Category Archives: Daily Payoff Exclusives

Darts, A Great Gambling Property, Becoming A U.S. Phenomenon?

Darts, A Great Gambling Property, Becoming A U.S. Phenomenon?

By Tanner Simkins @TannerSimkins

We talk about a lot of sports as betting gets closer to being legal across the U.S.,  but how about darts? If you catch the new weekly Premier League show on BBC America, you will see scores of signage for gambling houses, as betting on everything and everything in the U.K.  is on the board. How about in the U.S.?

Well the annual darts events in Las Vegas draw big crowds and big dollars, and with over 16 million players in the U.S., maybe the game we played growing up now has a chance to find a new audience. Want proof? This week BBC America, the home to Premier  League Darts, is averaging over 1.3 million viewers a week for a taped show. That puts it on par with some college hoops and even some NBA on Thursday nights.

With some additional fan engagement, maybe a U.S. star and some nice purses, not to mention a line or two that anyone can get when PASPA gets overturned, we may be seeing the birth of a new property, on a channel known for Orphan Black, Dr. Who…and now some unique sports characters!

Now that’s a new kind of March Madness!

ReKTGlobal Announces new Leadership team and Business Ventures

by: Tanner Simkins

ReKTGlobal, launched in 2016 as an advisory business in the eSports space, Monday announced an impressive business expansion with the official launch of three new ventures for the business community; ReKTVenues, ReKTLive and ReKTMedia.

These new ventures are designed to help bridge the gap between the multi-billion-dollar business of traditional sports and the burgeoning business of esports and competitive gaming. The new extensions will meet the growing demand of existing businesses in professional sports and entertainment, from teams and venues to brands and media companies, looking to expand and attract millennials and gamers. They will help companies interested in creating authentic media content for esports fans, and festival and convention producers who want to bring unique esports experiences to their events.

“My vision is that every city will have an esports venue and every professional sports team will have an esports strategy,” said founder Amish Shah in a release. “ReKTGlobal has the solutions to help them navigate through the ecosystem,” continued Shah, an early investor in the esports space with Gameco, the “First Video Game Slot Machine,” professional esports Team EnVyUs and Drone Racing League before finding the sweet spot of esports infrastructure building with ReKTGlobal.

“We view ReKTGlobal as a Rising Tide to Lift all Ships; an infrastructure business in support of the esports and broader gaming marketplaces,” added co-founder and CEO David Bialek. “ReKTGlobal will make it easy for anyone to enjoy, participate or work in esports anytime and anywhere.”

The ReKTGlobal executive team includes founder Shah, also a founding partner of venture capital firm SierraMaya360, who was joined in 2017 by co-founders Bialek, a 25-year sports marketing veteran and Sports Business Journal 40 Under 40 recipient; Christopher J. Steele and Christopher Golden of Sterling Select, a venture development and investment platform affiliated with Sterling Equities; and Counsel Charles Baker, a top sports, media and entertainment attorney.

“We at Sterling Select, considered partnering with Amish in his investment in Team EnVyUs in early 2016 but ultimately decided it was too nascent and unchartered at the time,” said managing partner Christopher J. Steele. “However, when Amish came to me and shared his vision for ReKTGlobal and esports infrastructure, I determined that it was a better fit for the Select platform. Given the estimates of the growth of the industry, Select’s sees ReKTGlobal as being in the right space, at the right time with the right team, which we are excited to be an integral part of as co-founders.”

Also joining the team is Vice President of Esports Kevin Knocke, an industry go-to who has led content and events for partners like Blizzard Entertainment, IGN, SiriusXM, Sony, SXSW, E3 and many more.

Specific plans and partners are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Unikrn and Betgenius Partner to Create Immersive Live Esports Betting Platform

by Tanner Simkins

Unikrn and Betgenius Partner to Create Immersive Live Esports Betting Platform
Unikrn and Betgenius sign tech partnership to drive customer engagement by leveraging esports data analytics, content, pre-match and live betting markets

(UNITED KINGDOM, London – 21 June, 2017) Betgenius, the global leader in providing sportsbook technology to regulated bookmakers and lotteries, today announced a landmark agreement with Unikrn, the world’s leading esports bookmaker.
Betgenius will provide Unikrn with a captivating in-play betting product, featuring fully automated prices for thousands of live events, including all major League of Legends, DotA 2, CS:GO, Call of Duty and Overwatch tournaments.

The partnership leverages Betgenius’ unique data services and technology to drive the global expansion of Unikrn’s betting community in a host of regulated territories and harness the combined power of both platforms’ partnerships.
The technology collaboration will enable the two companies to create best-in-class experiences across esports data analytics, content, as well as pre-match and live betting markets.

Unikrn and Betgenius have been strong advocates for competitive integrity in esports, and amid the recent controversies surrounding unregulated betting operators and illegal skin gambling sites, the need for safe and legal esports betting providers is more pressing than ever before. In bringing together the most regulated esportsbook in the world in Unikrn, alongside unique technology from Betgenius, the new live betting product will set the standard for regulated esports bookmakers globally.

Jack Davison, Betgenius MD said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Unikrn, the most renowned and innovative operator in esports, to facilitate its state-of-the-art live betting experiences and help grow the regulated market.”
Rahul Sood, CEO of Unikrn, said: “There is no doubt that legal, regulated wagering is a blossoming frontier in esports and we are proud to offer our customers with not only the most engaging product on the market but also the most secure. This could only be achieved by partnering with a leading supplier with the utmost integrity. Betgenius was the clear choice.”
By partnering with Betgenius, operators can partially or fully outsource their trading function across a huge array of markets, specific to individual in-game objectives.

Stay tuned for more information on the timing of Betgenius and Unikrn’s immersive betting launch.

Trump For Legalizing Sports Gambling? AGA President Thinks So

by Tanner Simkins @TannerSimkins

Data Integrity, Future of Sports Gambling Discussed at MLB Winter Meetings

Amidst the trade talk, job searching and awards being doled out at this week’s Baseball Winter Meetings in Washington this week was a look to the future; and an interesting look into how baseball is protecting itself and its reputation, by investing in a global data integrity company that works with…yes, legalized gambling in other parts of the world.

The presentation by London-based Genius Sports, with an assist from the American gaming Association, was yet another step towards enlightening people…media, club officials, other interested parties all in attendance…about the legal and illegal betting market globally, and the steps being taken to look to a future of legal sports betting in the United States with an eye, a very smart eye, on protecting the game from any improprieties that may currently be going on as millions is wagered on baseball and other sports around the world.

Ben Paterson, head of integrity for Genius Sports, told the company has used 10 years of baseball data as a base to detect corruption and works with bookmakers worldwide prior to and as games are played to investigate suspicious gambling activity that could be a clue to game fixing and other nefarious activities. Has anything strange popped up in the States thus far?

While he wouldn’t say, it is safe to say that MLB has looked to recent game fixing scandals in Asia in professional baseball and saw the opportunity to set in with a smart and massive professional engagement that is both insurance and security as MLB looks to again expand its borders globally even more, especially with the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

“Our company bridges the gap between Major League Baseball and sports betting,” Paterson said, while adding that $55 billion is legally wagered on baseball each year, a small percentage of the total amount bet on games when illegal betting is included.

The question, a billion dollar one, remains when will sports betting on baseball or any sport become legal outside of Nevada in the United States.
“We have heard the President-elect (Donald Trump) say on numerous times that he is supportive of repealing PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act) and making sports betting legal as a way to bring more into the economy, and we are very encouraged by that,’ said Geoff Freeman, CEO of the Washington-based American Gaming Association. The AGA continues to be more proactive in the past year in pushing for reform and legalization of sports betting, and that the topic is compelling enough for Congress to conduct hearings in 2017. Protecting the data of any league, Freeman added, was essential to get lawmakers to move forward. “If there is no integrity in the sport, nobody wants to bet and nobody even wants to see the game. That’s why the industry thinks this is so important.”

Again when exactly all this happens is still up for debate, with most experts saying 2018 could be a key year, whether the legalization is left to States or goes to the preferred system of a Federally monitored system.

Is there progress? Just think about the fact that gambling and baseball were discussed openly in front of a packed house at the official winter soiree for “America’s pastime,’ and there was no wringing of hands or wagging of fingers. It shows that the current regime in sports is open to change and the revenue that could go with it, and that is certainly eye opening for the lords of baseball.

Sports betting experts detail the threat to integrity of professional sports through illegal wagering

UK Experts: Thriving Illegal Market and Lack of Regulation Create Atmosphere Ripe for Manipulation

Sports betting experts detail the threat to integrity of professional sports through illegal wagering

Leading voices from the United Kingdom have released new information detailing how a legal, regulated sports betting market will enhance the integrity of sports in the United States, not diminish it as outdated myths have long suggested. Dr. David Forrest and Rick Parry, two leading experts within the UK sports betting world, released their report, The Key to Sports Integrity in the United States: Legalized, Regulated Sports Betting, detailing how the United States must adopt an approach similar to that in the United Kingdom to allow legal, regulated sports betting in an open and transparent market.

“The federal ban on sports betting has failed,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the AGA. “American sports fans have shown a strong desire to wager on sports and a legal market would preserve the integrity of the games fans love to watch.”

“Despite being illegal, betting on sports is a common and generally accepted activity for Americans,” said Parry, chair of the United Kingdom Sports Betting Integrity Panel. “In fact, the proportion of American adults who place illegal wagers on sports proves to be roughly the same as those betting legally in Great Britain.”

Forrest and Parry’s research concludes the following:

1) Americans want to bet on sports and prohibition has largely failed as the restrictions are ignored.
o Despite being illegal, betting on sports is a common and generally accepted activity for Americans. This is done casually through office pools or more seriously and systemically through illegal bookies or offshore gaming sites. In short, sports betting is taking place – on a significant scale – despite being illegal. In fact, the proportion of American adults who place illegal wagers on sports proves to be roughly the same as those betting legally in Great Britain.
2) Left unchecked, black market gambling in the United States has thrived.
o The United States and China represent the largest illegal sports betting markets in the world. By way of example, an illegal sports bookmaker who was prosecuted in New Jersey in the late 1990s had an annual volume of $200 million, higher than the largest legal bookmaker in Las Vegas.
3) Illegal gambling threatens the integrity of sports.
o Legalized and regulated sports betting brings with it transparency and oversight, both for sports book operators and customers. However, illegal sports betting has no such transparency or mechanisms available for tracking bets, making it an ideal venue in which to profit from the manipulation of sports. Cutting off the flow of funds into the illegal market is critical to removing the incentives for manipulation.
4) A legalized, regulated market would layer in consumer protections against the potential problems associated with sports betting, allowing these problems to be addressed and better controlled.
o The problems the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) sought to address, such as problem gambling and crimes associated with sports, such as match fixing and point shaving, can instead go unnoticed in an unregulated environment. By creating a legal regime, individuals are permitted, within limits, to engage in an enjoyable activity while consumer protections create transparency and accountability to address potential problems linked to sports betting.
5) America should look to nations with mature sports betting markets, like Great Britain, when adopting a legalized framework.
o To reap the benefits of a legal sports betting market, America must put in place a robust regulatory structure with appropriate controls. Keeping fixers’ money and manipulation out of sports must be a collaborative effort that brings together the expertise of regulators, betting operators, police authorities and the governing bodies of sports. It is vital that a new, legal market is made attractive for consumers in order to ensure they move away from black market betting. Looking at the legislative mistakes made by some countries when legalizing sports betting will allow America to implement a strong framework at the start, and make it far less likely that it will have to amend weak or ineffective laws later on.

“Our research concluded that legalized and regulated sports betting is in fact a necessary condition to preserve and protect the integrity of sports,” said Dr. Forrest, professor of economics at the University of Liverpool Management School and honorary professor at Macau Polytechnic Institute.

AGA recently estimated that fans across the country will bet $90 billion on NFL and college football games this season. However, $88 billion – or 98 percent – of all bets will be made illegally thanks to PASPA, the failed federal government ban signed in 1992 that prohibits sports betting outside of Nevada.

Silver Chalice Looks For Digital Gold

Silver Chalice Looks For Digital Gold
By: Tanner Simkins
In recent years the buzzwords in sports business were things like “Daily Fantasy,” and “OTT,” 2016 is clearly shaping up as the year of streaming. From new platforms like Amazon getting involved in the sports space, to the focus on digital during the Rio Olympics to the flurry of deals announced with Facebook Live and Twitter, the non-traditional engagement platforms are gaining speed from the largest of properties to the most niche.
One of those companies growing quickly in the space is Silver Chalice. Founded in 2009 the Chicago-based company had a goal to create television­-quality video in partnership with rights holders and other dominant players in the sports media industry to a fast-growing digital first world. Led by Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and his co-­owners of the Chicago White Sox, Silver Chalice owns and operates Campus Insiders, SportsLabs, the ACC Digital Network in partnership with Raycom Sports and the Atlantic Coast Conference, and 120 Sports in partnership with MLBAM, the NHL, Time Inc. / Sports Illustrated, the PGA TOUR. They also recently received an infusion of investment dollars from BAMTECH  to grow the businesses even further, and have announced a slew of deals, including a Twitter streaming partnership and the moving of its “Morning Run” news and information show to New York.
We caught up with Dana Golden, EVP, Business Development.  to find out more about the goings-on with Silver Chalice and its growing list of partners.
 
This is the latest in a series of announcements that really positions the Silver Chalice properties for growth in the digital space. How did these come about in such a rapid fire succession, and what are the first things people will notice?
The recent flurry of announcements reflects the demand for high quality sports content in the digital space and the emergence of OTT products and platforms to support the demand. Our content offering is unique in that we deliver live programming like a linear cable network but also provide timely video on demand news content with the best plays and game highlights to support what fans are talking about. People will notice our time to market with quality video content that is easily discoverable by team, sport, athlete, coach, conference, trending hashtags and more.
How do you think the Twitter announcement will impact traffic for the platforms?
What’s unique about Twitter is that you have certified fans of schools already talking about their teams, the plays, the score, game reactions and more. By streaming games directly on our network and conference handles, the Twitter platform becomes the first screen experience and delivers a more engaged audience that can converse with each other and share insights with both fans and rivals. We know the power of social media sharing and we believe Twitter has the opportunity to drive viewership and followers to our network through our live games and shoulder programing.
You have some very powerful partners with great content. How will that content be used differently or more effectively going forward?
From the Mountain West to the Patriot League to the West Coast Conference and now with the addition of Conference USA, we do, in fact, have great Conference partners. On the 120 Sports front, we have very strong partnerships in place with 20+ professional leagues, everyone from MLB to the UFC to the Professional Bowlers Association. We’re proud of these partnerships and believe together we can deliver tremendous value to sports fans across the country. Being able to lean into MLBAM’s array of technology will no doubt allow us to bring a better experience to distributors, sponsors and fans. Time will tell how these experiences will manifest themselves over the next few years, but we are excited about the possibilities.
Campus Insiders has built a treasure trove of content on its own, will this week’s announcement provide assets to get into more rights deals than already exist?
We’re very proud of the live game schedule that we have built at Campus Insiders since our launch. We started with zero games in 2013 to this year when we anticipate streaming over 3200 games. A large part of our success to date has been the commitment of our conference partners in embracing forward-thinking partnerships with long-term goals. With the BAMTech announcement, Campus Insider is poised to grow and we look forward to adding to our live game portfolio, as rights become available.
What does Morning Run moving to New York do for the show in terms of content, and for the visibility of 120 Sports?
Moving the Morning Run from Chicago to New York gives 120 Sports a daily presence in two of the biggest sports markets in the country.  This will not only allow us to be closer to our partners, but enable us to tap into the biggest names in sports while they’re in town. We’re excited about the possibilities.
BAMTECH had already made a Disney announcement and ESPN tied to that an ACC Network deal for the future, and Silver Chalice has the ACC Digital Network. Will there be collaborations on content between the ACC, ESPN and Silver Chalice going forward?
For the ACC Digital Network, it’s business as usual. Since its launch in 2011, the ACCDN has always been the go-to source for all things ACC: from previews, to recaps, to Must See Moments, the ACCDN produces the most comprehensive video-on-demand segments in the market today. We don’t expect that to change.
120 Sports launched to much fanfare, then retooled and went quiet and now is very prominent again. Where would we expect to see 120 in the digital media conversationin six month to a year and why?
Since we launched in June 2014, we have been focused on making the 120 Sports product and content better every single day. That work will continue to happen. Today, 120 Sports produces more than 40 hours of live and original programming each week and distributes over 100 VOD segments each day.  That is a tremendous amount of content that is unheard of for a digital sports business. As we launch on additional platforms and become a fixture of OTT services, we expect 120 Sports will become part of the daily sports conversation, the place where fans of all ages find the best highlights, analysis and production. As digital sports consumption grows, we expect 120 Sports to grow as well.
With all the content and partnerships now on the table, what is the most valuable piece of the business SC has and why?
Clearly, the Campus Insiders’ live games are at the core of our offering. However, we also pride ourselves on the studio operations that 120 Sports, Campus Insiders and the ACC Digital Network have created. Day in, day out, these teams are producing very compelling, footage-driven highlights and feature story telling that compares with any sports cable television network. So it’s not really one or the other that is most valuable to our business, but the combination of our live games AND the shoulder programming that we produce that creates the best fan experience.
For those new to the platform for this fall. What’s the one thing, or two things, you will tell brands and consumers to watch for?
As noted previously, we have announced a flurry of deal activity across our network portfolio over the last few weeks.  Up next is launching these platforms and actually making them available to those that matter the most: that is, the sports fan. Last week, Campus Insiders launched on Sling TV and we were very proud to stream the first college football game on Twitter on September 1st. Expect more launches throughout the fall and more live games on Twitter. It’s a very exciting time in our business!

Kentucky Derby: Any horse’s race that could use a Jennifer Lopez

2016-kentucky-derby-preview-what-to-know-who-to-bet-1By Frank Scandale
Saturday’s Kentucky Derby seems to have about as much sizzle this week as former presidential hopeful John Kasich’s campaign, if you are an average American following the cultural trends of the moment.

Obviously, if you are reading this, you and many others deeply connected to the sport and related betting efforts, are as immersed in the race as Anderson Cooper is in the presidential race. But for the casual fan, the ones the sport needs to thrive beyond the big marquee events, this might not be the race that changes  their Saturday evening schedule.

It’s not even in the top 20 Twitter trends as I write this.

That’s not to say it won’t be a widely watched race, replete with Derby parties from coast to coast, mint julips, big hats and much betting. But unless Jennifer Lopez gets announced as a jockey on one of these horses, the pre-race excitement level will hover far below last year’s event.

You remember last year’s race? The one when a horse named American Pharoah burst onto the scene as the first legitimate Triple Crown threat since Affirmed in 1978.

Even before Pharoah had stepped onto the Louisville track, he was revered from coast to coast by just about anyone who had ever been to a track or a Derby party. People who didn’t know a Triple Crown from triple bypass bandied about his name with customary casualness, as if they had dined with the 3-year-old just the other night.

But this year, I sensed a lack of excitement, if not downright ignorance that the most heralded horse race event of the year was about to take place. I’d wager if you polled a mall full of shoppers, they couldn’t name two horses in the race. I wondered if it was just me as I drove home from work the other night.

240px-American_PharoahBut I was listening to sports radio when a caller pinged host Mike Francesa and uttered my thoughts. Bingo. Franesca sort of agreed, sort of disagreed, but did chalk it up to an absence of an American Pharoah. Today I opened up USA Today and the centerpiece print edition story signaled the same malaise.

Perhaps it’s been the drab weather that the New York metro area has been experiencing this week. Chilly rain and cancelled baseball games have done nothing to fuel the excitement  that warmer temps and sun usually generate. Hard to wear a so-called “picture hat,” the widebrimmed numbers favored by decked out ladies at the Derby, when the rain is going sideways.

That said, industry players such as Stephen Panus, vice president of the Jockey Club/America’s Best Racing, are on the scene by now, working the crowd and generating enough interest in the race to assuage the naysayers.

Stephen Panus with son Jake, 11.

Stephen Panus with son Jake, 11.

He agrees though, that no horse is garnering the kind of odds that Pharoah did.

“Nyquist is the favorite but agree the race is wide open. I see 11 horses who could win,’ he said, a day before heading off to Louisville.

Nyquist, ridden by Mario Gutierrez, earns his favorite status by virtue of a 7-for-7 record, including four Grade 1 races. He was listed at 3-1 Friday afternoon by many bookmakers. Exaggerator is the next best bet at 8-1, and then a few at 10-1. A couple of good breakdowns of the field can be found at http://onforb.es/1WdtclF and another by America’s Best Racing.

In addition, American’s Best Racing offered a video analysis of the race. https://www.americasbestracing.net/videos/2016-2-guys-and-crown-kentucky-derby

Meawhile William Hill US said it was offering bettors odds both to win the Derby and odds to win the 2016 Triple Crown for a field of 20 horses.

 

Bettors can wager on both the horse to win the Kentucky Derby and an extensive menu of Derby props and matchups  on any of the 105 William Hill Sports Books in Nevada or on the William Hill Mobile Sports app.  A full list of locations and details on the Mobile Sports app can be found at www.williamhill.us.

I hope I am wrong about this Derby excitement drought. I hope Saturday dawns and millions of fans can think of nothing else but those brief moments of sheer madness when dozens of thundering hoofs pound the track at dizzying speeds, that women in stunning attire and hats are screaming words their mothers never taught them and that the winner emerges victorious and becomes the next Triple Crown would-be darling.

 

 

 

 

 

Lessons from a Sports Business Industry Veteran

From time to time, we like to hear from professionals in the sports industry. Their stories are usually interesting, at times surprising and almost always contain a lesson for many of us. This piece comes from Joe Favorito, a veteran of the industry who has seen much, accomplished more and knows many. – The Daily Payoffdraftkings-msg-marketing-deal-daily-fantasy-sports

 

By Joe Favorito

It was 10 years ago Thursday that I got the call to go down for a casual meeting with my boss Barry Watkins which turned into my last day at Madison Square Garden. Change of philosophy, roles, duties etc., and it was time to part ways after seven seasons that started with Jeff Van Gundy as head coach, Steve Mills as President and Scott Layden as GM and ended with Larry Brown coaching, Isiah Thomas as GM and President.  Over. Done. Next.

The biggest question at that point, as so many have when you reach that crossroads, was, what’s next?

Ten years later I can say the road I ended up on may seem clearer but it certainly was not; it wasn’t planned or asked for or wanted. It has never been very safe or easy, but it has been interesting, challenging, unexpected, lucrative and fun.  It’s not what I chose, it really chose me, this consulting business, but we certainly have made it work.

All along the way, from almost two years helping get the fledgling International Fight League afloat, running and then holding on as we ended with a great business plan and no cash as a public company that was sold to the UFC , to the myriad of tasks, partners, advisories, teaching assignments and meetings that make up a busy life today, it has always been about the people. Those you meet along the way, help out, stay in contact with, ask questions of, struggle with, laugh with, hug, scoff at, and listen to, are what a business is all about. It’s not about things as much as maybe it was once, it is about experiences and figuring out how to shape those experiences into smart business decisions where everyone benefits.

Looking back, one of the biggest lessons learned was to trust and listen to your friends and colleagues who take the time to reach out, especially when the time is dark…and there always will be dark days..

Putting my family on another plateau, they have always been there…three people; Meredith Geisler, John Genzale, and Jon Pessah, saw something in me that could get me started…that a loyal network of contacts and understanding of media and people gave me an edge, and that there would be people willing to help.

Genzale, one of the founders of The Sports Business Journal, went one better; he knew of something…namely a writing project…that I would have the time for. There was a need in a new text book series for a book on Sports Publicity, and over a year and a half transition period (during which I was at the IFL learning about a startup and how it ran, and helping run it) the book became reality. John also introduced me to Lucas Rubin, who was tasked with starting a sports management program at Columbia University. That has led to 10 years of teaching graduate classes, and four years of teaching a vibrant high school sports program in the summer at Columbia, which has been beyond rewarding in terms of meeting so many young people entering the business, as well as a robust faculty, many of whom I was able to help bring to Columbia through other relationships.

Geisler and Pessah, two longtime friends, were really the ones who convinced me to jump into the consulting pool while the water was just starting to rise. Meredith had been in the consulting business in DC and Jon had just helped ESPN The Magazine get its legs, and both saw things in me that I didn’t know were there. Now that the economy has changed several times over… a recent Wall Street Journal article said that over 60 percent of the workforce will be consulting by the year 2020 as companies continue to streamline headcount, assess benefit costs and adapt to a volatile business environment…the consulting pool is very much deeper and many have plunged in, only to eventually wade out. Somehow the push of those people at an early stage helped me learn how to swim, and has kept me afloat for over 10 years now.

Along the way I could have never envisioned the myriad of places and events that have come, stayed and moved on. The list includes helping get one sport back in the Olympics (wrestling) and a valiant and fun effort that failed to get another sport back in (baseball). The launch of franchises in World Team Tennis (second one coming up this summer), and amazing work with people in DNA testing, security, analytics, beach volleyball, rugby, soccer, cricket, hockey, golf, football, high school sports, MMA, mind sports, eGaming, gambling, fantasy sports, drone racing, drag racing and on and on.  I have worked on FIVE Broadway plays, including one, Lombardi, which has spawned so many other business and personal relationships that have lasted much longer than anyone thought the show ever would, as well as a host of film and book projects. We flew out on a helicopter to train sailors in MMA and then rode the ships back into New York Harbor for an amazing experience for Fleet Week, learned how to throw a knuckleball from Charlie Hough, helped hold wrestling events in Times Square and Grand Central Terminal, chatted with Larry David at the batting cage at CitiField about our freshmen daughters at GW, took then- Packers star Greg Jennings to Capitol Hill to talk about philanthropy, created and helped run a growing number of conferences and continue to meet and experience relationships with folks young and old, in and out of the media, from around the world. Every day is different, and every day something interesting happens.

Then there have been the startups. The successful ones that were eventually sold like The Big Lead and Comicon, Global Options and Bloomberg Sports, and some of the fun but less successful ones that came and went pretty quickly, or ran out of money and had to retrench. There were so many innovative and smart people to learn from; Harvey Schiller and Chris Russo, Mary Scott and Chris LaPlaca, Melissa Chusid and Karla Swatek, Bill Squadron and Tom Richardson, Randy Walker and Chris Lencheski, Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo, Mike McCarthy and Bryan Harris, Ron Colangelo and Ross Greenburg, Chris Dougan and Eric Gelfand, Harrie Bakst and Sara Weinstein, Vince Gennaro and Ray Katz, Seth Abraham and Gareb Shamus, Lee Stacey and Terry Lyons, Tina Cervasio and Seth Magalaner, Jerry Milani and Jim DeLorenzo, Frank Scandale and Q. Williams and the late Jay Larkin just to name a few.

As we head into a second decade of consulting, there are a few basic things that stand out, simple as they seem. I hate lists, so consider them just some discussion points from the road.

People say you work for yourself, but you actually work for everyone else. While there is freedom and autonomy, there is always a churn of business and starts and stops and so many personalities to deal with. When one works for a company, a team, a league; there is kind of a natural flow at least in some parts of the year. When you are on your own you are always on someone else’s time. Learning how to balance those needs, that workflow, those finances and most importantly your time, is not always easy and is not for everyone. Having 27 to 30 1099’s at the end of the year is always interesting, but in many ways it serves as a reminder of all the people and places you can touch if you can get the sauce cooking correctly.

It’s About the Experiences, Not the Things: While we need the best tools  of communication to do our work, we should be able to live and work in a setting that is both affordable and functional. The more valuable assets we have are the shared experiences, the positive memories that we can take with us on the darkest and quietest of days. The journey we have in business, any business, is made so much tougher if the ride along the way isn’t enjoyable.

Put Joy In What You Do. I was listening to SiriusXM a few weeks ago when I happened on to a conversation that Brendan Suhr, a longtime friend, now associate men’s hoops coach at LSU, was having about the secret he has seen to successful athletic programs. One key element he thought was lacking in the demeanor of so many elite athletes or successful people was joy. No matter how driven you are, you should be able to convey the good to others. I have never been known for being the most outwardly happy of people, but I am convinced that a smile and more importantly, positive passion and enthusiasm are invaluable, whether you are a third grade teacher or LeBron James. There is too much sadness in the world, if you love what you do convey that publicly.

The People Matter More Than The Work: Like the experiences, the spending of time with people…real, in your face time, not virtual time, and making sure the people you are working with share your values, your work ethic and your goals, is very important. We live in a society where culture in the workplace sometimes gets lost, but that culture, that shared experience with friends and colleagues, is so much more valuable for the long term than any one project. No you can’t shirk your duties to go and share a bottle of wine at lunch, but taking the time to talk and listen and enjoy those around you is invaluable to success.

Be A Good Listener. I have said this before, but the value of listening…you have two ears and one mouth…is invaluable in business and society today. The world we are in sometimes become a place where you have to shout the loudest or proclaim yourself important to move along, but in the long run if you listen well to those around you, you become a better business partner and a better friend and you will HEAR and learn some amazing things from others.

Always Be Willing To Learn. It is cliché that we learn more from failure than success, and frankly I think you learn a great deal from winning, but regardless, you should always strive to learn more. Read, consume information, try new technology, watch and listen to others around you. Yes it’s true there is so much white noise out there and so much we could be consuming in terms of media it can be overwhelming and somewhat deafening, but if you pick your spots and curate the channels you can learn from someone every day, and then share that knowledge, sometimes it’s just trivia, with others.

Choose The Right Opportunity, Not The Only Opportunity: One of my best friends spent a career in insurance and was miserable. He was always a people person, he sang at my wedding and got hired by the band. Now as he transitions for what he does next what is he doing? Driving for Lyft. Not as a last resort, it’s because it gives him flexibility, the ability to meet and network with people and be around for when his kids need something. It more than pays his bills and keeps him in conversations  that actually lead to jobs. Is it foe everyone? No. But he found something to get him to another place.  Are there times when you may get painted into a corner and do things just for the money? Maybe, and if you aren’t in control of your own path it certainly isn’t always an easy choice, but at the end of the day the one currency you always have is your reputation, and in this business, reputation trumps dollars. If you are good at what you do and are able to articulate your value, opportunities will arise. Sometimes not today, but they will arise. Right is might.

Tell Your Story To Yourself And Others. There is the famous scene in the movie “Glengarry Glenn Ross” where Blake, played by Alec Baldwin, gives his ABC speech; Always Be Closing.  No matter what your field, you are always selling, and in order to sell you need to tell the right story. No difference if you are selling yourself for a new opportunity, a date, a school, an internship. By listening and always learning you develop your narrative and if you can tell your story, you can certainly tell the story of others. Like listening, storytelling is so important to success. Take the time to become a good storyteller. Maybe you have to have a little more BS in you, but everyone has a story, you just have to work at telling it.

Do The Little Things. Write notes, remember birthdays, say thank you, send little gifts at the holidays, tip well, answer emails from job seekers, and always ask “what  can I do for you?” when someone does you a solid. Those little pieces of humanity get lost, and certainly go a long way.

Don’t Take Yourself So Seriously. I used to be a lot more guilty of this, but having to wear so many hats for so many people, gives you perspective. Rarely in sports or entertainment is something life and death. Take a breath. Examine the situation, look for a different answer. Don’t panic. Don’t lie, and after the smoke clears, look left and right. Chances are the fire you were putting out was just a small skirmish, the whole forest wasn’t really burning down. Go back to the idea of finding joy before too long.

And lastly, Be True To Yourself, Your Family and All Those Around You.  My old friend Scott Layden,  always said “the whole world is two blocks long,” and that is more true in sports and entertainment than anywhere else. Your reputation, more than you’re your network, your twitter followers, your expense account, the big company or team you work for,  your LinkedIn page, is what you have to stand on. Once you screw people, the world knows. Also, and I have seen this happen countless times, success makes people forget where they came from and who helped them get there. Treat people as people no matter whom or where you are. The little kindness on top goes a long way when you are on the bottom.

So that’s it. Ten years in, businesses have come and gone, my family, especially my kids and my nieces, continue to surprise me every day. Not a week goes by where there isn’t some agida, but I continue to learn that the joy from those around me, far outweighs the negatives and probably always have. This certainly isn’t where I thought I would be as I walked out of 2 Penn Plaza 10 years ago, but I have really enjoyed most of the ride, am eternally grateful to those I have shared it with, and am more than willing to see where it’s gonna go next.

So what can I do for you?

– See more at: http://joefavorito.com/2016/04/29/startups-and-failures-fun-and-games-thoughts-from-an-amazing-10-years-out-there/#sthash.7ItjpTa9.dpuf

Let’s call It the ELeague

Turner Broadcasting and WME|IMG have named their upcoming new professional eSports league, the companies announced Thursday.


ELeague, which begins in 2016, will be the first league to present eSports on a fully distributed national television platform. Along with 30 hours of weekly competition streamed live digitally, ELeague will also be presented on TBS.

TBS plans to feature 10 consecutive weeks of eSports programming twice a year, including playoffs and championship rounds. The plan is for the live competitions, which will be shot in front of a studio audience, to air Fridaynights on TBS.

“There’s no doubt in our mind that this is a sport – these are athletes,” Lenny Daniels, president of Turner Sports, said. “What hasn’t happened is that it hasn’t been exposed to a mainstream audience.”

This will not be the first time that eSports have been featured on national television. Back in April, ESPN2 televised a collegiate “Heroes of the Storm” tournament called “Heroes of the Dorm.” The reactions from some viewers, and even ESPN’s own employees and talent, knocked the event as being below what they believed the caliber of the worldwide leader in sports.

Daniels wasn’t deterred back in September when the league was announced.

“This is a way to bring eSports to light and the 90 million homes TBS is in,” he said.

ELeague will premiere in 2016 with tournaments featuring video game “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.”

AGA Creating New Group To Find Sports Betting Answers In The US

AGA Creating New Group To Find Sports Betting Answers In The US

Calling it a “major shift” in the casino industry’s approach to gambling on sports, the American Gaming Association today revealed plans to assemble a group focused on carving out a potential new path for the legal sports betting industry.

The Washington, D.C.-based casino lobbying group said it will create a “broad coalition” charged with figuring out whether there is a “rational alternative” to existing sports betting law.
The association was vague about what that alternative could be but said it may include regulation, strong protections for consumers and “robust tools for law enforcement” to put an end to illegal sports betting.

The association suggested that the sports betting effort will take place next year and will include research, “aggressive communications” and partnerships with casino executives, law enforcement, regulators, lawmakers and sports leagues.

And when it comes to daily fantasy sports, which officials have deemed a form of gambling in Nevada and New York, the association’s board wants “legal clarity and adequate consumer protections,” according to a statement.

“If daily fantasy sports is a legal activity, the casino gaming industry should have the opportunity to participate and partner with daily fantasy sports providers,” the statement said.
Legal sports betting currently takes place mostly in Nevada, but some form of it is allowed in a handful of other states. New Jersey has tried to find a legal way of introducing sports betting within its borders but has so far been unsuccessful.

Still, some prominent voices have called for the expansion of legal sports betting. Adam Silver, commissioner of the National Basketball Association, notably wrote an op-ed in the New York Times a year ago in which he argued in favor of regulated sports betting.

The announcement from the gaming association is consistent with the group’s recent actions and comments about black market sports betting and illegal gambling in general.
The association has already established a campaign against unlawful gambling, and it used the lead-up to this year’s Super Bowl to highlight its argument that Americans place far more illegal sports bets than legal ones.

Furthermore, the association had already said it was closely analyzing the state of sports betting in the United States. It framed today’s announcement as the product of a monthslong study that reflects “broad industry consensus” from casino operators, equipment suppliers and operators of sports books.
“The culmination of a thorough process within our industry positions us to work with a wide variety of stakeholders who agree that rampant, unregulated and illegal sports betting is a threat to consumers and the sports we enjoy,” MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren, chairman of the association’s board, said in a statement.

MLB Strikes Protective Global Data, Events  Deal

One might not think that baseball, compared to global sports like soccer and basketball, or a massive gambled-on sport like the NFL, would have gambling on their minds as a way to disrupt the game. However “America’s Game” has been marred by scandal in the past, and recently, the sport in Japan has been hit by a game-fixing scandal, with the Yomiuri Giants being handed an $800,000 fine earlier today.


So maybe it isn’t that surprising that MLB, under the progressive leadership of Rob Manfred, today announced a partnership with a company known for keeping some of Europe’s biggest leagues, The English Premier League,  Euroleague Basketball and the Football Association among them, scandal free when it comes to data and gambling. Sport Integrity Monitor announced their new partnership with MLB, and marking the first time any of the U.S. professional leagues have taken an advanced pre-emptive strike of such a larger scale to prevent issues in the future with regard to game fixing and the compromising of data in markets like Nevada where gambling is now legal in the U.S., as well as the millions of dollars that is gambled overseas.


 “Major League Baseball is pleased to work with Sport Integrity Monitor in this vital area, as this partnership will be an essential part of our initiatives to protect the game’s integrity.  We look forward to making use of SportIM’s expertise and market-leading monitoring solutions in order to ensure that we have accurate and timely intelligence,” Dan Halem, Chief Legal Officer of MLB, said in the release.


SportIM will monitor vast amounts of sports and wagering related data and statistics on behalf of MLB and report trends in real time. This new expanded monitoring program will help keep baseball at the forefront of security innovation as the global interest in baseball grows and fans in the United States and beyond move online to follow the action. The new partnership is an extension of MLB’s tough anti-corruption policy and its wide-ranging initiatives already in place. These proactive steps help to ensure that fans are always treated to a fair and transparent game, players have the utmost belief in having a winning mind-set, and league representatives are equipped with information and tools to maintain a clean, honest and exhilarating sport.


As legal sports gambling becomes more front and center in the United States, and the issues with DFS continue along, the integrity of data streams, as well as the credibility of those in the field, will come more into focus. While there is apparently no issue with MLB being compromised now, this move sends a loud and clear message to all that baseball is watching, and looking for improprieties, and that pre-emptive strike will be very helpful in maintaining security and integrity on and off the diamond for years to come for a game whose focus on technology and global growth is paramount.

BREAKING NEWS: NY BANS DAILY FANTASY SPORTS

Attorney General Tells Daily Fantasy Sports to Stop Taking Bets in New York

The New York State attorney general on Tuesday ordered the two biggest daily fantasy sports companies, DraftKings and FanDuel, to stop accepting bets from New York residents, saying their games constituted illegal gambling under state law.

The cease-and-desist order by the attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, is a major blow to a multibillion-dollar industry that introduced sports betting to legions of young sports fans and has formed partnerships with many of the nation’s professional sports teams. Given the New York attorney general’s historic role as a consumer-protection advocate, legal experts said the action will most likely reverberate in other states where legislators and investigators are increasingly questioning whether the industry should operate unfettered by regulations that govern legalized gambling.

In 2006, Congress tried to crack down on illegal online sports betting. Today, Internet wagering is thriving, and a new business that resembles gambling, fantasy sports, is winning millions of players and stoking controversy. The Times, with the PBS series “Frontline,” investigated illegal gambling in the Internet age.
Fantasy sports companies contend that their games are not gambling because they involve more skill than luck and were legally sanctioned by a 2006 federal law that exempted fantasy sports from a prohibition against processing online financial wagering. That view is increasingly being challenged as fantasy sites have begun offering million-dollar prizes and bets on individual sports, such as golf, mixed martial arts and Nascar races, magnifying the element of chance and making the exemption more difficult to defend.

On Tuesday afternoon, as news of the attorney general’s order began to trickle out, DraftKings sent an email to its players, saying, “Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is considering preventing New Yorkers from playing daily fantasy sports,” and added: “Hey, New York, protect your right to keep playing daily fantasy sports. Contact the attorney general today!”

Sabrina Macias, a spokeswoman for DraftKings, said, “We’re disappointed he hasn’t taken the time to meet with us or ask any questions about our business model before his opinion.” She said the company had 500,000 users in New York State.

Eric Soufer, a spokesman for the attorney general, disputed Ms. Macias’s account, and said the attorney general’s office had multiple meetings with representatives from DraftKings before the order was issued.In a statement, FanDuel said: “Fantasy sports is a game of skill and legal under New York state law. This is a politician telling hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers they are not allowed to play a game they love and share with friends, family, co-workers and players across the country.”

 

READ MORE AT ORIGINAL SOURCE: NYTIMES

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/11/sports/football/draftkings-fanduel-new-york-attorney-general-tells-fantasy-sites-to-stop-taking-bets-in-new-york.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

FanDuel Joins The UK Play

FanDuel Joins The UK Play
The line between gambling and daily pay fantasy may have clouded again in recent days as FanDuel joined FraftKings in applying for a gambling license in the U.K. The join the leader in the European pay fantasy business, Mondogoal, in having legal betting opportunities in the UK. The plan is to launch a European product in 2016 and is a departure from their long-talked about business of staying U.S. focused on football and the NBA.
“I think it’s an interesting proposition,” CEO Nigel Eccles said. “Candidly, we’re going to test the waters, but it’s an unknown. Everyone needs to prove that there is a market outside the U.S.”
“It may not even be a daily fantasy product. I told the guys, come to me with a skill-based product in the U.K. that you think will work,” said Eccles. “We think that sports is universal, but the way people engage with sports is different, and the right game for them might be different in every country.”
FanDuel’s first entry into a regulated gambling market comes on the heels of Eccles’s acknowledging that the days of unregulated fantasy sports in the U.S. are almost over. There’s some question about whether the economics of fantasy sports will work once regulation cuts into the profit margins. Mondogoal says it pays 15 percent of its gross revenue in the U.K. in taxes and that about 20 percent of its costs go to regulatory expenses.

Marino, Montana To Host World Fantasy Championship

Marino, Montana To Host World Fantasy Championship
 
FanDuel announced that Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Dan Marino will serve as hosts of the 2015 World Fantasy Football Championship weekend in San Diego on Dec. 12-13. The WFFC consists of 120 fantasy players who will compete in a one-day league vying for the first place prize of $3 million. “Joe Montana and Dan Marino are hands down two of the most recognizable players in the history of football. By bringing them together for the FanDuel World Fantasy Football Championship, we’re offering an experience that our users wouldn’t have access to otherwise. The finalists will have the opportunity to test their skills with two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play and then come back the next day to compete for FanDuel’s largest payout to date of $3 million.” said Nigel Eccles, CEO of FanDuel.

DraftKings and FanDuel, Where Did The Ads Go?

DraftKings and FanDuel, Where Did The Ads Go?
@thedailypayoff

If you were one of the millions watching the National and American league Championship Series last week, you couldn’t miss the perpetual ads for FanDuel and DraftKings? Were they touting baseball, which was winding down to a precious few games and really had little opportunity for even daily fantasy play with the World Series on the horizon? Nope, it was all about football. The natural assumption, given the buying patterns past, would be that the big audience watching the Mets and Royals in the World Series would have much of the same, lining the pockets of Fox salespeople and continuing the big event drumbeat that the two biggest players in daily fantasy sports have kept going.

The result? Almost nothing. Watching the World Series, you would think DFS had been wiped from the broadcast advertising world; no ads, no billboards, no credits, no nothing. Except for maybe one or two random spots that were seen, DK and FD said adios to baseball. Was it planned, or was it in response to the criticism the industry had been received in the past month, criticism that has brought largely unwanted political attention to DFS in particular.

“Our strategy on advertising was to have a strong presence in the market for the two weeks prior to the start of the season and the first week of the season. Since then, we’ve been scaling back every week and we plan to continue to do so,” said Janet Holian, DraftKings’ chief marketing officer, in a statement in the Wall Street Journal on October 20. DK did finish their promotion for subscribers to go to the World Series, part of their partnership with Major League Baseball, and there was some in-stadium digital signage in both Kansas City and New York, but other than that, crickets in the Fall Classic.

Will the big spends come back as football heats up? Or is the heat in the industry having an effect that is hitting the advertising world hard? Is a cold turkey stop the norm, especially with football going strong and FanDuel’s second-most targeted sport, basketball, just getting going? Some found the quick and sudden shutoff more than a bit questionable.

“Taper down is one thing but to go from a full out blitz that was getting negative feedback in the business community to total radio silence during the biggest and most visible week of the year is very strange,” said Ray Katz, a well=regarded sports marketing executive and professor at Columbia University. “In the NLCS and ALCS their ads (DraftKings and FanDuel) for football where everywhere. I think it is much more a result of the negative battle they are now in the midst of and the thought that staying quiet is better than continuing to boast about massive payouts and spend through massive cash outlays when both companies are embroiled in controversy. If I’m selling sports I’m sure I’m not too happy that the spigot has suddenly gone dry, and I will be interested to see when it is turned back on. It looks like future investments may be on hold until things get a little more clearer on the business front.”

In reality both companies have kept up a smaller but still visible radio presence on outlets like Sirius XM, and DraftKings just completed an extensive onsite activation platform at the NFL London Games. FanDuel continues to do it’s in-market programs with its NFL partners, and a look at the start of the NBA season can still find signage of both companies on display in arenas. But the steady and expensive stream of ads that ran one after the next throughout every big game and event? They seem to have been removed from the marketing spend, at least for now.

How the curtailing of the ad spend has effected play and performance remains to be seen for the long run. According to for the fifth consecutive week both DraftKings and FanDuel posted positive net revenue for their NFL guaranteed prize pool contests, even though the website SuperLobby also said FanDuel to lowered the guarantee for its headliner Sunday Million contest for NFL Week 9.

There is no doubt that the lobbying and posturing for DFS will go on for some time, as politicians continue their investigations into all areas of gaming, pay fantasy and gambling. For the short term, keeping those ads to entice casual players away from the widest audience in a large scale might be the best marketing the two heaviest hitters can do for the business.

Three NBA Owners Gamble On Future Analytics

Three NBA Owners Gamble On Future Analytics
@thedailypayoff

Ted Leonsis has never been one to shy away from opportunity, and he has been very bullish on the legalization of gambling in a city, Washington, that has hid from the issue despite the fact that the municipality itself could use the tax infusion sports books good bring in as much as, or even more than, most of its neighboring states.

So it wasn’t a great surprise that this morning, broken by Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick, came the announcement that Revolution Growth, the fund chaired by Leonsis, along with two other NBA owners of note, Mark Cuban and Michael Jordan, had made a $40 million dollar investment in Sportradar, the international data company that has emerged on the scene in the past nine months as not just the challenger, but the rising leader, in the business of leagues and analytics in their battle with incumbent STATS LLC. The deal was the latest win for Sportradar, with its US. Hub in Minneapolis, that also includes taking deals for data away from STATS for the NHL and the NFL as well as for NASCAR. What makes the deal even more intriguing is the fact that Sportradar abroad, works closely with bookmakers to provide data, giving Leonsis and company a unique partnership, should, or maybe when, sports gambling becomes league in the US outside of Nevada.

” I think a more regulated, what’s happened in Europe, where people will be able to bet. And regulating gambling I think is something that will happen here in the United States.,” Leonsis told Stephanie Ruhle at Bloomberg “GO” this morning. “ I think the states want the tax revenues. I also think you get the unsavory part of the industry away because you’ll know where the money is going. You’ll be able to do a lot better servicing for the customers. Think of the numbers, there’s $8 billion a year that legally in Las Vegas on the NFL. There’s $88 billion bet in an unregulated way, more than 10 times.”

What makes the deal even more interesting than just Leonsis are his partners. Jordan, now working to right the Bobcats, has never been one to shy away from gambling, while Cuban, known to place a poker bet now and again, has been averse to the notion of in-arena gaming, feeling that it would become too much of a distraction to fans trying to follow his Mavericks. In reality, especially with the continued stance of Commissioner Adam Silver and the ongoing scrutiny fantasy sports are receiving both at the state and the federal level. Both the Bobcats and Mans owners are seeing the potential money train, and like smart investors, are looking for the first, and most economical road in. With the NBA analytics partnership coming up soon as well, the investment by three owners may also give Sportradar an inside track into also unseating STATS in the hoops world as well, paving the way for potentially more investment from the deep pockets of NBA owners as data consumption and interest by fans grows.

While all of the legalization of sports gambling is still years away, either on the state or federal level, Tuesday’s infusion of capital into analytics by not one but three NBA high profile owners, could be a game changer as well evolves.

Police Thyself Fantasy Sports

Police Thyself Fantasy Sports

Can the Fantasy Sports Industry police itself? The answer appears to be we are going to try with some outside help. As broken by Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick today, The Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA), announced today that it will form the Fantasy Sports Control Agency (FSCA) and appoint Former Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris to chair the independent agency charged with creating a strict, transparent and effective system of self-regulation for the businesses that comprise the fantasy sports industry.

According to the press release:

The FSCA will be empowered by the FSTA to create a system consisting of four principal parts:

Standards: Develop a system of standards for the fantasy sports industry founded on transparency, integrity and ethical behavior.

Company Controls, Processes, and Leadership: Every FSTA member company will be expected to respond to the FSCA’s standards by establishing a system of controls and processes to ensure compliance. In addition, every member company will be expected to appoint a senior leader reporting to top executives and overseeing compliance efforts.
Auditing Policies and Procedures: Implementation of a sound, regular auditing process to measure and report on company compliance.

Enforcement: Establishment of a system that provides incentives and public recognition for compliance with FSCA guidelines and penalties for failure to comply.

“The issues and opportunities facing the fantasy sports industry can be best addressed through an independent agency supported by the industry and its members,” said Secretary Harris in the release. “The FSTA will continue to work closely with state and federal lawmakers and regulators as we develop and implement strong integrity programs. We are confident that an independent control agency can prevent any unethical, dishonest, or unfair behavior. In the process, we can save lawmakers and regulators the cost and effort of intervening so that they can expend their limited resources on bigger and more societally important challenges.”

The announcement comes after the entire industry has been under fire for a series of improprieties surrounding the two biggest players in the space, FanDuel and DraftKings, who allegedly had select employees using information obtained to increase their chances of winning. This caused all involved with fantasy sports to come under fire from elected officials in numerous states who questioned the legality of Daily Pay Fantasy vs. sports gambling. Questions remain as to whether all fantasy companies, who do not have to be FSTA members to operate, will abide by the coming standards and practices, but it is a strong step in the right direction for clarity and uniformity, and brings a level of professionalism to the industry which has seen unprecedented growth in the past two to three years.

The Three Takeaways From Hashtag Sports first-ever Hashtag Sports Fest

The Three Takeaways From Hashtag Sports

Last week, Hashtag Sports hosted its first-ever Hashtag Sports Fest, drawing digital leaders from across the country to the new Brooklyn Expo Center in New York City. The conference was a change from the traditional sports conference; it reflected the venue with a younger, more fluid vibe replete with food trucks and dunking basketballs, but the professionalism was certainly not lost.

1.Storytelling Is Priority One; But It has To Be Organized

“Our goal is deep storytelling with athletes that compliments the media landscape elsewhere,” said Jaymee Messler, CEO of The Players Tribune in their afternoon panel on how they continue to evolve as a platform. Messler’s thoughts were echoed on other panels throughout the two day event.

“You have to be able to communicate your messages in a coherent feed, not as one offs for everything to be effective,” added Twitter’s Danny Keens. “The continuity of the messages is what will make for successful engagement.

A narrative is nice, an organized narrative is what works.

2. Mobile Is Where The Money Is Going, Or Should Be.

Whether it was in questions about connectivity with the Barclays Center or how Bleacher Report engages fans, it was clear that mobile usage by teams leagues and brands is turning into priority one. “Before we post any story we look at how it plays out in mobile,” added USA Today’s Jamie Mottram, one of the co-founders of “For The Win.” “Of it doesn’t play well on a mobile device then we are doing it wrong.”

Keens, head of sports partnerships at Twitter, added that 90% of the video posted on the social-media platform is consumed on mobile devices. The engagement level was similar, if not bigger at Bleacher Report, where GM Dorth Raphaely noted that 80% of his site’s traffic comes from mobile and, at peak sports moments especially where consumption is with a younger audience, could go as high as 90-85 percent.

The days of the desktop first are gone.

3. eSports Entice

“You can engage a young audience at a fraction of the dollar engagement of traditional sports,” said Dan Ciccone of rEvXP. “For brands looking to find a way in, that’s really impressive and if done right, can be very powerful.” The combination of immersive experiences like Virtual Reality will also play a key factor according to some speakers. “We look at the clear picture and the crisp sound that we have created with a cardboard device connected to your phone, and you see what the possibilities are going to be going forward,” said Danny Glantz, head of AIG’s sponsorship marketing program when talking about their Rugby World Cup experience, the HAKA360.

While few could talk exactly to how brands can engage and to what extent, it was clear that eSports of today is what MMA and X Games were 10 years ago.

Storytelling through a mobile environment with a cohesive message; great points to take away from two solid days.

Firms Lining Up To Explain The Business Of eSports

It is a phenomenon whispered about like “MMA” was a decade ago, “eSports” the must have, must figure out platform that marketers craze to find that elusive young demo. Millions watching the NFL and World Series? That’s nice, but how about all those tweens following DOTA2 on Twitch? We want them, even if we don’t understand what it is we want or how we can engage with them.


That was one of the hot topics at the first-ever Hashtag Sports Conference in Brooklyn, NY this past week. While there was the general buzz around traditional marketing combined with the latest news on the ever-fluid fantasy sports mix, eSports found its own way into the conversation, with panels on fantasy eSports, engaging millennials, and how to activate in the space.


The activation impetus has been led lately by traditional sports business consultancies launching offshoots to try and understand the growing field and try and explain the business and its potential opportunities to brands who look at gaming the way a pioneer from the 1600’s may look at a Ferrari; with awe, confusion and probably more than a little fear. This past week mega consultancy GMR Marketing held what was essentially an upfront for the eSports business, bringing together some of the major players in the space and traditional brands to try and explain the business. On Tuesday in Brooklyn, one of the panels was led by industry veteran Dan Ciccone, no heading up the just launched eSports consultancy for rEvXP, a division of revolution Sports, another group looking to gain a foothold in the eSports business. “The access to eSports athletes and the passion of the players, along with their brand loyalty is what makes this very special,” Ciccone said. “However there is a steep learning curve brands, traditional brands, have when trying to engage in the space, and that is what we try to help explain.”


Companies hear of valuations in the millions, hundreds of thousands of downloads and views and sold out arenas around the world and all come running to see what the noise is all about. The question most have is how do buyers, mist at least thirtysomething, relate and understand what a teenager wants and expects from activation in what is basically a virtual world. Brands like Coke and Snickers, Ciccone said, have looked for ways to engage to varying degrees of success. “Coke is a great example of a company that found a way to make it work,” he added. “They created a social activation platform tied to some in arena events, and saw that their brand and products resonated. Snickers on the other hand made some big mistakes and really failed in what they were trying to do.” The snack company made the assumption that gamers like theirs and similar products, and selected teams of gamers to consume while playing live. The problem, Ciccone said, is that they didn’t understand many of the nuances of sponsorship in the game and underestimated what their immediate return would be. The activation was canned after a few months. “Understanding the culture, the game environment, and the players themselves is so key to making this work,” Ciccone said. “It is totally different from what works in traditional sports in many cases, and it can be pretty cost-efficient if the brand does well, understands the objectives and where and when to enter the space. If it isn’t done right, like any poorly thought out platform, it won’t work.”


Whether any of these new consultancies can effectively master the entry points, learn the positives and negatives of eSports and solve the growing mystery of brand activation remains to be seen. It took brands years to fully understand how to work in Mixed Martial Arts, with millions wasted by some who saw a gold rush and never took the time to understand the business. eSports will have many of the same opportunities, and an equal number of failures as it finds its viable place.


For now, the education continues, with new brands and media platforms entering and growing in the space by the week. Who will succeed? Like the games themselves, it will take a lot of work, coordination and dedication.

Trying To get OneUp In the Mobile Space…

Trying To get OneUp In the Mobile Space…


OneUp Sports offers live-action, edge of your seat, split-second decision making mobile sports platforms that offer a deeper and more engaging live-sports experience. Their platforms use the power of mobile and social technology, live sports data and content to bring professional sports teams, fans and friends together like never before. The company has really started to expand their portfolio and recently acquired one of the largest daily sports video providers for newspaper sites,CineSport, into the fold.


We asked John McCauley, a sports business veteran at places like Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment what’s next for OneUp and the mobile sports space in general.
Unique video content continues to drive engagement. How does the CineSport deal change or enhance your business model?


More video is consumed today than at any point in history. The CineSport deal with OneUp merges the platform with the most video views with a company that has created and aggregated a tremendous amount of content. The OneUp Sports Network will be able to utilize the video content to put in front of more fans.

How has the business changed even in the short time you have been around as a content platform?


Marketers are beginning to realize that brands have a lot of power in mobile. Sports brands today are creating engagement and merging the best services out there. OneUp Sports is bringing in different types of services all into one spot – the aggregation of everything around the brand for mobile.


Many teams and leagues are still struggling with mobile engagement. What is the biggest issue for teams or leagues?


Monetizing the mobile space is the number one problem facing all teams and leagues. It is tough for teams and leagues to create scale. The media marketplace is built off impressions but the sports industry traditionally has been the sponsorship model. We need to figure out a way to bridge that gap.

Who are some of the better partners you have that are mobile first?
Sports brands are just on the cusp of maximizing the opportunity that is mobile. It is the screen that follows the fan everywhere they go. We need to create more experiences, which will lead to more data, which will lead to more revenue.


What brands do the best at mobile engagement in and around sport?
This is not necessarily in sport, but I specifically love Starbucks since they are taking advantage of the mobile space and understand how their brand fits into their customer’s daily lifestyle. I am a fan because they really come from the perspective of making my life easier when I am in one of their stores.


Anyone that is improving his or her customers experience via mobile is doing a great job. To be quite honest though, not many brands are maximizing their potential yet.


Gaming is quickly becoming an even hotter topic. is there a platform where OneUp will look more to eGaming as well?


eGaming is clearly a growing space with millions and millions of fans but I am not sure there is a platform yet that has cracked the code on everything those fans want out of their eGaming sports experience. Since there is a clear demand for it, there will be a focus to capitalize on it fairly soon. OneUp Sports is watching this industry grow and keeping a close eye on it.
How does fantasy play into your model in the future; and if gambling becomes legal is there an opportunity you will look at then as well?


Fantasy has many different definitions; it could be playing our “Connect” game; following along on a second screen experience; or receiving alerts on some of your favorite players. We are catering to a certain sports fan that is a fan of a brand or particular game.
As gambling becomes more prevalent in pro sports in America (similar to what it is now in Europe) going forward, our company will be paying very close attention to this area of the business. It will be a big factor if regulations change in the near future.


The bottom line is we want to aggregate anything and everything fans want to do around live play. That’s our job and naturally gambling is always going to be a big factor.


How is the experience different for college partners vs. professional teams?


The media experience does not differ that much but generally the priority of college teams are slightly different than pro teams based on the needs of each individual market. Things like seat upgrades or amplifying their 50/50 draws are more important in the college space because typically getting fans in seats is usually not an issue.


What is next for the business?


The next big thing in mobile is going to be Virtual Reality (VR). It will be something that teams and brands will use to better tell their story and will be content that could directly be distributed through the mobile device.


Within next 24 months, every kid in North America will have the VR viewing devices. They will simply be able to pop the phone in the viewing device to experience the VR. This will create a distribution path for our partners to create innovative content.


From the financial standpoint, VR is not just a great storytelling tool but also will be an effective revenue stream.