On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams speak with Bo Han, CEO of Buzzer, a sports media startup looking to change the way fans follow games. Buzzer sends push notifications for key moments in sporting events, with links to buy one-time streaming access.
The company recently raised $20 million from a star-studded group of investors, including Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Naomi Osaka and Patrick Mahomes. Han discusses the benefits of working with athletes that are distribution platforms by themselves, and how his company plans to use that money to grow. Buzzer already works with a handful of major sports leagues, including the NBA, NHL and PGA Tour, with other conversations ongoing.
Han also talks about the generational gap between Gen Z and older sports fans. Younger fans are more athlete-centric, more comfortable with streaming as opposed to broadcast television, and more accustomed to the micro-transactions that drive Buzzer’s platform.
To close the show, the hosts talk about a potential tectonic shift in college sports. Big 12 powers Texas and Oklahoma, two of the largest athletic departments in the country, are reportedly inquiring about joining the Southeastern Conference, a move that would make the SEC the unquestioned nexus of power in the NCAA.
This episode is presented by Marsh, a global leader in risk management. Click here to read Marsh’s full report on safely re-opening stadiums.
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
