Jersey City — From playing sports to watching them, a crowd is a must — but in a digital era where does Gen Z stand with how they enjoy sports?
Rather than hitting a local sports bar, as a more sober generation, Gen Z enjoys sports entertainment by using sports betting apps like FanDuel from the comfort of their homes.
While most of Gen Z interacts on social media to comment on sports (and their aforementioned bets) amongst fellow viewers, a developing platform HANG is drawing in 22 million young viewers with its innovative approach to sports viewing.
On the HANG platform, viewers can interact and experience sports events alongside current players, all-time greats, and celebrities. It recently raised a $9.2 million venture capital Series A round to advance its platform.
HANG, co-founded by former CNN President Jon Klein and Viva Creative CEO Lorne Greene, offers a unique and interactive sports viewing experience that brings fans closer to their favorite athletes and celebrities. Through livestreams on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Twitch, HANG enables fans to engage with sports legends and current players, creating a communal and immersive second-screen experience.
Considering the rise of live streaming over the pandemic, it makes sense that Gen Z would rather interact digitally, especially with coveted star athletes and celebrities. On top of that, HANG has uniquely centralized a niche audience by bringing sports viewers to one place to interact on a more personal level.
What sets HANG apart is its ability to attract a massive audience, with an average of 800,000 viewers per event, and an astonishing engagement rate of 1 hour and 22 minutes per session. This appeal has not only drawn the attention of Gen Z fans but has also attracted leading sponsors such as Toyota, Wells Fargo, Coca-Cola and MolsonCoors.
Klein believes that the company's success can be attributed to its commitment to providing fans with an authentic and up-close experience with their favorite personalities.
"We make fans' dreams come true, while delivering results that major brands cannot achieve anywhere else," he said in a release.
With this new funding in place, HANG Media aims to accelerate its product development and expand its audience further, solidifying its position as a trailblazer in the direct-to-consumer sports media category.
Keeping it gee, As Gen Z fans continue to seek immersive and communal sports experiences, HANG is poised to lead the way in redefining how sports entertainment is consumed and enjoyed.
Edited by NaTyshca Pickett