Exclusive: PFF soccer spinout Gradient Sports raises $10.4M
The Cincinnati-based sports data firm, spun out of Pro Football Focus's global soccer business, closed its equity offering to five investors weeks after PFF's enterprise arm sold for over $100M.
By Ryan Merket · Published · Updated
RUNTIMEWIRE INVESTIGATION — Exclusive
Original reporting by RuntimeWire.
Why it matters
This $10.4 million round positions Gradient Sports to aggressively expand its soccer tracking and analytics offerings against competitors like SkillCorner, Stats Perform, and Second Spectrum, building on Cris Collinsworth's deep sports data legacy and a recent nine-figure exit for part of his PFF empire.
Gradient Sports, the sports data company led by NBC Sunday Night Football analyst and Pro Football Focus (PFF) owner Cris Collinsworth, has secured $10.36 million in new equity funding. The Cincinnati-based firm, which was formerly known as PFF FC and focuses on soccer tracking data, disclosed the raise in a Form D filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on July 20th, 2026.
The filing shows Gradient Sports set a target of $15.25 million for the equity offering, with $10,363,681 already sold to five investors. The first sale occurred on July 8th, 2026, just weeks before the public disclosure.
This funding round follows a strategic realignment for Collinsworth's broader sports data ventures. In March 2026, Teamworks acquired PFF's enterprise football business in a deal reportedly worth at least $100 million. While Collinsworth retained PFF's consumer business and became a Teamworks shareholder and advisor, Gradient Sports emerged as the independent vehicle for his soccer and multi-sport data operations.
Collinsworth's involvement with sports analytics dates back to his ownership and CEO role at Pro Football Focus. His continued investment in Gradient Sports indicates a clear focus on expanding data capabilities beyond American football, specifically into the global soccer market. The company also lists David Calhoun, believed to be the former CEO of Boeing and Nielsen executive chairman, among its directors, adding significant corporate leadership experience to the board.
Gradient Sports provides broadcast-tracking and physical-performance data to professional clubs and multi-club groups. Its client roster includes soccer teams like AJ Auxerre and Carlisle United, as well as sports groups such as Sport Republic and Jeff Luhnow's Blue Crow Sports Group. The company is also cited by major media outlets, with ESPN routinely referencing