Weekly Newsletter 6/14
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INNOVATION IN ACTION
RETHINKING THE RETAIL EXPERIENCE
Venues and retailers are taking a decisively different approach to bring Fluid Fans back after the pandemic. The goal is clearly aligned with Fluid Fans' desire to have new experiences. No better example than Dick's Sporting Goods opening its 3rd House of Sport complete with simulators, tech visualizations, and climbing walls, sports enthusiasts get more ways to experience what they're buying. We often talk about how the in-venue experience is about so much more than the game. Dick's has taken that same mentality to the retail industry. You can no longer rely on having premier brands and loads of inventory. You need to create a memorable shopping experience for consumers that can challenge the ease of the point-and-click lifestyle they have grown accustomed to.
Sports Innovation Lab Events
USING A PLATFORM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
This week's Fluid Fan Podcast episode features a fantastic conversation between ESPN's Sarah Spain and our CEO Angela Ruggiero. You'll learn about Sarah's rise through the sports media world, and some great lessons she's learned along the way. Hear how she uses her platform to foster change throughout the industry. When she is not captivating audiences on the ESPN platforms, she's an influential advocate for equality, a philanthropist, and working as co-owner of the NWLS' Chicago Red Stars. Catch all that and more when you tune in on iTunes or Spotify.
CREATING A MORE SUSTAINABLE SPORTS INDUSTRY
We are excited to release our latest ground-breaking piece of research produced in collaboration with Dow Sports, Getting Into the Game: The Sports Industry's Responsibility to Our Planet. To meet the global need for climate action, we need a collective commitment, where leaders in every industry—including the sports industry—work towards sustainable solutions. Sports, in particular, have the opportunity to not only foster positive change within the industry but also be a shining example for other industries to look toward. Learn how leaders in our industry are investing, staffing, and planning for a more sustainable sports industry.
The Fan Project Spotlight
MORE DOLLARS ENTERING THE WOMEN'S SPORTS MEDIA MARKET
We'd like to congratulate our Fan Project Partners at Just Women's Sports on their recent fundraising announcement. The media platform raised $6 million in a funding round led by Blue Pool Capital, the family office of billionaire Joe Tsai. Bolt Ventures, the family office of David Blitzer, investment firm SC Holdings, women’s tennis pioneer Billie Jean King, Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang, and sports NFT marketplace Dapper Labs also participated in the round. As the women's sports market continues to grow and garner larger audiences, the delivery of content becomes more and more vital. Dedicated platforms, like Just Women's Sports, are going to be key in the coverage and distribution of this rapidly growing sector of the market.