Weplay
Encyclopedia
Weplay, an American online community
site for young athletes, parents, coaches, families and teams involved in youth sports, launched in March 2008. The venture was conceived as a joint venture between Creative Artists Agency, the venture capital arm of New York-based hedge fund Pequot Capital (now known as FirstMark Capital
) and MLB Advanced Media, Internet arm of Major League Baseball
.
, LeBron James
, Peyton Manning
and Jennie Finch
are weplay members with their own unique profiles. Several of the athletes have a financial stake in the company.
The pro athletes on weplay have real profiles that they maintain, which includes updated blogs, a media gallery of youth sports photos and videos, weekly Q&As with fans as well as self-created group profiles that let other site members meet connect through shared interests. Jennie Finch recognizes her favorite softball teams on a weekly basis while Peyton Manning is using weplay to champion his cause to make football an officially recognized Olympic sport. The current roster of weplay athletes includes:
, Amateur Softball Association, MLB, leading online drill providers and leveraging their footage with the Weplay Pros, Weplay has Skills and Drills libraries for softball
, baseball
and soccer. Drill libraries include several hundred videos, 3D Simulations and documents broken down by skill level and skill type by sport.
with a west coast office located in Long Beach, California
. Stephen Hansen (Geocities
, Universal) serves as CEO.
Weplay has already partnered with several national youth sports organizations, including Pop Warner (football), the Amateur Softball Association , the Positive Coaching Alliance and the National Association of State Games. The exclusive partnerships make weplay the official social network service provider and partner for some of these YSOs.
Weplay raised another $8.6M in August 2008.
Online community
An online community is a virtual community that exists online and whose members enable its existence through taking part in membership ritual. An online community can take the form of an information system where anyone can post content, such as a Bulletin board system or one where only a restricted...
site for young athletes, parents, coaches, families and teams involved in youth sports, launched in March 2008. The venture was conceived as a joint venture between Creative Artists Agency, the venture capital arm of New York-based hedge fund Pequot Capital (now known as FirstMark Capital
Firstmark Capital
FirstMark Capital is a private equity firm focusing on venture capital transactions in the United States. With approximately $2 billion of capital under management, FirstMark invests in technology companies early in a company’s lifecycle, frequently as the first institutional investor.Among the...
) and MLB Advanced Media, Internet arm of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Features
The athletes who join the site are able to set up their profiles with pictures, exchange communication with other friends on the network, upload videos of sports events, and play games. It also provides a team management application for parents and coaches to manage a comprehensive and singular calendar, organize car pools with other parent users and exchange advice about equipment and other relevant interests. Coaches can directly communicate with their players and parents, as well as learn about strategy and exchange game plans with other coaches. Weplay also provides community hubs for youth sports with discussion boards, media galleries and links to helpful resources. The hubs include:- Youth Baseball
- Youth Basketball
- Youth Bowling
- Youth Cheerleading
- Youth Football
- Youth Hockey
- Youth Lacrosse
- Youth Soccer
- Youth Softball
- Youth Volleyball
- Youth Wrestling
Professional Athletes
Professional athletes such as Derek JeterDerek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
, LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
and Jennie Finch
Jennie Finch
Jennie Lynn Finch , who occasionally uses her husband's surname Daigle, is a former American softball player who pitched for the USA national softball team and the Chicago Bandits. Finch helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
are weplay members with their own unique profiles. Several of the athletes have a financial stake in the company.
The pro athletes on weplay have real profiles that they maintain, which includes updated blogs, a media gallery of youth sports photos and videos, weekly Q&As with fans as well as self-created group profiles that let other site members meet connect through shared interests. Jennie Finch recognizes her favorite softball teams on a weekly basis while Peyton Manning is using weplay to champion his cause to make football an officially recognized Olympic sport. The current roster of weplay athletes includes:
- Derek Jeter (BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
) - Howard Ryan Howard (BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
) - Shaun Alexander (FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
) - Peyton Manning (FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
) - Jennie Finch (SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
) - LeBron James (BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
) - Tony Parker (BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
) - Anze Kopitar (HockeyHockeyHockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
) - Erik Johnson (HockeyHockeyHockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
) - Sheryl Swoopes (BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
retired) - Brandi Chastain (Soccer, retired)
- Summer Sanders (SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, retired)
Skills and Drills Library
In March 2009, Weplay launched its Skills and Drills library. By partnering with AdidasAdidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
, Amateur Softball Association, MLB, leading online drill providers and leveraging their footage with the Weplay Pros, Weplay has Skills and Drills libraries for softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and soccer. Drill libraries include several hundred videos, 3D Simulations and documents broken down by skill level and skill type by sport.
- Baseball Skills and Drills - features baserunning, catching, fielding, hitting and throwing drills from pros such as BJ Upton, Chad GaudinChad GaudinChad Edward Gaudin is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball.-High school:Gaudin attended Crescent City Baptist High School in Metairie, Louisiana...
, Derek JeterDerek JeterDerek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
, J.J. PutzJ.J. PutzJoseph Jason "J. J." Putz is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-High school:Born in Trenton, Michigan, Putz led Trenton High School to the 1994 Division 2 state championship. He graduated in 1995 and won the Mr...
, Joba ChamberlainJoba ChamberlainJustin Louis "Joba" Chamberlain is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.-Early life:Chamberlain was born and grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. Chamberlain's parents, Harlan Chamberlain and Jackie Standley, were never married and split up when Joba was 18 months old...
, Josh BardJosh BardJoshua David Bard is an American professional baseball catcher and designated hitter who is a free agent. Bard is a switch-hitter who throws right-handed....
, Justin MastersonJustin MastersonJustin Daniel Masterson is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians. Masterson was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft. Masterson was rated as the 64th-best prospect going into that year's draft by...
, Justin UptonJustin UptonJustin Irvin Upton is a National Major League Baseball right fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks....
, Reed JohnsonReed JohnsonReed Cameron Johnson is an American professional baseball outfielder. He was born in Riverside, California-College career:...
, Ryan Church, Ryan HowardRyan HowardRyan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
and Travis BuckTravis BuckTravis George Buck is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball.-College career:...
. - Soccer Skills and Drills - features Brandi ChastainBrandi ChastainBrandi Denise Chastain is a professional American soccer defender and midfielder who plays for the team California Storm of Women's Premier Soccer League and is a former member of the United States women's national soccer team....
, Jonathan BornsteinJonathan BornsteinJonathan Rey Bornstein is an American soccer player who currently plays for UANL of the Primera División de México and for the United States national team.-Youth and College:...
and Heather O'ReillyHeather O'ReillyHeather Ann O'Reilly , also known by her initials HAO, is a member of the United States women's national soccer team and a two-time Olympic Gold medalist...
. - Softball Skills and Drills - features baserunning, catching, fielding, hitting and throwing drills featuring Jennie FinchJennie FinchJennie Lynn Finch , who occasionally uses her husband's surname Daigle, is a former American softball player who pitched for the USA national softball team and the Chicago Bandits. Finch helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
, Monica AbbottMonica AbbottMonica Cecilia Abbott is an American athlete who pitched for the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers softball team from 2004-2007. In 2008, Abbott participated in the Beijing Olympics with Team USA...
and Cat OstermanCat OstermanCatherine Leigh "Cat" Osterman , is an American athlete and was one of the pitchers on the USA Women's Softball Team which won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the silver medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics....
The Company
The company launched as a startup in late 2007 under the name ‘Made the Cut,’ and changed to Weplay at launch in March 2008. Weplay is headquartered in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with a west coast office located in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. Stephen Hansen (Geocities
GeoCities
Yahoo! GeoCities is a web hosting service, currently available only in Japan.GeoCities was originally founded by David Bohnett and John Rezner in late 1994 as Beverly Hills Internet . In its original form, site users selected a "city" in which to place their web pages...
, Universal) serves as CEO.
Weplay has already partnered with several national youth sports organizations, including Pop Warner (football), the Amateur Softball Association , the Positive Coaching Alliance and the National Association of State Games. The exclusive partnerships make weplay the official social network service provider and partner for some of these YSOs.
Weplay raised another $8.6M in August 2008.