Ideas that are born from friends scribbling on bar napkins on a road trip probably shouldn’t end up with someone quitting their job to form a start-up. Well, it’s a good thing James Giglio took that risk to create MVP Interactive, with partner Anthony DiPrizio, because in just three and a half short years the company has enhanced the in-stadium experience for people all over the country.
MVP uses cutting edge technology to connect consumers to teams and brands across all major sports. Virtual penalty kick shootouts and generating user specific bobbleheads are some of the many offerings of the company. Although thrilled with the early success of MVP Interactive, CEO Giglio remains as ambitious as he’s ever been.
“We want to be the household name and go-to resource for in-venue interactive technology. When teams, sponsors or marketers think of user experience, we want them to think of MVP Interactive.”
Giglio started MVP Interactive in May 2012 with two core products in mind – MorphingStation®, (now patented and a registered trademark) which he describes as a photo booth experience on steroids, and GamingWall™, a collection of screens that operate similar to the Xbox Kinect, and then some. The team spent six months creating their prototypes, and following some fortunate breaks, MVP Interactive debuted their tech at the 2013 NBA All Star Game in Houston.
“Mark Tatum of the NBA, who was the head of Global Marketing at the time, inexplicably took our meeting and in many ways brought our concept into actual product. He and his team gave us the opportunity to showcase the technology at Jam Session in 2013, where we went on to land multiple contracts with both league-wide sponsors and teams. It was a great organic way to build our business.”
The All Star Game served as an accelerator for the company. MVP Interactive began working with teams including the NY Yankees, Philadelphia Flyers, Houston Rockets and Dynamo, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Redskins. The relationship with the Redskins has been especially beneficial for the company; MVP along with sponsor Bud Light opened up a Social Lounge in FedEx Field where fans could enjoy all of the company’s offerings.
“We always believed housing a suite of technology in one environment is the ideal setting and the Washington Redskins allowed us to prove that. We launched the lounge during the 2014 season and it featured 2 MorphingStation’s, 1 GamingWall and 8 Microsoft Surface Pro tablets loaded with our photo app. Based on the success of last season, the team and Bud Light expanded the size of the lounge and allowed us to incorporate more technology for the 2015 season.”
Included in the enhanced Social Lounge experience is MVP’s Virtual Reality Helmet. By taking the Redskins’ helmet, engineering sound and attaching an Oculus Rift headset to it, MVP has created an opportunity for fans to experience game day as an NFL player. From signing pregame autographs to running onto the field and hearing the roars of the crowd, users can see it all simply by visiting the lounge and putting on the VR Helmet. Other popular attractions include a touchdown celebration game and a field goal kicking competition, with all these factors combining to make the FedEx experience unlike any other. As MVP continues to leave marks across sports venues all over the US, Giglio has begun to set his eyes on further expansion.
“We have garnished relationships in Canada and hope to expand overseas in the near future. The challenge we’ve faced thus far has been the difference in the consumption of sports in Europe compared to the US. For many fans overseas, the only thing that matters is the play on the field or court and not the entire game day experience like here in the states. However, at its core, the technology is really agnostic to a property. We can easily see ourselves in retail stores, amusement parks, malls, and transportation hubs like airports and train stations.”
Giglio and his team of trailblazers at MVP Interactive hardly see a limit in sight to their impressive rise. It’s hard to side against them, especially when looking at the company’s humble beginning as a doodle on a napkin in a bar.