Aaron Rodgers crowdsourcing $1.25 million for new business venture

Aaron Rodgers is touting a new business venture and wants his fans to kick in $1.25 million to help pay for it.

The new Jets quarterback says he got the idea of crowdsourcing from his old team, the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are a rarity in the NFL in that about 500,000 of its fans are shareholders of the team. They have a vested interest to come out to Lambeau Field on Sundays in the fall. Now, can Aaron Rodgers develop that same share-holder mentality with Online Sports Database — OSDB — for athletes. Rodgers describes it as IMDB, except for sports people.

“I like the idea of giving fans the opportunity to invest and get behind something they feel connected to, like OSDB,”Aaron Rodgers said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

The database has been up and running since 2021. You can click here to see what it’s all about. It’s more than a database since it also features other content.

Aaron Rodgers’ partner is actor Ryan Rottman

Aaron Rodgers told the Hollywood Reporter that he and actor Ryan Rottman talked about the idea over dinner two years ago in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Rottman is an actor whose last three films have been Christmas movies. The actor recalled his initial conversation with Rodgers in regards to the database.

“We went to dinner one night, and I just said, ‘As an athlete, is this something you think you would utilize?” Rottman told Hollywood Reporter. “Like, do you think it would help you? Do you think people would care?’”

Rodgers asked Rottman if he discussed the idea with anyone else. “Rottman said he probably told two friends. Rodgers said I said, ‘Well, don’t tell any more because there’s a need for this. There’s a white space for this, and I think you and I are the guys that do it.’”

The database already has entries for more than 26,000 athletes. In September, Rodgers and Rottman will launch a subscription form of the database. The two have raised $1.25 million of the $2.5 million goal. That leaves a chunk for the crowdsourcing. If you’d like to invest, you’ll need to commit at least $500. The campaign is with StartEngine.

Rottman told THR: “We always really loved the fact that the fans could invest in the Green Bay Packers. … We wanted to bring that same mentality to OSDB. We want like-minded sports fans to be involved. (And) we want you to go out there and talk about OSDB, that you own a company with Aaron Rodgers, and really create a community. Because sports is about teams and communities.”

You’d think Rodgers could bank roll his own venture. He’s making nearly $60 million in 2023.