Tom Rogers, the former leader of TiVo and NBC Cable, and Hank Ratner, whose resume includes executive positions with Cablevision Systems and Madison Square Garden Co., joined WinView’s board with a Series A $3.4 million funding round last spring. They are now serving as Co-Chairmen, working with WinView founder and CEO Dave Lockton, who also spearheaded a previous second-screen, play-along company, Interactive Network.
Positioned as delivering a more engaging, real-time experience than fantasy sports activities, WinView is moving into an untapped and potentially lucrative market in the U.S. Rogers said predictive, second-screen services are well-established in Europe, where they represent a $12 billion to $15 billion industry, largely driven around soccer and basketball.
Rogers said the company has met with league, commissioners, TV networks and advertisers, all of whom find the app appealing because it addresses a number of concerns challenging the sports media community, notably with Millennials, who “definitely watch TV differently. There is a need to connect with Millennials as it important for the leagues and networks to reach young males in order for sports to maintain their ratings,” he noted, adding that technologies like TiVo have taught people to start watching a game 10 minutes after its kickoff as a means to avoid commercials.
Moreover, Rogers said that Millennials are not alone in burying their faces in their phones. “It’s not just a Millennial issue, but a multigenerational issue,” he said. “Advertisers want to make sure they are getting a return on their massive expenditures in sports. WinView is how people are watching TV today. We sync the content and advertising between the big and small screens.”
Rogers also believes that the app functions as a hedge against viewers punting on blowouts. “People tune-out lopsided games,” he asserted. “WinView can help hold their interest and keep them watching.” It can also serve as new entry point for more casual viewers. While clubs have enhanced the in-stadium and in-arena entertainment experiences, Rogers points out it has been 20 years since the introduction of high-definition TV was a boon to in-home viewing. “There hasn’t been any new magnet to give casual viewers a reason to come to the set more often,” he said, noting that WinView creates a new level of excitement by tapping how fans watch games together or communicate about them via social media.