EP 77: Ryan Smith (Utah Jazz Owner, Qualtrics Co-Founder): HS Dropout Turned Tech Founder Bought His Hometown NBA Team

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Sep 1, 2023

Ryan Smith, the owner of the Utah Jazz and co-founder of Qualtrics, discusses buying the Jazz, applying tech lessons to basketball, getting rid of the RSN deal, starting a non-profit, views on productivity, becoming a CEO, dropping out of high school, Qualtrics journey, and creating the experience management category.

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INSIGHT

From Tech Founder To Team Operator

Ryan Smith got interested in NBA operations by obsessing over the back office and learning from insiders like Danny Ainge.
He treated team ownership as a long-term, hands-on commitment similar to founding a company.

INSIGHT

Fans Differ From Customers

Fans behave differently than enterprise customers because their loyalty is emotional and persistent.
In tech market share under 50% can still mean category leadership, but sports demands winning or perceived direction.

INSIGHT

Control Media To Grow Your Brand

Owning media distribution gives teams control of brand reach and fan access, outweighing guaranteed short-term checks.
Direct-to-streaming expands potential audience and builds long-term brand equity.

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