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Bidstack, a pioneer in native in-game advertising technology, announces today the launch of Bidstack Sport – a division that aims to increase the reach and depth of activation in sponsorship and fan engagement in virtual sports environments. SimWin Sports has entered into a multi-year technology partnership that will allow the launch of the first virtual fantasy league. This partnership will allow SimWin to integrate Bidstack’s enterprise technology across its expanding range of sports properties and franchises.
Bidstack Sports’ foundational product launch is a first of its kind tech solution that allows both club and league rights holders to instantly deliver dynamic content and messaging in their virtual stadiums. This supports the flexible control of highly-valuable online spaces. This is a significant step forward for traditional sports sponsorship. It establishes a technological gateway that allows real and virtual world activations, unlocking new revenue models and supporting industry growth.
Bidstack Sports is headed by Alex Nunez, an EA SPORTS veteran who was previously head of commercial partnerships for Madden NFL. Nunez partnered with Pizza Hut in order to create the first virtual stadium rights agreement, which was made possible within Madden NFL 20.
Alex Nunez, SVP and Head of Bidstack Sport, said:
“Every year, sports simulation gaming is bringing gamers closer to the real world experience. This includes gameplay animations and athletes likenesses as well as the atmospheric and environmental detail at some of the most famous venues in sport. Bidstack’s technology allows us to enhance this evolving realism and create innovative commercial growth opportunities for fans. We have created a new product that allows publishers and rights holders to natively manage and monetize virtual stadiums and communicate with them through a controlled content management platform. This tech solution offers a unique opportunity to increase fan communication and net-new sponsorship revenue.
“We are incredibly proud to launch Bidstack Sports and SimWin Sports, which is a first-of its kind platform that resembles a traditional sport architecture of individual leagues or franchises, portrayed in virtual space. This partnership highlights the power, sophistication, and control of Bidstack technology and shows the potential for us to expand to all corners of the sports industry.”
SimWin Sports is the first virtual sports league. It offers daily fantasy players and esports enthusiasts the opportunity to play, predict, collect and win. SimWin Sports will start with 32 American football teams. The league will then expand to include basketball, soccer, and other sports, with franchises and teams under the management of celebrities and sports stars such as Jerry Rice and Magic Johnson. Bidstack’s technology, along with the new rights holder product, will be the foundation of SimWin’s stadium sponsorship program and marketing ecosystem. This allows franchise owners to manage and profit from virtual environments using advanced audience targeting and native rendering capabilities.
SimWin Sports is headed by EA SPORTS veterans Tom Goedde and David Ortiz, who have over 30 years combined gaming experience. Goedde was a master at brand, product and athlete marketing in video games. He turned that experience into a successful Real Money Gaming career. He launched the first U.S. online betting sites with DraftKings before taking them public. Ortiz is a veteran of the gaming industry, having been involved since college. He has received numerous gaming awards for his innovative work, including a spot in the 100 Most Influential Persons in Gaming list.
David J. Ortiz is the CEO of SimWin Sports.
“Bidstack technology is an ideal fit to power sponsorships within our sports metaverse. Advertising is crucial to success in both real-world and online sports leagues. Bidstack brings the best technology and capabilities to these games. Our franchise owners can create unique stadium environments for their fans and sponsors by using our ability to target, segment, and deliver immersive ads within the SimWin universe. SimWin Sports is able to unlock new levels of growth with these unique game developer tools.
Marshall Faulk, an NFL Hall of Famer who was also a Super Bowl Champion, joins the all-star SimWin franchise owners after acquiring the San Diego Battleships Team. Faulk is aiming to create the ultimate roster and drive his team to the historic inaugural championship.
Marshall Faulk, San Diego Battleships owner, said:
“Bidstack elevates SimWin’s ingame advertising capabilities. This tech is used by my San Diego Battleships team to replicate every aspect of traditional pro-sports sponsorship inventory. It includes ad space across jumbotrons, ribbon boards, stadium naming rights, and jersey patch sponsors. SimWin franchises have full creative control with Bidstack. They also have access to advanced reporting capabilities and data-targeting options that allow them to demonstrate value to their sponsors. This tech is creating the next generation in sports advertising within the next-generation of sports gaming. I am excited to be part of it all.
Bidstack Sports will continue to build on the existing relationships with the industry. These ties began in 2017 with the Football Manager franchise. Bidstack’s founder and CEO James Draper formed the initial bonds with both Football Manager’s Sports Interactive (FMSI) and Norwich City FC (NCFC), which renewed their longstanding partnership with Bidstack as an esports sponsor.
James Draper is the founder and CEO of Bidstack.
Since signing Football Manager over five years ago, Bidstack has been a part of the sports industry. We were a small company and had the conviction to sponsor Norwich back in those days, knowing that sports would play an important role in our future. Bidstack Sports will strengthen our company’s relationship with the sports industry.
Bidstack’s in-game advertising technology is already integrated into many sporting titles. The latest product iteration will further develop existing partnerships and introduce new growth strategy that accelerates an era within the sports industry.
