For this edition of our Affiliate Q&A series, we spoke with David George, Customer Success Manager at MetaBet, about his journey into the industry, his first experiences at SBC Summit Americas, and how MetaBet is helping shape collaboration between affiliates, operators, and technology partners.
Income Access (IA): Can you tell us a bit about your professional background and your current role at MetaBet?
David George (DG):It’s been a winding but connected path!
With a degree in Advertising from Michigan State University, I actually started my career in sports. I worked in marketing at a sports radio station, then in game-day operations / marketing for an indoor soccer team, and later spent two years as an Events Marketing Manager at a company called Live Sports Radio.
From there, I migrated away from the sports world for a bit. I found myself spending the past nine years working in Customer Success across the nonprofit and recruitment industries.
This led me to my new role as the Customer Success Manager at MetaBet. I love building and fostering relationships with our clients and partners. I was brought in to solidify our customer processes and to advocate for them, with the goal of growing the CSM team. It doesn’t hurt that I am back in sports and can banter with customers around the nightly games!
IA: You recently attended your first SBC Summit Americas with the MetaBet team. What were your initial expectations going into the event, and how did you find it overall?
DG: That I did! I went in with a very intentional 3-tiered plan - visit every vendor booth, connect with and meet as many people as possible, and set up at least one meeting with an industry CSM.
I’m happy to share I achieved my goals.
"I'm new in the industry - what do you do?" I walked up to and asked that question at roughly 75% of the booths. I wanted to learn, but also see what other tech companies in the space are doing. Everyone was more than happy to share and educate.
We hosted our annual happy hour with over 50 industry professionals in attendance, including reps from the Income Access Team. I attended a few other events, which were all equally beneficial from a connection standpoint. I came home with a handful of business cards, have 25+ new LinkedIn connections, and met 3 other CSMs in iGaming. I sat in on a few sessions, and I really enjoyed the First Pitch Competition. Hearing from new and emerging tech in the space was very interesting.
And to top it off, I added another DJ to my list - Oliver Heldens closed out the conference with a solid set. Overall, it was a great first event from my perspective. I learned a ton, expanded my network, and I am looking forward to the next one on the calendar.
IA: From your perspective, how can affiliates maximize the value they get from major industry events like SBC?
DG: I was trying to connect with as many people as possible. In doing so, I asked 12+ people the same question – “regardless of your role, what’s one piece of advice for someone new to the industry?” I kid you not, every single person gave the same answer. It was some version of, “Grow your network and connect. This is a small industry spread out across the globe. You never know who you might meet or cross paths with.”
I had meetings with three operators and, as you know, a meeting with the Income Access Team. To sit face-to-face goes a long way in building what a long-term partnership can grow into. Relationships matter.
IA: What do you think makes a successful collaboration between affiliates, operators, and technology providers today?
DG: I think it’s just that – a collaboration. Understanding what our affiliates want to accomplish, coupled with knowledge of their marketing approach, leads to success for the sportsbook operators. Being the middleman, in a sense, allows us insight into both sides of the business.
We work with a wide range of customers. Some of our affiliates drive major traffic, while others are just getting started and are self-funded.
Everyone’s approach might be a little different, but at the end of the day, everyone wants to work together to drive high-quality, long-lasting player sign-ups.
IA: Can you tell us more about MetaBet’s future plans and the value it brings to operators looking to collaborate?
Of course. We partner with operators in the traditional affiliate sense, but our values go beyond that. We work with two major operators who license our dynamic widgets and embed them on their sites with one line of code.
For example, if an article is about the Detroit Lions' upcoming season and their Super Bowl chances, our widget will scan the page, determine the topic and the appropriate bet, and populate the ability to place a bet with that operator for the Lions to win the Super Bowl.
While most operators know us through our affiliate partnerships, we also offer other tech solutions focused on curation and engagement, delivered through MetaBet’s parent company, Are You Watching This?! My favorite tech is our patented excitement analytics. We are a small, nimble team with a strong focus on driving value for our customers. This is why my role was created and why I am here. Feel free to reach out if you have questions!
To learn more and get in touch with David and their team, reach out today.
Thanks to Sophie for sitting down with us to chat. Be sure to get in touch with their team to discuss any partnerships!
