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World Congress of Sports

SAP’s McDermott Says Potential Partners Have To Be All-In On Technology

SAP CEO Bill McDermott told the audience at the '16 CAA World Congress of Sports that tech investments are important when looking at potential partnerships. McDermott said the companies that SAP partners with “have to deeply care about using technology to improve the fan experience or to improve the performance of the athlete.” McDermott: “If they don’t themselves respect the true value and power of the technology, there’s no point in partnering with them. Ultimately, (why) would we put our brand next to a brand that really doesn’t buy into what we’re trying to do?” SAP’s sports properties include NYC FC and the NHL, and the company also has sponsorship deals with the NBA and WTA. It additionally owns the naming rights for the Sharks’ home arena in San Jose. McDermott noted that the NHL is working on technology that features a sensor in the puck. “The sensor would give you a unique experience as a fan in being able to track the digital puck and look at how that ties into movements and statistics and biorhythms,” he said. “It really brings you right into the game and onto the ice.”

ALL THINGS DIGITAL: McDermott sits on Under Armour’s BOD and said the company in recent years has “mastered the art of using a modern data platform for transactions and analytics.” McDermott, asked about sports brands as media companies, said, “When you’re digital, you can be everywhere. The idea of connected fitness is a huge idea. Not only do you sell shirts and shoes, but you keep people healthy.”

YOUNG GUNS: McDermott, who started his own deli while a high school teenager on Long Island, said he is a big believer in hiring millennials. “I give them very big jobs,” McDermott said. “Put them in big jobs, put them in there too early and see what they’re made of. My experience has been that they’ve never let me down and when placed in command, they take charge.”

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