Gil’s Arena

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

After playing 12 seasons in the NBA, Gilbert Arenas launched headfirst into his second chapter – creating the unique, engaging, unfiltered – and at times, polarizing - Gil’s Arena podcast in partnership with Underdog Spots. Whether debating with his co-hosts or breaking down the mechanics of the game, the 3-time NBA All-Star is all-in as continually solidifies himself as one of the most prominent voices in the game. Gil’s Arena has gained national attention, boasting an average of 25,000 live concurrent viewers on YouTube each day (with a record of 83,000 live concurrent viewers) and guests like Steph Curry, Dwight Howard, Boogie Cousins, Rich Paul, and Andre Iguodala.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

With a dedicated live viewership of roughly 25,000 concurrent viewers, Gil’s Arena has an extremely active YouTube chat commenting live throughout the show. Producers carefully curate questions and comments from that chat to foster engagement, facilitate heated debate and challenge the cast’s viewpoints. The show’s MostlyFans segment wraps up the show each day and features both write-in and video questions posed to the cast in real time.

Gilbert Arenas, Josiah Johnson, the Gil’s Arena cast and the Underdog Media Network tailor the show’s content to the wants and needs of the audience to continue to engage NBA fans globally. Additionally, the show has attracted high profile NBA-related guests including Steph Curry, Rich Paul, Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner, Zion Williamson, fellow Underdog Media Network talent Rasheed Wallace, and many more!

Objective

Underdog Network, the content arm of Underdog Sports, provides free, in-depth sports content to fans around the world. Underdog established a partnership with 3-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas to create Gil’s Arena, the brand’s first venture into athlete-led content dedicated to changing the conversation. Gilbert is willing to speak his mind, tap into his vast network of basketball experts and explore new frontiers of content and innovation in an exciting space with nothing but room to grow.
Gil’s Arena was created out of a desire to have authentic, unfiltered conversations about the NBA. Gilbert Arenas brings together a cast of accomplished players, both past and present, to discuss the realities of being a player in a dynamic landscape and league that combines both sport and culture in a fascinating way.

Strategy & Execution

The Underdog brand is working to create the “new media” or the athlete’s platform – a medium where professional athletes (active and retired) can give their sports commentary, analysis and unfiltered stories directly to their fans. The main goal of Gil’s Arena is for Gilbert and his fellow cast members’ to provide expertise and insights for fans through the mind of a former player. The Gil’s Arena talent, through the Underdog Media Network – Gilbert Arenas, Josiah Johnson, Brandon Jennings, Sheryl Swoopes, Rashad McCants, Lexie Brown, Nick Young and Kenyon Martin, Sr. – share their inside knowledge of the game, discuss hot topics and breaking news surrounding the NBA.

All Underdog shows are exclusively published through the Underdog Media Network YouTube as a way for fans to easily access the content with Gil’s Arena specifically being live every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 11:30am PT/ 2:30pm ET. Fans are able to watch both a standard video stream or the vertical version on mobile.

Organizations

• Underdog
• No Chill Productions

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Gilbert Arenas

Credits

Gilbert Arenas
Host
Underdog/No Chill Productions

Josiah Johnson
Co-Host and EP
Underdog

Steve Martinez
EP
Underdog

Sebastian Greene
Senior Producer
Underdog

Spencer Flemming
Producer
Underdog

John Nannetti
Associate Producer
Underdog

Brandon Jennings
Cast of Gil’s Arena
Underdog

Kenyon Martin, Sr.
Cast of Gil's Arena
Underdog

Lexie Brown
Cast of Gil's Arena
Underdog

Rashad McCants
Cast of Gil's Arena
Underdog

Nick Young
Cast of Gil's Arena
Underdog

Sheryl Swoopes
Cast of Gil's Arena
Underdog

Deborah Goods
Production Manager
Underdog

Carolyn Gurstein
Production Coordinator
Underdog

Angela Asatryan
Production Assistant, Social Media
Underdog

Liz Marro
CMO
Underdog

Liam Roecklein
SVP, Content & Partnerships

Tim Livingston
VP of Content
Underdog

Nick Rudman
Chief of Staff to the CMO
Underdog

Katie Maraghy
Dir. of Content Ops
Underdog

David Blattman
Dir. of Production
Underdog