BC SPORT
Saved by @Alex1Powell

Hyperice, the leading sports recovery company, is set to become the next multi-billion-dollar sports business.

The part you didn't know?

Without Kobe Bryant, it would have never happened.

Time for a thread 👇👇👇

 1) Let's start in 2007 — Anthony Katz is a 30-year-old high school teacher and basketball coach in Southern California.

For exercise, he regularly organizes pickup basketball games.

The only problem?

As he got older, the games started to leave him increasingly sore & fatigued.
2) Looking for a way to recover faster & prevent injury, Anthony Katz researched how professional athletes dealt with soreness & fatigue.

"I wanted to get the level of treatment the pros were getting."

A combo of elevation, ice & compression made sense — but ice bags didn't…
3) Despite ice bags being used by athletes all over the world, Anthony Katz saw one glaring issue.

As the ice melts, the bag fills with air — causing it to lose its coldness & compression.

Not to mention, they looked ugly.

Instead, Katz set out to engineer a better solution.
4) In an effort to make his own ice compression wrap, Anthony Katz bought Neoprene from a Huntington Beach wetsuit maker, cut it with a knife, and sewed Velcro to hold the ice bag in place.

But would it work?

Next up — testing & feedback.
5) With a prototype in hand, Anthony Katz started looking for professional athletes to test his ice compression solution.

Why professional athletes?

"If it was good enough for them, it would be good enough for everyone else."

As for who, Katz swung for the fences…
6) During the summer of 2007, Kobe Bryant was working out at UC Irvine — rather than the Lakers facility as he had requested a trade to Chicago.

Ryan Badrtalei, the youngest member of the UCI coaching staff, would open & close the gym for Kobe.

Badrtalei's friend?

Anthony Katz
7) After months of hesitation, Ryan Badrtalei finally approached Kobe — asking the Laker legend if he wanted to try Anthony Katz' invention.

Kobe, thinking it might give him an edge, graciously agreed.

Bryant told Katz he would use them for a month and provide feedback.
8) Kobe met with Katz a month later, requesting an air valve so the ice would remain tight after it started melting.

Katz agreed, hired an engineer, and months later Kobe was wearing Hyperice on the Lakers bench.

Why Hyperice?

Kobe was wearing Nike Hyperdunks at the time.
9) After Kobe Bryant debuted Hyperice during an NBA game, players from all over the league started paying attention.

Within months, LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and others all had samples they were using.

Katz' plan was working…
10) After seeing how helpful celebrity athletes were, Anthony Katz doubled down on an athlete investor approach.

Katz setup Hyperice as a corporation — retaining 1/3 of the shares himself, giving 1/3 to his engineer, and setting aside 1/3 for future athlete investors.
11) As Hyperice products continued to penetrate locker rooms in every major professional sport, athlete investors came pouring in.

Early Hyperice investors include:
— @tpolamalu
— @blakegriffin23
— @lindseyvonn
— @Mark_Sanchez
— @RudyGay
— @_OlivierGiroud_

That's not all…
12) With celebrity approval and their audience as built-in distribution, Hyperice sales exploded.

Revenue:
2014: $1.5M
2020: $200M+

Once the product was good enough for the pros, every non-pro athlete in the world wanted to use Hyperice.

Next up...growth capital to scale.
13) In October, Hyperice raised $47 million Series A round, which valued the company at $700 million.

New investors include:
— @PatrickMahomes
— @JJWatt
— @naomiosaka
— @TheTraeYoung
— @rickiefowler
— @God_Son80
— @CMC_22
— @BenSimmons25
— @AntDavis23
— @CP3
14) Everyone always talks about product-market fit, but Anthony Katz took it one step further.

He knew Kobe Bryant was always looking for an edge.

By incorporating the ideal customer in the product development process, Hyperice changed the way that athletes train forever.
15) The Hyperice story catches people's attention because of the $700 million valuation.

The more interesting part is that the founder gave up more than 60% of the equity on Day 1, in hopes of securing the perfect team.

At $700 million valuation, I'm sure he doing just fine :)
16) And for those who don’t think a recovery company can be worth $1B+ — think about this.

Chiefs players were drinking soda & smoking cigarettes during halftime of Super Bowl I, while it’s now normal for an athlete to sleep in a $150k hyperbaric chamber.

Times have changed...
If you enjoyed this thread, you should:

1. Follow me, I tweet cool sports stories everyday.

2. Subscribe to my free daily newsletter where I give detailed analysis on topics involving the money and business behind sports.
https://t.co/VEj1NG9HZh
Also, don't forget @AthleticBrewing is the reason I'm able to create sports business content full-time.

If you want to support me, buy some beer - it's really great stuff.

Use code "JOE25" for 25% off at https://t.co/LEpDv7TASx

More from Sport

SPFL Trust
SPFL Trust
@SPFLTrust
What a year it's been. It hasn't been easy for anyone in 2020, but we've seen @spfl clubs and community trusts across Scotland step up to support those in need.

Let's have a little thread to celebrate 12 months of extraordinary commitment.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍

/1


We kicked off the year with Football Fans in Training.

#BeYourOwnHero


Alison wasn't actually a @PartickThistle fan (albeit she kinda fell for the Jags with help from her partner). This was her story... 💪🏽

#BeYourOwnHero


Also in January we revealed that @JamTarts would join our @JoyofMovingUK programme, becoming the third club in Scotland to deliver the project to primary schools, across Edinburgh.

In Feb, we revealed @CashBackScot is to fund a new SPFL Trust project with five @spfl clubs / communities trusts to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Off the Bench will feature:

⚪️ @DundeeFCCT
⚪️ @falkirkfcf
⚪️ @bighearts
⚪️@community_mfcct
⚪️
SPORT
Wokal Distance
Wokal Distance
@wokal_distance
The reality of biology in a single clip:


Transwomen are women


I'm not being a jerk, I'm making my point with a sledgehammer.

Pretending differences between men and women don't exist is utterly absurd, and people keep saying it. This ACLU lawyer quite literally says "Women and girls who are trans are biological women and girls."


In 2017 Craid Telfor ranked 390th in the mens 400m hurdles.

In 2018 Craig Telfor transitioned and became CeCe Telfor.

In 2019 CeCe Telfor won the women's 400m hurdles at the Womens Division II National Championship.

In what moral universe is this fair to women?


Renee Richards was a male to female transgender person who at age *45* became the 20th ranked women's player in the world.

Richards now says if the transition had at happened age 22 rather then at 40 no biological women would have had a chance:
SPORT
Advertisement
Nate McMurray
Nate McMurray
@Nate_McMurray
Open Letter: “Is this Nate?”

It’s sizzling in my chest, so here it is. I don’t want to hurt the poor guy who called me—probably forced to call me—but it needs to be said. Yesterday, at about 11:00 at night, I got a call from a representative of the Governor’s office.


A nice guy. But last night, this guy wasn't so nice. He told me, with profanity and threatening piñache, that he’s, “not f##cking happy” about a tweet that I sent out. I didn't even know what Tweet he was talking about. But it turns out, he was mad that I criticized the . . .

Governor’s plan to go to the Bills game because only 6.500 people were allowed to go and I felt it reinforced the belief—incorrectly or correctly—that the #COVID restrictions do not apply to elites. Pretty mild, but I’m a team player. If this man had just called me . . .

and told me that I misunderstood the facts, got it wrong, I would have taken the Tweet down. But again, he called me at 11:00 at night. Swearing. Keep in mind, at this point, I’m just a taxpayer. I’m not running for office. I have no more connection to the Governor than you ...

Please put yourself in my shoes. An emissary for one of the most powerful politicians in America called me, late on a holiday evening, looking to take my head off. Disturbing. This isn’t the first time some elite Democrat called me—either directly or indirectly—over the past...
SPORT
Sreejith
Sreejith
@sreereads
A thread (a mostly apocryphal yet would love to believe in story) on John Bart King: Greatest of all American cricketers. (Yes, they did played cricket during late 1800s to early 1900s)

Story from @Ram_Guha edited book, 'The Picador book of Cricket'

#Cricket
+


The cricket championship tournament of Philadelphia was called The Halifax Cup. King used to dominate in this series. From 1904 to '08 he won the Batting Cup 3 times & the Bowling Cup 4 times, & he twice exceeded 300 in an innings, once in 1905 vs Germantown & in 1906 vs Merion
+

It was during this period that one of my favourite cricketing stories has its origin. It has been told and retold so many times that obviously there are many versions of it, but all scepticism apart, I would like to believe it to be true.
+

So the story happens at a Halifax Cup match between Belmont (King's team) vs Trenton at Elmwood. The Trenton captain missed his train, and when he arrived on the ground about an hour late he found that in his absence his side had won the toss and batted and were doing badly;
+

by the time he had changed and got ready to bat, 9 of the side were out & he had to bat #11.On his way to the wicket the Trenton Cap apologized to his opposite for being so unpunctual, adding unwisely that his team wouldn’t have been in such a mess if he hadn’t missed his train
+
SPORT
Kirsti Miller
Kirsti Miller
@KirstiMiller30
Semenya is an in­cred­ibly powerful runner from South Africa, a two-time Olympic champion. She has also been the subject of controversy since the beginning of her career over decade ago.


Semenya has an intersex condition, though she doesn’t publicly speak about it: Her body allegedly produces testosterone at a higher level than most women.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that if Semenya wanted to continue to compete, she would be required to take medications to lower it.


The CAS, which was upholding a previous ruling by the @WorldAthletics , admitted that the decision was tantamount to discrimination. But, a statement read,...

“discrimination is a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of achieving the IAAF’s aim of preserving the integrity of female athletics.”
SPORT

You May Also Like

SK
SK
@sk_diary1
A #story from #Thiruvilayadal puranam- one of divine leelas of Bhagwan Shiva

#threadseries #madurai

Koodal Kaandam

Story 21 - it is about how stone elephant came to life and ate sugarcane - When Raja Abhisheka Pandyan met Ellam Valla Siddhar

கல்யானைக்கு கரும்பருத்திய படலம்


Raja Abhisheka Pandiyan went ahead to meet Ellam Valla Siddhar on the premises of the temple.On seeing the arrival of Raja, people surrounding Siddhar moved back. Abhisheka Pandiyan introduced himself to Siddhar &asked about his whereabouts.Also his purpose of visit to Madurai.

Raja asked why he performed magical acts, does he expect anything from him or people of Madurai.

Siddhar laughed & replied to Raja that he was from Kasi. He had heard a lot about Madurai in Kashi.Also told that this place is a Mukti Kshetram,so he had come to stay here.

Siddhar asked Raja if he has the capability &power to give anything that he asks for. Siddhar told King that he has power to do things even if he think of it.Siddhar asked King to ask whatever he wants & it would be provided, whatever these people had asked, they were granted.


Abhisheka Pandyan was shocked to receive such a reply from Siddhar,& he decided to test the power of this Siddhar. By that time, Raja saw a person in crowd having Sugarcane.

Raja took Sugarcane from that person.
ALL
Greta Musk
Greta Musk
@GretaMusk
🚔 HUGE #Tesla SERVICE PROBLEMS THREAD🚔

You might remember my 3 prior threads on how
TESLA. TREATS. ITS. CUSTOMERS. LIKE. TRASH.

Here's the 4th installment.
@tomkeinan @jonsey_lisa @jwmooc @tchanpoker @bryanthediamond @EconomicManBlog
$TSLA $TSLAQ 1/22


Welcome to Greta's 4th edition of #Tesla customers getting used and abused. Because that's the Elon Musk way.
@coffeebreakls @KocgibiHarun @omaragha @JayGhahari
$TSLA $TSLAQ 2/22


"The best service is no service." - Elon Musk a.k.a. #SpaceKaren
@briansaziz @FarSha998899 @thinktankfour @Billoday1
#Tesla $TSLA $TSLAQ 3/22


These #Tesla customers represent just the very tip of the iceberg. They are ones who have Twitter, have decided to complain about their #TeslaServiceIssues publicly, and were found by yours truly.
@yanismydj @hajelatweets @AlanHeldman @francislongo5 $TSLA $TSLAQ 4/22


Dear #Tesla customers: In California, if your vehicle has been out of service for >30 days total, it's a lemon. You can get punitive damages and attorney's fees. Don't sit around and take Elon's abuse. @13arm13arm @cecimar12 @richardson_skip @shootinglee $TSLA $TSLAQ 5/22
TECH
Advertisement
Delilah S. Dawson
Delilah S. Dawson
@DelilahSDawson
So here is a secret: Not everything I write goes anywhere. I have at least 4 books completely written and edited that never went on submission. I have books that stalled out at 20k. I have docs on my computer with opening paragraphs I don't remember writing. But! 1/

Every now and then an idea sticks with me like that corner of tortilla chip that just won't go down your throat. It happened with SPARROWHAWK, which began as 40k of a YA story, died, and was reborn as a comic, thanks to @christopher_j_r and @boomstudios. And now... 2/

It's happening with THE WILLOWS, a short story that you'll see in @UncannyMagazine next year. This Southern Gothic horror story began as an attempt to sell my next Romance to @AbZurdity after the Blud books in 2014 or so. And she didn't buy it. Guess why? 3/

Turns out, it wasn't a Romance! It was Southern Gothic Horror. Even the bones of it screamed strangeness, not sexiness. I loved the taste of the world, but I hadn't found the right story yet. Tried to write it 2 more times and failed. Until I finally understood what it was. 4/

So I took the 50 pages I'd written and cut half of them, twisting the story around from a gothy Romance inspired by the band the Civil Wars and turned it into a spooky descent into madness. And it looked back at me from the abyss as if to say, DUH. Sometimes... 5/
WRITING
Vikrant
Vikrant
@Trading0secrets
Full technical analysis courses in one thread 🧵

For free which is Worth ₹80k 👇

⏭️How elliott wave work with examples

⏭️ Advance price action analysis

⏭️ Richard wyckoff theory

⏭️dow theory (my first video)

If you wanna learn how market behave in long term & short term

You must watch full video 🎥
SCREENERS , ALL , TECHNICALANALYSIS
Noah Smith
Noah Smith
@Noahpinion
1/OK, I should really write another thread about university-centric regional development, because I think people often make some (very understandable) mistakes when thinking about this issue.

2/The biggest myth, I think, is that universities help regions by educating locals as undergraduates.

Skeptics of universities say: "But most of the people who graduate end up leaving."

3/In fact, most of what a university does for a regional economy is NOT about educating local kids.

Educating local kids is good for the nation, but doesn't help a region much.

The way a university helps a region is through

4/Undergraduates usually leave town after graduation.

But university RESEARCH pulls in OTHER smart people from other regions, and they stay there.

Here's a paper showing that this is the main way universities increase a region's human capital:

5/Research also pulls in business investment.

Companies want to partner with university labs, so they can commercialize the technologies the labs produce. So they invest in the labs, and sometimes they even put their offices in the town.
SOCIETY