SportsHosts
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SportsHosts was a community platform that connected traveling sports fans with local hosts to attend live sporting events.[1]
History
[edit]SportsHosts was founded in 2016 by Darren Walls, Michael Barret, and Melissa Blair in Melbourne, Australia to facilitate cultural exchange and friendships through shared sports experiences.[2][3][4] The initial challenge for SportsHosts was to determine whether sports fans would volunteer to host others for free. To explore this, SportsHosts worked with the Australian Football League (AFL), Victoria University, and academic researchers to conduct qualitative analysis. The study identified four key motivations for hosting: social connection, promotion of the AFL, personal passion for the sport, and the appeal of offering a unique experience.[5] A follow-up study, led by Michael Goldman of the University of San Francisco and Brandon Brown of New York University, evaluated the model's cross-cultural applicability.[6]
Between 2017 and 2018, SportsHosts ran pilot programs with local Melbourne teams such as the Melbourne Football Club (AFL) and Melbourne City FC (soccer).[7][8]
In 2018, SportsHosts moved its headquarters to Denver, Colorado with the support of the City2City program.[2][9] Following this relocation, SportsHosts worked with major American sports teams, including the San Francisco Giants (MLB), Brooklyn Nets (NBA), and New York City FC (MLS),[10] and integrated local hosting into fan engagement initiatives.[9]
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a suspension of live events and disrupted SportsHosts’ travel-based model, which resulted in a shift toward virtual community engagement through virtual watch parties and mobile apps. In the same year, SportsHosts commissioned a “Let’s Go Together” campaign to highlight its focus on social connections.[11][12]
Platform
[edit]Hosts listed forthcoming fixtures on the SportsHosts website and app, specifying meet-up details, and approved visitor requests; visitors purchased their own tickets and covered related costs.[9] Clubs benefited from increased attendance and fan loyalty and often invited season ticket holders to serve as hosts. The platform used matching algorithms and “fan-cluster” analytics to pair fans with hosts.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Epstein, Jackie (October 18, 2017). "GOOD TO MEET YOU, SPORT". Herald Sun.
- ^ a b Vendituoli, Monica (April 4, 2019). "The pitch heard 'round the world: Colorado and Denver have big plans to compete in the global marketplace". Denver Business Journal.
- ^ Vojdinoski, Clint (December 20, 2018). "SportsHosts wants to power authentic local sports experiences for travellers".
- ^ "Ejecutiva hispana líder en las industrias del turismo y deportes lanza Global Tourism Sports and Entertainment". El Tiempo Latino. January 21, 2020.
- ^ Schwarz, Eric C.; Pankowiak, Aurélie (January 23, 2020). "Professional sports fans' interests in hosting an international visitor at a game: evidence for 'sports hosts'". International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing. 20 (5–6): 387–404. doi:10.1504/IJSMM.2020.115121 – via inderscienceonline.com (Atypon).
- ^ Goldman, Michael; Brown, Brandon; Schwarz, Eric C. (January 1, 2021). "Collaborative consumption sport hosting: value and consumption constraints". International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship. 23 (1): 1–17. doi:10.1108/IJSMS-10-2020-0183 – via Emerald Insight.
- ^ "Melbourne partners with SportsHosts". August 3, 2017.
- ^ "Melbourne City FC embraces the future of fandom with SportsHosts". December 5, 2017.
- ^ a b c Sunnucks, Mike (February 17, 2019). "SportsHosts aims to pair sports travelers with host fans". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ Kheraj, Simreen (March 16, 2019). "SportsHosts Presents The Welcome Game".
- ^ Courie, Evan-Lee (November 20, 2020). "#Loeries2020: Day five winners and Boniswa Pezisa named Loeries Hall of Fame inductee". Bizcommunity.
- ^ "South African agency creates advert for US sports website". The Citizen. March 30, 2020.
- ^ "Melbourne Football Club partners with SportsHosts to drive fan engagement".