R/GA is an international innovation consultancy headquartered in New York and founded in 1977. The agency creates advertising and marketing products based in technology and design. They have created R/GA Venture to bring together established companies and startups to help both chart a course for their future. The Global Sports Venture Studio stands within this service and enables the world's leading sports organizations to collaborate and engage with the sports innovation ecosystem. 

For this second episode of LeCorner International we had the pleasure to interview Kyle Bunch, VP Managing Director, Global Sports Venture Studio at R/GA 

Kyle Bunch is responsible for leading R/GA Ventures’ sports innovation partnerships with industry leaders including Adidas, Angel City, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Fox Sports, Levy Restaurants, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the Los Angeles Dodgers, LAFC, UEFA, and Verizon. The GSVS engages the sports innovation ecosystem to help our partners enhance athlete and fan experiences through strategic investments and collaborative development of new products and services. Previously, Kyle has spent the majority of his thirteen years at R/GA working in sport with clients such as Beats by Dre, Nike, ESPN, Samsung, the San Antonio Spurs, the National Rugby League, and the National Football League.

Episode’s timeline:

Kyle’s Background, his passion for digital and sports and his past experience at R/GA. 

R/GA presentation: an innovation and digital agency at the beginning and the creation of a venture practice 7 years ago. 

How R/GA are helping organisations: main missions, goals and investments strategies.

The creation of the Los Angeles Dodgers accelerator back in 2015.  

Global Sports Venture: from an accelerator model to a studio one. 

The main pain points and challenges sports organizations have to face now. 

The pandemic as an accelerator of the shift in the sports industry 

2021, the future of Global Sports Venture and the emerging schemes for new innovative solutions

New roles VCs have within the sports industry : inclusion, diversity, equity

What startups should do to raise funds in the US: proof of value, founding team etc.

2021 main trends in the sports industry: cross-business, D2C strategies, working more with influential players

We mentioned: 

Super Bowl ads (Beats by Dr Dre), Los Angeles Dodgers, Elysean Park Ventures, Netflix, Adidas, Fox Sports, MLS, MLB, GS Warriors, Premier League, Lebron James, Verizon, 5G, Phoenix Suns, Liverpool, Amazon etc.

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LeCorner is a podcast dedicated to sports and digital. Every two weeks, we have the pleasure to receive a distinguished guest from the sports industry to talk to us about digital, innovation and strategic development. 

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