Sundays are a frantic mix of studying injuries and replays, and then posting reactions. Throughout the week, the group builds a detailed breakdown of each team’s overall health, position by position, a database that’s searchable by player. There also are breaking news alerts and video content.
To fund the expansion, Chao and business partner Craig Dado put together shy of $250,000, raised from family and friends. The group has done no advertising (the money went almost entirely into technology) and currently has over 10,000 people signed up, according to Dado.
Funding Plans
“The plan is, after we get through this season, we’ll raise a Series A” funding round, said Dado, who is president of ProFootballDoc.com. “And if we think this is really a go, we’ll raise some serious money, build out the site even further, get a mobile app, do some advertising and really go for it.”
There’s obviously some guesswork associated with interpreting injuries based off live video and replays. Chao clarifies that he’s not diagnosing injuries, just giving an informed opinion. He says he’s correct 95% of the time, based on a three-year sample size of cataloging every impression.
Matthew Matava, a former physician for the St. Louis Rams and former president of the NFL Physicians Society, said that while there’s value in providing this type of instant analysis, there is also danger.
“Criticism is warranted if treatment options, return to play estimates and other information specific to an injury is rendered by someone prior to the actual diagnosis being disclosed,” Matava said in an email. “There may be associated injuries or other treatment factors unknown to the TV doctor (and general public) that may play a significant role in the player’s treatment and/or prognosis.”
Past Allegations
This is a second career for Chao, who resigned from the Chargers amid a rash of lawsuits and malpractice allegations. (He cited a back injury and the desire to spend more time with his family.) He’s been reprimanded by the Medical Board of California and says he hasn’t renewed his certification with the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. Shortly before he left the Chargers, the NFL players union requested an official review of Chao’s work, and he was exonerated by a trio of independent doctors.
Chao’s medical license remains active, and he sees patients in San Diego. In defending his professional reputation, he said he still performs surgery for NFL players, including recent procedures for Darren Sproles and Danny Woodhead.
Chao, who currently makes what he calls “college fund money” off media appearances and guest columns, knows the change to a subscription model will irk some of his followers. In response to his Saquon Barkley post, some called him a sellout. Another chided those critics for not understanding capitalism.
Chao and Dado say some content will continue to be posted on Twitter for all followers. They also say there’s no set date to start charging subscribers.