Indianapolis, Indiana – For Indiana Hoosiers fans, Anthony Leal is a familiar name on the basketball court. But off the court, he is quickly making a name for himself in the business world. A former student of Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, Leal has taken his passion for innovation and turned it into something groundbreaking. Alongside IU graduates Jay Townsend and Nate Ebel, he co-founded Motion Sports Inc., a technology platform designed to streamline and simplify the daily operations of college athletic departments and student-athletes.
The idea for Motion Sports was born out of a simple but widespread problem—athletic departments and student-athletes often juggle multiple applications for essential tasks such as scheduling, communication, compliance, and managing name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. Leal and his team recognized this inefficiency and sought to create a solution that integrates all these elements into a single, user-friendly platform.
“There was a really strong demand for something easily usable for athletic departments and athletes that was not super expensive, and they didn’t have to remember log-ins for 12 different apps,” Leal explained. “There was a lot of interest from schools that wanted an affordable solution.”
Launched in September 2024, Motion Sports has already gained traction in the market, securing deals with three college athletic departments. These schools are not only using parts of the platform but also providing valuable feedback to help refine the system further. The technology, accessible across all devices including smartphones, tablets, and desktops, is designed to be as convenient and efficient as possible.
The entrepreneurial drive that fueled Motion Sports was nurtured during Leal’s time at IU. A Bloomington native, Leal earned a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation in 2023. One of his most influential academic experiences was the “spine sweat experience,” a nickname for the BUS–W409: Practicum in Entrepreneurship course. This rigorous program challenges students to transform ideas into viable businesses, and for Leal, it provided a crucial foundation for his future endeavors.
“You could tell right away that Anthony has what it takes to become an innovative entrepreneur; he is one of the brightest students I’ve worked with during my time at IU,” said Regan Stevenson, associate professor of entrepreneurship and management at the Kelley School. Stevenson, who also taught Leal’s entrepreneurship course, highlighted his ability to work under pressure, a skill that has translated seamlessly from sports to business.
Leal is currently completing his Master of Business Administration through the Kelley Direct Online MBA program while also maintaining a real estate license in Indiana. His early understanding of the NIL landscape further set the stage for Motion Sports. When the NCAA updated its policies in 2021 to allow student-athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness, Leal seized the opportunity, securing deals with local businesses.
One of his most well-known moments came in December 2022 when he surprised his sister by paying off her student loans with money earned from NIL deals. A video of the heartwarming moment quickly went viral, drawing attention from athletes across the country. Soon after, Leal started receiving calls from other student-athletes asking how to secure and manage sponsorship deals. It became clear that there was a larger issue at hand—athletes were struggling to manage their growing responsibilities across multiple platforms.
That realization led Leal, along with Townsend and Ebel, to envision Motion Sports as something greater than just a NIL management tool. Instead, they sought to develop an all-in-one platform that simplifies daily operations for both athletes and athletic departments.
“The big takeaway from those conversations was there was a bigger problem that needs to be solved than helping athletes do NIL deals, but to simplify the day-to-day lives of athletic departments,” Leal said.
Each member of the Motion Sports team brings a unique skill set to the company. Townsend, a 2014 Kelley School graduate with experience in both the corporate world and college basketball programs, leads sales and fundraising efforts. Ebel, a 2012 graduate of The Media School and owner of a digital marketing agency, handles marketing. Meanwhile, Leal serves as the voice of the athlete, ensuring the platform is intuitive and meets the needs of those who will use it daily.
Currently, one of the company’s primary goals is to establish strong relationships with college athletic departments. Ebel acknowledged that breaking into the industry’s largest conferences may take time due to existing contracts, but the team is confident in their approach.
Motion Sports is also preparing for upcoming conferences where they will showcase their platform to potential clients. Townsend noted that the product is still evolving, with a few more refinements expected in the coming months. The company anticipates having a fully developed version of the platform ready by summer 2025.
“Everything we’ve done in the last few months has been really, really promising for where we can go, especially when we finish up complete development sometime this summer,” Leal said. “We’re confident in the solution we’ve built and the fact that people want to use it.”
The future of Motion Sports looks bright, thanks to the determination and expertise of its founders. As the platform continues to gain recognition and expand, Leal’s journey from basketball player to entrepreneur serves as a testament to the power of innovation and adaptability. With a vision rooted in solving real-world problems, Motion Sports is well-positioned to become a game-changer in the world of college athletics.
