Amar Shah

NBC Sports Next has announced a multi-year partnership with Pennsylvania-based Stronger Youth Brands, a youth sports and enrichment brand platform. SYB will utilize features offered by NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine Motion technology platform. The initial phase of the partnership will focus on Soccer Shots, which currently enrolls more than 600,000 children, ages 2-8, throughout franchises in 43 states and two Canadian provinces. Related Stories NBC Sports Next Partners with Stronger Youth Brands Unrivaled Sports Acquires Under the Lights Powered by Under Armour Play Hockey Partners with Team IP Unrivaled Sports Acquires YTH Sports Perfect Game Adds 21 Former MLB Players to Investment Group Soccer Shots, started in 2005, introduces sports to kids through an age-appropriate soccer curriculum. Its programs are operated by coaches and available through childcare centers, pre-schools, primary schools and public programming. The partnership will expand later in 2024 to also include Little Kickers, an international SYB brand that operates more than 250 franchises around the world. This is NBC Sport Next’s second partnership with a soccer brand, as US Youth Soccer began using the SportsEngine technology in March 2023. “We’re excited to begin our new partnership with Stronger Youth Brands, which is helping enrich the lives of young children and their families across North America through their trusted and engaging soccer programming,” said Brett MacKinnon, senior vice president and general manager of youth and recreational sports, NBC Sports Next. “Every Soccer Shots franchise will simplify the management of their business by using our versatile SportsEngine Motion technology, helping them to focus on what matters most, coaching kids and creating a rewarding experience.” SportsEngine serves more than 30,000 small and medium-sized youth sports organizations, tournaments, the USOPC and Governing Body community, amateur and professional sports leagues. Soccer Shots plans to utilize the platform’s cloud-based features, including registration and automatic billing, while providing customer experience with a mobile app designed for families and administrators. “After a robust search, we are thrilled to have partnered with NBC Sports Next as we continue on our path to providing premier youth enrichment opportunities to children and families around the globe,” said Kevin Stumpf, president of Stronger Youth Brands. “We are confident that with the SportsEngine Motion technology as part of our enterprise tool kit, we will simplify not only the day-to-day tasks for our franchise partners but also for our team members and the families we serve.” https://lnkd.in/eDWTSgdy

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SPORTS ALERT: Why Copa America Matters Copa America kicks off this Thursday! It’s more than just a soccer tournament—it’s a cultural celebration that resonates deeply with U.S. Hispanics. Here’s why our Tech and Gaming Partners like Samsung, Meta, Apple, Amazon and Activision/Blizzard are part of the excitement and for those of you that aren’t part of the excitement here’s why you should take notice: 1.         Cultural Pride and Passion: Soccer is more than a game; it’s a shared passion that unites millions of Hispanics across borders. Copa America brings together national teams from Latin America, allowing fans to cheer for their home countries while embracing their American identity. 2.         Engagement Goldmine: Advertisers seeking to connect with this vibrant community should want to be a part of Copa America. TU’s coverage draws enthusiastic viewers and ratings.  Soccer provides brands a unique opportunity to engage authentically. 3.         Brand Affinity and Loyalty: Aligning with Copa America builds brand affinity. When brands celebrate Hispanic culture, they earn loyalty and respect. It’s not just about selling products; it’s about becoming part of the cultural fabric. So, marketers, gear up! Copa America isn’t just about goals; it’s about connecting hearts, minds, and brands. 🌟⚽🎉

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We are thrilled to announce that WSFL-TV CH39 is now the Official Broadcast Partner of the Florida Panthers, The Stanley Cup Champions. The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers have signed a multi-year agreement with Scripps Sports to locally broadcast Panthers hockey free for residents of Miami/Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Myers. In Miami/Fort Lauderdale, all locally produced games will air on WSFL-TV, channel 39. In West Palm Beach, all locally produced games will air on WHDT-TV, channel 9. In Fort Myers, Scripps Sports will announce the broadcast channel in advance of next season. Under this new agreement, The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) has the ability to televise all locally produced Panthers preseason, regular-season and round one games of the postseason with distribution on cable, satellite and over-the-air television, becoming the new home on television of Florida Panthers hockey. Financial terms will not be disclosed. The deal has obtained the necessary approvals from the National Hockey League. “After back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances and celebrating 30 years of Panthers Hockey in South Florida, we could not be more excited about the future of our hockey team. Scripps’ distribution network and accessibility makes them the ideal partner to stream and carry Panthers content on and off the ice,” said Panthers President and CEO Matthew Caldwell. “Panthers content will be available for free over the air and we are thrilled about the new homes this will reach as we continue to grow our great sport.” Scripps Sports and the Panthers will collaborate to launch a team-branded direct-to-consumer application with details to be announced prior to the 2024-2025 season. This direct-to-consumer application will be the destination for live streaming of all Scripps Sports-produced games throughout the team’s territory in South Florida. Additional details will follow. Scripps Sports, which is now home to the last two Stanley Cup champions, will be responsible for the production of the pregame, in-game and postgame shows. Scripps Sports and the Panthers will partner to co-produce a weekly Panthers program that showcases the team, its players and the organization beyond the ice. “The Florida Panthers are the best team in the NHL, and their fans deserve to be able to see all of their games on every available broadcast platform, including free over-the-air,” said Brian Lawlor, Scripps Sports president. “When the Stanley Cup champions take the ice in October, Scripps Sports will be proud to bring all locally broadcast games to all the Panthers fans in Miami/Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Myers using our powerful over-the-air TV stations.” Media contacts: Panthers – Veronica Lempicki, (561) 871-8974, [email protected]                            Scripps – Becca McCarter, (513) 410-2425, [email protected]

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DURING THE FALL This past week: - We found out that Streaming hit its highest share of TV viewing ever. - We learned that YouTube surpassed The Walt Disney Company as the most watched single distributor - on the TV. - And we heard from Sony’s CEO that in the next two years the Media industry is in for “chaos - mergers and bankruptcies and sales and all kinds of fun things.” “The business will be in a period of chaos for the next 18 to 24 months. Just look at all the companies with cable networks that have this albatross of cable networks around their necks that they have to figure out what to do with.” https://lnkd.in/eGmhjXya The most surprising part of all this? That the collective braintrust of the Media ecosystem acted as if all of this was somehow surprising. “Vinciquerra is certainly not the first media executive to predict more consolidation in Hollywood, but he may be the only one using the most-damning language.” - IndieWire Really IndieWire? I have been ringing the alarm bell with much stronger language FOR YEARS. I have written the phase “Media Apocalypse” more times than anyone can count. I have been urging Disney to do big things like buy Roblox. I have been calling for David Zaslav to be fired for malpractice. I have been beseeching the C-Suites, boards, and shareholders of Big Media to look beyond the models of the past, look towards Big Tech lifestyle bundles as the the future, to collaborate with their data in order to better compete with the Trillion Dollar Death Stars, to empower younger product and project managers to make the transformations they need, and to (finally) put their consumers at the center of everything they do. While some of you reading this may have listened, few (if any) in Hollywood have. To be fair, it’s hard to hear the strategic advice of an outsider when your conference rooms are packed full of Ivy League fraternity brothers harrumphing their sycophancy in your ears. And boy are those free sushi lunches on the 52nd floor hella distracting! Now, as a consequence of years of corporately delinquent negligence and continual narcissistic anal gazing, Paramount is being sold for parts, Warner Bros. Discovery has lost 71% of its value, Disney (after an historically disastrous and permanently damaging non-succession) is AGAIN looking for a successor, Fox Corporation is reenacting (verbatim) the last season of Succession, and Netflix is playing a shell game with their failing ad business. So what’s a Media business to do now? More importantly, what the fuck happens NEXT? As we embark on the fall and begin the end of 2024, here (at the link) are my TOP SIX PREDICTIONS for THE NEXT 24 MONTHS... https://lnkd.in/ea8FHD33 Have a safe fall! 💀

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I think every sports fan can agree that the amount services and apps needed to watch one sport has reach an extreme point of absurdity. On top of that, you can't even pay to watch all of the games for the teams you are a fan of with those services. Let the fans pick and pay for the games they want to actually watch for the teams they actual like all from ONE app instead of having us play this game of "find the needle in the haystack of services" each year. #FreeCast #NextGenStreaming #StreamingWars #NBA #NFL #NHL #MLB #MLS #NoMoreAppDiving

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#radioworks ".....the study finds that while 59% of all fans listen to audio-based sports programming – including commentary and analysis, play-by-play, and sports talk shows – 67% of those age 18-39 say they listen regularly. “This is consistent with national listenership trends among younger demographics - they are audio-obsessed presenting radio stations with a unique opportunity to tap into this highly engaged demographic,” the report states. #sportsradio #audio #radio #marketing #sportsprogramming #results #Advertising #amfm #listenership #playbyplay

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Honored to contribute an article to SIE Voices Magazine, published by the Social Impact in Entertainment Society. In a world where content is ubiquitous, the entertainment industry holds a unique power to influence society. Films, television shows, podcasts, and theater productions not only entertain us but often challenge our perspectives, educate us on critical social issues, and inspire us toward action. Media projects have the power to shift culture but, without measuring the social impact of any media projects, we risk losing the opportunity to understand, replicate, and amplify their success. We list four key reasons why measuring social impact in entertainment is crucial. Can you think of any others? #socialimpactinentertainment #media #production #partnersinkind

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Remote production is a hot topic in the broadcast world right now! So hot infact, it's a topic at Innovative Insights, our upcoming Showcase, Expo and Industry Panel Session event on the 20th June. You should be there! https://lnkd.in/g2QvWEbb But back to the topic at hand...Remote production. If we are needing to have a system sit idle and be on standby onsite, not because of equipment failure but because of connectivity reliability, then what's the point?! Also, that's not very 'sustainable'!!!??? In fact it's quite the opposite. ooooooo now isn't this good material for a great conversation 😉 #weneedtotalk #innovativeinsights

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🇺🇸 You don’t have to be an avid sports fan like me to understand the value of sports fans; I think these Olympics showed that! 💡 Sharing for those curious, and especially for marketers- Here is the latest data and insights on the value of sports fans and how to leverage them to drive brand and business. 🔍 Here are just a few of my favorite stats from the article… Fans are: 🏆4x more likely to trust brands that support their teams! 🏆4x more likely to purchase from the advertiser! 🏆4x more likely to catch an advertisers spot on radio than TV! 🏆 What’s even better is that Audacy Sports advertisers see a 40% lift in brand purchase and usage! 🤗 Marketers- if you need help determining how to best apply this data to move the needle for your business or clients, LMK. I’m happy to point you in the right direction! #sportsmarketing #sportsradio #brandlift #marketingtrends #marketingresearch #paris2024 #media #strategy #influencers https://lnkd.in/gtHwDEbX

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Brief story on #BaP Brand as Performance and measurable impact of audience-first brand marketing because your time is valuable Awesome AdExchanger Ally case study below ⚽ 🏀 📈 https://lnkd.in/g7WsHTkS

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Resource Management Applications that deliver our video platforms to consumers are truly only as good as the people who build and run them. Case in point, Joe Daniel, Seven.One Entertainment Group. Joe oversees an array of applications for seven.one, across digital and legacy media, delivering everything from news to sports. However, as important as their tech stack is to their operation, Joe and I spent a good deal of time on the human resources needed to make the app trains run on time. In the daily disruption cycle that is modern entertainment, it takes high quality human resources to truly compete. The direct correlation between the right number of highly talented people and the ability to stay ahead of the streaming curve and deliver products that satisfy consumer need, is not something most folks in the C-Suite grok. Joe and I talked about the need for talent, the complications of managing a team that lives both in and out of house, and his very high expectations for the partners he brings on board. When we discussed when to BUILD vs when to BUY certain services for app development, we did NOT get into the nitty gritty of workflow, but rather, Joe focussed on the importance of TRUST. He reminded me that your investment in tech often doesn't matter, if you don't make equivalent investment in the humans who do the work. Thanks so much to Applicaster for empowering this series and shining a spotlight on the people in it. Catch a clip below. Watch the whole episode here: https://lnkd.in/emwKSEww #Apps #applications #streaming

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Ads are different on podcasts - they work better. Jeff Ulster has an excellent summary of the arguments. Commercial TV has allowed a total ensh*ion of the experience as accountants try to figure out just how much they can push us before we leave the medium (the same goes for commercial radio). Pods have had a different ad culture - and if they stay protected, we are in good shape as an industry. But - the forces of darkness are gathering. I have noticed some of my favourite shows (talking about you Scott Galloway) now have 3 minute or more ad blocks. I used to enjoy his reads on shorter ad stacks, but now I skip them. I'm hooked on the show, so likely some algo will tell his people they could even do more, but at some point, it makes me resent the ads I do hear before hitting the skip button, which undermines the special power of podcast ads. Since pods are great at delivering niche audiences, it makes the case for branded content even stronger. You can gather a few thousand fans a day/week who care about your area of subject expertise and, since they are often spending 20-30 minutes per episode with you, create a different kind of relationship. In short - and I know everyone who works in the medium knows this, but it bears repeating - if you want to form a genuine relationship with your customers, pods are effective. https://lnkd.in/gZhM4J8W

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Not sure how many times I need to repost charts that illustrate the dominance of PayTV vs. streaming services, but the stats don’t lie. There’s a BIG difference between a platform in decline and one that is no longer relevant. If you’re not investing in TV, you’re not investing where the vast majority of video is being consumed. #makinginformeddecisions

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Wrestling Predictions: Osprey vs. MJF Showdown! Join us as we dive into the thrilling world of wrestling! In this episode, we rapidly analyze wrestling matches featuring Gully, discuss the AEW Championship battle between Osprey and MJF, and share insightful betting predictions. Don't miss this action-packed wrestling breakdown! #WrestlingAnalysis #AEWChampionship #OspreyVsMJF #RapidFire #GullysWrestling #BettingInsights #WrestlingCommunity #SportsPredictions #ProWrestling #WrestlingFanatics

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