In this episode of Zone of Genius, we explore our cultural connection to sports. Guests Que Gaskins, president, NBPA Think 450, Robin Arzón, VP/head instructor, Peloton and founder, Swagger Society, Brandon Brown, assistant general manager, NY Giants, and Nan Wang, cofounder/CEO, Sleeper, sit down with the Cultural Leadership Fund to discuss what gives athletes swagger, the fantasy market, the future of NIL and athlete IP, and how technology is shaping new opportunities for athletes and teams to connect with fans. Topics covered: 1:12: Why sports? What sparked each leader’s interest in sports 6:40: Shared experience, connection, and community within sports 9:35: Que on how his brand marketing experience translates to sports 12:35: Applying cultural context to sports branding 14:15: The influence of athletes on culture; what makes athletes cool? 19:25: Brandon on keeping up with talent and trends today in football and Robin’s experience recruiting for Peloton 26:41: The fantasy market today and opportunities to grow the space 34:28: Fan engagement, rituals, and honoring the fan experience 39:50: Athlete IP, NIL, and opportunities for athletes and brands to connect with fans and new and innovative ways 48:15: Technology’s role in advancing the business of sports and the most exciting tools each guest is watching 54:05: Each leader’s all-time favorite athlete and why Stay updated: Find the Cultural Leadership Fund on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a16zclf/ Find the Cultural Leadership Fund on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16zCLF/ Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Follow our guests: Que Gaskins: https://www.instagram.com/qgisgq/ ; https://www.instagram.com/theNBPA Robin Arzón: https://www.instagram.com/Robinnyc/ Nan Wang: https://www.instagram.com/PlaySleeper/ Brandon Brown: https://www.instagram.com/QB_Collective/ 🎵 by @PiffMartiTV The content here is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. Please note that a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed in this podcast. For more details, including a link to our investments, please see a16z.com/disclosures.