All Segments
a16z Podcast | Eyeballs on the Game
22 segments available
with Jeff Jordan (@Jeff_Jordan), Yogi Roth (@YogiRoth), Zack Weiner and Hanne Tidnam (@omnivorousread) For decades, the increasing value of sports teams, rights, licenses and more have been fueled by sports media. But dollars follow eyeballs, and eyeballs -- at least on the traditional broadcast -- are going elsewhere. "If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else,” Yogi Berra once said. So where exactly are those eyeballs going, and what does that mean for the sports media industry, now that each and every one of us is an individual media platform? a16z General Partner Jeff Jordan, Yogi Roth, Pac-12 college football analyst and former athlete and coach, and Zack Weiner, co-founder and president of sports media platform Overtime -- in conversation with a16z's Hanne Tidnam -- talk all about the evolution of sports media and content, and what it means for how we will consume sports in the future. How will the way we watch sports fundamentally change? How this begin to affect the game itself? How are athletes thinking about brand in this new world of sports content?
Segments Timeline
The Changing Landscape of Sports Media
In this segment, Hanne Tidnam introduces the podcast and sets the stage for a discussion on the evolving sports media landscape. The conversation highlights the decline of traditional sports broadcasts and the shifting audience dynamics, questioning where viewers are going and how this impacts sports consumption.
"hi and welcome to the a 16z podcast I'm Hannah and in this episode we talk about the changing lay of the land in the world of sports media as audiences of the traditional sports broadcast fall what ha..."
Decline of Traditional Broadcasts
Jeff Jordan discusses the significant changes in sports media over the past two decades, noting the decline of iconic properties like ESPN and Sports Illustrated. He emphasizes the impact of cord-cutting and the fragmentation of viewership, raising concerns about the future of media dollars as eyeballs shift away from traditional broadcasts.
"are a 16-0 partner Jeff Jordan Zac Wiener co-founder and president of sports media platform overtime and yogi Roth pac-12 college football analyst sports storyteller and former athlete and coach what ..."
Fragmentation of Eyeballs
The conversation delves into whether the decline in traditional sports viewership is due to a decrease in eyeballs or a fragmentation into niche interests. Jeff Jordan reflects on how highlights are now ubiquitous, leading to a loss of differentiation in sports media, and discusses the implications for the future of live sports consumption.
"buyers true cultural oh just a phenomenon I mean I grew up waiting for Sports Illustrated to come to the door and it would consume it cover to cover so that's now gone and what's driven the constantly..."
The Next Generation's Viewing Habits
The panel discusses how Millennials and Gen Z are moving away from traditional live sports broadcasts. Jeff shares insights from NBC Universal's management of Olympic rights, illustrating how audiences are now spread across multiple platforms, leading to a fragmented but still sizable aggregate audience.
"I asked my friends at ESPN why you guys just have two heads yelling at each other now what happened all these great highlights they go welding the highlights are everywhere that doesn't differentiate ..."
Engaging the Younger Audience
Yogi Roth emphasizes the importance of engaging younger audiences through innovative content delivery. He discusses the need for sports media to adapt by creating interactive and gamified experiences that resonate with the digital-first mindset of today's viewers.
"even less than Millennials a friend of mine manages NBC Universal and they have the Olympic rights and it used to be you know 20 years ago the audience all watched one channel now they estimate their ..."
Innovative Storytelling in Sports
The discussion shifts to the role of storytelling in sports media. Yogi Roth highlights the need for content creators to focus on engaging narratives that capture the audience's attention, leveraging platforms like YouTube to analyze viewer retention and improve content delivery.
"utilize the questions how and why obsessively you got to come correct like no longer are there three or four channels that we're just by default on a watch and even no longer are there 23 bang and cab..."
Gamification and Audience Participation
The panel explores ideas for making sports broadcasts more interactive and engaging. Yogi Roth suggests incorporating audience voting and gamification elements into broadcasts to attract younger viewers, emphasizing the importance of creating a culture around the game that resonates with fans.
"school point of view yeah and it's cool to see sort of like these professional athletes interact with high school kids but I'm even talking like take a Knicks game like how can we bring our influencer..."
The Future of Sports Media Economics
The conversation concludes with a discussion on the economic implications of the changing sports media landscape. The panelists consider how player contracts, ownership models, and media rights deals will evolve as traditional viewing patterns shift and new consumption models emerge.
"hours I think the audience has to be able to participate so I mean this is a wacky idea but we've had thoughts about okay if you have two or three broadcasters how can you make it so that the audience..."
The Future of Sports Media Contracts
This segment discusses the evolving landscape of sports media contracts amid changing viewership dynamics. The conversation highlights the challenges sports leagues face with long-term deals and the potential impact of declining viewership on future negotiations, raising questions about the sustainability of current business models.
"you think about digital content if we start seeing all this play out given these big economics of sports and sports media from you know the player contracts to the owners to the club's to the investor..."
Live Experience vs. Streaming Trends
The panel explores the relationship between live sports attendance and streaming viewership. They discuss the generational shifts in how fans consume sports, noting that while live attendance may be declining, there are still opportunities for innovation in how sports are broadcasted and experienced.
"do you cut a really long deal and so all the major sports leagues cut you know 10 12 year deals for billions of dollars but they'd locks in an annuity of money over some period of time the interesting..."
The Role of Technology in Broadcasting
In this segment, the conversation shifts to the potential for technological advancements to reshape sports broadcasting. The speakers speculate on how future broadcasts could leverage technology to create more engaging and diverse viewing experiences, potentially reversing current trends in viewership decline.
"down and a lot of the viewership is down I just read the number of unredeemed season tickets is increasing they're selling the tickets as fewer fans are showing up so there's something inherent in you..."
Adapting Content for Digital Platforms
The discussion focuses on the necessity for sports content to evolve in response to digital consumption habits. The speakers argue that simply transferring traditional broadcasts to platforms like Facebook is insufficient; instead, they advocate for innovative storytelling and interactive content to attract and retain viewers.
"happen yeah like pac-12 networks we're in a really fun spot because we own all of our rights and sometimes we'll be able to potentially make two deals by the time I'm some of the other conferences the..."
Niche Audiences and Personalized Fandom
This segment examines how digital platforms allow fans to connect with specific athletes rather than just teams. The speakers discuss the implications of this shift for sports fandom, suggesting that personalized content and niche communities are becoming increasingly important in the sports media landscape.
"order to figure out what actually works the legacy business is under siege but then that does create opportunity and the tools are different yeah all of a sudden you have all these different tools you..."
Personality-Driven Sports Content
The conversation concludes with a focus on the rise of personality-driven content in sports. The speakers highlight how younger fans often identify with individual athletes over teams, reshaping the dynamics of sports fandom and influencing how content is created and consumed in the future.
"sport I just want to watch Aaron Rodgers Tom Brady Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll on Sundays those are my guys those are my team's college football I want to see it all I think it'll be more things o..."
The Rise of Personality-Driven Content
The discussion focuses on how modern sports fandom is increasingly driven by individual personalities rather than teams. The panelists explore how younger fans often identify with players like LeBron James rather than the Lakers, and how this shift is influencing sports media coverage and the way athletes are marketed.
"lot of traditional sports media companies have really ignored for a long time covering this next generation of superstars first of all you want that immediacy you don't want to wait two days later for..."
Real-Time Highlights and Athlete Exposure
Zack Weiner introduces innovative technology that captures real-time highlights of athletes, emphasizing the importance of immediacy in sports coverage. The panel discusses how this technology allows for greater exposure of young athletes, changing the dynamics of sports media and fan engagement.
"then everyone is sharing that clip so now I'm gonna totally date myself that it reminds me of when you used to try and make a mix off their radio like hold on one second let me press play and you woul..."
The Impact of Social Media on Athlete Branding
The conversation highlights how social media is transforming the way athletes are perceived and marketed. The panel discusses the phenomenon of athletes like Zion Williamson and Mack McClung gaining significant followings and brand opportunities, illustrating the shift from traditional talent evaluation to social media influence.
"that makes total sense to me because it feels like it's like man on the street right that's exactly right so how does this new exposure on all kinds of levels to these younger athletes playing in game..."
Navigating Brand Identity as Young Athletes
The panel discusses the pressures young athletes face in managing their personal brands in the age of social media. They explore how this new reality forces athletes to mature quickly and consider their public personas, with some thriving under the pressure while others struggle to adapt.
"about your skill I mean lamella ball 3.5 million followers on Instagram might not even make the NBA so I think the social cachet that these guys have that's actually how we decide who we want to cover..."
The Identity Crisis of Student-Athletes
This segment explores the identity challenges faced by student-athletes as they transition from high school to college. The speakers discuss the importance of helping athletes define their goals beyond sports achievements and the mental health implications of being constantly in the spotlight, including anxiety and depression.
"I mean I know at 16 I was not mature enough to manage my own brand at all yeah there's immense pressure for some kids it's a good thing and it makes them mature really quickly and then you have other ..."
Impact of Media on Game Purity
The discussion turns to how the evolving media landscape affects the purity of sports. The speakers consider whether the presence of cameras and social media influences how athletes perform and how the game is perceived, suggesting that while some aspects may change, the core love for the game remains.
"recruiting letter I mean even you think recently about the whole Colin Kaepernick you know these 30 years old and obviously has a lot of influence and is able to make a decision and you know stand by ..."
The Evolution of Sports Viewership
In this segment, the speakers analyze how sports viewership is changing, with fans seeking deeper engagement and more personalized content. They discuss the shift towards a more passionate and dedicated audience that craves in-depth stories and insights about players and teams, rather than just surface-level coverage.
"the game do you think that's something that gets changed by this kind of different media consumption in the future so it changes scouting right does it change other things I think it changes a lot I t..."
FOMO and the Future of Live Sports
The final segment addresses the phenomenon of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) in live sports consumption. The speakers highlight how instant access to highlights and social media updates has transformed the viewing experience, leading to a desire for real-time engagement and the challenge of keeping viewers captivated during traditional broadcasts.
"y'all rollin with my team I even feel that ways of consumer if I watch a game and I'm kind of like man like you're just giving me like the general stuff right now give me two three deep on the depth c..."