This Startup Is Building a Tinder for Athletes Sportsbuddy helps users find partners for soccer, tennis and other sports and allows them to coordinate group sporting events.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Sportsbuddy

A Miami-based startup is building a Tinder for athletic people.

Sportsbuddy's first tagline read, "Play me, don't date me." That overtly flirtatious tone is echoed in a video introducing how the app works. In it, a group of very attractive girls and equally good looking guys come together, through the app, and play soccer together. It's sweaty, and pretty sexy. The company's new tagline is, "The game starts here."

Sportsbuddy is Tinder with a spin. Individuals are matched not only by geolocation, as with Tinder, but also by relative skill in a particular sport. "We create matches with a meaning," says Jordan Silva Mishkin, the company's director of business development. "I think it's inevitable that people will use SportsBuddy as a way to meet other singles, but hopefully this way you'll match with someone that you have something in common with and that will lead to a stronger human connection."

Related: 6 Dating Apps That Are Putting a Fresh Spin on Finding Love

It sounds good. And it also makes sense. Full disclosure here, I was once upon a time a ballet dancer and am now a very dedicated Bikram yogi. Physical activity is a huge part of my life, and it's pretty reasonable that I would be interested in a partner for whom that is also true. Lifestyle compatibility is important, which is why there are dating sites for every niche out there. (Consider: FarmersOnly is a thing.)

Once you create a profile on the Sportsbuddy app, you pick the sport that you want to play and the "smart matching" technology will suggest potential partners for you to play with who are nearby and at your skill level. You also specify the gender, age and geolocation radius you want to search in. After inviting someone to play, for example, tennis, with you, you can chat within the app to coordinate. After each match, both players rate each other. Sportsbuddy keeps the ratings confidential but uses the information to better match people in the future.

Related: Hinge, the Less Random Tinder, Raises $12 Million

Currently, Sportsbuddy has seven sports categories: tennis, golf, soccer, yoga, running, basketball, gym and an "other" option. More categories are on the way, says Mishkin.

In Florida, you can also browse through nearby group sports activities you can join or create your own event. An embedded directory of sports venues in the area helps event planners find a location. The event searching and planning features of the app will expand to the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago later this summer.

The app is free to use, and Sportsbuddy intends to keep it that way. The company has raised a $500,000 seed round so far and plans to seek more. Its plan is to make money by taking a commission from the event venues, instructors or classes that are booked on the platform. It also plans to charge those who want to advertise classes or events on the platform.

Click to Enlarge+
Sportsbuddy

Related: The Dating App That Refused Mark Cuban's $30 Million Buyout Offer Just Raised $7.8 Million in Funding

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Zillow Predicts These 10 Places Will Have the Hottest Housing Markets in 2025

Zillow predicted that the hottest housing market of 2025 will be Buffalo, New York. Here's why.

Growing a Business

AI Adoption Doesn't Have to Be Daunting Anymore — Here's How to Choose the Right AI Tools For Your Small Business

As 2025 begins, AI adoption may still feel daunting for many business owners — but it doesn't have to be. Here's how to pick the best AI tools for your needs and integrate them wisely into your existing systems.

Science & Technology

5 AI Books Top Entrepreneurs Are Reading in a Rush for 2025

Entrepreneurs must embrace AI or risk falling behind. Discover 2025's top 5 AI books to gain a competitive edge, featuring insights from "The Wolf is at the Door" and a free AI Success Kit.

Leadership

Hard and Soft Skills Go Hand-in-Hand — These Are the Ones You Need to Sharpen This Year

The coming year promises to be one of change, which can be daunting and exciting. While it's important to stay on top of new technologies, the key will be sharpening those soft skills.

Business News

These Are the 10 Highest-Paying Jobs That Only Require a 2-Year Degree — With Some Around $100,000 and Higher

People with two-year degrees may see career growth in the healthcare, aviation, and technology industries over the next 10 years, according to a new report.