About
Bruce Popko is a General Partner at Forma Capital, where he invests in health and wellness consumer brands built alongside celebrities and athletes to drive revenue and brand growth. He was previously Partner and COO at Gioia Capital and served as COO of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, overseeing business units including the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, after earlier roles as Chief Revenue Officer for the Buffalo Bills and positions with IMG, the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, the NFL, and the New York Jets. He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in finance and marketing from NYU's Stern School of Business.
Invests in
ConsumerSports TechWellness & Fitness
Experience
- New Era CapPresidentcurrent2026 — present
- New Era CapSenior Vice President Global Licensing & Business Development2026
- New Era CapVice President Global Licensing & Business Development2024 — 2026
- The Cashmere FundPartnercurrent2024 — present
- Forma CapitalCo-Foundercurrent2022 — present
- Major League PickleballStrategic Advisor2024 — 2025
- Major League PickleballChief Executive Officer2024Dallas, Texas, United States
- Major League PickleballChief Operating Officer2023 — 2024
- Gioia CapitalChief Operating Officer2019 — 2023Buffalo/Niagara, New York Area
- Pegula Sports and EntertainmentChief Operating Officer2017 — 2019Buffalo/Niagara, New York Area
- Pegula Sports and EntertainmentEVP Business Development2015 — 2017Buffalo/Niagara, New York Area
- Buffalo BillsChief Revenue Officer2014 — 2015Orchard Park, NY
- Buffalo BillsSVP Business Development2009 — 2014
- IMGSenior Vice President2005 — 2009Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area
- Cleveland BrownsVice President1998 — 2004Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area
- San Francisco 49ersDirector of Business Development1996 — 1998San Francisco Bay Area
- National Football LeagueMarketing Manager1994 — 1996New York, NY
- New York JetsMarketing Manager1993 — 1994
Education
- University of PennsylvaniaBA, International Relations1987 — 1991
- NYU Stern School of BusinessMBA, Finance/Marketing1995 — 1997
Skills & more
Facebook3Sports Marketing95New Business Development33Sponsorship Sales41Sponsorship99Sports32Marketing Strategy84Sports Management22Ticket Sales11Integrated Marketing30Social Media Marketing55Advertising20
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Media RelationsSquashMarketingBusiness DevelopmentLeadershipBrand DevelopmentStrategic PartnershipsEvent ManagementDigital MarketingDigital MediaBrand ManagementPublic RelationsFrom Bruce's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended University of Pennsylvania646
Dasha MaggioPartner at Felicis Ventures, writer on venture capital and founder psychologyNancy WangInvestor at Felicis VenturesEghosa OmoiguiFounder and Managing General Partner at EchoVC PartnersAkshat GoenkaInvestor at Moonfire VenturesJames KuklinskiInvestor at Spark CapitalKerry KilleenAssociate General Counsel at Revolution
+ 640 more
Also attended NYU Stern School of Business378
Luna SchmidInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Kaz TeradaVenture Advisor at Monta Vista CapitalNeil FongManaging Director Asia at Burda Principal InvestmentsAlex TosoliniAdvisor at CincyTechMax WechterSenior Director of AI at Lerer HippeauTom MonahanFormer Chairman & CEO, CEB at MissionOG
+ 372 more
Shared employers
Also worked at New Era Cap1
Also worked at IMG10
Jane MooneyPartner, Deal Structure at MidnightChristian GarrettInvestment Partner at 137 VenturesAnnie GomanManaging Director at Btomorrow VenturesJulie WeberCOO and General Partner at HelmJessica JohnsonOperations Coordinator at Alloy LabsMax ArtzPartner at Peterson Venture Partners
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