Sports Loft Podcast

Levellr: building communities of superfans in sports

Join hosts Yanni Andreopoulos and Charlie Greenwood in conversation with Tom Gayner, CEO and co-founder of Levellr, the platform connecting the world's top musicians, brands, and creators with their fan communities on Discord and Telegram.

The growth of community building in sports is one of our trends for 2024, so it was great to catch up with Tom and really dig into the realities of what that means. In this episode, we explore the growth of the business, what Levellr adds to apps like Discord, and the delicate balance between building scalable software which is supported by human-powered services.

Tom shares his key learnings and success stories, discussing collaborations with industry giants like Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group and setting out how similar thinking can be applied to sports. We also dig into Levellr's recent £1 million funding.

Reviewing our trend predictions and looking ahead to 2024

In the words of host Yanni Andreopoulos, this week on the podcast we gathered “the greatest minds Sports Loft has to offer” (oh dear!) to discuss our 2023 sports, media and entertainment tech predictions. We explore how these predictions have influenced or failed to impact the industry landscape, shaping the year that's now coming to an end.

We ask: were memberships re-imagined by sports teams? To what degree did rightsholders become content businesses? And did the industry really get smarter on data? Find out what we think, as Yanni holds Andy and Charlie to account on what we got right and what we got, err, not so right.

Warning: contains multiple references to Hull City football club.

Show notes:

• Gerard Pique's new Kings League
• Juventus' fixtures list reveal video
• Sports Loft Podcast – The role of machine learning in sports, and how to build an AI startup
• Sports Loft Podcast – BMW, Karta and marketing in the metaverse
• Sports Loft article – From AI to data enrichment: five sports trends to watch in 2024

Timestamps:

• 7:00 – Sports will get smarter on data
• 17:30 – “We are a content business” will become a reality
• 24:45 – AI will complement (not replace) content creators
• 31:00 – Memberships will be re-imagined
• 38:30 – For now, the metaverse is multiplayer online games – that people actually play!
• 48:00 – Our 2024 predictions

Ryan Sports Ventures: investing in people that change the game

This week Yanni and Charlie welcome Paul Hourigan onto the podcast to get his view on the world of sports, media and entertainment investment. Paul is partner at Ryan Sports Ventures, the sports investment arm of the Chicago-based Ryan family, which has a sports portfolio that spans interests in the Chicago Bears and AFC Bournemouth, plus tech businesses like Tagboard.

During the episode, we learn the strategy behind RSV’s involvement with Bournemouth and the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, Paul explains why he thinks sport’s reliance on sponsorship and rights sales needs a rethink, and we ask for his hot sectors to watch in 2024. Spoiler: AI gets a mention. 

Our favourite sections included Paul's reflections on the tailwinds in women's sports, and the growth potential for businesses which are able to take sports data and make it genuinely actionable.

Timestamps:

• 08:30 – The difficulty of focusing on multiple verticals
• 12:00 – The returns of investing in teams versus technology
• 19:00 – The background to the AFC Bournemouth deal
• 26:30 – Learnings from the world of rugby
• 34:00 – The over-reliance on sponsorship and rights sales
• 41:00 – The use of AI in sports tech
• 45:30 – Evaluating what a good return is

BMW, Karta and marketing in the metaverse

This week's podcast features Yanni and Andy taking a deep dive into the world of gaming with Pia Schörner, head of digital content creation & BMW Metaverse at BMW, and Erik Londré, co-founder and CEO of Karta – the Sports Loft member which works with sports teams and music artists to build experiences in games like Roblox and Fortnite.

We dig into how sports organisations and other brands can incorporate gaming as part of their marketing mix, touching on in-game merchandise, measuring success and picking the right platform.

Highlights include Pia pushing BMW execs to allow gamers to blow up Bimmers in a game (“the community will like it and they'll talk about it because it's authentic”), Erik on the thrill of live esports events, and how to find the “sweet spot” that allows for both authentic gaming experiences and brand promotion. Our guests also reveal lessons learnt from their recent projects and discuss why engaging with younger audiences on these platforms is so crucial for brands who want to stay relevant – across the world of sports and beyond.

Timestamps:

06:30 – Defining the metaverse
13:00 – How sports can utilise the metaverse
15:45 – The pros and cons of e-sports as a marketing tool
23:30 – The process of designing an activation
29:30 – Marrying brands with the gaming platform
36:30 – Using gaming to boost relevancy 
40:00 – KPIs and indicators of success 

 

RX3 Growth Partners: consumer investment alongside athletes

In this month's Investor's View episode, Yanni sits down with Andrew Costa, partner at RX3 Growth Partners, a consumer growth equity firm co-founded by NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

To kick off, Andrew gives us an overview of RX3's operational strategy, which focuses on investments in consumer wellness and sports companies. The unique part of the model is the way the group draws on the networks, knowledge and insights of their athlete and celebrity backers to benefit the consumer focused companies they invest in.

Later in the discussion, Andrew sheds light on RX3's meticulous decision-making process and their focus within the consumer wellness and fitness sector. He elaborates on the skills and traits RX3 looks for in founders and shares insights into the growth areas that are exciting him, and shares his take on the state of the market. 

With a successfully deployed first fund of $50 million across 19 portfolio companies, RX3 is now looking for opportunities to invest in from its second fund, a $150 million vehicle.

Timestamps:

06:00 – Moving from one-off investments to building a fun?

09:00 – Onboarding athletes as LPs14:00 – Deciphering fad trends versus long-term shifts

21:00 – Managing sponsor clashes

26:00 – Estimating growth returns on investments

31:00 – Backing big brands versus high growth startups

38:00 – Where RX3 add value beyond dollars

44:00 – Regretting missed opportunities

 

The role of machine learning in sports, and how to build an AI startup

This week we’re discussing the intersection of sports, media and artificial intelligence. Join our host Yanni and founder Charlie, as they sit down with Don White, CEO and co-founder of Satisfi Labs, and Jamie Wilde, head of technology & data science at Greenfly.

The main focus of this episode is the transformative impact of AI in the sports and media industry. We'll explore how companies like Greenfly (which recently acquired machine learning startup Miro, which Jamie co-founded) and Satisfi Labs are utilising AI to enhance fan engagement, streamline sports operations, and create compelling sports-related content. Together, we'll uncover the challenges faced in training AI models using vast and complex sports data, and how these challenges are being overcome.

Our panel also dive into the intricacies of running an AI company. From the hurdles of budgeting and talent retention to the evolving business models and staying ahead of commoditisation, our guests will share their insights into the dynamic world of AI startups. Join us as we unravel the potential of AI in sports and media, and discover how these innovations are reshaping the future of the industry.

Timestamps:

08:00 – How mature is AI usage in sports today?
13:00 – The role of AI in the Satisfi proposition
20:00 – The Greenfly acquisition of Miro
31:45 – The impact of AI on human personnel
35:00 – How AI startups can retain the best talent
42:00 – How to avoid commoditisation
50:00 – The applicability of AI between sports

WISE Ventures: supporting the evolution of next-gen businesses

In the latest episode of the Sports Loft Podcast, Yanni is joined by Konrad von Moltke, principal of New York-based investment group, WISE Ventures.

Within the WISE portfolio, you'll find familiar names like Sports Loft member companies Tagboard and FEVO, plus former member Slate, and many more across the sports, media and entertainment space.

Konrad takes us behind the scenes at WISE, revealing why the firm likes to assume board positions in their investments, the art of crafting a robust cap table, and his secret for juggling numerous moving parts and projects (hint: you've just got to stay impeccably organised!).In September's 'Investor's View' episode Konrad also explains that for him, one of the most important skills for a founder to have is the ability to sell a vision.

 

Timestamps:
08:30 – Tech adoption in sports organisations
14:00 – The WISE thesis and strategic approach
19:30 – Active deployment in 2023
23:00 – Why take board positions
25:00 – Tagboard and building a great cap table
28:00 – What do you look for in founding teams?
35:00 – The strength of being organised ‍‍

How star signing drive fandom, and is short-form content king?

This week on the podcast, Yanni is joined by a trio of industry experts, including Kristen Rodgers, the sports and media partnerships lead at Tagboard, Matt Gentry, 77 Sports Management’s managing director and Andy Selby, Sports Loft’s very own head of strategy.

Our first discussion kicks off with a deep dive into how leagues that sit outside of Europe’s top tier are using star signings to grow their fanbases. Our guests examine the Messi transfer to Inter Miami and the arrivals of Ronaldo, Benzema, and Henderson in the Saudi Pro League, exploring their impact on the league's popularity.

Moving on, we dig into the changing consumption habits in sports media, fueled by the rise of short-form content. With YouTube execs expressing concern that Shorts is cannibalising its core product, Matt, Kristen and Andy discuss what’s driving the shift to bitesize formats and what it means for sports. Plus, they examine the evolving strategies of young athletes, as they navigate the world of content and find themselves becoming influencers and content creators.

Timestamps:

• 07:00 – Messi to Inter Miami
• 09:00 – Athletes as creators 
• 12:45 – Building athlete brands
• 18:00 – Saudi Pro League vs MLS
• 22:00 – Athletes as investors
• 30:00 – Short-form vs long-form content
• 36:00 – How social media is impacting other formats
• 41:00 – Young athletes navigating social media
• 44:00 – The success of the docuseries format 

West River Group: investing in the global innovation economy

In the fourth episode of this summer's Investor's View series, we welcome Anthony Bontrager, managing director of West River Group.

Anthony's 25 years of experience spans founding his own businesses, holding board positions at a number of portfolio companies, and leading the technology investment practice at West River. Tech is just one of the four sectors the 'investment platform' focuses on, with experience (ie. entertainment), decarbonisation, and life sciences being the rest. Sport intersects with those in a number of interesting ways, which is why we had to invite Anthony on the podcast.

Over the course of our conversation Anthony explains what he's looking for when founders approach West River for funding, what he and the group can offer once a deal is done, and how entrepreneurs should be operating in the current economic landscape. It's a fascinating chat with tens of takeaways for those looking to build their own businesses.

Timestamps:

• 02:15 – The West River Group thesis and proposition
• 05:30 – Where sports comes into the equation 
• 10:00 – The power of data in the sports space
• 14:00 – What makes a good founder from the VC perspective?
• 21:00 – Negotiation, valuation and setting terms
• 29:00 – The impact of the interest rate shake-up
• 35:00 – The next geographical tech hubs 
• 40:00 – AI and other areas of interest

The new social media landscape, and the evolution of pre-season tours

This week Yanni is joined by Nick Shaw, managing director of EMEA at Greenfly, and Keegan Pierce, managing director for the UK and Ireland at La Liga, as they dissect the dynamic world of sports social media and global pre-season tours.

In part one, our guests explain how they’re navigating the fast-changing social media landscape. Nick Shaw outlines Greenfly's role in fan engagement and his tips for operating in this period of flux. While Keegan Pierce shares La Liga's innovative social strategies, which involves managing accounts across 20 different social media platforms and has resulted in it being the most followed football league on social media. 

Later in the episode, we delve into how teams and leagues are changing their approaches to pre-season tours – from visiting new territories to trying out new broadcast solutions. Plus, Yanni revisits his Women’s World Cup prediction and takes another bite at the cherry. 

Timestamps

• 02:45 – Favourite sporting moments of the week
• 07:00 – How Greenfly is used by sports organisations
• 10:00 – LaLiga's approach to social media 
• 13:45 – Where social should sit in the organisation 
• 19:45 – LaLiga Tech 
• 26:45 – Democratising content and the power of athlete brands
• 33:30 – Predictions for X, the company formerly known as Twitter
• 37:00 – What are the goals of pre-season tours?
• 41:30 – Making the most of the pre-season