“Be a lifter, not just a leader.”
That quote from WISE Women of the Year honoree, Disney/ESPN’s Rosalyn Durant really struck me as what’s needed as our industry gloriously and steadily moves back to the breakneck, in person business we have all loved. While bumpy roads still lie ahead and always will, the ability for all of us to collectively meet, lift, inform and help has never been greater or more needed.
As we head towards March Madness a quick look back at some of the lessons learned, people met, and yes, in person experiences enjoyed during a crazed ten day period that abutted the two year anniversary of when we all shut down, March 11, 2020.
Some quick hitters from MIT Sloan Sports Conference, SportsPro OTT Summit, WISE Woman of the Year lunch and even some college hoops mixed in (BIG East and MAAC Tournaments).
The early, murky world of NFT’s
There was so much back and forth on the utility, volatility and expectations of what nonfungible tokens can be, it was amazing. From Gary Vaynerchuk saying at Sloan that 98% of NFT’s will be worthless, to the NFL’s Sam Rubinroit later in the day saying that the 50,000 NFT’s the NFL put out had a 70% open rate and countless others at every event talking about communities and using digital assets to enhance experiences, one thing is clear…it’s very very early in the game for anyone to know for sure. This podcast gives some good insight into Dapper Labs’ approach with big properties and their road to consumer success using quality technology.
Here is another recent NY Times link about the pot of gold some consumers are claiming to chase with the offerings.
Bottom line is…learn, listen, watch, and see where adoption goes.
Metaverse, Metaverse, Metaverse
“We are creating the embodied internet. You are there & emersed in an engaged community no matter where you are physically.” Peter Hutton, Meta
When we heard so many industry leaders talk about Metaverse adoption, it reminded us of Farmville and Second Life from decades ago, virtual worlds which came and pretty much went as a fad. The change now, according to big thinkers like Bo Han at Buzzer and Peter Hutton at Meta, is that technology has been able to seamlessly link us as communities regardless of special differences. While some were all hyped up on the ability to buy virtual goods and talk and engage in a virtual world…the real opportunity is in linkage and sharing experiences where we can’t be there at the same time due to time, space and distance. Social platforms, AR and VR can continue to make experiences life-like, and our Meta world will be immersive around events we all watch, and in some ways experience, in the collective.
There were several folks at Sloan who really focused on the actual in-game experience, or how watching an event alone at home on a screen was not “the same” as being there in person. It really comes down more to what your perception of experience is, and where it is going. Those attuned to putting on headsets, or using a tablet, or even communicating via Slack, are not alone in a communal experience, even if they are not sitting next to a colleague or a fan physically. In many ways 5G and AR and VR will help bring those worlds even closer together…where we are communicating and learning in real time looking left or right. But for now, Meta is really about enhanced shared experiences that we can’t be there for in a traditional way in person…it is adaption and acceptance of new areas of communal technology that we may actually enjoy…and by the way, if we don’t that’s Ok too. For me, I just hope my 4D glasses in the basement maybe have some usage again some day.
Discord Is The New…
“Skype meets slack for gaming communities evolved into where NFTs are dropped & engaged with by ardent supporters.” Mitch Lasky, Dapper Labs
“Twitter is the sports bar for today, Discord is now the sports bar for GenZ. Its where they are engaging and you need to be there.” Bo Han, Buzzer
Do we need another platform to communicate? Skype, Slack, Instant messenger, old fashioned texting isn’t enough? Nope. Now its Discord. Once again a place where communities can be built, using any medium, and where the end user goes to learn, especially amongst a younger demo who has looked at other platforms as passe’. You fish where the fish are if your community has found Discord to be the place where everything from Fintech to NFT’s to Dao’s are being discussed. How long will it last or will it become mainstream massive adoption? Again. Who knows. But if your community is living there and driving discussion there, then Discord it is.
D and I
“When I think of diversity I think beyond skin & gender. Its how do we get the right people who also don’t think the same in the room. That combo is the best way to grow an organization.” Nicole Jeter West, New CEO of Underdog Ventures
“Transgender women don’t transition for sports, they do it for other much more personal reasons.” Dr. Joanna Harper
Every event, every casual conversation, every look for what’s next in balancing the workforce and giving communities a share of voice has revolved around Diversity and Inclusion. The Sloan panel on D and I, hosted by Malcolm Gladwell, was a thought provoking lead on how transgender athletes can, or won’t assimilate into acceptance. It is a worthwhile watch here.
Then there were also several sessions across the board about inclusion and content and opportunity tied to women’s sports. Take a listen to the podcast we did with Nicole Jeter West that talked not just about her career path, but how she views D and I.
Lastly…it’s all about the people
For those who have not yet been to larger scale events, find your window, your comfort level and go. The people we met, the friends we reconnected with, the randomness of discussion and learnings were beautiful.
Some examples?
I found out randomly at the Big East Tournament one of my colleagues had a son working on data analytics at Xavier University. We quickly connected to intro him to people we know in such a growing field.
I found out that another colleague is dating someone whose dad…found the Titanic! How amazing is that.
I got to explore the beautiful inner sanctum of the Atlantic City Convention center with my colleague Dave Siroty, while to the right of me, almost unnoticed, veteran NBA coach Mike Dunleavy cheered loudly for his son, Quinnipiac Coach Baker Dunleavy, in the MAAC Quarterfinals.
The two BEST career stories…both from Sloan
Juliette Gordon, Data Scientist at Fanduel has a PhD. in researching venomous marine snails. She was hired to improve the back end for Fanduel and ended up being a heck of a projective forecaster on sports…go find that in a lab with escargot.
Lastly…here is Henry Yeh. Henry found me through a mutual friend at Sloan and he texted me a few times so we could meet. I had no idea why…but I learned. Henry you see is really the American dream. Born in Korea, he learned how to read and speak English by reading copies of Slam magazine (Because of his passion for basketball) and by memorizing historical speeches. His family eventually moved to new Jersey and he enrolled at Montclair State University, getting a degree in science, all the while chasing his passion for basketball and analytics without knowing anyone. So what did Henry do? He MAILED detailed, custom data driven scouting reports to every NBA team….binders…to try and document his passion and knowledge, with little hope of a response. One day, as he tells it, his phone rang, months later, and it was Shane Battier, former NBA star and entrepreneur himself, now with the Miami Heat. Shane had received henry’s package, left it on his desk and one day opened it…and it was great.
Henry is now working with the Heat as a mentee in the scouring department, after getting a similar role with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. All because of his passion, his unrelenting desire to found a way (even in The Pandemic), and his ability to keep trying because he believed in an idea. Where it will go for Henry? Not sure yet, but he fund a way.
And I’m glad they all found me.
As we head towards spring, it still won’t be perfect, sports and time management and logistics and coast never are. But I know that if you take a chance, you show up and you listen to those around you, your role as a curious learner keeps getting better.
It doesn’t; happen sitting home for the most part, and boy have I earned these past few weeks.
More to come.
