Sports Pro VR

In the world of virtual reality gaming, Status Pro has emerged as a frontrunner with their groundbreaking partnership with the NFL and NFLPA. This collaboration has resulted in a unique and immersive virtual reality football experience that allows players to step into the shoes of their favorite NFL stars, including the likes of Lamar Jackson, the quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens. In this blog post, we will delve into the details of this exciting venture and explore the potential it holds for revolutionizing the gaming industry.

The Genesis of Status Pro: Founded by Andrew Hawkins, a former NFL player, Status Pro is the brainchild of someone who understands both the thrill of playing professional football and the limitations faced in pursuing a career in coaching. As an African-American individual, Hawkins encountered barriers when trying to break into the coaching world due to a perceived lack of experience. Undeterred, he decided to take matters into his own hands and create a simulator that not only provides the experience of playing and training as an NFL quarterback but also offers a fun and immersive gameplay experience.

The Virtual Reality Revolution: Status Pro's virtual reality headset takes players deep into the metaverse, offering an unparalleled level of immersion. The first-person view from the field brings to mind the nostalgia of NFL 2K5, a beloved game that had the potential to rival Madden as the dominant football video game. Now, with Status Pro, players can finally experience the thrills and rushes of being on the field, calling plays, and embodying their favorite NFL stars. Breaking the Monopoly: One common complaint among gamers is the lack of innovation and immersion in football video games. Madden, with its long-standing monopoly over the genre, often falls short in delivering a truly captivating experience. Status Pro aims to change that by offering a more immersive and intricately designed gameplay experience. With the NFL's official sanctioning, Status Pro has licensed all the necessary partnerships, making it an authentic NFL gaming experience. The Future of Status Pro: While virtual reality gaming is still in its early stages, Status Pro's partnership with the NFL and NFLPA ensures a promising future. The company's expansion to platforms like PlayStation VR and its potential integration with Xbox's VR capabilities open up new avenues for gamers to dive into the world of virtual football.

As the popularity of VR grows and more players invest in VR headsets, the demand for innovative and immersive gaming experiences like Status Pro is likely to increase, propelling the company to new heights. Conclusion: Status Pro's collaboration with the NFL and NFLPA has given rise to a truly unique virtual reality football experience. By simulating the game and allowing players to step into the shoes of their favorite NFL stars, Status Pro sets a new standard for immersion and gameplay innovation. With the promise of further development and expansion, Status Pro is well-positioned to captivate the gaming community and redefine the future of football gaming. Get ready to buckle up your virtual reality headset and experience football like never before with Status Pro.

Mercury 13 looking to invest in Women's Sports Franchises

I came across an article by Reuters on Mercury 13 group, a group led by sports entrepreneur Victoire Cogevina Reynal, ex England forward Eni Aluko, and former Aston Villa and Angel City sporting director and ex Italy goalkeeper Arianna Criscione.

The group said they are in advanced negotiations to acquire first division teams in Spain and Italy while clubs in Argentina and Uruguay are their next targets. This follows recent data produced by Women’s Sport Trust that women’s soccer is now the fourth most viewed sport within the United Kingdom in 2023 thus far. The report entitled, ‘Visibility Uncovered’ claims that the average time people have spent watching women’s sports on linear television in 2023 has increased by 28%. In addition to this increase the Women’s World Cup broke television and viewing figured in Spain and England.

We have discussed on the seed talk podcast the recent rise in American investors into European soccer. Over the past 40 years or so, every single team in all four of the United States’ major sports has

increased exponentially in value—inexorably through all manner of catastrophe, and at an average rate

that far outpaces that of both inflation and the S&P 500. Superimposing American expertise in the live

sports space onto a traditional, outdated, and mismanaged European club will produce quick financial

gains. With addition of high profile names utilizing celebrity and brand to drive investment and returns in European soccer. I’m bullish on Women’s Sports in Europe. I believe this will be a large market for American investors going into 2024.

Disney partners with Dapper Labs

I will admit I was excited when Dapper Labs came out with NBA Top Shot. I have 1000’s of cards from collecting in the 90’s and early 00’s and thought what a great way to innovate on trading cards and collecting. Two years later and honestly i couldn’t tell you what my NBA Top Shot password is. I did sell a Giannis moment for close to $100 and that was my trading experience. Reading through various newsletters I stumbled upon Disney partnering with Dapper Labs to create an NFT marketplace which will be called Disney Pinnacle. Disney is a different beast when it comes to retail success. In 2021 Disney opened a British retail location which generated $91.9M in revenue in 2022. In 2021, Disney sold over $56.2B in licensed merchandise worldwide. Those figures are key to why Dapper Labs is betting that Disney will turn the NFT fortune around.

The NFT platform will launch later this year on IOS, Google, and web.

Sports Technology in Baseball

My favorite baseball bat growing up was the grey Easton. It felt like swinging a whiffle ball bat in my hand. In 2023 baseball has found its way to integrate technology into it’s bats. Marucci and Diamond Kinetics have unveiled the Marucci CATX Smart bat, the first bat with an integrated sensor and approved by the USSSA for in game use.

The CATX smart bat has the same feel and weight as a normal bat but has a sensor knob at the bottom. The sensor leverages state-of-the-art technology to gamify training with missions and challenges that reward participation. Each bat has a unique ID linked to the Diamond Kinetics app so players can immediately personalize their development and unlock their potential while opening up a whole new world of hitting experiences. CATX Smart users can participate in guided hitting sessions where they are encouraged to swing like Marucci Athletes including Alex Bregman, Trea Turner, Austin Riley, Freddie Freeman, Anthony Rizzo, and Francisco Lindor, and access exclusive DK x Marucci challenges within the app.

Marucci and Diamond Kinetics have created a way to gamify youth sports and create a fun way to go after the youth market. Check out our blog on offline to online strategies for sports technology startups to learn more ways that sports tech companies can grow sales using offline to online strategies.