Two former Intel executives have launched a new online marketplace intended to help amateur athletes reach college recruiters and professional scouts. The venture, called Rule42 Sports Technology Group, was announced by Renée James - the former Intel president who co-founded and sold Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion - and includes Michelle Johnston Holthaus, who left Intel earlier this year after serving as chief executive of Intel Products.
Rule42's operating model is straightforward: provide athletes with a free digital forum to display their skills, and then sell access to that pool of prospects to college recruiting staffs and professional scouts. The company is being self-funded by James and starts its rollout focused on baseball and softball before moving into other sports.
James said the concept grew directly from her personal experience as a parent of a recently drafted athlete. Her son was selected this year by the Toronto Blue Jays, and the recruiting path required significant travel to be seen by the right scouts at the right times. James described those logistical and financial demands as a barrier for talented players from less advantaged families.
"That’s the problem I want to solve. I want to solve it for the kid that’s in El Paso, Texas, whose parents work to get by and is not spending $1,000 to fly to Florida and then another $1,000 to stay for five days and another $1,000 to be in the tournament," James said. "That kid might be the greatest outfielder in the history of mankind, but you’re not going to find him."
The leadership team for Rule42 includes personnel with direct playing and coaching experience. Among the early hires are Tara Henry, a former collegiate champion softball outfielder who currently coaches Great Britain’s women’s national softball team, and Jed Lowrie, a 14-season Major League Baseball veteran.
James emphasized how Rule42 will position itself in the market. She said the platform will not operate as a social network nor as a sports gambling site. The company's name draws from two references: the numeric answer to the ultimate question of life in "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" and Jackie Robinson’s jersey number.
James also highlighted perceived opportunity in women’s sports. She noted scholarship availability is increasing faster than coaches, who she described as time-strapped, can identify and place athletes. James said Rule42 can help address the lack of infrastructure for women’s athletics by making prospects more discoverable to decision-makers charged with awarding scholarships.
Rule42 is launching with a clear value proposition aimed at lowering geographic and economic barriers to exposure for amateur athletes, while monetizing the demand side of recruiters and scouts who must efficiently sift through prospects. The company is beginning with baseball and softball and has signaled plans to broaden its sport coverage over time.