Where is there still untapped potential for the industry?
If I was creating a strategy for a team or a league, I would dominate YouTube. I’d flood YouTube with highlights of my team or sport, analysis, funny clips. Then I’d find people to stream because there’s nothing more powerful than a live audience. We’ve seen that with [former NFL punter and sports media personality] Pat McAfee. He has 30,000 people tune in live. If he created a website and said, “click this button,” he would get 15,000 clicks on the spot. We’ve seen why he is so valuable. I would let the streamers offer a different viewpoint. Amazon tried it with the Dude Perfect broadcast, and they missed the mark, but it was a good attempt.
I would also create a nice in-stadium fan experience for that younger generation, even if that means making sure every NFL stadium has perfect WiFi — that is so crucial. My first question when I go to a stadium is, “What is your WiFi login?’ I’m always a bit nervous. I can’t post content. I can’t text my friends. I can’t follow along on Twitter.
How would you describe Gen Z’s relationship with sports?
The most common thing I hear is “Why would I ever, ever go to a one o’clock football game on Sunday? Why would you ever leave your couch, spend money, it’s hours to get there, it's expensive to do it, I can’t track my fantasy team, I can’t bet, it’s sometimes cold.” You can sit on your couch and have everything you need — you can have your laptop up, you can have RedZone up, you can track everything.
By the way, if you were to go, unless you spend an exorbitant amount of money, you’re also sitting up top, so the view isn’t good. You don’t get the commentary. If a play happens and it’s being challenged, I don’t know if it’s a good call or not unless I go on Twitter.
The fan experience isn’t great at a lot of stadiums. A majority of people who don’t go to games, I think, don’t have any interest because they’re not going to get a great experience. And it’s not viewed as any form of entertainment, when really that’s what the entire game experience should be.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said recently that what most keeps him up at night is how the sports network can reach "the younger audience” and “be more relevant to younger people.” What’s your reaction hearing that?
My first reaction is hopefully ESPN will come buy SnapBack Sports because we’re talking to younger fans. My second reaction is ESPN won’t actually do anything about talking to kids and listening to what they want. Maybe ESPN will run a couple of studies, but no one on the ESPN social media team is going to be tasked with DM’ing kids asking, “What do you like about our content? Do you spend more time on YouTube or Twitch?”
Right now I’m watching Fox Sports 1 and [former soccer star and current World Cup analyst] Alexi Lalas is in a suit. No kid cares about some commentator in a suit anymore. It’s lifestyle, it’s streetwear brand. No one is conscious of that because it’s older decision-makers. Actually talk to the 23-year-old social media manager or the marketer who understands what the heck kids are doing and what they want.
What do you predict for the sports industry in 2023 across digital and social media? What’s next?
A move to long-form content. Quick attention is just the top of the funnel, but streaming, YouTube and podcasting is what will convert for creators. Creators will need to build businesses. They already have the audience to market to. That’s a complete flip from the old way of doing things. A coffee company typically builds a great product and then finds customers to market to. But “Big Cat” [Barstool Sports personality Dan Katz] already had a large, built-in audience, and just launched a coffee brand to sell to his fans.
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