Deep Seats is a concept from Kyle Henderson and Brent Durst to re-envision people’s connection with sports.

Kyle has been a lifelong sports fan and fanatic for sports media, sports gambling and fantasy sports. Combined with his background in Product Management, Data Anlytics and his interests, Kyle came up with the concept of connecting loyalty with sports history after trying to recall many of the games he’s attended.

Brent and Kyle have tailored the idea even further to completely change how sports is managed from a personal perspective.

Brent is a long-time data enthusiast and was an early participant in music metadata. He spent a large part of his career building out music streaming services including Rhapsody, Napster, and Sony Music Entertainment. He is an active musician, avid sports fan, and an accomplished cloud and data architect.

Shortly after formulating the initial concept, Kyle and Brent watched a panel discussion about the future of fan engagement in sports, with speakers from different organizations, including the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Amazon. Their discussion focused on how technology, data, and changing fan behaviors are transforming sports experiences. The key themes they discussed are addressed and incorporated into the Deep Seats platform:

Fan Behavior is changing

• 60% of sports fans now have multiple favorite teams within the same league
• Fans are more diverse in team loyalty, often differing from family traditions
• Younger fans are engaging differently, with player popularity sometimes exceeding team loyalty
• Fans are more likely to travel to see specific players or teams they’re interested in

Technology and the Fan Experience are Evolving

• Streaming services like Amazon are creating innovative broadcast experiences
• Multiple viewing options are being developed, including:
  • Alternate broadcasts (for sports bettors, kids, etc.)
  • Interactive experiences
  • Enhanced statistical overlays
  • Personalized content

Data-Driven Insights are driving fan engagement

Teams, Leagues, and Venue Operators are using data to:

• Understand fan preferences
• Create personalized experiences
• Improve venue and broadcast offerings
• Track engagement metrics
• Expanding audience reach by hosting international games
• Developing grassroots programs
• Creating localized content and experiences
• Investing in player development in new markets