Playbk Sports will have a big presence at the annual Sports Marketing Association (SMA) Conference to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina from October 26 – 28.
The conference is being billed as having the best content in over a decade, and Playbk Sports co-founder Jon Shepherd and Chief Operating Officer Rick Burton will present on separate panels to the thousands of guests.
Shepherd is due to sit alongside Carolina Panthers Director of Marketing, Dawn Turner and Ticketmaster Vice-President of Global Client Analytics, Karlis Kezbers.
The panel, titled ‘Fans of the Future’ will explore the emerging trends and technology that professional sports teams should embrace as they build a world for a new generation of global sporting fans.
For Shepherd, the panel represents an opportunity to share the work Playbk Sports have executed alongside their clients as well as unpack where the company sees the future of fan engagement.
‘We think Australian sports tech companies are well placed to share their stories on the global stage and I’m proud to represent Playbk Sports at the SMA Conference.’
Jon Shepherd, Co-founder at Playbk Sports
‘This opportunity will provide the global audience with an insight into how Playbk Sports is helping teams strategically repurpose their assets into revenue generating content that connects with fans in a 24/7/365 global economy.
The future fan will use technology to engage with purposeful and authentic content, and our clients are already at the forefront of unlocking the commercial opportunities that sit within this space.’ Shepherd added.
Playbk Sports COO Rick Burton will share his expertise on one of the most pivotal shifts within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules since Title IX – Name, Image, Likeness (NIL). This change to allow NCAA student-athletes to earn money from their name, image or likeness continues to be an important and evolving topic, one which Burton recently addressed in this Sportico article.
‘NIL represents a great opportunity for student-athletes within the NCAA to earn a living as they pursue their athletic dreams and complete their studies.’ Burton said.
‘However, with these seismic shifts comes a responsibility to support student-athletes in recognising how to effectively run their own business whilst showing up for training and keeping up their grades. Leveraging technology and engaging content to help student-athletes learn new skills will be critical and the college education system needs to consider how to provide purposeful learning opportunities in light of these changes. We think Playbk Sports can play a role in this area as we sit at the intersection of sport, learning, entrepreneurship and content/technology.’
The SMA conference will be the first stop in a three-week trade mission for Playbk Sports. The itinerary will take in business meetings with executive leaders from teams in the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), the men’s and women’s program for Major League Soccer (MLS), NCAA and the National Hockey League (NHL).
Since coming on board as COO in June, Burton has delivered the keynote for Playbk Sports Driving Fan Avidity and Revenue Showcase in Melbourne and has been busy since returning to the States, plotting the itinerary for Shepherd’s arrival in late October.
‘I got involved with Playbk Sports driven by a strong belief that the work we were doing in Australia can be replicated in North America, and globally for that matter. As I share our Aussie client’s success with teams over here in the States, there is clear interest to learn more – filling up the calendar has not been an issue!’ Burton joked. ‘Every team in the world needs to think differently about their sunk costs, fan engagement and revenue. We truly believe we have uncovered the secret sauce that can save teams time and drive commercial success, Jon and I are excited to share this with our networks in the coming weeks.’
The Playbk Sports trade mission to United States will take in opportunities on both the East and West Coast and as well as being invited as guests to several in-season games. Shepherd and Burton will be criss-crossing the country from October 26 through November 11.
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About Playbk Sports
Every team needs a playbook.
Playbk Sports makes delivering online content simple and effective with dynamic technology, immersive experiences and evergreen material that turns fan avidity into revenue
Playbk Sports works with your organisation by harnessing your logo, players, coaches, stadia, training facilities and team administrators and harnesses the power of those ‘brands’ or assets to create global fan avidity and strategic value your organisation can rely on in sustainable ways.
We create experiences that help sport organisations give their worldwide fans what they want – closer access to the sports they love
