How Tradable Bits helps teams engage fans, partners

SBJ Live: AI and Computer Vision: How these technologies power automation across sports

The arcade-style games that can be specifically branded by the team for fan engagement, data collection and advertising with sponsors.

Not everyone is a gamer, but everyone plays some kind of game.

That was a major talking point from a conference that resonated with Lenny Goh. The VP of Partnership at Tradable Bits could immediately tie that back to the gaming capabilities in his own nuclear family.

“I grew up playing FIFA or NHL, but there’s not a chance I can play a bunch of these games these days,” Goh told SBJ. “But my son, who’s 6, can grab any of these games right now in the mobile game because they’re super simple things.”

Those mobile games can have high replay value and dwell times. And those potential benefits are illustrated by Tradable Bits’ latest offerings to its partners: customizable arcade-style games that can be specifically branded by the team for fan engagement, data collection and advertising with sponsors.

The games are produced from a partnership between Tradable Bits and the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Digital Labs. Goh estimated that a custom game, pending on complexity, could range in cost from $40,000 to $75,000 to produce. Goh said that Tradable Bits is “charging much, much less” for this feature as part of its product suite which is accessed through an annual SaaS license fee.

MLSE and Tradable Bits have worked together for approximately six years, creating opportunities for learning and innovation. Goh pointed to the pandemic and the digital ventures attempted during that time as a springboard for ideas like the arcade mobile games.

“What their (MLSE) commercial team was recognizing is that they wanted more unique ways to tell stories with their partners that weren’t just on a rink board, or just like an easier way to pull things together,” added Asha Kennett, Product Marketing Lead at Tradable Bits.

Tradable Bits started 13 years ago, carving spaces in the sports, music and entertainment sectors as a revenue generation platform. It’s based in Vancouver with two Australian offices in Sydney and Melbourne.

Goh said the company has 75-plus partners spanning North America, Europe and Latin America, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. That includes the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS, NASCAR, some colleges, and 17 of the 18 teams in the Australian Football League.

There are five game templates that teams can take advantage of now: Flickshot Frenzy, Face-off, High-Flyerz, Pop-a-Shot and T-Shirt Time.

During his nearly nine years with Tradable Bits, Goh said a go-to point the company makes to partners is about taking ownership of their data. Relying on social media for that, Goh says, is more like renting. He sees opportunities like these mobile arcade games are avenues to determine what draws fans, how many of those fans connect with their respective teams at multiple points, and ultimately, how to monetize sponsorships in a new space. Maintaining that connection with users outside of gamedays, or even outside of seasons, has to be the goal.

“There’s a lot of people who just think about the sports and marketing is on the gameday, and it has to be 365,” Goh said. “It's like always on. It's the times when the game's not on and how do we keep them engaged? And these are great opportunities to be able to do a lot of those things.”

The Pegula Family restructures it's sports holdings, PWHL announces home markets, facility renovation boom continues, and leaders to discuss potential changes to the College Football Playoff format.

SBJ I Factor presented by Allied Sports — Michael Goldstein SBJ I Factor presented by Allied Sports features an interview with Michael Goldstein, founder of SES Insights and a member of Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 class of 2019. Goldstein talks with SBJ’s Ross Nethery about how he transitioned from ESPN to Mastercard to now starting up his own marketing and sponsorship company. Goldstein also shares how testing out new waters has benefited him throughout his career and personal life. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards, such as Forty Under 40, Game Changers and others.

Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas on Friday night will play host to the return of SlamBall, and league co-founder Mike Tollin credits an organic groundswell among fans as a key impetus in bringing the sport back to life in the U.S. Tollin, who also serves as Mandalay Sports Media co-chair, spoke with SBJ’s Austin Karp about the relationship with broadcast partner ESPN, how the funding efforts exceeded expectations, as well as the potential roles both sports wagering and social media could play.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/07/28/tradable-bits.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/07/28/tradable-bits.aspx