New technology from startup ventures is transforming the sports industry. The mission of this series will be to introduce startup companies in the sports technology space to a broader audience and allow Founders of promising new ventures to tell their story.
Company: uTalk
CEO: Baird Hall
Headquarters: Charleston, SC
1. What is your elevator pitch?
uTalk is an audio engagement platform that allows sports fans to broadcast their voice and talk (literally) around a specific topic or community. Fans join uTalk Stations to center audio discussions around topics such as: teams, podcast/radio shows, DFS, etc.
Podcasters, radio shows, and community managers create uTalk Stations to host audio discussions around their content. uTalk’s Premium Talk 2.0 Subscriptions allows moderators to leverage audience engagement tools & analytics to build and maintain loyal listeners. 
2. Problem & Solution
Sports fans crave content and engagement, especially in audio form. Over 24 million people listened to sports radio on a daily basis in 2014! While sports fans have plenty of channels for typing about sports, we know fans are built around sports talk (literally). The passion and emotion fans carry can’t be portrayed via text.
Podcasts, radio shows, and sports media sites have a different set of problems. They struggle engaging listeners directly and tracking metrics around their audience/audio content (tracking plays, listeners, listens, etc., is nearly impossible!).
uTalk solves both of these problems by giving fans and content creators a platform for audio engagement & metrics. uTalk is a mobile application making it easy to subscribe to specific uTalk Stations and engage via audio & text.
3. Market – your target market and the overall market
I don’t think we have to spell out how large the sports market is in regards to content & fan engagement. However, audio is our focus. 242 million Americans listen to radio each week with over 24 million a day focused on sports (2014). We plan to focus on podcasting and terrestrial radio as sub-verticals where uTalk has ideal product market fit.
Both of these channels struggle with audience engagement and analytics. uTalk fits beautifully to provide these content creators with a platform for engaging their community in a unique way.
4. Business Model – how do you make money?
uTalk will generate revenue through the sale of premium Talk 2.0 Station Subscriptions, our Smart Pay-Per-Listen Advertising platform, and MVP feature offerings.
uTalk’s “Talk 2.0” station subscription is the most unique revenue model when compared to other social applications. Stations allow community managers (Podcasts, radio shows, community leaders) to create uTalk Stations and encourage engagement. In return, uTalk will provide customers with engagement tools, analytics, and marketing lists based on station signups and activity.
5. Management Team
Baird Hall – CEO & Co-Founder
Nick Fogle – CTO & Co-Founder
6. What else do you want the audience to know about your venture?
We are proud to say we have built the entire uTalk platform completely in-house. This includes our audio messaging architecture, an extensive set of APIs, push notification server, and mobile apps for both iOS and Android. Our technology is built to scale and grow with our user base.
We love connecting with other founders and people in the industry. Our first passion is technology but sports is a close second. If anyone is interested in uTalk, head to utalk.io for more information or email me directly baird@utalk.io.
You can ensure an invite to the app when we launch by signing up here. If you run a podcast or community and want a uTalk Station, head here.
Bonus Questions
If you were stuck on a desert island with any three athletes, who would they be and why?
- Stephen Curry because he could make it rain at any moment (hydration is key)
- Julius Erving would be a nice addition to make sure we have a doctor in the house
- Hope Solo because diversity is important & defense wins Championships. That is important even on a desert island, right?
If you were to invite any CEO to dinner who would it be and why?
Chamath Palihapitiya – I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Facebook executive & growth expert, venture capitalist, NBA Team owner/champion, are just a few topics to start with. While I would love to drain every ounce of advice from Chamath regarding social growth, I am most interested in hearing his story and thoughts on attitude/drive. He is a pure winner and knows how to come out on top, no matter what he is doing.
If you could go to any sporting event, what would it be and why?
Tough question! There are so many on my bucket list (MLB Playoff game, NBA Game 7, Super Bowl, etc.). Can I go fictional? Ok, thanks. It would have to be the 1954 Indiana High School Basketball Station Championship from Hoosier’s. I grew up in the Kentuckiana area as a huge basketball fan. Would there be anything better than seeing the picket fence in real life? If you don’t know what I am talking about, stop what you are doing and go watch Hoosiers!