Baseline — From Athlete Data to the Future of Sports Management

Eli Herrick’s innovation story began with a simple offer: Free office space in a warehouse in Nashville.

A fresh college graduate, that was enough for him to pack up, drive south and take a swing on what Baseline could become

The former college baseball player first built Baseline to provide athletes with access to their own data.

Coaches, trainers and sports facility managers were using dozens of disconnected tools, subscriptions and payment methods to operate their business. For Herrick, a new idea began to form. Baseline pivoted toward sports facility management, creating a tool to streamline dozens of operating systems into one customizable subscription.

“Southern hospitality is a great thing,” Eli said when explaining how Nashville’s community helped him bring his idea to life. “For us, anyone people-facing, Nashville is a fantastic asset.”

For Eli, that hospitality is more than a cultural trait. As AI changes what software companies can build, he believes that having friendly, collaborative people behind the screen becomes more important than tech expertise.

Nashville now ranks 10th nationwide for tech job growth, but for Eli, the real advantage is how that growing community works together. In a vibrant, creative and interconnected ecosystem, companies can get closer to customers, see problems from new angles and build with the right people around the table. That kind of proximity helped Baseline learn from its customers, build alongside them and turn real operational needs into a stronger product.

The companies that win in an AI-driven world will be the ones that pair powerful technology with creative thinking, collaborative execution and genuine care for the people they serve. Nashville is ready for that moment.

Follow Baseline as they Cowrite the Future of Sports Business Management.