Sport Buff, the interactive fan engagement company, has appointed Michael Flynn to the role of chief executive and revealed a new brand identity.
Flynn takes over from founder Benn Achilleas, who will continue to support the company as its largest shareholder.
As part of this transition, the company will introduce a new brand identity: Join In Live.
The company said the refreshed name reflects the organisation’s “mission to deliver cutting-edge interactive technology that brings audiences closer to the action, whether they are watching on broadcast, OTT or in-venue screens”.
Flynn brings more than three decades of experience in sport, media and data-led technology. He previously served as Director of Sponsorship for the Carling Premiership & Carling Reading & Leeds Festivals at Bass, and went on to found dataPOWA, an award-winning AI sports data business acquired by IXUP on the ASX. He has advised rights holders, broadcasters and brands globally on fan engagement, sponsorship and commercial strategy.
In a statement, the Board expressed appreciation for Achilleas’ vision, leadership, and contribution to the business since its founding.
Simon Green, chairman of Join In Live said: “We are thrilled to welcome Michael as CEO at this important moment for the company.
“Sport Buff has developed a powerful interactive layer for live sport and entertainment. Michael’s background in sponsorship, data and AI gives him a deep understanding of what rights holders, broadcasters and sponsors need, and he is well placed to lead Join In Live into its next phase of growth.”
“I’m excited to join Join In Live and build on the foundations that Benn and the team have created,” added Michael Flynn.
“Audiences, particularly younger fans, expect to participate, not just watch. Our focus will be on making it easy for fans to ‘join in’ wherever they are viewing, while creating new value for our partners through attention, data and sponsorship.”
Join In Live provides an interactive layer for live and on-demand video, enabling broadcasters, leagues and platforms to add real-time quizzes, polls, predictions and games on top of their content. It also offers a companion “second-screen” mode so fans can join in live with events they are watching on TV, all with the aim of helping to increase engagement and retention, attract and understand younger audiences, and unlock new sponsorship and data-driven revenue opportunities across broadcast, streaming and in-venue experiences.
