Say hello to Shane Barnard, this month’s Member Spotlight volunteer! Shane has a passion for fantasy sports, particularly fantasy football and increasingly hockey. Learn more about him and his involvement in the industry:
Name: Shane Barnard
Title: Vice President
Company: FanVice
Location: Alabama
Tell us about yourself and your organization!
I decided to pursue a career providing content for the fantasy sports industry in late 2015 and was able to secure an opportunity through persistence and networking. Shortly after joining the industry I began to question why none of the sites providing live video content seemed to care about entertaining the viewers while they were watching. My background in broadcast led me to believe that viewers would prefer to have an engaging host alongside an expert analyst on each show and I was lucky enough to come across two like minded individuals, Bill Hutchison and Edward Fear, who were ready to try and change the daily fantasy sports content industry. We set out to develop a revolutionary platform where the boring grind of preparation would be replaced by a vibrant group of players in a shared pursuit and that is how FanVice began. Our hard work produced a site where the world’s best daily fantasy sports analysts would go hand-in-hand with compelling entertainment!
How did you get your start in the fantasy sports industry?
I have been an avid season long fantasy football player since 1999 and was always very successful. This success led me to give daily fantasy sports a shot in 2014 and utilizing my season long experience as well as my background in finance I found myself enjoying success very quickly. My passion for sports has given me the drive to put in the endless hours needed to find success in fantasy sports industry!
How many years has your organization been in business?
Three months
What made you decide to join FSTA?
Immediately after securing a job in the fantasy sports industry the first thing I did was join the FSTA. Anyone who is familiar with the fantasy sports industry knows that membership in the FSTA is essential to keeping up to date with all the industry news and making the connections needed for a career in the industry.
What are you looking to get out of your membership with FSTA?
Myself, and FanVice, hope to gain long lasting relationships with other respected industry leaders and innovators through our membership in the FSTA.
Where do you see the greatest opportunity for growth in the industry?
I think the greatest area of growth for the fantasy sports industry id in daily fantasy sports. Specifically, I think the daily fantasy sports content section is primed for success as more sites like FanVice arise and provide honest and entertaining content to the consumer.
Finally, what’s your favorite fantasy sport?
My favorite fantasy sport is NFL but I find myself becoming more and more of a fan of fantasy NHL every day.
Thanks for sharing, Shane! We hope to see you at the FSTA 2017 Winter Conference.
To learn even more about FanVice, visit their listing in the FSTA Buyer’s Guide.
Want to be featured in a Member Profile? We’d love that! Even better, it’s easy—just fill out our Member Profile Questionnaire. We can’t wait to hear your story!