The Economics of the NFL Draft, A Seismic Move in Sports Broadcasting and the Curious Rise of a Chess Website

Each week, we sift through a ton of content and then debate it ad nauseam at FEVO HQ. And since good content, like the mind, is a terrible thing to waste, we are also sharing it here with you, our fans, in the form of this weekly blog post on e-commerce, media and life on the internet.

NYT: The stealth campaign that’s getting your kids hooked on chess
“Why are we sharing this article?” you might ask. Because Chess.com has pulled a masterclass in marketing. Sure, Covid had people at home with nothing to do and Queen’s Gambit went supernova, but after that the website went into overdrive with marketing initiatives to rope in curious newbies and position themselves as the go-to destination for playing chess online. This is a great playbook to study when thinking about adapting your business to new and younger audiences. [Read more]

KSHB Kansas City: The value of Kansas City hosting 2023 NFL Draft
A local Kansas City radio station talked to a wide variety of sources to determine the value of hosting the NFL Draft. A mayor, sports economist, the head of the Kansas City Restaurant Association, local fans and more all weighed in to reveal the ways — both measurable and subjective — in which the NFL’s premier off-season event has impacted the city. [Read more]

CNBC: Phoenix Suns and Mercury to move games from cable to local network and streaming
The two Arizona professional basketball teams have decided to end their partnership with regional sports networks in a move that could shake up the way fans consume pro sports. They will broadcast all their games via local broadcast networks as well as through a direct-to-consumer streaming in partnership with video technology company Kiswe. The article also points out that this is all possible because the two Phoenix teams have their “own in-house production, as well as a commercial sales group, which will help simplify the transition.” It will be interesting to see if other teams follow their lead should the move prove to be a success. [Read more]

And a few more nuggets of assorted internet wisdom …

Historic Nebraska volleyball match in Memorial Stadium is sold out (Husker Online)

With generative AI, luxury hopes to finally crack digital clienteling (Vogue Business)

How to balance ethical growth and competitive advantages (Entrepreneur)

Why the NBA is setting ratings records at the perfect time (The Street)

Gen-X bankers warn Gen-Z content creators: Don’t give up the day job (The Financial Times)

Kevin Durant signs a lifetime Nike contract (Boardroom)

Eastbay was more than just a magazine (ESPN)

Photo courtesy of Jose Castillo on Unsplash