In this episode of the Knup Sports Show, Ryan Knuppel talks with Greg Glass, co-founder of FanStake. Greg explains how FanStake helps fans support college athletes through NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals. Fans can contribute money to their favorite athletes or teams with no risk. If the athlete doesn’t accept the deal, fans get their money back. FanStake also makes it easier for athletes to stay in school by showing them the support they have from fans.
Greg shares how he and his team created FanStake and why it’s important for both fans and players. He talks about how NIL is changing college sports and how FanStake is helping athletes earn money while building strong teams. The episode is perfect for anyone who loves college sports and wants to learn about this new way to support athletes.
Ryan Knuppel
Hey, what’s going on, everybody? Ryan Knuppel here. Episode two hundred and thirty-six of the Knup Sports Show. Thank you so much for tuning in and listening to another great episode of this show. We love bringing you leaders in sports doing amazing things in this industry we all love. Today, we have another amazing guest for you. I cannot wait to share his story and what they’re up to as well.
Sports are going crazy right now. We’re in the thick of the NFL season, and things are starting to shape up for the playoffs. Hopefully, your team is still battling and not the Cowboys or someone like that who are no longer in contention. College sports are always fun—basketball is rolling, football is heading into bowl season. I cannot believe how fast football season goes! I hope you’re all enjoying the sports season as always.
I don’t have much housekeeping for you today. As you know, SBC events wrapped up for the year, but next year will be filled with amazing events. We’ll start promoting those as time comes. For now, let’s enjoy the holidays and get ready for 2025. All right, let’s go ahead and bring on our guest for today.
Ryan Knuppel
Today, we have none other than Greg Glass. Greg Glass is with FanStake. Greg, how are you doing?
Greg Glass
Doing well, Ryan. Excited to be here. Thanks for having me.
Ryan Knuppel
Super excited to hear about you and your story and what you have going on with FanStake. First off, who are you a fan of? Where are you living? Who are you loving these days in sports?
Greg Glass
Yeah, look, this might be a tough way to start, but I’m a rabid fan of Duke, especially Duke basketball. And already, I can feel the haters. That’s part of being a Duke fan, right?
It’s interesting because the genesis of some of this idea came from trying to retain Duke players we know and love. Duke has been a one-and-done culture for so long, and we thought, what if we could keep these kids a little longer? Some of the mechanisms we developed with FanStake address that. So yeah, major Duke basketball fan, off to a good start this season. Excited about kids like Conn Knipple and Cooper Flagg. Tough loss to Kentucky out of the gate, but I think they’ll bounce back. They’re a young team with some good, mature transfers, and I think Shire’s doing an amazing job.
Ryan Knuppel
Yeah, it seems like he is. There’s a lot of energy around that team right now, obviously with those youngsters leading the way. I raised my eyebrows when I saw that Conn Knipple name—it’s so close to mine! I’m like, wait, what? Somebody’s using my name?
Greg Glass
Yeah, it’s fun. Every time he hits a three, you can say “Triple for Knueppel,” and we genuinely love that. There’s a lot of energy around the team right now. It’s never really a bad time to be a Duke fan, but you never knew what would happen after Coach K left. It’s great to see them picking up where they left off with another great coach.
Ryan Knuppel
Absolutely. We could talk Duke all day, but let’s dive into you a little more. Tell us your story—what makes you tick and how you ended up where you are today with FanStake?
Greg Glass
Sure. I’ll talk a bit about myself and my co-founders as well. Donnie, Alex, and I have worked together for years. Donnie and I actually go all the way back to college when we were nineteen. We’re a bit older now, but we’ve been working together for a long time. Our first company as founders and part of the executive team was Bizzo, which was in the ad tech space. It was a great experience—we started in 2008 and sold to LinkedIn in 2014. It was an incredible startup experience with an amazing culture.
After LinkedIn, we all stayed for several years and had nothing but great things to say about the team there. Then we moved on to separate ventures. Alex was most recently the Chief Technology Officer at Headspace, the meditation app. Donnie held CTO roles at companies like Guild, and I worked at various startups, most recently at a prop tech Series C company. We decided to get the band back together to do something fun and meaningful. That’s how FanStake came about.
Ryan Knuppel
That’s awesome. Knowing and trusting who you’re working with is half the battle. Having a strong team gives you a leg up to dive in and make things happen.
Greg Glass
Exactly. At this stage in our careers, it’s about enjoying the work and the people you’re doing it with. We keep it flat, with low egos, and focus on building a great culture. At Bizzo, if you asked any of our 175 employees, most would say it was the greatest professional experience of their careers. We want to replicate that with FanStake. It takes hiring the right people and giving them the autonomy to execute their vision.
Ryan Knuppel
Love that. So let’s dive into FanStake. For those who haven’t heard about it yet, tell us what you’re doing, what problem you’re solving, and why it matters.
Greg Glass
FanStake is a competitive recruiting platform for college athletics. Fans can contribute to an athlete’s NIL fund with no risk. Let’s say I want Conn Knueppel to stay at Duke another year. If enough fans contribute, we fund an NIL deal for the athlete. If they don’t stay, fans get their money back. It’s about retention—keeping teams together. For athletes, it’s about giving them options to stay in school, develop, and enjoy the college experience without feeling forced to go pro.
The platform also brings transparency to recruiting. Fans can see how their contributions stack up against other schools. For athletes, it’s one of many factors in their decision-making process. At its core, FanStake empowers fans to play a role in building their team while creating opportunities for athletes.
Ryan Knuppel
Yeah, and it gives fans a sense of being a part of it, right? They can say, “I helped contribute to that decision.” As fans, we’ve never really had a way to feel that directly, so this is really cool. But I imagine NIL changes made this possible—this couldn’t have happened a few years ago, right?
Greg Glass
Exactly. The Supreme Court ruling in 2021 set the foundation for NIL, but the game-changer was a federal injunction by a Tennessee judge earlier this year. The judge ruled that athletes must be allowed to negotiate NIL opportunities before selecting a school. That opened the door for what we’re doing with FanStake. Athletes can now see the full scope of endorsement opportunities available to them before making a decision, which is only fair. This aligns with free-market principles and levels the playing field for athletes.
It’s also important to note that 99% of college athletes don’t go pro. They have four years to maximize their earning potential, and NIL enables them to do that. I’ve always been in favor of athletes tapping into the massive revenue they help generate. It’s a great shift for college sports.
Ryan Knuppel
Absolutely. It’s great to see athletes finally getting their due. Let’s talk logistics. Do you form relationships with athletes directly, or can fans contribute to any athlete regardless of their involvement with FanStake?
Greg Glass
Great question. Today, we have all men’s and women’s college basketball and football players on the platform using publicly available information. Eventually, we’ll expand to all sports. Here’s how it works: a fan contributes to an athlete’s NIL fund via FanStake. Essentially, the fan is paying us for recruiting services. If the athlete chooses a school, we formalize an endorsement deal with them, which usually involves social media promotion of FanStake. If they don’t engage, the fan gets their money back. It’s completely risk-free for the fan.
We’ve seen some interesting trends. High-profile athletes aren’t always focused on taking the money for themselves. Some want to share it with their teammates or contribute to causes they care about. For example, an athlete might allocate funds to support their offensive line or donate to a nonprofit. FanStake facilitates that, and in cases of donations, we waive our fee entirely. It’s all about flexibility and making NIL work for everyone.
Ryan Knuppel
Very cool. So if I’m a fan and I want to get started, how does it work? Do I just sign up and start putting money toward athletes?
Greg Glass
Exactly. Go to fanstake.com and get started. The first thing you do is select your favorite team. We’ll show you the athletes on your roster and highlight opportunities for retention. Most NIL money is actually spent on retaining players rather than recruiting new ones. Fans can contribute to keeping their favorite players on the team, and the impact grows as more fans join in.
You can also look at high school recruits or players in the transfer portal. We’re running a $1 million match campaign to encourage fans to contribute to transfers. It’s all about creating competition and empowering fans to play an active role in building their team.
Ryan Knuppel
That’s awesome. Looking at Duke as an example, you might see multiple fan bases competing for the same athlete. It’s such a unique dynamic that really puts power in the hands of the fans.
Greg Glass
Absolutely. That competition is part of what makes it exciting. If Duke fans see Virginia fans contributing more to a recruit, it motivates them to rally together and step up. It’s also empowering for athletes to see where they’re in demand. They can factor that into their decision-making alongside coaching, facilities, and other variables. It creates transparency and brings fans closer to the action in a meaningful way.
Ryan Knuppel
Let’s talk about where you’re at now and what’s next for FanStake. You just launched, so is the focus now on acquiring users and raising awareness?
Greg Glass
Exactly. We raised $3 million from incredible investors like Will Ventures and Sousa Ventures to launch and get the word out. Right now, we’re focused on explaining how FanStake benefits everyone—athletes, colleges, collectives, and fans. NIL has created opportunities, but it’s also introduced challenges like widening gaps between power schools and smaller programs. FanStake aims to level the playing field by democratizing NIL and promoting transparency.
Over the next 6–12 months, we’ll expand to other sports, support collectives more closely, and introduce some exciting new features. We’re just getting started, and the possibilities are endless.
Ryan Knuppel
That’s amazing. Congratulations to you and your team on creating such a cool concept. Before we wrap up, what’s one thing you’d ask of the audience? How can they support you?
Greg Glass
Thanks, Ryan. This has been a blast. My ask is simple: go to fanstake.com, put in a small stake, and try it out. Share it with your friends. College sports fans have the power to make a real impact when they come together. The transfer portal is heating up, so now is the perfect time to get involved and help shape your team’s future.
Ryan Knuppel
Love it. Greg, thanks so much for coming on. I can’t wait to have you back in a year to hear about all the success FanStake has achieved. Best of luck!
Greg Glass
Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate it. Take care!
Ryan Knuppel
All right, that was Greg Glass of FanStake. What a cool concept! If you’re a college sports fan, go check it out—put your money where your fandom is and help build your team. It’s a win for the players, the programs, and the fans. Thanks for tuning in to episode 236 of the Knup Sports Show. Until next time, take care, stay safe, and we’ll talk soon!
Relevant Guest Links
- Learn more about Fanstake on their website.
- You can connect with Greg Glass on LinkedIn.
More Knup Sports Links
- I refer to Knup Sports often in my show. That’s our sports passion site. Check out KnupSports.com here.
- This episode was sponsored by Coded Content — data driven AI sports content unique to your brand!
- Listen to more episodes of the Knup Sports Show.
- Want to be a guest on our show? Setup a time that works here.
- Subscribe to the Knup Sports Show on iTunes here.
