By ALAN SNEL
LVSportsBiz.com
A tech operation based in Las Vegas wants to change the way fans consume sports events at bars and restaurants by creating technology that would stream live esports, sports events like MMA fights and betting data for live games onto TV screens at food and drink retail locations.
It’s called KonekTV and co-founders Seth Schorr and Sameer Gupta have already struck pilot deals with about a dozen restaurants and bars to try out the KoneckTV technology on TV screens that typically show sports events via cable TV or satellite dish.
Schorr, CEO of Fifth Street Gaming, Downtown Grand chairman and a big esports supporter since 2015, said the PKWY Tavern at 9820 W. Flamingo Rd. and ameriCAN Beer & Cocktails bar at the Linq hotel-casino on the Strip are among the dozen bars and restaurants trying out the KoneckTV technology providing them with esports content and live in-game sports betting data related to the same games on TV screens in the bars. Schorr and Gupta said they work with sportsbooks partners to generate the real-time sports gambling data.
KonekTV operates under the corporate banner of Commercial Streaming Solutions, which is incorporated in Delaware and headquartered here in Las Vegas.
KonekTV would make money by selling the licensing use fees for the streaming content to the retail food and beverage operators much like how restaurants or bars have to buy cable or dish TV rights to show sports games.
Schorr and Gupta are also talking to leagues and teams about their streaming technology. “There are a lot of potential partners,” Gupta said.
In-game sports betting is very popular in Europe, as 70 percent of the sports gambling focuses on real-time game action. Schorr said only five percent of the sports gambling in Nevada in in-game wagers.
That’s why KonekTV wants to not only stream esports competitions like the popular Fortnite game but also supply real-time betting odds and data along with stats on the two teams. On Monday morning at their office, they called up today’s scheduled Louisville vs Virginia Tech college basketball game, for example, and showed the money line, and team stats via their streaming that would allow fans watching the game later today to place bets via an app during the game.
The duo believe esports content in bars and restaurants would be popular by tapping into the growing esports category that could appeal to young families with kids who play video games and to millennials, who like both esports and streaming content.
As Gupta put it, “We’re giving control back to the customer.”
Schorr noted the key to growing the business is showing the bars and restaurants how they can tap into new audiences via KonekTV’s esports and betting streaming content.
“We give you the technology,” Schorr said, “and they have to market it.”
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