Want to learn what it is like to work at PlaySight? We’re going to spend the next few months talking to members of the team about their backgrounds in sport, what they do at PlaySight, and much more!
This week, we hear from our head of marketing, Jeff Angus.
Tell us a bit more about your background before joining PlaySight.
Jeff: I was studying for my MBA at the University of Oregon (and the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center) when I first heard about PlaySight in 2014. I graduated a year later and joined the team very early on – PlaySight was in the early stages of building its US and North American operations at the time and was looking for somebody to help develop the brand.
What sports did you play growing up?
Jeff: Mostly soccer, but also some baseball, tennis (although I’d be in tough to win a match against most of my colleagues) and golf.
At the very first ever PlayFair tournament in late 2015.
What attracted you to working at PlaySight?
Jeff: The connection to sport was what got my attention early. I was also able to play on a tennis SmartCourt before joining the company too, and immediately saw the potential of the technology, for both elite athletes and at the recreational level – bringing together trends like gamification and video for athletic purposes.
Early on we were focused exclusively on tennis, and I also liked the idea of starting with just one sport vertical and learning it well before trying to cover all sports at the same time.
What is your role at PlaySight?
Jeff: I help to run PlaySight’s global marketing operations. We are working in over 25 countries across 30+ sports, so our messaging needs to be on-point from region to region, sport to sport, and really athlete to athlete. My role is very cross-functional as well – across HR, product and sales to ensure that as a company, we are listening to the market, designing the right features, and connecting to our consumers and users in the right away.
Favorite athlete of all-time?
Jeff: Growing up in Vancouver in the 90s, the easy answer is hockey player Pavel Bure (also known as the Russian Rocket).
Favorite team and sport?
Jeff: I’ll watch anything that has a ball, puck, or moving object. The best part of working at PlaySight is that I can call watching sports, reading about sports, and talking about sports “research.” My favorite sport to watch has been and always will be hockey. I’d say favorite team would be the Seattle Seahawks or Oregon Ducks. I’m also a big fan of Canadian tennis.
At the US Open in 2015 – PlaySight’s first ever event activation.
What is the best part about working at PlaySight?
Jeff: First and foremost, we have some amazing people. It makes it more enjoyable each day to tackle the sports market with smart and enjoyable colleagues. Besides that, getting to help the company navigate the rapidly-evolving technology landscape has been a rewarding challenge/opportunity. With 5G, artificial intelligence/AI, camera technology, and the pervasiveness of data and analytics, the sports world is ready for the technology revolution. I get to lend a hand in many areas outside of marketing.
What is your favorite experience so far during your time at PlaySight?
Jeff: There have been a few. Working closely with the ITA to ideate, test and launch PlayFair over the past four years has been very rewarding. Creating actual change in a sport with our technology is the ultimate goal. Traveling to the US Open, BNP Paribas Open, and new states and cities for events has also been a great part about working at PlaySight.
Finish this sentence – in five years, PlaySight will…
Jeff: Be a leader in the sports video industry with automated production technology and access to a cutting-edge AI platform, which will be standard across all leagues, associations, teams, colleges, universities and schools.
