Heather Brooks Karatz

Heather Brooks Karatz is a sports executive, entrepreneur, and investor with more than two decades of experience in professional sports leagues, talent representation, and venture-stage businesses. Karatz began her career in sports law as a labor and employment attorney, earning a law degree from UCLA School of Law and completing a clerkship with the NFL Management Council focused on labor relations. She also served as an attorney for the National Hockey League, gaining insight into the legal and operational aspects of major professional sports organizations.

Karatz has held executive leadership roles across the sports industry. As general counsel and senior vice president of Independent Sports and Entertainment, formerly Relativity Sports, she represented more than 300 professional athlete clients across the NFL, NBA, and MLB, negotiating marketing deals and advising the company’s board and investors. She later joined Los Angeles Football Club as executive vice president and general counsel, where she oversaw legal matters related to management, operations, and stadium construction, and contributed to business development initiatives. Karatz was subsequently appointed president of the XFL’s Los Angeles Wildcats, where she managed all business operations, including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, marketing, content, community relations, and the game day experience.

Karatz expanded her involvement in sports and entertainment investment as founder and CEO of Hextec, Inc., a data and technology strategic holding company focused on fan monetization in sports and entertainment. She is also part of the ownership group of Angel City Football Club, a National Women’s Soccer League franchise. Karatz co-founded Third Space Capital, an investment platform targeting lower middle market companies that support shared experiences, such as enthusiast and entertainment platforms and related infrastructure and services. The firm focuses on companies in the $10–40 million EBITDA range, leveraging operational expertise and investment experience.

Karatz has received recognition for her work in the sports business industry, including being named a Women In Sports and Entertainment Woman of Inspiration. She has been a featured speaker at forums such as the Milken Institute Global Conference, discussing topics like the investment landscape around third spaces and the future of fan engagement. Karatz’s background in sports law, executive leadership, and entrepreneurship positions her as a knowledgeable voice in the business of sports and entertainment.