The DLC Drop Podcast

Teaching kids pro gaming skills go far beyond learning how to be great at gaming.

In today’s episode of The DLC Drop Podcast, John Davidson is joined by Jay Melamed, CEO of XP League to discuss how many different ways kids can benefit from getting involved in the world of gaming and joining teams. XP League is the first Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) coach-led competitive gaming league in North America for elementary, middle, and high school-aged players.

Jay talks about his journey with XP League, and why he’s so passionate about helping the next generation of gamers. He also talks about the impact XP League has had on so many kids, and what skills they can learn outside of just becoming great at a game.

He talks about why this is the first time many of these kids are involved on a team, and how it can help transform their confidence. He also talks about why getting parents involved has helped build stronger relationships and a greater understanding of why kids love gaming so much.

He also talks about what the future holds for this company, and why if you don’t have a location near you, that may change very soon.

To connect with Jay or find out more, visit: https://www.xpleague.com/

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The argument between the music industry and the internet about music's democratization has existed since the internet's very first steps.  On one side is the music industry, which historically owned the means of production and distribution; on the other, creators, startups, and the general public. 

Our guest, Paul Sampson, a crusade for democratizing music veteran, is the Founder and CEO of Lickd, a company that grants access to the world's biggest music catalog for content creators.

In this episode, Paul shares his experiences and challenges in granting creators access to chart music and talks about the opportunities the music industry needs to be exploiting in the metaverse.  We also discuss how to turn passion projects into profitable businesses, Paul's ability to foresee business opportunities, the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1996, Safe Harbor, and more. 

To know more about Paul and Licked, visit:

Lickd: https://lickd.co/

Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-sampson-74977bb/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sampsonpaul

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Investing in disruptive ideas is betting on massively changing people's lives and how they see and interact with the world or revolutionizing an entire industry. Yet identifying a disruptive idea's potential can be tricky.

After over two decades as a sports tech venture capitalist, Wayne Kimmel has a clear idea of how to spot ideas that might create a massive impact. 

Today, he joins John Davidson to share his knowledge on venture capital and esports, brands' copy/paste approach, and how to generate revenue in esports.   

Wayne also explains the differences between traditional sports and competitive gaming and why marketing thought for the NBA, NFL, or NHL doesn't work in esports. 

Wayne is a Managing Partner at SeventySix Capital and is constantly looking for the next, next thing. 

To know more about Wayne and SeventySix Capital, visit:

SeventySix Capital website: https://www.seventysixcapital.com/

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There aren’t many who can not only make a career out of what they love but also be at the absolute top of their game by doing what they love. 

Michael ‘Flamesword’ Chaves is one of those people, and he joins John Davidson in this episode of the DLC Drop Podcast to discuss his journey from wanting to go pro in Halo, to entering himself in some of the largest tournaments.

When he was about to go back to the drawing board after his third event, Michael was approached by his first sponsor, and his career took off from there.

Michael also shares what made being sponsored by companies like Red Bull and Turtle Wax so special, and how he has managed to maintain a long carer, even when it meant changing the games he played.

Michael is now taking his esports experience by leading the team Status Quo. 

To connect with Michael and Team Status Quo, visit:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeamStatusQuo

Michael:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/flamesword

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flamesword/?hl=en

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Ryan Clements has taken his love of skateboarding to not just one, but two companies.

In this episode of the DLC Drop Podcast Ryan joins John to talk about his journey from owning his own lawn care company, to becoming the GM of Skatepark of Tampa.

After building an incredible reputation in skateboarding competitions, Ryan co-founded SPoT Productions, a company focused on producing skateboarding events on a global scale.

His love of the sport also evolved to co-founding Excel Management, where he manages the unique world of skateboarders. In 2013, Ryan also co-founded The Board, which creates skateboarding and BMX Events. He shares some behind-the-scenes in the world of skateboarding, and why being great on a board isn’t enough for a long career.

To connect with Ryan, you can email him at: [email protected]

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We are no longer in a world where we have to justify encouraging our youth to play video games, but even with the evolution of the industry, there is still a long way to go before esports can officially go head-to-head with traditional sports.

In this episode of the DLC Drop Podcast, John is joined by Glenn Plat, Co-Director of Esports ta Miami University. Glenn has an incredible history and was one of the first to bring an esports program to a university.

Glenn and John discuss the differences between traditional sports and esports, and why there will continue to be a divide between the two. They also talk about how universities should approach their esports program, and what they should realistically be able to expect from a revenue and ROI perspective. 

They also cover how businesses and partners can win in a space that is still finding its footing, and why a long game is going to be the most important play for success. 

If you’re interested in connecting with Glenn, visit:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennjplatt/

Jennifer Frank: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-frank-3bb5a2159/

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How cool would it be to play video games with your pet? 

The world has been through dramatic changes in the last couple of years, and pets' relationships with their owners are definitely one of them. What if, then, there was a disruptive technology that allowed people to play with their pets on a whole new level? 

Meet Ben Nichol, Founder and CFO of Mega Bad Crew, who proposes a change in the paradigm of how people interact and play with their pets. 

In this episode, Ben shares details about Kitty Arcade, the first-ever video game FOR cats. He explains the technology behind this creative idea, how they got people to invest in it, and shares examples of the types of video games for pets being created.

Plus, we talk about how to create a bulletproof mindset, how to pitch crazy ideas to investors and developers, how his previous experiences in brand-building helped him create and develop Kitty Arcade, and much more.

Resources:

Visit the Kitty Arcade website: https://www.kittyarcadegame.com/

Follow them on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kittyarcadegame/

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/bR9SCxBEJD

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kittyarcadegame

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kittyarcadegame

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-nichol-bb597a117/

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We all know there are a lot of opportunities for brands to get involved in the world of esports and gaming. Often times they miss out on the right opportunities and determine that gaming and esports can’t provide them the ROI that they would like. 

Tatiana Tacca joins John in this episode of the DLC Drop to discuss how brands can get creative when it comes to getting involved in the world of esports and gaming, and she also discusses some of the most interesting ways brands are getting involved and seeing success. 

Tatiana is the founder of Oni Vision, a consulting and advisory practice that specializes in gaming, esports, anime, and live streaming. She has worked with brands by riding the gap toward new culture through building strategic platforms, putting together collaborations, and launching activations that can optimize on trends. 

She and John discuss why brands need to look at esports and gaming from a much broader perspective than just someone with a controller in front of a tv. They have to understand things like whether will they work with a team or a content creator, which game makes sense for them to get involved in, and how, in a world of skeptical consumers, can they best fit in and win.

Tatiana also discusses the opportunities in anime, and why this is often an overlooked option with brands. She talks about various ways they can win and see great results.

To connect with Tatiana, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatianatacca/

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The world of esports and gaming is expanding at exponential rates, but many are still standing on the sidelines wondering how to best jump in. 

Todd Harris joins John in this week’s episode of the DLC Drop Podcast to discuss the evolution of his company Skill Shot and the merger with Ghost Gaming to become a one-stop solution for partners wanting to leverage gaming and gaming media to reach and support active gaming enthusiasts.

In this conversation, John and Todd discuss how his love for creating games formed his own company, and why he’s so passionate about building communities and excitement around his games. They also discuss how they utilized esports to gain more exposure for their games, and why it ended up being a great payoff. 

Todd also discusses how acquiring Ghost Gaming moved them into producing events, not just for the games they create, but for other gaming companies. He talks about how they can provide a more holistic approach for brands to create a win-win opportunity to work in the gaming world.

To learn more about the upcoming events and to connect with Todd, visit:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddalanharris/

https://twitter.com/ToddAlanHarris

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Business education allows you to either learn how to make money out of what you love doing or discover that what you love doing, doesn't make any money. 

In today's episode, Bob Heere joins us to discuss the importance of adding the business component to our passion. Bob is a Professor and Director of Sports Management at the University of North Texas, a Managing Partner at World Soccer Holdings, and part of the Board of Directors of MVV Maastricht, a 3rd division Dutch soccer team.

Throughout our conversation, Bob shared his experiences in the last 5 years at UNT, his passion for academic life, and why he considers it vital to learn about the business side of any industry. He also described how amazing it is from an opportunity perspective to be a student in Frisco and how their program at UNT prepares students. 

Plus, we discussed the similarities and differences between esports and traditional sports from a business perspective, he shared the incredible story of how he became a Managing Partner of a soccer team. and much more. 

Resources:

Visit the University of North Texas website: https://www.unt.edu/.

Or connect with Bob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobheere/.

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