We’re thrilled to sit down with the creative dynamo Greg Walter, the mastermind behind 2Tall Animation! Hailing from the heart of Ohio, Greg has teamed up with some of the biggest names in sports, like the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, University of Virginia, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Sacramento Kings. After tuning into our previous episodes, Greg reached out, and boy, did we hit it off! We jumped into the exciting world of sports creativity and how it can transform the connection between teams and fans into something truly magical. Join us as we explore Greg’s fascinating journey from crafting content for children to diving headfirst into the vortex of sports. His passion for creativity shines through as he discusses how it elevates the game-day experience and sparks fan engagement. With a wealth of experiences from working with top sports media and teams across the U.S., Greg shares stories that will inspire and entertain! If you’re ready to spark your own creative journey or snag some invaluable tips for delivering standout content, this is the podcast for you.
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the Sport Design Australia Awards—a celebration of creativity and innovation in the world of sports design. We’ll dive into the inspiration behind the awards, explore the diverse categories that recognise excellence across the industry, and share how you, as a sports creative, can gain the recognition you deserve. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or an emerging talent, this is your chance to shine and showcase your work to the world. Tune in and discover how to make your mark!
Website: https://www.sportdesignaus.com.au/2024-sda-awards
Entry Criteria: http://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65549f17eee243e4ee38c2db/66da71913fa401eed3242def_SDA%20Awards%20Entry%20Kit.pdf
Entry Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZc_zx7DCHygyUv4rJNp--SGaxrcjpYrGhaT0P2v7CezNatw/viewform
In this episode of Art of the Game, we sit down with a sponsorship genius who is revolutionising the way the sports world views and manages sponsored social content. We dive into the key organisational structures needed to streamline workflows for effective sponsored content, spotlight the most innovative teams and leagues leading the charge, and explore strategies to maximise revenue and secure buy-in across the entire business. Join us for a truly insightful conversation with one of the best in the business as we uncover the secrets to mastering sponsored content in sports.
Neil Horowitz, a social maverick and long-time friend of Sport Design Australia, has been a pioneer in the sports digital and social space for over a decade.
His passion and curiosity for this space aligns greatly with ours and we are often in conversation around how to make fans fall in love with us, how to be the best at doing this in this industry and how to ensure we are hitting as many ‘home-runs’ as possible in the world of sports content.
The episode unpacks all of that and more, and whilst the pursuit for attention is forever at the core of what we are doing, there are some very clear and precise ways that you can do this effectively and Neil is the guy to take you on that journey.
In this episode, we feature someone who is paving the way in the sports creative industry in the USA, Matt Desmond.
Matt is a videographer who has worked with some of the biggest sports organisations and teams across the MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL — the list goes on!
We invited Matt onto the podcast because at SDA, we are committed to serving sporting organisations and building, developing, and supporting creatives. Through this mission, we discovered Matt, who has elevated the concept of a creative network to a new level. With his extensive experience as a creative in major sports leagues, we believe this conversation offers valuable insights for everyone.
Isaac John played professional Rugby League for 7 years across Australia, New Zealand and the UK. But his real pride and passion has come from founding lifestyle and clothing brand, YKTR. He has been at the forefront of creativity, design and content since founding YKTR almost 10 years ago. His experience & interest in the world of sport x fashion x business is a story you’ll want to hear. We speak with Isaac about the journey of entrepreneurship, discussing how to navigate the ups and downs while continuing to innovate and grow in this industry.
Gaby Barns is one of Australia’s leading content creators in the sports industry. She previously worked at the Gold Coast Titans as the Social and Content Lead before taking on the wonderful world of freelance. Gaby’s story will resonate with most who are on the tools in sports content. We talk workload, burnout, expectations, and the balance. We also talk about the athlete and content creator dynamic and unpack the successful start to her freelance journey with gigs at the Australian Open and Sail GP already on her resume.
AOTG is back for another season and this time around we have the third piece of the SDA puzzle on board officially, with Ryan Ellul joining the team earlier this year. We unpack the last few years of Ryan’s career journey and what has led him to Sport Design Australia. We also start to dissect the ROI conversation and talk through the formula for success when commercialising sports content.
Edwin Smith is the founder of The Social Sandwich but his unfiltered and raw approach to telling it how it is on social media is likely where you’ll recognise his name. That or his love for party shirts - a strategic brand play that we will discuss! Along with 10+ years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry, Edwin has uniquely found a way to identify, dispel and discuss social media trends and predict the unpredictable when it comes to social algorithms.
Thanks for tuning in to Art of the Game - If you're enjoying what you hear, please consider giving us a thumbs up and hitting that SUBSCRIBE button. It really helps us grow and bring you more awesome content. And don't forget to share this with your colleagues and friends who might enjoy it too!
Lee Olsen, AKA @Shiftrefresh, is a pioneer in sports design. He is an early adopter in this space and is reaping the benefits of his desire and passion. Today, he stands among the industry's elite, and the rewards of his dedication are evident in the impressive list of organisations he has collaborated with.
Lee's creative prowess has seen him work with the NBA, NFL, NRL and Bleacher Report. Beyond the boundaries of traditional sports, he has also lent his talents to the virtual arenas of NBA2K where he continues to dish up an insane smorgasbord of mural artwork.
Thanks for tuning in to Art of the Game - If you're enjoying what you hear, please consider giving us a thumbs up and hitting that SUBSCRIBE button. It really helps us grow and bring you more awesome content. And don't forget to share this with your colleagues and friends who might enjoy it too!
Nicole Chesher has spent over 15 years in sports, primarily at a league level in traditional marketing. Since the rise of digital media and content she has been an early adopter and believer in investing in this for a brand to gain relevance and cut through with their audience. She has taken this mentality with her to the Parramatta Eels - NRL team in Australia - in recent years, now heading up the Content team there and creating content that is the envy of her competitors. Nic has been successful in this space by finding a way to make content relatable and tangible for those at an executive level to provide her the trust, investment and authority to go and do what she does best. This chat is something all content owners need to listen to if they are having trouble butting through management or finding a way to ensure there is investment at all levels of the content creation process.
Thanks for tuning in to Art of the Game - If you're enjoying what you hear, please consider giving us a thumbs up and hitting that SUBSCRIBE button. It really helps us grow and bring you more awesome content. And don't forget to share this with your colleagues and friends who might enjoy it too!
Dan Beltran (@DesignwithDan) joins the podcast from international waters and offers an incredibly detailed, grounded and powerful insight into his journey within sports design as well as how others can find their way in this space. Dan has always relied on communication and professionalism to ensure his personal brand is one others have a desire and preference to work with, along with an incredible talent for unpacking briefs and translating them into sports masterpieces. This chat is a must listen for young designers in the space and those looking for direction on how to approach their careers in sports design.
Co-founders, Reece Carter and Cass Wilkins, have spent over a decade working within the field of sport, social media and creative. This experience has led them to their business Sport Design Australia, and now this podcast Art of the Game. Their journeys aligned over 9 years ago at the National Rugby League where they spent 7 years building the largest and the most engaged online sporting community in Australia reaching over 6 million fans on their channels.
Of late, their business venture Sport Design Australia is becoming increasingly popular within the sporting industry as it tackles the intersection between the creative and sporting sectors. Have a listen to how they got here and what their vision is for SDA, Art of the Game and beyond.