UF business team brings second place victory to the court

Tyler Rasmussen (BABA ‘28), Ahan Soni and Archit Namboodiri won second place at the annual Orlando Magic Innovation Challenge. Hosted by UF’s Blackstone Launchpad, this competition allows students to tackle real-world business problems in the sports industry. 

The competing teams were tasked to develop a fan membership program for the Orlando Magic that kept domestic and international fans engaged through content, experiences and product offerings. The teams then had to produce a pitch desk and present their solution to a panel of judges. 

Rasmussen, Soni and Namboodiri kept collaboration at the forefront of their process. Preparing for the competition, they gathered around a whiteboard and wrote down every idea that came to mind, no matter how big or small. 

The team divided their concept among the three of them: Rasmussen focused on developing the official concept and refining the pitch, Namboodiri created an interactive prototype to bring the idea to life and Soni handled the financial projections to show how the solution could realistically be implemented.

The team focused heavily on aligning their presentation with the competition’s guidelines to ensure it had all the key criteria the judges were looking for. They also added some shock factors throughout the pitch, balancing creativity and structure to create a strong, well-rounded presentation. 

Due to the specialized and sensitive information the team was entrusted with, they are unable to provide the details of their solution; however, the team is currently working to regain the intellectual property of their idea. 

“It was truly incredible to see our work be recognized in the Orlando Magic Innovation Challenge,” Namboodiri said. “We enjoyed being able to collaborate with each other to propose an idea that could bring real value to a professional sports organization. This experience challenged us to innovate, think outside the box and take an idea from concept to reality.”

Their idea didn’t end at the competition; the team is continuing to develop and refine their concept with hopes of implementing it in the real world. 

“All three of us are passionate about sports, so getting the chance to combine that passion with innovation was incredibly motivating,” Namboodiri said. “This competition showed us how our ideas can make a real impact in the sports industry. We left the competition even more excited and inspired than when we started. It really reinforced our desire to keep pursuing opportunities where creativity and sports intersect.”

The team would like to thank their mentor Sudhir Chaperkar and Sierra Calhoun-Pollard who provided them with valuable feedback and guidance throughout the competition. They would also like to thank the Orlando Magic innovation team members who provided insight and encouragement for their pitch.