WWE has a history of disruption in media and embracing new technology. Now, in an effort to help facilitate the growth of new companies that are looking to follow suit, they have joined Comcast’s SportsTech Accelerator program, which caters to new programs in the field of media and entertainment.
Comcast issued the following:
PHILADELPHIA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Comcast NBCUniversal announced today that PGA TOUR and WWE have joined the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator, powered by Boomtown, as advisors when it commences its second cohort of startups in February 2022.
“This shared commitment to developing the next generation of sports technology builds upon NBC Sports’ longstanding and trusted partnerships with both organizations, from partnering with the PGA TOUR to deliver unparalleled live tournament coverage, to Peacock being the exclusive home of the WWE Network for fans across the country.”
In just its second year, Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech has built a distinct group of experts who advise the accelerator’s participants, including business leaders from NBC Sports, Sky Sports, GOLF, NBC Sports Next, and Comcast Spectacor, alongside NASCAR, and three U.S. Olympic sports organizations: U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling. With the addition of PGA TOUR and WWE, Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech has emerged as a top accelerator for rising sports technology startups in the fields of media & entertainment; fan/player engagement; athlete/player performance; team & coach success; venue & event innovation; fantasy sports & betting; esports; and the business of sports.
“We’re thrilled to welcome PGA TOUR and WWE, two iconic global sports and entertainment brands, into our Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech partner consortium to engage with these entrepreneurs as they seek to change the way consumers experience sports,” said Jenna Kurath, Vice President, Startup Partnerships at Comcast and Head of Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech. “This shared commitment to developing the next generation of sports technology builds upon NBC Sports’ longstanding and trusted partnerships with both organizations, from partnering with the PGA TOUR to deliver unparalleled live tournament coverage, to Peacock being the exclusive home of the WWE Network for fans across the country.”
Startups selected to the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech accelerator will gain valuable access to PGA TOUR and WWE business leaders on top of those currently involved with the program. Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech’s advisors have helped founders develop deep industry relationships that can translate into measurable results for their businesses. At the time of the first Demo Day this past May, the inaugural class had secured 16 business deals with Comcast and the accelerator partners – and that number has since climbed to over 29 pilots and partnerships as of today.
“Technology and innovation are incredibly important to the PGA TOUR,” said Lance Stover, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, New Ventures. “Consider the challenges of showcasing over 140 players competing on 18 holes and hundreds of acres. By embracing emerging technologies like those uncovered through the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator, we aim to deliver an unparalleled, fan-first experience whether you’re attending a tournament or watching on your favorite screen.”
“WWE has always adopted new technologies to allow us to provide our fans with the most compelling content across platforms,” said Rajan Mehta, Executive Vice President, Chief Product & Technology Officer at WWE. “Disruption is in our company’s DNA and considering SportsTech’s innovation categories from fan engagement to venue and event innovation, we’re extremely excited to invite these disruptive entrepreneurs into WWE and identify ways to enhance our fan experience and reach a new generation of consumers.”
The startups selected for the next Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator class will be announced on February 21, 2022. If interested in joining the accelerator as a partner, please visit https://www.comcastsportstech.com/partners.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.About Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech
Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech is a 12-week accelerator program, run in partnership with Boomtown Accelerators, that features an unprecedented partnership of four of Comcast NBCUniversal’s sports brands – NBC Sports, Sky Sports, GOLF, and Comcast Spectacor – alongside NASCAR, PGA TOUR, WWE and three U.S. Olympic sports organizations: U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling. This network of partnerships brings an early lens into innovation solutions, exclusive access to research and business insights, and differentiated value to build upon Comcast’s media rights relationships and sponsorship investments. The program brings creative solutions to the partner consortium and to market through the lens of eight core investment categories: Media & Entertainment; Fan/Player Engagement; Athlete/Player Performance; Team & Coach Success; Venue & Event Innovation; Fantasy Sports & Betting; esports; and the Business of Sports. Visit www.comcastsportstech.com to learn more.About PGA TOUR
By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires, and positively impacts our fans, partners, and communities worldwide. The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, Forme Tour and PGA TOUR Series-China. Members on the PGA TOUR represent the world’s best players, hailing from 29 countries and territories outside the United States (96 international members). Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to 216 countries and territories in 28 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $3.2 billion. Fans can follow the PGA TOUR on PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, on the PGA TOUR app and on social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram (in English, Spanish and Korean), LinkedIn, Twitter, WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao, Douyin and LINE.About WWE
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 900 million homes worldwide in 28 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, BT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network. The Company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, Dubai, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Riyadh, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
