Join CFL |
Projects |
Submit Venture |
How It Works |
Stadium Experience |
Game Day |
Sponsor |
Sign In
Join CFL |
Projects |
Submit Venture |
How It Works |
Stadium Experience |
Game Day |
Sponsor |
Sign In
Not mentorship. Not charity. Collaborative learning partners developing entrepreneurship skills through practical educational projects. That’s the story. And it’s happening in Florida right now.
Why CFL is newsworthy: We're pairing military veterans with elite athletes as educational partners — not mentor/mentee — to develop business fundamentals through sports-tech projects. Veteran discipline + athlete drive = unstoppable learning teams. And it’s working.
📧 press@capitalforgeleague.com | 📞 (813) 555-1234 | 48-hour response guarantee
Veteran-Athlete Teams Competing
Active Ventures in Florida
Teams Completed Full Business Curriculum
IRS-Registered Nonprofit
"Veterans + Athletes = Business Leaders. Not mentorship. Not charity. collaborative learning partners developing real-world business skills in public view."
Ready-made narratives for your audience. Pick one and run with it.
The hook: Traditional programs pair athletes with mentors. CFL pairs them with veteran educational partners as equals. Army Signal Corps officer + Florida A&M point guard = sports facility software company. Marine infantry + NFL practice squad = athlete transition platform.
Soundbite: "Your last game will end. Your last business doesn't have to." — Mark Jones, CFL Founder
Visuals available: Team photos, pitch sessions, competition footage, veteran-athlete duo interviews
The hook: Florida has massive veteran and athlete populations (MacDill AFB, multiple military bases, NFL/NBA/MLB/NCAA teams). CFL connects them as business partners. Tampa, Miami, and Orlando teams compete for capital through Florida's Invest Local Act.
Soundbite: "Florida has the talent. CFL gives them the structure to develop skills, not just careers." — Mark Jones
Visuals available: Tampa, Miami, and Orlando team activity, regional startup ecosystem imagery, competition footage
The hook: NIL changed the game for college athletes. CFL takes it further: don't just monetize your name — own the company behind it. Student athletes learning to deploy NIL earnings as startup capital, not just spending money.
Soundbite: "Don't monetize your name. Own the company behind it." — CFL manifesto
Visuals available: NIL education sessions, athlete founder interviews, startup planning materials
The hook: What happens when the game ends? CFL pairs recently retired pros with veteran operators to build their next chapter. Real stories: former NFL wide receiver building an athlete career platform, retired NBA guard launching youth sports tech.
Interview available: Former NFL/NBA/MLB athletes in the CFL program, sharing transition stories and startup journeys
The hook: Teams advance down virtual football fields based on traction and community votes. 100 yards = StateCF promotion eligibility. Fans vote to move teams. Live stadium events. Real-time leaderboards. Competition meets capital formation.
Visuals available: Live stadium events, scoreboard graphics, team advancement footage, fan voting sessions
The hook: Florida passed legislation (§517.0611) allowing intrastate crowdfunding. CFL + StateCF operationalize it. Florida investors backing Florida ventures. Mark Jones built the state's first registered intermediary.
Expert available: Mark Jones on Florida crowdfunding regulations, state securities law, capital formation infrastructure
"The old model: Athletes sell products. The new model: Athletes own Business Leaders. The CFL model: Athletes and veterans own Business Leaders together."
Our leadership team can speak on record about veteran entrepreneurship, athlete empowerment, Florida startups, and crowdfunding.
Mark Jones — Founder & CEO, Capital Forge League | Founder, StateCF.com
Background: 38 years as a crew chief at American Airlines. Built Florida's first registered crowdfunding intermediary (StateCF.com). Founded CFL to pair veterans with athletes as collaborative learning partners.
Can Speak On: Veteran-athlete learning team model | Florida Invest Local Act (§517.0611) | Intrastate crowdfunding regulations | NIL economics and athlete empowerment | Sports-tech startup ecosystem | Veteran transition to entrepreneurship | Nonprofit vs. for-profit capital formation | Florida startup landscape
Available For: TV interviews (in-person in Tampa Bay or remote) | Podcast appearances | Radio spots | Print/online Q&A | Conference panels
Contact: mark@capitalforgeleague.com | Response within 24 hours
→ Active CFL Athletes — Can discuss NIL earnings deployment as startup capital | Balancing athletics with company building | Life after sports planning | Veteran co-founder relationships. Available with 48 hours’ notice.
→ CFL Veterans — Can discuss: Transition from military to entrepreneurship | Operational discipline in startup execution | Athlete co-founder partnerships | Florida veteran startup community. Available with 48 hours’ notice.
→ CFL Team Founders — Can discuss: Specific startup traction and progress | Co-founder dynamics | Competition participation experience | Capital raising through StateCF.com. Available with 72 hours’ notice.
→ CFL Mentors & Advisors — Can discuss: Industry perspective on veteran-athlete co-founder model | Sports-tech market opportunities | Mentorship experience within CFL | Advice for athletes and veterans entering entrepreneurship. Available with 72 hours’ notice.
Everything you need for your story, no fluff.
Name: Capital Forge League (CFL) | Type: 501(c)(3) nonprofit | Founded: 2024 | HQ: Tampa Bay, Florida | Founder: Mark Jones
Mission
Core Model: Provide business fundamentals education to veterans and athletes through collaborative learning partnerships | Target: Sports-tech ventures | Scope: All sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, MLS, NCAA, NASCAR, PGA) | Geography: Florida first, expanding nationally
87 veteran-athlete teams competing | 23 active ventures in Florida | 8 Teams Completed Full Business Curriculum | 16 competition categories | 100 yards to StateCF promotion | 3 yards per community vote
Key Dates
2024: CFL founded | January 2025: Season 1 launched | March 2025: First teams reach Red Zone (60 yards) | Summer 2025: First StateCF promotions expected | Fall 2025: NIL escrow services launch
StateCF.com: Florida's first registered crowdfunding intermediary (§517.0611) | Sports Leagues: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, MLS, NCAA, NASCAR, PGA | Military Branches: All branches (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force) | Universities: Florida A&M, UCF, USF, FSU, UM partnerships
Legal Structure
CFL: 501(c)(3) nonprofit (educational programming) |
StateCF: Separate legal entity (capital formation) |
CFL does NOT broker securities or take commissions |
Compliance: Florida securities law (§517.0611)
Email press@capitalforgeleague.com for an advance copy of the full fact sheet PDF.
Download everything you need to tell the story.
PNG (transparent), SVG (vector), JPG (light/dark), horizontal and vertical layouts, full color/monochrome/white versions. Coming soon — email press@capitalforgeleague.com
Logo usage rules, color palette (hex codes), typography specs, tone and voice guidelines, do's and don'ts. Coming soon
Competition events, veteran-athlete team photos, Mark Jones headshots, stadium events, pitch sessions. Coming soon
Competition highlights, team interviews, founder testimonials, event B-roll, explainer videos. Coming soon
Veteran-athlete learning team model, competition field visualization, Florida sports-tech ecosystem map, NIL economics breakdown, StateCF capital formation flow. Coming soon
"Capital Forge League (CFL) is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that pairs military veterans with elite athletes as collaborative learning partners to build sports-tech ventures.
CFL announces first cohort of veteran-athlete learning teams competing across six sports-tech categories. Teams from Tampa, Miami, and Orlando begin season-long competition for StateCF promotion.
CFL Launches NIL Escrow Services for College Athletes
New service helps student-athletes manage Name, Image, Likeness earnings through secure escrow accounts, partnering with Florida universities for compliance-safe NIL infrastructure.
Summer 2025
StateCF.com Partnership Enables Florida Invest Local Crowdfunding — Capital Forge League partners with StateCF.com (Florida’s first registered crowdfunding intermediary) to provide a capital formation pathway for top-performing veteran-athlete teams under FL §517.0611.
Summer 2025
Fall 2025
Email press@capitalforgeleague.com for interview requests and early access to coverage materials.
All cleared for use. Attribute as shown.
"Your last game will end. Your last business doesn’t have to. CFL pairs veterans with athletes as co-equal founders — not mentors, not protégés — to develop skills that outlive careers." — Mark Jones, Founder & CEO, Capital Forge League
"Don't just monetize your name. Understand the business fundamentals behind it. That's the difference between NIL deals and long-term business literacy and career readiness." — Mark Jones, on NIL education
"Veterans don’t need transition assistance. They need educational partners. Athletes don’t need mentors. They need operational partners. That’s what CFL delivers." — Mark Jones, on the CFL model
"I went from practice squad to unemployed to co-founder in 8 months. CFL gave me the structure I needed when the game ended." — Jordan P., Former NFL WR, CFL Team Founder
We make it easy. Email or call, and we’ll make it happen.
Email: press@capitalforgeleague.com
Phone: (813) 555-1234
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm EST
Response Guarantee: 48 hours for all media inquiries | 24 hours for breaking news/urgent deadlines
Your outlet/publication | Story angle (which narrative are you pursuing?) | Deadline (we prioritize urgent requests) | Interview format (phone, video, in-person, email Q&A) | Desired sources (Mark, athletes, veterans, team founders) | Any specific questions (we can prep sources in advance)
"The more context you give us, the better interview we can deliver."
"Billion-dollar sports Business Leaders were built by people who never wore the jersey. That changes now."
@CapitalForgeFL — Breaking news, competition updates, team announcements → https://twitter.com/capitalforgefl
Capital Forge League — Professional updates, partnership announcements, industry insights → https://linkedin.com/company/capital-forge-league
@CapitalForgeFL — Team photos, event coverage, athlete stories, behind-the-scenes → https://instagram.com/capitalforgefl
Official Hashtags: #CapitalForgeLeague | #VeteranAthleteFounders | #SportsTech | #AthleteEmpowerment | #InvestLocal | #FloridaStartups | #NILEconomics | #MilitaryEntrepreneurs
"Tag us in your coverage — we’ll share it!"
Nonprofit Status: Capital Forge League is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We do NOT broker securities, provide investment advice, or facilitate capital transactions. All capital formation happens through StateCF.com, a separate legal entity.
StateCF Relationship: StateCF.com is an independent, registered Florida crowdfunding intermediary operating under FL §517.0611. CFL and StateCF are legally distinct entities with different functions.
Competition Disclaimers: All CFL competitions, rankings, and awards are educational programming. They do NOT constitute investment recommendations or guarantees of business success.
Attribution: When using CFL quotes, photos, or materials, please attribute to "Capital Forge League" and link to capitalforgeleague.com when possible.
Corrections & Clarifications: If you spot an error in your story or need clarification after publication, contact press@capitalforgeleague.com and we’ll provide accurate information promptly.