While big-name athletes like Candace Parker and Reggie Bush were pitching team ownership as the holy grail of wealth building onstage at an invite-only event in Phoenix, former NFL safety Tre Boston was in the audience and found himself wondering: With such a high cost to entry, how can anyone below their level get in?
The discussion was part of PAC Accelerate, a conference from March 30 to April 2 that brought together more than 400 pro athletes and executives and investors looking to connect with athletes on potential investment opportunities.
“They’re telling a room of athletes this is the best thing to do, but how do they actually do it?” Boston tells Front Office Sports. “What about the majority of folks who don’t have $1 million to put into a deal?”
Boston, 33, earned more than $17 million over seven years in the NFL playing for the Panthers, Chargers, and Cardinals. His investment portfolio includes nine separate padel clubs, as well as tech companies like Fastbreak AI and commercial real estate. He recognizes his good fortune: the average NFL career is less than four years, and research has shown many professional athletes never receive formal financial education.
During a bathroom break, Boston overheard a conversation that echoed his own question. It was Parker Graham, founder and CEO of Vestible, an app aimed at opening access to investment opportunities in sports for investors outside the highest-earning tier. On Vestible, anyone can buy shares in pro teams (that have opted in) for as little as $500.
