FanzLive Enhances the Sports Fan Experience

Posted by on May 21, 2013 in Featured Stories, Innovation Tuesday | 0 comments

If you are a St. Louis sports fan, you know there’s a big soccer match set for Busch Stadium this Thursday (May 23) – it’s the much talked about contest between Manchester City and Chelsea.

And the co-founder of a St. Louis innovative startup company – himself a one-time soccer player and longtime sports fan – is looking forward to having two of the biggest European clubs come to St Louis more than most.  Tim Murphy’s a founder of FanzLive, a new App that allows users to take photos and video from live sporting events, then share that data with other users in the stadium ,and other fans, anywhere.  St. Louis based FanzLive has been named the official “app” of the upcoming contest.  Murphy talked about it today on KMOX Radio’s Charlie Brennan Show.

Murphy’s inspiration for FanzLive came last year, as he watched the 2012 Cardinal home opener on television.  A local reporter, interviewing an 83 year old woman who had been to several home openers over the years, asked the woman what she had to show for her loyalty.  Her answer:  “my memories”.   With his knowledge of digital media, Murphy envisioned a technology that would allow fans such as that woman to capture those memories, share them with other fans, and save them for years to come.

The FanzLive application is designed to make collecting and uploading content from your seat quick and easy. The app is available for iPhone and all Android-powered devices.   And of course it’s not just for soccer – the app allows fans of ANY team in ANY sport at ANY event, including music concerts to share in the experience.

FanzLive promotes itself as the “Official App of the Fan.” It backs that claim by noting it contains 100% pure fan-generated, shared content, and connects users with every other fan at the same live event they are attending – in effect creating a network of “citizen journalists” who provide photos, videos, text, check-ins and other content, to capture that moment in time as it’s happening,  or relived years from now, all through the eyes, minds and mobile devices of the fan.

The mobile app is free – Murphy says FanzLive generates its revenue through a combination of sources:  a subscription fee that allows users to keep their content forever through the app, through adverting and real-time commerce connected to the app, and in some cases, premium packages which would allow for sports teams to “customize” the app for their own use.

FanzLive is a natural for Murphy, who brings to the table a background in sports marketing and digital know-how.  Prior to starting FanzLive, he was a senior marketing executive at Anheuser-Busch for 28 years. He was promoted through the ranks of brand management, sports marketing and creative development at the #1 global sports sponsor. Starting as a Brand Manager of Bud Light, Murphy played a key role in the development of new brand positioning with a focus on fun, youth, and social interaction. He created the most successful brand promotion in Bud Light’s history by securing Bud Light’s status as the Official Beer Sponsor of the NHL and he led the brewery’s  Digital team, pioneering the development of AB’s overall digital strategy.  That included the planning and execution of digital roadmaps consisting of 45+ websites, creative development to support $20 million in online media, promotions, mobile,  and social media. While at AB, Tim also worked on several high-profile Super Bowl campaigns.   Murphy also assisted in the management of Bud Light’s $100 million creative, production and talent budget. He helped produce concepts such as the “Swear Jar” and Bud Light “Dude” as viral campaigns. He also spearheaded online distribution of AB’s Super Bowl commercials.

 

 

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