191: Golf Untucked: The Social Side of the Game | Evan Kamer from Skratch

Here at 18Strong, we are all about breaking down the body mechanics and physical aspects of golf to the perfect the swing, but sometimes it’s important to put down the scorecards, stop measuring the launch angles, and remember to have fun with the game and reflect on the lighter side of golf. You’ve probably heard me talking about Skratch on the podcast and hopefully have checked out some of the videos and content they have created. They are a social first, digital content business engaging the millennial-minded golf fan with entertaining videos and other content that promotes and highlights the fun side of golf. They are changing the way that we watch and engage with the PGA tour, players on the tour, and golf as a whole, which is why I brought on Evan Kamer, Vice President and General Manager at Skratch, to talk on the “untucked” side of golf and remembering that this is a game we love and enjoy, and we can have fun with it. Evan Kamer and Skratch’s Background Evan is the Vice President and General Manager of Skratch at the PGA TOUR. Skratch is a social-first digital content business engaging the millennial-minded golf fan with entertaining videos and other content that promotes and highlights the fun side of golf. Prior to joining the PGA TOUR, Evan was the Vice President of Partnerships for Competitor Group Inc. where he brought national partnerships to the active lifestyle media and events company. Evan previously served as Vice President of League Relations and Partnerships at USA TODAY’s Sports Media Group where he helped sign multi-year deals worth over $15 Million with the PGA TOUR, NASCAR, Churchill Downs, UFC and broadcasters such as NBC Sports, Spike, and The Golf Channel. Prior to USA TODAY, Evan was the Chief Operating Officer and a co-founder of the sports digital start-up Big League Sports, where he managed day-to-day operations and sales, helped raise over $20 Million in investment and make eight corporate acquisitions. Evan was the Senior Director of business development for the National Football League from 1998 – 2005 where he helped close a range of innovative technology-based partnerships with Sprint, AOL, Sirius XM, Apple among others in total value in excess of $1 Billion. Evan was also a founding employee of ABOUT.com where he was the Director of Business Development and managed acquisition and retention activities as well as generated revenue through marketing and distribution partnerships. Evan has an MBA in Marketing from the Stern School of Business at NYU and a Bachelors of Science in Information Systems from the State University of New York at Albany. Highlights from this Episode Evan talks on the conception and growth of Skratch and their mission and goal to redefine the stereotypical golf audience to the younger fans and players with content like tour highlights, using professional players, and lifestyle content. Their core belief that they aren’t trying to change the habits of their viewers by directing them to a different feed or website, but rather they place their content across multiple social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube to make it accessible for their growing audience base. He breaks down the business model, the target audience they find watching their content, and the idea of branded content being featured in their content rather than running constant ads. He boils down the creative process that goes into creating their original content, the teams they have working around the U.S, and how they keep their content exciting without going for “Shock value” or a cheap laugh and balancing their work with the players on the tour and their take on Skratch. The new projects they have coming up like The Adventures in Golf Season 3 coming out this summer, a second season of Orchestrating the Tour which dives into the behind the scenes look at the business of making the tour happen. Parting Questions Caddy Shack of Happy Gilmore?  Caddy Shack What’s your walk-up song?” Boombastic by Shaggy 18 holes with anyone, who and where?  President Obama at Whistling Straits What has you most excited for the future?   Continuing to evolve with our audience and retaining our authenticity and communication Find out more and follow Skratch and Evan at: Skratchtv.com Twitter Instagram Facebook Join The 18STRONG Movement! If you listened to the very end of this episode, then you know that there is a movement happening in golf and fitness.  To join, simply follow this link to the private Facebook group and ask to join!  Once you’re accepted, you are officially part of The 18STRONG Movement!  Introduce yourself to the group and let’s get connected!