The League Launches In New York
Last week, exclusive dating app The League launched in its second US city – New York.
The app is already live in San Francisco, where it launched last November, and the company has been building a waiting list across the US.
The League aims to create a “community of people who are looking for other like-minded, ambitious professionals”.
It does this by requiring both a LinkedIn and Facebook account, and uses an internal screening algorithm that decides whether someone is allowed entry.
So when the app launched in New York, 2,500 users were admitted, despite the fact that 16,000 had signed up for the waiting list.
Those 2,500 users get two VIP passes to give to friends, which fast tracks them onto the app.
In March, someone on Craigslist San Francisco was selling VIP access to the app for $100.
CEO and founder Amanda Bradford said they only launch in a city when they have a workable user base that will give singles a great experience, and will then admit more people as the app gains momentum in the city.
The Stanford graduate said the app’s total worldwide waiting list is over 100,000.
This created element includes keeping the male/female ratio to 50:50, and blocking your profile from co-workers and Facebook friends so “you don’t have to face awkward ‘do-i-swipe-right-or-left’ work etiquette dilemmas.”
And The League founder told Business Insider their strategy is working in San Francisco, where they have seen over 150,000 matches, users are responding to 70% of messages and the app is growing by 50% month on month.
At the start of the year, The League also raised $2.1m from investors including IDG Ventures, Structure.vc and Sherpa Ventures, along with angel investors.
To celebrate launching in New York, the company held a party at The Jane hotel in Manhattan on 28th April – check out photos from the event on The League’s Facebook page.