Super Agent's kin's endeavors: FPL advisors, a million euros, and what transpired subsequently
In the realm of football, where dealing with contacts and champagne was risqué, the larger-than-life Mino Raiola, a legendary super-agent, seemed an odd fit for numero crunching and algorithms. However, beneath the flashy façade, a data-driven aspect of the Raiola empire was brewing, set to transform the game.
Post Mino's passing in 2022, the family-run agency faced the challenge of relying solely on his extensive contacts book and persuasion powers. But, as Mark Nervegna, CEO of London-based Raiola Global Management (RGM), reveals, the late Raiola was ahead of his time, envisioning a digitized football landscape.
"He was probably the most traditional guy ever," Nervegna explains, describing Mino's enormous foresight in harnessing data and analytics. "But he was one of the first who had this vision of digitising everything."
With a €1 million investment in building a data ecosystem and an in-house CRM platform, RGM attracted premier data scientists, including the world No3 in Fantasy Premier League, to bolster its analytics capabilities. Guided by their proprietary Raiola Rating, they identify emerging talents, produce accurate valuations, and match players to clubs and commercial partners like never before.
Born from the desire to remove subjectivity and add objectivity, this approach has greatly supported agents and scouts with more accurate player assessments. One success story includes pairing Micky van de Ven with Tottenham Hotspur and Ryan Gravenberch with Liverpool.
But the RGM's application goes beyond teams and player management. Their accurate valuation capabilities are valuable to potential buyers of football clubs, particularly when compared to community-sourced platforms like Transfermarkt. As the company expands its consulting work, RGM could mark the future of football — and perhaps other sports, too.
"We think we know the football side extremely well," Nervegna says. "So if we merge the industry knowledge with real data, you can have a much more realistic assessment of what the true valuation of a club is."
Football clubs eager to leverage this expertise may find themselves partnering with RGM, as they continue to grow and innovate in the ever-evolving world of sports management. Yet, the Raiola family business remains focused on in-house expansion, adhering to its family values and resisting the clutches of potential investors. "For now, I don't think is the future."
- Mino Raiola, despite his flamboyant image in the realm of football, was forward-thinking and envisioned a digitized football landscape, revealed Mark Nervegna, CEO of Raiola Global Management (RGM).
- RGM attracted premier data scientists and investED €1 million in building a data ecosystem and an in-house CRM platform, guided by their proprietary Raiola Rating to identify talents, create accurate valuations, and match players to clubs and commercial partners.
- This approach, aimed at removing subjectivity and adding objectivity, has greatly supported agents and scouts with more accurate player assessments, as demonstrated by pairing Micky van de Ven with Tottenham Hotspur and Ryan Gravenberch with Liverpool.
- RGM's accurate valuation capabilities are valuable to potential buyers of football clubs, differentiating them from community-sourced platforms like Transfermarkt.
- As the company expands its consulting work, RGM could mark the future of football, potentially influencing other sports as well, with its blend of industry knowledge and real data for more realistic valuation assessments.
- The Raiola family business continues to focus on in-house expansion, adhering to family values and resisting potential investors, yet open to partnerships with football clubs seeking to leverage their expertise in the ever-evolving world of sports management.
