Looking at the success of those series and others, Athletes Unlimited sees a similar partnership with Boardwalk Pictures as an opportunity to grow women’s professional sports through the personal, behind-the-scenes digital video its leagues have used online since their inception.
“When you see these documentary-type films, it’s exactly what endears people to the players themselves and I’m confident it will endear them to Athletes Unlimited,” said Cheri Kempf, senior vice president of Athletes Unlimited.
Kempf and the AU team were impressed with Boardwalk’s previous work, but also with McGinty and Boardwalk CEO Andrew Fried. Boardwalk sent three representatives out to San Diego during AU’s AUX Softball season last summer and let them immerse themselves in players’ lives. They spent time with the players in their temporary home at San Diego State University, they sat in at the team workouts, went to the games and got an idea of what set the league apart.
For example, AU athletes compile points based on both team wins and individual performance—so every play results in points. The top four athletes on the leaderboard serve as captains and draft their own teams, which change on a weekly basis. The league hands an individual championship to the player with the most points at the end of five weeks, but players collectively name a representative to AU’s board of directors and share in the company’s long-term profits.
So when AU draws a broadcast partner like ESPN or sponsors including Gatorade, Geico, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike, players ideally have a stake in the deal.