A Los Angeles-based startup in the NMotion Accelerator is applying the fantasy sports concept to TV shows, sales teams—and just about anything else.
“It’s a fantasy gaming platform that can be used for anything,” said Dan Young, co-founder of Fantasizr. “You create a game with your friends and get points based on what happens.”
The current sweet spot for Fantasizr is TV shows like Dancing with the Stars, The Voice, and Game of Thrones. Shortly before joining NMotion, the company sealed a deal with MTV to be the official fantasy platform for The Challenge.
“They create the rules and maintain the data,” Young said. “We’re the vehicle between the fans and the show and, we’re integrated into their site. There’s a ‘powered by Fantasizr’ widget on the show’s page.”
The MTV deal was a big step for the company.
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“It was a real breakthrough for us,” Young said. “We used to exist only for fan communities.”
Players pick cast members from various shows and score points based on what happens in each episode.
“The best success is on shows that have natural competition elements, like Survivor or The Bachelorette,” Young said. “But we also have scripted content like Game of Thrones.”
For scripted shows, points are awarded for things like violence or funny one-liners.
“Players usually know a lot about the characters and which things are likely to score points,” Young said. “It appeals to fans that are very passionate about the show.”
Beyond pure entertainment
The platform can also be used for work groups such as sales teams.
“We’ve partnered with a couple of companies to create fantasy sales games,” Young said. “The players are members of the sales team, and they compete by tracking metrics. It’s a great motivational tool.”
Fantasizr offers a range of pricing and feature options for people to create and manage their own fantasy games for just about anything.
“You can create a competition based on content you don’t have control of,” Young said. “Pick your contestants and get points based on what happens.”
From L.A. to LNK
So how does a company from Los Angeles wind up in a Nebraska business accelerator?
“We were in the prototyping stage, looking for an accelerator,” Young said. “We found NMotion because of their sports tag and applied.”
The timing couldn’t have been better.
“We had just landed the deal with MTV and needed to work on it full time and support it,” Young said.
What does Young think about the NMotion experience so far?
“The community has been very supportive, interested in what we’re doing,” Young said. “I’m not sure if that’s just NMotion or the community in general. In L.A. everyone is just trying to sell themselves at all times.”
Young said the mentors have been very helpful.
In L.A. everyone is just trying to sell themselves
“We’ve had all sorts of mentors to challenge our ideas and assumptions,” he said. “It’s been a place to have support, bounce ideas and plan the future of the company.”
The learning experience extends beyond Lincoln, including a trip to Kansas City to see what they’re doing with startups and coworking.
“It’s a 360 learning experience,” Young said. “There’s a lot to learn about a lot, and I’m just taking it all in while I’m here.”
Young was asked about his impressions of Lincoln.
“It reminds me a lot of UC-Davis where I went to college,” he said. “The Haymarket is kind of cool, like an old town that’s being rebuilt into a tech community.”
“The burgers and beer are something else,” he added. “That’s the highlight so far.”
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Rod Armstrong is Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for AIM in Lincoln, Nebraska. He is a regular contributor to Silicon Prairie News.
