2 North Texas Sports Tech Startups Announce Merger Focused on Fan Engagement

The founders of two North Texas startups—Snipitz Global and rikodi—have merged their operations to form a new company called Providential Media Group. The combined business will be based in McKinney with an initial focus on the $225 billion fan engagement, sports media, and data markets.

The companies said it all started in fall 2023 as an “introduction lunch” between Denny Darmo, founder and CEO of Snipitz Global, and Andrew Naugher, founder and CEO of Media X Partners, which does business under the name of its flagship product, rikodi.

The founders said the merger brings together their respective technologies supported by a deep bench of experienced sports marketing and multimedia professionals. Their shared goal: the expansion of a “one-stop shop” of fan engagement innovations and strategic consulting services.

“Each of our companies was created to help achieve greater year-round fan engagement, generate better data on fans and increase revenue opportunities for sports and entertainment organizations,” said Darmo, who will serve as CEO and co-founder of PMG. “Our visions and values aligned plus our technologies complimented each other, so Andrew and I realized the chance to achieve significant growth would be more efficient as one company.”

Naugher, who will serve as co-founder and chief revenue officer, said the support during the merger process from the McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and other local and global organizations like the North Texas Angel Network and Hype Sports Innovation have been “invaluable and validating.”

Better together, with help from the MEDC

Global fan engagement expert Dr. Bob Heere said that sports organizations are looking for the tools to better understand their fans and effectively engage year-round, especially with global fans who may never step foot in a stadium.

“I applaud this strategic merger and believe Providential Media has a solid strategy plus the strong team to execute on their vision,” said Heere, director of sport management at the University of North Texas.

The two startup founders were introduced through their mutual association with the Innovation Fund administered by the MEDC.

“How exciting that two entities who connected because of our team’s tireless efforts to build the ecosystem have now merged into a powerful new company,” Michael Kowski, president and CEO of the MEDC, said in a statement. “We look forward to this next chapter for Providential Media Group and what they build next.”

Engaging fans on multiple levels

The new entity is launching an all-in-one fan engagement SaaS platform, which will feature:

• Snipitz, a proprietary interactive video player for live and video-on-demand streaming that allows fans to have more control of their viewing experience from accessing different viewing angles to alternate content to a variety of interactive feeds.
• rikodi, a user-generated content experience that leverages the power of memories to turn global fans into content creators. Clients gain a treasure trove of compelling content while better understanding fans on a deeper, more emotional level.
• A geo-targeted rewards platform customized for each client to reach fans around the world based on their lifestyle habits.
• Data modules compiled from all three experiences will help deliver more hyper-personalized content and ads for fans and better ROI for clients and sponsors.

Others on the management team

The management team of the merged company also will include:

• Ryan Frank, president and co-founder: Strategic partnership executive with Meta and Amazon, working with top sports organizations such as the NFL, UFC, NBA, and NASCAR.
• Son Tran, chief technology officer and co-founder: Contributed to the acquisition of IP Mobile by Cisco for $425M and subsequently built the VoIP division from zero to $40 billion in four years. He holds nine issued patents in virtual reality, network routing, and VoIP.
• Andrew Lombardi, chief product officer and co-founder: An Emmy-award winning production executive at the NBA for 10-plus years. Successful exit with CineSport, the first-ever online video syndication platform to distribute sports highlights to over 500 media websites.
• Darryl Haberman, senior vice president, product strategy/client success: A well-respected 25-year sports executive with fan engagement and revenue strategy roles at the National Hockey League, Major League Baseball Advanced Media and Disney Streaming Services.
• Ken Troupe, head of business development: 20 years of sports industry experience. Executive positions included the Texas Rangers, New York Giants, Dallas Stars, Arizona Coyotes, plus serving as a sales training consultant for various teams and organizations.
• Tom Sheridan, senior business development: Nearly 30 years working with organizations such as the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls and Balmoral Racetrack. A respected trainer to numerous sports organizations and Steering Committee member for the National Sports Forum.

Darmo and Tran will be traveling to Taipei, Taiwan in early August to present during ASPN Sports Tech Accelerator Demo Day which helps companies expand into the APAC region.

“The significant interest for our solutions both in the U.S. and overseas has clearly demonstrated the need for our approach,” Darmo said. “It’s also exciting to be in discussions with innovative sports organizations as well as other potential strategic partners who believe in our mission and want to enhance our suite of fan engagement products.”

How half of the combo began: Naugher’s launch of rikodi

Last fall, Dallas Innovates spoke with Naugher about his inspiration for rikodi, which he said was deeply personal.

“My father was a minister for 50 years, and Alzheimer’s came on quickly after his retirement,” Naugher told us.

The outpouring of stories and memories from his father’s congregation sparked an idea: a digital platform to preserve and share personal stories and memories. The initial concept evolved into rikodi, a fan engagement platform aimed at maximizing the value of fan relationships for sports teams, athletes, and entertainers.

Naugher said rikodi addresses three critical needs in the sports industry: year-round fan engagement, deeper understanding of fans, and new revenue streams. Naugher’s background in marketing and PR, combined with insights from industry professionals, helped shape rikodi into a tool for building meaningful fan interactions.

“We believe in the power of memories and authentic fan stories,” he explained.

The startup’s approach allows teams and athletes to understand their fans on a personal level, enhancing marketing strategies and creating new monetization opportunities.

Strategic growth in McKinney

rikodi’s relocation to McKinney prior to the merger, supported by an innovation fund, was both a strategic and an economic move.

“We see it as a great community, great support, but within that radius of that community, you have all the potential tech talent, strategic partners, especially for when you’re talking about sports. There’s so many great sports businesses that are here just beyond the teams themselves,” Naugher said.

The company’s growth was bolstered by a $50,000 non-dilutive grant from the Innovation Fund managed by the MEDC last October. The grant and the local network of tech talent and sports businesses position rikodi for continued success and innovation, Naugher said.

“It’s about being in an ecosystem that wants to help you succeed,” he said.

The proximity to Dallas, Frisco, and other tech hubs provides access to talent, strategic partners, and capital. Naugher sees McKinney’s active role in the DFW ecosystem as a significant advantage for growing startups.

Navigating growth

Since its founding in 2020, Naugher said rikodi has seen steady growth, validated by successes in national and global sports tech competitions. Investors, including prominent figures like Drayton McLane Jr., a businessman known for his leadership in various industries, both in supply chain services and professional sports, have supported Rikodi’s vision.

As of the conversation with Dallas Innovates last fall, the company was beta testing its product, aiming to launch more broadly soon.

Naugher emphasized rikodi’s customer-centric culture and the importance of learning and listening.

He said, “We want to be true partners with our clients, helping them dig deeper into fan understanding and identifying new opportunities.”

Naugher said rikodi aims to revolutionize fan engagement by creating a platform that allows fans to contribute their stories, fostering a deeper connection with their favorite teams and athletes.

“We believe in the communal power of storytelling and memories,” Naugher said.

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