The Unrivaled Basketball League just announced the rosters today. The teams were aelected using statistics and analytics. I am sure the league gave some consideration to some of the pairing the public thought were appealing combinations.
I used my expertise in the casino,sports betting and marketing industry to come up with opening odds to win the first 3x3 womens professional basketball championship.I looked at each roster and weighed the teams by position and popularity tocome up with the openig odds.
The Mist - This team is led by Breanna Stewart,who is argubaly the most well known player in fhe league and a WNBA Champion.She is accompanied by Jewell Loyd and Dijonai Carrington. The marquee of Stewart makes the Mist the favorite at -130.
The Rose-This team is led by WNBA rookie sensation,Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky. Reese is immenesely popular and people will want to watch her play. She is joined by the WNBA best point guard in Chelsea Gray.Kahleah Copper is a prolific scorer and can spread the floor. The Rose will open at -130. The number will be lowered if most of the action is layed on the Mist.
As we approach the end of 2024,it is time to get ready to formulate an action plan for 2025. I will share my people, places and things to focus on that will grow your brand.These concepts are applicable to the following indutries. Tourism,Gaming amd Sports Betting are the primay areas that will be impacted. If you are able to incorporate any of these,you will see an improvement in your field of expertise.
Women- This is the audience that is getting the most attention.BetMGM cited an increase of 108% over year to year in wagers on the WNBA. The 2024 Womens NCAA Basketball Tournament drew a larger viewing audience than the Mens Yournament for the first time. The USA Womens Olympic Team led by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier won the Gold Medal. Those players have combined to start the Unrivaled Basketball League that will debut in January,2025 on TNT. The Caitlin Clark phenomenon has added more interest by women and men to professuonal basketball. There is conversation that the NBA All Star Game Weekend may feature a 3 point compeition between Steph Curry and Klay Thompson vs Sabrina Ionescu and Clark.The Taylor Swift effect has increased the amount of women that are watching the NFL and in particular,the Kansas City Chiefs.Beyonce will perform at halftime on Christmas Day during the NFL Game between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens.
Expect to see more wagers that are designed for women. 2025 will have more glam cam as the women will get attention for pre game walk in outfits. NIL deals will be offered to women at record numbers.The viewership,merchandise and the sports betting are direct corelations to the women athletes. Use the trends mentioned above to determine if your strategy has a female component so you are in tune to the audience.
I Gaming- The fact that 38 states have sports betting while only 4 have I Gaming is obviously a growth opportunity. When you factor the revenue generated by those 38 states is equivalent to the amount produced by the 4 states, you have a golden opportunity to make money.I do understand some of trepidation that states may have in advancing igaming legislation. There is a thought that this will destroy or at least cannibalize brick and mortar casino business. This is not the case in New Jersey or Pennsylvania.Business is still robust jn retail or onsite gaming.Most of the Sports Betting wagers are made on line. If more states were to offer IGaming, that trend will continue with some modifications. The patrons that play in the casino will continue and be the VIP style of player. The IGaming world will not be as appealing to that player.
Expect a breakthrough of IGaming legislation quth a neighboring state to follow. The trend toward convenience and tax revenue are too much to resist. I concepts that would enhance the spending wallet available to the operators of the IGaming space.
Mexico City and Brazil.- I highlighted both of these places because the interest the NBA and NFL have shown in Latin America. The expansion of Gaming and Sports Betting in those markets is a growth opportunity. While both places are known for tourism,festivaks and excellent cuisine. The introduction of two of themore popular sports leagues will add a new allegiance of fans that will buy merchanduse and bet on the games.Some residents of these places may be looking for business collaborations within the continental United States.
How does your brand connect with the cLatin American Culture? Are any of your managerial team bilingual? I would look at the SBC Summit Americas that will be held in Fort Lauderdale,Florida in 2025. That event could serve as an introduction to the market and some of the constituents.
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On Thursday evening,I was honored to judge the 2nd Annual Sports Analytics Competition at Temple University.The even lasted for approximately 2 and a half hours and had two divisions.There was an undergrate and graduate section.
Each group was given a subset of NFL data from 1980 - 2023.The information consisted of the winners and losers of each game,the total points scored and how the information translated to the outcomes against the spread.The contestants were given the task of scraping the data and looking for trends that would be appealing to an investment firm.
The groups cited,temperature,wind,home field advantage as important variables.They went further and examine the ATS by divisions and individual months during the season. Temple University is one of the few schools in the country that has several courses of studies that address Sports Gaming. While UNLV is the leader in offering gaming and sports related classes,Temple has carve out a niche that introduces the sports betting industry to this region.
If you are interested in sports gaming and how it relates to business, analytics,tourism and hospitality,please contact Yang Yang or George Diemer ,two professors at Temple University School of Hospiality and Tourism.
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