ignite sports media confidential discussion with major league baseball march 10, 2000 ignite sports...
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Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Discussion with Major League Baseball
March 10, 2000
Ignite Sports Media, LLC
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Key Messages
• Ignite was built for this purpose
• We can be your developer, but we would rather be your partner
• We have delivered on “1.0”, most of “2.0”, “3.0” under development
• All team sites are not created equal
• This is a high risk, high reward proposition
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Ignite was built for this
• Experience – Media Partners:
– Teams:
• Model• Infrastructure & Assets (real-time, distributed, data, video, applications)• Management & Team• Focus• Speed• Strategic relationships• Doing it today
• History• Vision
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Sports Media Redefined
• The Internet has redefined sports media– Teams and leagues have a direct channel to fans; Money will follow
the fan– Building a lifelong relationship with your customers– Broadband and Convergence will accelerate changes
• Sports leagues are now media companies– Have: programming, strong brand names, millions of worldwide fans,
sponsorships and advertising model– Distribution via MLB portal– Media company of future: interactive programming, multiple revenue
streams, online and offline revenue sources, own customer data
• Baseball is uniquely suited to this medium• Revenues will explode
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
MLB Broadband Broadcast
Integrated Three Hour Sponsorship
Non-Linear Program-
ming
Enabled Fan
Interaction
Detailed Contextual Information
Customized Real-time
Scoreboards
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Ignite Sports Media Strategic Architecture
• “Auto-Produce” content • Statistics, live scores, standings, news and reports. • Collect and process feed data in real-time.• Automatically incorporate editorial content to many sites simultaneously.• Scale easily and inexpensively.
• Distribute content delivery AND content creation• Enhance the fan experience with cutting edge technology
• Streaming video and audio• Remote controllable cameras • Static immersive photography• Interactive “datacasting” systems• Video-integrated experiences• Deliver data to multiple end-user devices (web browsers, pagers, cell phones, PDAs and set top devices using industry standards like XML and ATVEF.)
Ignite’s Sports Data Processing System is designed to:
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
XML / Syndication
Servers
Application Servers
Web AppServers
*CastServers
Chat / Msg Board
Servers
E-Commerce Servers
XML
DataIntegration
Servers
Web Servers
Ad & MMServers
Live Video Feed
Ignite Sports Media Strategic Architecture
In-Progress Scores
and Actions
Other Feeds
Live Media /
Real-time Feeds
(Audio/Video)
Static Media Feeds
(AP)
Text-Based Feeds
(SportsTicker)
Data Collection
System
News / Editorial
Photos /AV
Games
Stats
Processing SystemsFeeds
ContentPublishing
SystemNews,
Packages &Media
Universal Data
Server
Data Collection System•Accepts feed data and delivers it to the appropriate Processing System Module
•Reads Stats, and interprets, parses statistical information. •Compiles new statistics.
•“Sports Beans” dynamically update scoreboards, schedules and standings.•Processes statistic data according to sport-specific rules.
•“Auto-Content Sports Beans” store all text stories and preformatted stats – classifies by sports and leagues.•Auto-publishes preformatted stats, tournament results, etc.
•Processes photos, audio and video files.•Makes content available to the Media Replicator.
•Processes feed data suitable for trivia games (I.e. NTN)
Browser-Based Publishing System• Enables Content Managers to package and publish editorial / news and media content once, then propagates to sites.
Informix Dynamic Server with Universal Data Option•Object-oriented relational database for all content assets.•Manages digital assets.•Distribution point to multiple sites
•Feed portal clients (Ie.Zip2, Britannica, SportsHabitat)•Prep data for WAP broadcasting•Format data for Broadband integration / ITV
•eShare and iChat Systems•Integrated with Universal Registration (Proprietary)
•JRUN Applications provide real-time game data•Interacts with sports-specific database•Caches data locally for performance and scale
•ProWebWare•Pandesic
•Allaire ColdFusion Servers
•Ad Serving-DoubleClick, MultiMedia Serving-Intervu
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Ignite Sports MediaStrategic Architecture
In-Progress Scores
and Actions
Other Feeds
Live Media /
Real-time Feeds
(Audio/Video)
Static Media Feeds
(AP)
Text-Based Feeds
(SportsTicker)
Data Collection
System
News / Editorial
Photos /AV
Games
Stats
Processing SystemsFeeds
XML / Syndication
Servers
Application Servers
Web AppServers
*CastServers
Chat / Msg Board
Servers
E-Commerce Servers
ContentPublishing
SystemNews,
Packages &Media
Universal Data
Server
XML
DataIntegration
Servers
Web Servers
Ad & MMServers
Live Video Feed
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Selected Technology Relationships
Feeds• SportsTicker Premium Feed• Associated Press – Sports Megafeed (Satellite)• PSX/CSX• Team Data
Development and Operations• Sun/Java• Microsoft Development Suite• Informix (Db)• Allaire – Coldfusion, JRUN, WDDX• IBM – Surfaid (Data Collection)• Akamai (Cache Serving)• FreshWater (Performance Monitoring)• UUNET (Communications)• SGI• Hewlett Packard• Cisco• Exodus (Hosting/Facilities)
Applications and Servers• Pandesic (eSports Customer Management
System)• eShare (Community)• iChat (Community)• Pro Webwear (Commerce)• DoubleClick (Ad Serving)• Intervu (Media Serving)• iPIX (Immersive Photography)• Perceptual Robotics (In-Venue Cameras)• PSI (Fantasy)
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Case Study: SFGiants.com
• Situation– Successful team site w/ eCommerce, community and lots of traffic
• 2.75 MM page views per month in season
– Extremely wired, passionate and demanding fan base with high internet IQ– Generating significant excitement around new ballpark– Vision for state-of-the-art site with most sophisticated integration of customer data of any
team in professional sports– Main goals: Brand building; Operational Improvement; Revenue Generation (both for team
and facility, ie. Giants Enterprises)
• Results with Ignite– Ignite brought into process during planning stage to integrate joint Ignite/Pandesic solution– Complete customer data integration: website, in-stadium, retail store, ticketing
• Universal registration: One User ID used for merchandise store, message boards, chat, and rewards program
–Able to track user activity across all channels and proactively market to inbound calls/emails• Secondary ticket exchange: complete virtual market – buyer and seller do not have to meet or
correspond by mail
– Single shopping cart for tickets, merchandise, rewards point redemption and secondary ticket exchange
– Page views up 71% over last year
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Case Study: Giants Ticketing
• Created a front end interface to Tickets.com:– Allows us to keep the transaction on the Giants site in a familiar interface– Unification of shopping experience (one cart for tickets, merchandise)– Will be modified to accommodate auction/exchange environment– Scales very well (85% of 2000 games already sold out in advance of season)– One dynamic single inventory (no need to allocate a “web” inventory)– Working on user printed tickets (bar codes)– Integrated information (seat views/maps, directions, etc)– Interface is “portable” to other systems– 40% of all single game ticket sales sold through the internet
• Additional Information– Working closely with Ticketmaster towards a greater integration with team sites to allow for
integration of some of the features above– Also working with team internal ticketing systems and integration with other third parties (AOL -
Digital Cities)– Auctions/exchanges will be live this season
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Teams are their own network – White Sox example
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Case Study: Britannica.com
• Situation– Building out specific content related channels on their free knowledge and learning
portal– Looking for a partner that could provide authoritative timely news and features across
a full spectrum of sports – Initial launch of portal generated huge attention, resulting load crushed infrastructure
with significant outages – Looming deadline with significant marketing spend targeted for Super Bowl
• Results with Ignite– Ignite team jumped in 30 days prior to Super Bowl– Delivered a robust menu of content across 16 different sports– Incorporated Britannica style sheets, navigation, commerce and ad serving– Hosted all content on Ignite servers, flawlessly handled pre, post and Super Bowl
capacity– Working together to develop cutting edge, fully customizable XML based content
solution
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Case Study: WashingtonCaps.com
• Situation– Operated by NHL ICE, a five-year IBM/NHL joint venture– Bottom of the league in site traffic– No online fan community base– Not a significant revenue generator for the team
• Results with Ignite– Elevated site to best in class with content and features
• Live scoreboards, game summaries, team pages for every team in league• Custom game previews and wrap-ups with integrated content from Coaches,
Broadcasters and Players• Weekly celebrity chat events with Players, Front Office, and Broadcasters• Sortable statistics • First in-stadium webcam
– Cutting edge community interaction between team and fans• Players & front office staff regularly posting to their own messages boards
– Site traffic up over 400% versus last season, top 5 trafficked site in NHL– Over 93% of fans rated the site a 5,6 or 7 out of seven– Customer satisfaction up 100% from 9/99 to 2/00– Site revenue up 872% versus last season– Team rocketed from bottom of division to first place…coincidence?
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
We are delivering on “2.0”
Community• Developed team fan clubs in 1995 to focus on sports from the
“bottom up”• Developed deep learning about tribal nature of teams and fans• Built registered user base of 250,000 – in 1997!• Now implementing third generation user tools• Experienced in migrating existing team communities to new
platforms
Live Game Coverage• Built and tested version 1.0 during 1999 season• Focus group and user feedback developed requirements for 2.0• Ready to launch 4/3/00
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Ignite DiamondCast 2000
Links to
Community
Player Photos &
Stats
Automatic Setup Alerts
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Key Success Factors
• Timing– Beta testing now?
• Expectation: compete with Sportsline in 3 months– Zero fault tolerance
– Fans, Team owners, Players, Press, Financial community
• Speed– Need to keep the union together– Pick a partner who is already there
• Know baseball publishing• Know the political landscape; part of the landscape• Executing on professional sports
• Effective collaboration with necessary constituencies– MLB Integration– Team Integration– Balance remote and centralized publishing
• Generate significant incremental revenue
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Generating RevenueeCommerce
• eCommerce without managed community and integrated content doesn’t fully leverage MLB opportunities
– Contextual commerce requires tight integration
• eCommerce for MLB requires an integrated technology solution across all revenue streams
– Ticketing, merchandise, auctions, rewards, etc.
• Two models to work with:– Build your own store and manage the entire supply and delivery chain
• Sourcing, inventory, merchandising, commerce interface, transaction settlement, fulfillment, customer service, returns
– Work with a tightly managed and integrated partner that handles everything for you
We have experience successfully integrating both types of partners into team sites
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Additional Revenue Generation Opportunities
Sponsorship– Generated over $500,000 incremental internet sponsorship revenue in 5 months for the
Washington Capitals• Orchestrating a combination of “national” and “local” sales
– (Nortel is NHL sponsor, US Foodservice is Washington Capitals sponsor)
– Utilizing the power of the medium to introduce new sponsors to the sport and the teams• Over 50 companies invited to “sneak preview” party in San Francisco
– Creating “scarcity model” to promote the exclusive nature of the relationship• Fewer companies with more integrated approach to the sponsorship
– No banner sales
– Merge on-line and off-line opportunities
Premium Product offerings– Currently reviewing a team based ISP relationship with major carrier– Developing product specific offerings (premium content, live audio feeds, post Game
interviews) that could become basis for incremental revenue model
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Portal Site
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
All-Star Break Solution
IntegratedCommunity
Live Game Distri-bution
Complete MLB News
Complete Stats & Score-boards
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Preliminary V1.0 Timeline
Go ahead from MLB, Establish Project Office
3/17 7/104/1
Portal Scope DefinitionTeam Site Scope Definition – including full / enhanced team site prioritization
5/1 6/1 7/1
All Functional Specifications Complete
Portal Functionality DefinitionTeam Sites functional specification (with variances)
Portal Design
Full Sites (~1-5)
Portal Implementation
Phased Enhanced Content Integration (6-31)
Full Site Migration (6-31)
Team Site Designs
Scope Approval
Build, QA, Deploy
Build, QA, Deploy
Integration QA
V1.0 Launch
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Preliminary V1.0 Budget
Hardware & Licensed Software $ 1.5
Professional Services $ 3.6– Development
– Maintenance
– Integration into existing eCommerce system
– Expenses
Total Estimate $ 5.1M
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Functionality AssessmentIgnite is Ready
Common experience and platform
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Appendix
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Ignite Project Management Process
• Use of executive team experience with a modified waterfall process.
• Establishment of “project office” for all development initiatives.
• Establish team accountability throughout lifecycle.
• Focus on major project milestones through completion.
• Emphasis on QA
Project Manager User Advocate, overall timeline owner, drives overall project to completion.
Development Manager
Responsible for implementation phases of project (system design, code generation, unit test).
QA/Release Manager
Ensure overall quality of product, perform system test in staging, assist in migration to production, QA in production.
Design Manager GUI, look and feel, graphics, page layout, navigation.
Content Manager Creation and population of site content.
Systems Manager Prepare production for new product, migrate system from staging to production, operate, maintain.
Scope
Func. Spec
Design
Code/T
est
Deploy
Project Manager L L P P P
Development Manager
PP PP PP/L L PP
QA/Release Manager P P P PP PP
Design Manager PP PP L/PP P P
Content Manager PP PP PP P P
Systems Manager P P P P L
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
Ignite Project Lifecycle
Project Phase Phase Owner Phase Input Phase Description Phase Output
1. Scope / Requirements
Project Manager
Req’s from constituents.
Define the scope of the project. Phase documented in the Scope Document. Scope Document Includes:
Statement of Work
Definition of major milestones
High level logic diagrams
Scope Document
2. Functional Specification
Project Manager
Scope Document
Define specifically what we will build.
Major Components of the Functional Specification Document::
Develop screen visualizations and detailed design
Detailed project plan
Functional Specification Document
3. Site / System Design
Design Manager
Functional Specification Document
Develop Detailed Design Document for site including:Design visualizations for each template identified
Detailed page layout
Site contents, including areas of dynamic information and how they should look/operate
Identifying all the art required for the siteAdvertising Inventory
Content Repurposing
Web Production – scripts, layout
Design Specification
4. Code Development & Testing
Dev. Manager, QA Mgr
Design Specification
Creation of the specified product, site or tool. Development includes implementing the feature sets and turning over product deliverables to QA. QA release product to production.
Code to QA, then to production.
5. Deployment Systems Manager
Code from QA
Deployment is the smooth launch of a product that has been properly QA tested and approved by all participating parties. Following the deployment of a product, deliverables will continue to be tested by the QA product team, monitored 24/7 by System Operators and a Software monitoring tools.
Code in production, available to users.
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
• Hank Adams is the founder and President of Ignite. Prior to founding Ignite, he was a co-founder and President of Real Fans Sports Network. He built Real Fans from inception to its successful buyout by AOL two years later. As a founder and manager of a leading sports destination on the web, he has a deep understanding of the structure of the online sports industry. Previously, Mr. Adams worked for Peterson Consulting in Chicago and London as a financial consultant. Mr. Adams earned an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado with a BA in History and a BS in Finance, and played for the University of Colorado varsity football team.
• Barry Schliesmann is Chief Technology Officer for Ignite. Before joining Ignite, he worked as Global Cable Segment Executive with IBM’s Media and Entertainment Industry Unit. In this position, Mr. Schliesmann was responsible for the development and implementation of IBM’s worldwide strategy for the cable television industry. Previously, he was IBM’s Broadband Solutions Executive for the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining IBM, Mr. Schliesmann served as the Interactive Television Business Development Manager for the Americas at Digital Equipment Corporation, where he grew their ITV system integration business. He also held various management, operations, consulting and software engineering positions at Digital. In addition, Mr. Schliesmann served as a Systems Advisor for the Federal Bureau of investigation. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from City University of New York with an MA in Criminology, and Cum Laude from Fordham University with a BA in Political Science and Computer Science
The Ignite Team
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
The Ignite Team
• David Goldberg is the VP of Business Development for Ignite. He brings extensive experience in Internet venture development and web-based entertainment to Ignite. Prior to joining Ignite, Mr. Goldberg was a co-founder and Executive Vice President of Tunes.com, formerly known as JAMtv Corporation. He helped build the company from a three-man outfit to a pre-IPO value in excess of $100 million. Mr. Goldberg has also worked in managerial roles at JAM Productions, a major live entertainment producer, and Ticketmaster Corporation. He earned a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago.
• Mike Jakob is the VP of Strategy & Operations for Ignite. Prior to joining Ignite, Mr. Jakob was Director of Sears Online for Sears Roebuck & Co. In this position, he was responsible for program management for sears.com’s e-commerce initiatives, as well as fostering and executing external partnerships to support Sears’ Internet objectives. He led a multi-discipline team of more than 20 employees in the development and execution of Sears’ appliance web site, the largest and most successful major appliance site on the Internet. Mr. Jakob also served Sears’ Home Services division as Manager of Strategy & Business Development. Before joining Sears, he worked as a consultant for A.T. Kearney, Inc. Mr. Jakob earned an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago, and a BBA in Finance from University of Notre Dame.
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
The Ignite Team
• Gordon Kane is Vice President of Advertising & Marketing for Ignite. He brings extensive experience in sports marketing and a strong network of sports sponsor relationships to Ignite. Mr. Kane comes from posts with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), where he served as Director of Marketing and Brand Development for the USOC and Vice President of the USOC’s Olympic Properties of the United States. Mr. Kane also worked in senior management positions with Clarion Performance Properties, a sports and entertainment division of marketing consulting firm Clarion, and in brand management and sales with Kraft General Foods, Coca-Cola USA, and Procter & Gamble. He earned an MBA in Marketing and International Business at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and a BA from Miami University.
• David Lee is the VP of Systems for Ignite. He was the Director of Systems at the Real Fans Sports Network prior to joining Ignite. Mr. Lee has extensive web site operations and network administration experience. He built and maintained the high-speed networks, feed connections and data center at Real Fans. Previous work experience includes a position as the Operations Manager at Express Direct, a direct mail computer seller, and employment as a commodities trader on the Chicago Board of Trade. He earned a BS in Computer Management from Eastern Illinois University and an MBA from Northern Illinois University
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
The Ignite Team
• Randy Stearns is the VP of Design for Ignite. Mr. Stearns oversaw the design of the web and AOL sites for the Real Fans Sports Network and was instrumental in the design and development of many of the company's products. Mr. Stearns previously worked as a Production Manager for Gemini Consulting and was the founder and Art Director for Ditto Magazine. Mr. Stearns has a fine arts background and is an active baseball fantasy player and writer. He graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Print Making from Northwestern University.
• Adam Koopersmith is the Director of Business Development for Ignite. Prior to joining Ignite, Mr. Koopersmith worked at Berkshire Partners, a Boston-based private equity fund. At Berkshire, he was responsible for identifying potential investments, coordinating due diligence efforts, and structuring transactions. Previous experience includes two years in the Investment Banking division at Alex. Brown & Sons. Mr. Koopersmith is completing his MBA at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Economics.
Ignite Sports Media Confidential
The Ignite Team
• Chris Weiland is the Director of Development for Ignite. Mr. Weiland is experienced in object-oriented software design and development using C++ and Java. Prior to joining Ignite, Mr. Weiland was a Systems Architect, at GroupWorks Technologies, a software development company and consultancy where he was responsible for analyzing, architecting and constructing GUI, object-oriented, component-based client/server systems and applications for the Internet and Windows. Mr. Weiland has also worked as a Senior Software Engineer at Symantec and Byad, Inc. Mr. Weiland graduated with a BS in Computer Science from the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University.
• Greg Shea is the Managing Editor of the Editorial Division at Ignite. Mr. Shea has four years experience in publishing web content and directing an editorial team. Prior to joining Ignite, he served as senior producer at the Real Fans Sports Network, where he directed the editorial team and developed all editorial products. Mr. Shea has a BS in Journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University