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Rave On Sports is a sports tech company that wants to provide Kentucky fans with interactive content, live chats with UK players and more as part of the NIL experience for Kentucky athletes.
Brittany Harris, chief marketing officer for Rave On Sports, says her company has an app “built for the average UK fan” that all ages can use and enjoy.
“I have five kids and know some issues average fans have getting to games because they live far away or maybe ticket prices keep them away,” Harris said. “We wanted something that anyone from the age of my kids to older could use. My grandmother is 87 and was one of our first testers. She is not tech savvy and she can use the free app because it is so easy to understand and navigate.
“If we had created something where my grandmother could not participate she would have been heartbroken. Everybody loves talking to former UK players and getting their insights no matter their age.”
She said the Rave On Sports chat rooms are about “human experiences” and are hosted by former players so fans can ask questions about coaches Mark Stoops and John Calipari or anything else they want.
“We want to create a deeper level of connection with former players and fans. We want to bridge the gap between players and fans,” she said. “That connection matters a lot for NIL. Whether we like them determines if we buy T-shirts and other things. Chat rooms create relationships but for the athletes it is safe because no one knows their phone number or will be sending them a DM during the game.
“With NIL fan sentiment matters as much as the players themselves. Oscar (Tshiebwe) did a great job kissing babies, shaking hands, and meeting people. Even if he did not play well, fans cared about him. You want players to connect with fans like that.”
Former UK football player JoJo Kemp has been a popular chat room guest. Former UK basketball player EJ Floreal, a track standout now at Texas, has hosted and let fans know more about his current athletic success.
Rave On Sports has partnered with The 15 Club, a membership club supporting NIL for UK athletes.
Rave On Sports started din 2020 — six days before COVID shut down sports. Harris said ironically it was a blessing because fans realized they “could have a good sports experience sitting on their couch” and many have not gone back to games.
“Chat rooms can help teams and leagues understand what fans want and need,” Harris said.
Harris says fans can download the Rave On Sports app on tablets or phones (there is not a web-enabled version). You can create a free account with a valid email address and then pick teams and leagues to follow.
“You don’t have to do a lot of navigating because you will get a notification every time there is a chat room and who will host it,” Harris said. “Our goal is to make it super simple for everyone. It’s basically like texting back and forth. Fans can talk to each other or players. They can complain about losing. A lot of cool things go on.”
Former UK basketball players Jamal Murray and Willie Cauley-Stein have hosted chat rooms. Harris said everyone who hosted last year signed on to do the same again. Virtual chats are planned all year with “runners, swimmers, baseball players and other student-athletes” to let them connect with fans.
“Our first live stream is Thursday with (UK quarterback) Devin Leary and will be hosted by JoJo Kemp who will also host the chat room Saturday for the first game against Ball State,” Harris said.
