If you’ve got one, start now. Start lean. Start loud.
The next great sports brand won’t come from a boardroom.
It’ll come from someone who refused to wait.
That might as well be you.
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