Steve Byrd

I was pleasantly surprised to read about the impact of the Australian Open on the Victoria Economy. According to SportsPro, the Tennis Grand Slam has contributed AUS$3.14bn in economic benefits to Australian state over the past decade. Some of the other impact include: 🏆 The number of full-time jobs generated by the tournament increased 23.48 per cent to record 2,351 🏆 Visitors to Melbourne increased 7.34 per cent in 2024 🏆 The average daily spend per visitor was AUS$308 (US$205), up 6.2 per cent on last year and up 47.8 per cent on the 2020 pre-pandemic Australian Open This is so inspiring on many levels. 1️⃣ It shows that sports should always serve the community not just the organisers 2️⃣ Locals should always benefit even in global spectacles - 32% of all Australian Open attendees were locals, 34.1 per cent were from intrastate and interstate, and 9.58 per cent came from overseas 3️⃣ Thriving sports organisations means thriving communities, if done right Check out this incredible story here 👇

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opportunity

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The Aussie Government has introduced stricter classifications for videogames with gambling elements - Namely loot boxes and similar mechanics. They're now classified as M for Mature by minimum (suitable for 15 years). Studies have shown that gamers who participate in "simulated gambling" are 40% more likely to spend money on real gambling. Back in 2018 the senate called for an inquiry into loot boxes, and my previous esports association had representation there to present on our behalf. What was interesting is that they weren't at all interested what industry experts like us had to say - Take of what what you will. What are your thoughts on loot boxes, sticker capsules and the like? Should other countries follow Australia's method? Other countries have placed restrictions or installed softer methods such as Belgium, The Netherlands, Austria, Germany and more.

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This partnership is huge for us. It demonstrates and validates that what we are doing in the athlete management space is different and is the future! Within the athlete performance arena, everyone has a unique view on how they wish to analyze and visualize what they do with data. Apollo allows total flexibility in what you want to do with your data. This partnership gives your organisation a complete 360 of all your operations in a totally adaptable, flexable platform. This is why Apollo is different. And why Apollo is the future.

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Latest Sports Geek CEO series episode! Nick Sautner from Eden Park, New Zealand on the future of stadium experiences, the power of sports partnerships, and innovation in the stadium industry. Tag your #sportsbiz CEO and #sportstech colleagues to listen

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Huge day today for the NWSL in announcing its CBA with the players. The deal addresses a lot but there are two big changes 1). No more drafts, players select which teams they want to play for (guess this is a double match) 2). No trades without player consent Both obviously put a HUGE amount of power in players' hands. But what will this do to league parity and viewership/fan attendance? Do drafts and trades w/o player consent create a more even playing field and if so, lead to more revenue? Or are there other ways to maximize revenue to allow more teams to afford top-tier talent? And what does this mean as more European clubs lean more aggressively into the sport? Very curious to see how this plays out.

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What is the New Secret Weapon for Sports Brands? ⭐️Weekend Read ⭐️ 
Last week, we hosted a private session with over 100 sports tech founders and a leading sports media player, which shared their AI and Innovation challenges and wishlist. As the session neared its conclusion, the media leader delivered a powerful message that captured everyone’s attention: “Guys, we are committed to being the most innovative brand in our industry. For years, we’ve been trying to tap into global collective innovation - what we used to call open innovation, without sinking tons of money into big innovation hubs and programs. But now, I see a better way.  Instead of pouring resources into massive investments, I can see… - Full article in first comment Have a Fantastic weekend! HYPE Sports Innovation #sportsbusiness

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