Blinder Makes Media Simple for Content Creators & Athletes
Blinder Makes Media Simple for Content Creators & Athletes

Courtesy of Blinder

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By Matt Bowen

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FUTRSPRT Interview Series presents conversations with some of the sharpest minds in sports tech. Leaving no angle of competition or fan experience unscathed FUTRSPRT showcases those creating the future of sports right before our eyes.

FUTRSPRT’s Matt Bowen video chatted with Blinder Co-Founder and CEO Ross McConnell using its technology about how the company is “taking video journalism to the edge of the world.”

With the NFL Draft getting underway April 23 the Atlanta Falcons will use Blinder to connect its newest team members with media outlets using Blinder, which allows journalists to contact high-profile athletes without needing their personal phone number. Blinder “doesn’t sacrifice the privacy of the talent.”

Seeing that we’re in the middle of a communication/connectivity boom Blinder is music to many ears. The company “set out to make the video interview as easy as the phone call.”

Personal privacy, super simple, and high-quality video is a solid recipe for success today in the communication business. Blinder hits the mark.

Ross McConnell — Courtesy of Blinder

Blinder was founded by Ross McConnell and his friend, Caley Wilson, who is the former media manager for the New Zealand Rugby League. Wilson needed a way to connect the league’s talent to media outlets around the world without giving away their digits. He turned to McConnell, who has spent his career in tech, to find a way to make this imperative function for any organization involved with the media happen. A quick Google search turned up nothing and the friends knew they were onto something.

Turn the page to the 2019 Women’s World Cup where Blinder witnessed a Dan Patrick interview through a smartphone with USWMT star Megan Rapinoe and the company became the indispensable media platform that it is today. Blinder’s technology is so easy to use it’s nearly unbelievable. Click a button, connect, and voila. For all parties in the sports, entertainment, and media it’s a dream solution.

“We’re creating a collaboration platform”, McConnell told FUTRSPRT.

Courtesy of Blinder

In Your Personal Life, What Technology Has You Enthralled Right Now?

“I’m just enthralled with watching the content that our partners are making with Blinder right now.”

“It’s really engaging content. I think fans are going to get hooked on seeing their sporting heroes in that way(personal/comfortable/sharing hobbies) and it’s going to be something I think that’s going to be hard not to have once we back into “normal programming.”

“Any technology that is really intuitive and makes me do the least amount of work to extract the value from it is going to get my attention.”

“How do you make it as easy as possible for your customers to experience the value and have that a-ha moment?”

Throughout our time together, McConnell preached simplicity, he understands the user to the core.

How Did the Relationship with the Atlanta Falcons Start?

“The Atlanta Falcons started using us for the audio solution and the ease of making their athletes available to the media without sacrificing their privacy.”

Now, the Falcons have Blinder’s video capabilities in its hands as well, leaving the door wide open for fresh content that the fans are looking for.

“With the draft media interests around your franchise is huge. How do you give the media access to your new talent when they’re actually not on location? You’re going to start seeing some really innovative content coming out immediately following this draft. You’re going to start some of those new signings in a really different light than you’ve seen them before, and in a much more relaxed, authentic manner.”

In 3 Years Blinder Will Be Known for ______?

“We help our customers create memorable conversations by making it safe and easy to talk to strangers. We use the term “stranger” liberally — if you allow people to be comfortable around entering into the conversation and capturing a record of it as well I think you’re going to end up with some fantastic and memorable moments that can be shared out of those conversations as well.”

Blinder is a rising star in the sportstech world.

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Stay tuned for more content from FUTRSPRT and Blinder soon.
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['Privacy', 'Media', 'Video Marketing', 'Sports Marketing', 'Sports Business']