Dick's Sporting Goods
A US sporting goods retailer that owns GameChanger.
Dick's Sporting Goods bought GameChanger in 2016, put Sameer in charge in 2019, and in March 2020 backed building streaming by September. The MVP shipped around Labor Day 2020 and livestreaming became the main growth driver. The lesson: when the world shifts, make the big bet fast, back it with patient capital, and test internal bets by asking if you would invest your own money.
- Dick's buys GameChangerDick's becomes the parent company
- Sameer Ahuja takes the leadDick's asks him to lead it
- Game activity falls 99.9%Activity nearly vanishes overnight
- Leaders commit to livestreamingProduct and engineering commit within hours
- Livestreaming MVP launchesBecame the rocket fuel for growth
From Sameer Ahuja, GameChanger leadership
What was said about Dick's Sporting Goods
GameChanger committed to building livestreaming within a day of activity collapsing. In late March 2020, game activity fell 99.9%. The core leaders met on a Friday, called their Dick's oversight contact, got a September deadline, and had product and engineering commit within hours to build livestreaming by Labor Day.
There was no detailed plan or 30 to 45 day presentation, only a strong gut feeling that video adoption had changed for good. The MVP launched around Labor Day 2020 and livestreaming became the rocket fuel for growth. Quote: "if the world is zigging, you have to zag". Dick's bought GameChanger in 2016 and asked Sameer Ahuja to lead it in 2019.
Sameer judges internal bets by whether he would invest his own money. He treats internal initiatives like an investor. He reads the deck but mainly looks for conviction in the person's eyes.
He also never asks the parent company, Dick's, to back an initiative unless he has absolute conviction himself. Quote: "I have to see the conviction".
How GameChanger Became the World’s #1 Youth Sports App
Bought GameChanger in 2016 and asked Sameer to lead it in 2019. In March 2020 its contact backed building streaming by September, and it shares the long-term investment mindset in youth sports.
GameChanger committed to building livestreaming within a day of activity collapsing. In late March 2020, game activity fell 99.9%. The core leaders met on a Friday, called their Dick's oversight contact, got a September deadline, and had product and engineering commit within hours to build livestreaming by Labor Day.
There was no detailed plan or 30 to 45 day presentation, only a strong gut feeling that video adoption had changed for good. The MVP launched around Labor Day 2020 and livestreaming became the rocket fuel for growth. Quote: "if the world is zigging, you have to zag". Dick's bought GameChanger in 2016 and asked Sameer Ahuja to lead it in 2019.
Sameer judges internal bets by whether he would invest his own money. He treats internal initiatives like an investor. He reads the deck but mainly looks for conviction in the person's eyes.
He also never asks the parent company, Dick's, to back an initiative unless he has absolute conviction himself. Quote: "I have to see the conviction".
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