The Whistle’s efforts to deliver sports and entertainment content to kids and families across multiple media platforms has earned the company a spot at the upcoming NAB Show, including its new feature “SPROCKIT – Gearing Startups for Glory.”
Brian Selander, former policy chief for Delaware Gov. Jack Markell is an executive at the start-up company.
SPROCKIT judges selected The Whistle as one of ten “revolutionary” market-ready start-ups that will be featured center stage at the NAB Show. Billed as the world’s largest media and entertainment event, NAB Show includes more than 90,000 attendees and 1,600 exhibitors from more than 150 countries from April 6-11 in Las Vegas.
“With our partners we’ve identified your company as one of the most promising, potentially game-changing startups in this industry,” wrote Gordon H. Smith, CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters and Harry M. Glazer, founder and CEO of the World Series of Start-Ups LLC in their invitation to The Whistle.
SPROCKIT selects only the “most revolutionary market-ready startups” and will connect The Whistle “directly to decision makers, industry visionaries, global media and potential funders,” the two wrote.
“We are honored by the selection and excited by the opportunity for The Whistle to be part of
the NAB Show in this unique way,” said Whistle founder and Chairman John West.
Its owners and investors include sports heroes such as Derek Jeter, Peyton Manning, Mia Hamm and Tim Wakefield; media pioneers including former Nickelodeon President Gerry Laybourne, MLB Baseball President Bob DuPuy and Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman; and partners like the NFL, PGA Tour and US Soccer.
The Whistle had its pre-launch last October across five platforms (including NBC Sports Network), which introduced The Whistle’s mix of pro sports, content, fitness and nutrition, sports science and math, games and insider access to professional athletes. The company plans a larger national launch this spring.
The company’s leadership team includes founder West, a successful entrepreneur who has started, grown and sold two companies; co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Urban, a former SVP of Sports Marketing at Gatorade; Brian Diamond, a former SVP of Production at Spike TV and MTV; Scott Roback, a former business development executive at Yahoo! and Zumbox; and Selander.
