June Reflections
Our hearts go out to those who suffer from racist violence and exploitation. It’s a crime these practices continue to run rampant through every social program, from law enforcement to education and sport.
As a white founder entering an industry predominantly run by white owners and black workers, I regularly ponder what’s required to avoid repeating history and change the course of the future.
Growing up in silicon valley made me a student of disruption. We worshipped phone hackers, napster founders and fathers of the internet. While THE SHO has changed directions over the years, it maintained a single objective: disrupt the sports media ecosystem by democratizing the production and distribution of content.
Around the time I started, eSports was ascending to orbit fueled by Twitch’s revenue sharing business model. Gamers were making money online! This provided insight into the future of sports - create a place where teams and athletes can make money online!
Instagram and YouTube liberated entertainers by providing them an avenue for showcasing their talent outside of traditional studios, and owning the relationship with their audience.
Sports is one of the last media formats controlled by the traditional media cartel, and greed is clearly the number one factor. Disrupting sports requires doing the opposite: empowering the exploited.
Our intention is to change the future of sports media to benefit all athletes, no matter color, race, gender or religion. To help achieve this goal, I’m currently taking the initiative in the following ways:
Reading books to learn the truth about America
Surrounding myself with diversity and LISTENING to the stories, struggles and triumphs
Replacing dreams of material success with social and economic justice
Athletes know well that true wealth is in the heart and mind, not in the pocket - and I believe that is the secret to understanding how sports can change the world.
Dan Moroni, Founder
What we’re consuming
📚I know why the caged bird sings - Maya Angelou
📚Broken Dreams: The Definitive Expose of British Football Corruption - Tom Bower
📚Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela
✉️ The future of work: social, pop culture and wood stain - Benedict Evans
✉️ How the Hoop Bus became a symbol of community during a turbulent time - Sports Illustrated
📺 Police: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
🎵 The world is drunk - Raphael Saadiq
Community spotlight
We are proud to share the streets of Venice with HOOPBUS, a shining symbol of community basketball. The creators of VeniceBall needed to take the show on the road, and what great timing for 2020!
This past month HOOPBUS was impounded (and released), featured in Sports Illustrated, and now they are heading on the road to support BlackLivesMatter. You can follow their grassroots efforts on instagram, and support by visiting their GoFundMe campaign to travel across the country.