5-POINT FRIDAY, JULY 19th, 2019

This article was originally published on July 19th, 2019.

Here is this week's dose of “5-Point Friday”. A weekly round-up of the sports news and stories that I find most interesting and enjoyable.

E-Sports story I have been learning about -

I have been learning about Danik Soudakoff, a massive e-sports fan, who happens to be deaf. Soudakoff is helping Blizzard make the Overwatch league more accessible to other deaf fans. Soudakoff is doing this by creating new signs to play faster and communicate more effectively.

Rugby news that I am excited by -

This week Belinda Sharpe (@belindasleeman) made history, becoming the first female to referee in the National Rugby League. Sharpe took charge of the Brisbane Broncos 28-6 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs, at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Head of Football for the NRL Graham Annesley welcomed Sharpe saying "This is a historic moment for the game and I'm so happy for Belinda... She has worked extremely hard, served her apprenticeship, and earned her elevation on merit." 

“There are a number of female referees right across the country now, particularly at the grassroots level,” Sharpe said. “[It is] fantastic to see, and hopefully they can see that they can make a full-time career out of this and they can get to this point and referee a first-grade game. I hope it inspires other people to be involved in the game.”

What I've been listening to -

The Work in Sports Podcast interview with Bryan Srabian (@srabe). Srabian shares insights into how the San Francisco Giants became the leaders in digital media within the sports industry. Srabian explains how overcoming the fear of failure has emboldened his approach to marketing freeing himself to become more creative and willing to take more risks.

Baseball news that I am interested in -

MLB could allow for sponsorship patches on its teams’ uniforms within three years, the league confirmed this week. The deals could be worth between $6 million and $8 million, with certain high-profile franchises able to secure more.

What I have been reading -

Although this is not sports it is the entertainment industry, which has become intertwined in recent years. This week I finished To Pixar and Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History by Lawrence Levy. Levy created an enchanting memoir of his time at Pixar. Delving into how he tackled a number of complex subjects including movie accounting, Steve Jobs, initial public stock offerings, commercial contract negotiations (and renegotiations), and corporate culture.

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

Jonathan