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Matt Gardner is Vice President, Innovation & Digital Strategy for the NHL's St. Louis Blues, Enterprise Center, and Stifel Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to being 2019 Stanley Cup Champions, the St. Louis Blues were named the Sports Business Journal 2020 Team of the Year, and were also recognized by Fast Company as one of the 2020 Top 10 Most Innovation Companies in Sports. Matt has spent 20 years working in professional sports, providing leadership in innovation, technology, strategy, marketing, content creation and revenue generation. Prior to arriving in St. Louis in 2012, Matt was part of the marketing and digital teams at the NBA's Orlando Magic and the ATP World Tour. Matt serves as an advisor and mentor for Stadia Ventures, and is a founding member of Xvisory. He is a proud journalism graduate from the University of Kansas. Matt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgardner Bluenatics blockchain-based fan engagement platform: https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/blues-to-launch-blockchain-based-fan-engagement-program/c-344831002 ---- Subscribe to the Sports Tech Feed newsletter. Your source for in-depth sports technology insights, news, and analysis: https://sportstechfeed.substack.com
Entrepreneurs Austin Smith and Byron Abrigg sit down with Host Jason Shupp to discuss their academic journey together and emerging partnerships in co-founding a business. They talk about the opportunities to learn, empathy as partners and having a vision.Austin Smith is the co-founder of Mission Control, a community platform for recreational esports. As CEO, Austin primarily leads strategy and product. Prior to founding Mission Control, Austin gained exposure to gaming and startups as a venture associate at Stadia Ventures, an early-stage sports and esports venture capital firm. Austin is a graduate of Saint Louis University with degrees in economics and entrepreneurship and is deeply passionate about his hometown of St. Louis, urban policy, and community development. Austin also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University.Byron Abrigg is the co-founder, CCO and COO of Mission Control, a community platform for recreational esports. Byron started his career in venture capital and accelerators, serving as the Accelerator Coordinator at Stadia Ventures, an early-stage sports tech and esports VC and accelerator program in St. Louis, MO. In addition to his current work at Mission Control, Byron is also an Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University, where he graduated in 2017.For more information about Mission Control, visit:https://www.missioncontrol.gg/To learn more, visit:linkedin.com/in/jason-Shupp-18b4619bListen to more episodes on Mission Matters:https://missionmatters.com/author/Jason-Shupp/
For new moms and moms to be, it can get overwhelming when you see a breast pump for the first time let alone research all the brands on the market. Today, I'm meeting with the founders of a new breast pump on the block called Babyation. We're going to talk about how they are disrupting the market and helping families nourish their babies in a more effective, efficient way. Babyation was founded by Jared Miller and Samantha Rudolph, a husband-and-wife team based in St. Louis. Jared is primarily responsible for product development and oversight, as well as sourcing and technology. Samantha's area of responsibility spans all business aspects, including marketing and finance. Babyation's core team currently consists of six people, including five women and two people of diverse backgrounds. Jared Miller (CTO) is an expert in the implementation of emerging technologies. He leads all product development efforts for Babyation and is an expert in the implementation of emerging technologies. He leads a team of internal staff and trusted engineering subcontractors. With a background in system integration, IT engineering, and software development, his skillset encompasses all phases of high-tech project execution, from proposal development through conceptual and detailed design, to project management and execution. He has also been responsible for implementing quality systems and change-management practices at multiple organizations. Mr. Miller has developed the pneumatics, circuitry, microcontroller firmware and related software behind Babyation's breast pump, and is the lead inventor on multiple US and international patents. He received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a concentration in Computer and Telecommunications Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He has owned his own software and technology consulting firm since 2007. Samantha Rudolph (CEO) excels at designing innovative strategies for startups, nascent businesses and cutting-edge product launches. Sam spent nine years as a serial entrepreneur within ESPN, where she founded the pre-game area of ESPN's Stats & Analysis team, the group responsible for live scores and stats across platforms. She produced ESPN's creative staging for three days of live television from the floor of the Consumer Electronics Show, focusing on the company's big picture and brand. Sam was also part of the launch team at ESPN's Los Angeles division, and she oversaw the business development team responsible for evaluating new technologies. Sam graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received dual concentrations in Operations and Information Management (Decision Processes) and Management (Strategic Focus). Sam has served as a mentor for the Stadia Ventures accelerator since 2016, and she is the Treasurer of the St. Louis Breastfeeding Coalition. Sam is also a Certified Lactation Counselor. Meet My Guest: WEBSITE: babyation.com INSTAGRAM: @babyation FACEBOOK: /GetBabyation LINKEDIN: /babyation
Robert Schneider joined this episode of the Snacks from Dallas, Texas. He is a former paratrooper commander and Columbia Business School alumni.Rob is the Chief of Content, Development, and Strategy at Learfield – the leading media and technology company in college athletics. They connect brands with passionate fans through media, technology & data.He's responsible for growing Learfield's direct-to-consumer business across data, marketing & content. He's also an advisor to diverse organizations in sports like Stadia Ventures, Courtside Ventures, and Big Media Holdings.We talked about Robert's specific background in the military and the experiences that built his mindset around content and marketing. We then discussed the product mix strategy for Learfield through learning the reasoning behind projects like The Varsity Network and Learfield Studios. Lastly, we chatted about diverse trends around content, data, digital media, and innovation in college sports.Come snack with us!Listen on Apple | Spotify | GoogleFollow The Halftime Snacks Podcast on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to get all future updates on the show!Apply to be a guest on the Halftime Snacks Podcast here.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.Learn more about the intersection between sports, business, and technology by subscribing to the Sports-Tech Biz newsletter.
This episode of On Point features an interview with Rob Schneider, Chief Content, Development and Strategy Officer at Learfield. Rob has an accomplished background in corporate development and strategy. He drives innovation and acceleration across the content, data, and digital product teams at Learfield. In this role, he strategizes on how to support growth and development within the sports, media, and entertainment industries. Rob currently serves on the advisory boards of Stadia Ventures, Courtside Ventures, and Big Media Holdings. Rob served in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army as an infantry officer, graduating with honors from the United States Military Academy and earned his MBA at the Columbia Business School.In this episode of On Point, Rob talks about why he commissioned for infantry and how networking was so important to help him advance professionally after serving in the military. He discusses the steps it took to get his career started, including the importance of transitioning to new experiences and executive leadership roles. As well, Rob provides insights on sports and video gaming, and how Learfield is at the forefront of their future.---------------“Ultimately, my job here is the same as being a platoon leader in a lot of regards, right. I mean, it's to provide direction, it's to provide resources, to clear the brush so my team can be successful. It's important that I stay close to the business, not micromanage it. But, be close enough to appreciate the challenges that my team has and help build the trust and respect in experience to get things done. Let them know that we're all in the trenches together.” - Rob Schneider---------------Episode Timestamps(1:48) Segment: AAR - After Action Review(3:53) Rob's West Point experience(6:13) Why Rob commissioned for infantry(7:47) Rob's experience shifting gears post military(10:32) Networking after West Point(11:55) Segment: Situation Report(16:00) Rob's experience at Learfield(17:16) Why Rob remains at Learfield(18:47) Rob on the importance of transitioning to new experiences(20:53) Impact of COVID on Learfield(23:00) How Learfield is approaching esports(25:33) Rapid fire questions(27:44) Segment: Standard Operating Procedure(29:51) How Rob's West Point experience shaped him as a leader(32:26) Segment: Giving Back---------------LinksRob Schneider's LinkedInRob Schneider's TwitterTim Hsia LinkedInLance Dietz LinkedInWest Point Association of GraduatesOn Point Podcast
In this episode, Micah is joined by a childhood friend, Byron Abrigg. Byron is the cofounder, CCO, and COO of Mission Control, a community platform that organizes recreational esports. Byron started his career in venture capital and accelerators, serving as the Accelerator Coordinator at Stadia Ventures, an early-stage sports tech and esports VC and accelerator program in St. Louis, MO. In addition to his current work at Mission Control, Byron is also an Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University where he graduated in 2017.
MVP Interactive CEO James Giglio hosted Bobby Basham, Director of Player Development for the Chicago Cubs. Bobby has been a member of the Cubs front office since 2012. As Director of Player Development, he manages the Cubs Minor League System with a focus on internal innovation, business development, and technology exploration efforts for the baseball operations department. Prior to the Cubs, Bobby had both a seven-year minor league baseball career and worked in the healthcare industry as a product manager. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Richmond and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Bobby is a mentor for Stadia Ventures and has served on the Sports Innovation Lab’s Athlete Data Leadership Board, Northwestern University’s Center for Bio‐Integrated Electronics Sports Advisory Board, and USA Cricket’s High Performance and Pathways Committee, among others. He has been a speaker at various sports conferences, including SXSW.
Special guest: John Davidson, Founder and CEO of Davidson Learning Company John has had a storied career so far, working with companies like GameStop and Production Resource Group. He serves as Chairman of the Esports Trade Association and advises for Stadia Ventures, Dallas Influencers in Sports & Entertainment (DISE), The Uptown Agency, and University of North Texas Sport Entertainment Management MBA. He also recently started the Davidson Learning Company. John does a VERY CRITICAL job in the gaming ecosystem by helping outside brands engage with the community. He understands the nuances of this very diverse industry and helps brands connect with the numerous sub-cultures that exist within esports. Be sure to tune in EVERY TUESDAY (on my LinkedIn page) at 9am CST to catch my podcast and learn everything that is esports! https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyrmartin/
In this episode, your host, Alex, speaks with John Davidson about networking and how to connect with people on their level. They discuss what not to do when connecting with people and it involves not asking for that selfie if you can help it. If you find yourself in a role where networking is vital to your career, but you just don’t know how to do it, then this is the episode for you. John Davidson has led an extremely diverse life from being a professional skateboarder to doing a TEDx talk and now as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Esports Trade Association. He has traversed all different industries and has learned how each group of people networks slightly differently. For him, networking is all about relationship building and serving others before selling them on something. John says you have to be genuine with people and that’s how you build a long term, mutual relationship with them. He is an active speaker on gaming and youth marketing, is formerly the Head of Partnerships at Game Stop and currently leads Esports for PRG, the world’s leading event technology company. Ever the multipotentialite, John is also an advisor for Stadia Ventures and Dallas Influencers in Sports and Entertainment. Through a diverse career in skateboarding, video production, marketing and business development, John has a unique perspective and understanding of sub-cultures and consumer behavior. Stay up-to-date on all of John’s happenings by following his journey. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-davidson-42953846/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/j0hndavids0n?lang=en Esports Trade Association Conference: https://bit.ly/2CpVLuo
Tim Hayden is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Stadia Ventures, the global Sports Innovation Hub for entrepreneurs, industry partners and investors. Chris Hana and Tim discuss Stadia’s investment philosophy, why Stadia also invests in esports, technological trends, why traditional sports is ahead of esports when it comes to monetization, and what both industries can learn from each other. They also chat about how Stadia built a big network of supporters across both industries and how they bring both worlds together.
Since 2004, Mike has served as Business Manager for the multi-platinum hip-hop artist Nelly. Through restructuring Nelly’s apparel line Apple Bottoms from from a production firm to a licensing entity, Mike was able to grow the business from $2M in revenue in 2004 to over $100M in 2008. In early 2015, Michael Chaffin and Mark Cuban co-launched the THREE COMMAS apparel line, a concept derived by Mark Cuban based on the fact that there are 3 commas in a billion dollars. The line is the first developed for the aspiring entrepreneur.While Three Commas came from the fact that there are three commas in a billion, the money is not what it is about. It is about the entrepreneur - from the place where the dream began, to where the dream becomes a reality. Three Commas is about the journey and seeks to encourage people to achieve their goals, pursuing the American Dream. There is no other place that gives everyone this great opportunity to succeed. It's not about having a billion dollars, but the daily reward of hard work, passion, and dedication that brings the true meaning of success. Three Commas is the brand for the driven entrepreneur. Mike is active in the startup community serving as a judge and mentor for Stadia Ventures sports accelerator. He has served on the Governing Board of Make-A-Wish Missouri which he is now an alumni of and has also formerly served on the Board of Directors for Covenant House, an international charity that focuses on homeless teenagers. (Interviewed by StartupGrind's Chris Joannou)
A rising tide lifts all boats. It’s cliché, I know, but it’s true. And if you don’t believe me, look at successful accelerators. Accelerators like Stadia Ventures, who are growing exponentially themselves as they give sports technology startups the tools they need to thrive. Today, I caught up with Tim Hayden, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Stadia and picked his brain about what it takes to succeed at helping others succeed. We went over: How Stadia got started accelerating startups Why coachability is the best metric for predicting startup success What changes the COVID-19 crises brings to the game This episode is hosted by John Grispon. Founder and Sales Coach at Early Revenue, as part of the #Revenue series on B2B Growth. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to the B2B Growth Show on Apple Podcasts, on our website, or on Spotify.
Rebecca Longawa is Founder + President of Happy Warrior and an Esports Advisor to Stadia Ventures and Brickhouse Ventures. Rebecca told me she has a love for people which makes her a natural connector. She also talks about how her dad inspired her brand, Happy Warrior, and how esports continues to foster connection. With over 20 years of experience in sports marketing and innovation, Rebecca runs her own consultancy agency, is an advisor for three global sports-tech investment firms and an Advisory Board Member for a number of sports-tech startups. She is a go-to for both brands & athletes looking for strategic introductions, ambassador partnerships, post-career advice and personal branding. Our conversation starts in gerbil tunnels, continues into the VC world of esports investment and crosses the finish line with the evolution of connecting through esports & esports-esque systems and platforms.
John Davidson, TEDx and active speaker on gaming and youth marketing, is formerly the Head of Partnerships at GameStop and now leads Esports for PRG, the world’s leading event technology company. John also serves as President of the Esports Trade Association, advisor for Stadia Ventures and Dallas Influencers in Sports and Entertainment. Through a diverse career in skateboarding, video production, marketing and business development, John has a unique perspective and understanding of sub-cultures and consumer behavior. TED Talk: https://youtu.be/4StLXX1k_9I The Berrics Skateboarding x Business Feature: https://www.facebook.com/berrics/posts/john-davidson-is-gamestops-head-of-partnerships-the-president-of-the-esports-tra/2162431630477017/
In this interview, we speak with Eileen Valois. Eileen talks about the reason she works at Production Resource Group (PRG), and chats about her involvement with Sports Innovation Hub, Stadia Ventures. She then brings us up to speed on the Live Events Coalition, including its mission, goals, their current initiatives, and the significant traction, AND membership, it's gained since its recent founding. Eileen Valois: Senior Vice President – Strategic Initiatives, Sports & Fan Engagement, PRG Twitter: @EileenMValois LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenvalois/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eileenvalois/ Email: evalois@liveeventscoalition.org Production Resource Group (PRG): https://www.prg.com/ Stadia Ventures: http://www.stadiaventures.com/ Live Event Coalition: http://liveeventscoalition.org Live Events Coalition Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eventindustryaid/about/ Change.org Petition: https://www.change.org/p/donald-j-trump-federal-aid-package-for-events-industry Terri Walters: Twitter: @TerriLWalters LinkedIn: Twitter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrilwalters/ Moonfish Production: www.moonfishproduction.com Facebook: @MoonfishCreative Email: info@moonfishproduction.com Event Yak: www.eventyak.com Facebook: @TheEventYak Email: terri@eventyak.com Episode 3 By the Numbers: 00:00 | Terri Walters Meet Eileen Valois: Advisor, Stadia Ventures; PRG; Executive Committee/PR Chair, Live Events Coalition. 05:07 | Eileen Valois Eileen illuminates us to the world of Stadia Ventures – the SHARK TANK of the sports & Esports ecosystem. 11:54 | Eileen Valois The heart of the matter – staying active, connected, learning, mentoring, and growing. 16:50 | Terri Walters Mentoring, encouragement and learning in the events industry. How are we doing? What’s your legacy? 21:00 | Eileen Valois Innovating at PRG. Evolving the event experience. Creating amazing events. Engaging audiences. 24:08 | Terri Walters As a Producer, what’s your Value Proposition? 27:50 | Eileen Valois PRG re-tooling to help save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. 29:23 | Eileen Valois COVID-19 quickly and thoroughly devasted the Live Events business putting 10 million jobs at risk. Enter: Isaac Rothwell, Founder, Live Events Coalition (LEC). How do we pull together like never before to save our industry? 44:42 | Terri Walters How can people get involved, help, support and utilize the Live Events Coalition? www.LiveEventsCoalition.org 50:14 | Eileen Valois Live Events Coalition creates the “Faces Behind Events” campaign. Bringing typically “behind-the-scenes” event pros to the fore to create awareness about the people who make the industry run, and the needs of a devasted industry in the wake of COVID-19. 54:00 | Eileen Valois The National Live Events Coalition moves into local Chapters to better serve their business communities.
Tim is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Stadia Ventures, a global Sports Innovation Hub (including accelerator and venture fund) for early-stage investment in sports and esports. They have 40 portfolio companies since their launch in 2015 which have gone on to raise over $53M (including 5 exits). Tim is also a Senior Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University where he teaches Undergrads and Masters students in one of the top-ranked Entrepreneurship program in the US. On today's episode, we explore the investment trends Tim has seen over the last five years, including the rise of esports and the globalisation of sports capital. We also discuss the essential attributes Tim and the Stadia team look for when making investments in startup founders. Shownotes and more episodes: https://sportstechfeed.com/
Sports Geek - A look into the world of Sports Marketing, Sports Business and Digital Marketing
Sports Geek Replay episode with Tim Hayden from Stadia Ventures - learn more at https://sportsgeekhq.com/sgr-tim-hayden
Sports Geek - A look into the world of Sports Marketing, Sports Business and Digital Marketing
Sean Callanan chats with Tim Hayden from Stadia Ventures about startups, sports and innovation. Learn more about the world of startups and how sports teams & leagues can help the sports technologfy industry grow. Full show notes - https://sportsgeekhq.com/podcast/tim-hayden-stadia-ventures/
Former executive Art Chou lends his expertise to the locally-based company's sale. He's currently with Stadia Ventures. Matt Menietti of GlobalHack explains how coders can help immigrants. Donn Rubin of BioSTL and GlobalSTL and Ginger Imster from STL Partnership talks about why foreign tech companies are choosing St. Louis for their North American presence.
Stadia Ventures keeps bringing sports start-ups and tech types through St. Louis. We talk with Stadia co-founder Tim Hayden and Matt Fineberg of Pico.buzz. Then, a local start-up publication has been sold. EQ founder Kelly Hamilton and Longneck & Thunderfoot president Jonathan Allen.
Does your calendar revolve around professional sports seasons? Are you the designated sports expert among your friends? Were you the one who organized the office-wide fantasy football league this year? If you answered yes to these questions, you might want to consider launching a sports-related startup.If you start that business, we have a new offering in our region that can potentially it and you to the next level. Today, we have Tim Hayden, co-founder of Stadia Ventures, a very unique offering that is a Sports Innovation Hub for entrepreneurs, industry partners and investors created to solve the pain points ofthese distinct voices. According to them—they help entrepreneurs navigate the entrepreneurial path and immediately connect them to their network, they help investors by educating, validating and driving deal flow directly to the best sports business opportunities available, and they help Industry partners byacting as their innovation brokers to maximize deal flow and minimize risks. All of this is accomplished through their Stadia Accelerator and Stadia Academy aspects of the Hub organization they created. They've also introduced a couple of new offerings to the mix, Stadia Next and StadiaFirstLook. Talk about always innovating—these guys are staying on the innovative cutting edge!
Entrepreneurially Thinking: Innovation | Experimentation | Creativity | Business
Does your calendar revolve around professional sports seasons? Are you the designated sports expert among your friends? Were you the one who organized the office-wide fantasy football league this year? If you answered yes to these questions, you might want to consider launching a sports-related startup.If you start that business, we have a new offering in our region that can potentially it and you to the next level. Today, we have Tim Hayden, co-founder of Stadia Ventures, a very unique offering that is a Sports Innovation Hub for entrepreneurs, industry partners and investors created to solve the pain points ofthese distinct voices. According to them—they help entrepreneurs navigate the entrepreneurial path and immediately connect them to their network, they help investors by educating, validating and driving deal flow directly to the best sports business opportunities available, and they help Industry partners byacting as their innovation brokers to maximize deal flow and minimize risks. All of this is accomplished through their Stadia Accelerator and Stadia Academy aspects of the Hub organization they created. They’ve also introduced a couple of new offerings to the mix, Stadia Next and StadiaFirstLook. Talk about always innovating—these guys are staying on the innovative cutting edge!
Does your calendar revolve around professional sports seasons? Are you the designated sports expert among your friends? Were you the one who organized the office-wide fantasy football league this year? If you answered yes to these questions, you might want to consider launching a sports-related startup.If you start that business, we have a new offering in our region that can potentially it and you to the next level. Today, we have Tim Hayden, co-founder of Stadia Ventures, a very unique offering that is a Sports Innovation Hub for entrepreneurs, industry partners and investors created to solve the pain points ofthese distinct voices. According to them—they help entrepreneurs navigate the entrepreneurial path and immediately connect them to their network, they help investors by educating, validating and driving deal flow directly to the best sports business opportunities available, and they help Industry partners byacting as their innovation brokers to maximize deal flow and minimize risks. All of this is accomplished through their Stadia Accelerator and Stadia Academy aspects of the Hub organization they created. They’ve also introduced a couple of new offerings to the mix, Stadia Next and StadiaFirstLook. Talk about always innovating—these guys are staying on the innovative cutting edge!
Ameren is launching its own accelerator program to attract and invest in energy-related tech start-ups. Chairman and CEO Warner Baxter shares the news. Brian Dixon of Capital Innovators and Dan Lauer from UMSL Accelerate, two partners in the program, join us. Also, it's opening day for the Cardinals, so we'll talk sports start-ups with Art Chou of Stadia Ventures.
"There's money & there's smart money. We believe there is capital, then there's creative capital." Dylan Boyd, Managing Director of the Dodgers Accelerator, joins the show to talk tech startups in the sports industry. Dylan tells his story and how he got into startups beginning with founding a digital agency that he grew to 80 people. We define some common terms in startups to give listeners who may not be familiar a basic education for beginning to understand the industry. In addition, we discuss how accelerators work—specifically the Dodgers Accelerator elaborating on their business model, R/GA's role in the joint venture, as well as what stage a company should be when they choose to apply to the Dodgers Accelerator. We touch on why accelerators are growing exponentially and how creative services providers can break into startups either working with companies or creating their own. Lastly we discuss what college athletics can do to innovate and invest in their own student bodies to create sports companies. Mentions include: Dylan Boyd's Twitter Dodgers Accelerator Dodgers Accelerator's Twitter R/GA Urban Airship TechStars Nike+ Accelerator AKQA Publicis Group PIE Portland Wieden+Kennedy True Ventures Kliener Perkins Caufield & Beyers (KPCB) First Round Science Inc. Ustwo Monument Valley Google Ventures Coachbase Nike entrepreneur-in-residence Can Tech Entrepeneurship Level the Playing Field of College Athletics Stadia Ventures My next guests are the founders of Infinite Scale. Amy Lukas, Cameron Smith & Molly Mazzolini join us to tell their stories and give us some insight into a few of their projects such branded environments for the College Football Playoff and the NHL All-Star Game. For more on Infinite Scale, see their site. Sign up for the weekly email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. You can also show your support for the podcast by joining the community and keeping it sponsor-free. Did you enjoy this episode? Then please rate and/or write a review of the show on iTunes. Also, be sure to follow show host, @TAdamMartin and @MakersofSport on twitter and Dribbble.