Dan Porter and Zack Wiener are co-founders of Overtime, the multi-platform digital sports channel that launched in 2016, then blew up in 2017 when, among other highlights, it posted a block from then-high school star Zion Williamson.
The Overtime website describes its mission as building the “sports network for the next generation of fans,” but Porter has also revealed the company’s ambition to be the biggest global sports network on the planet. Currently, Overtime content has 14 billion views a year, and a global audience of 45 million across all platforms. But in its most audacious effort, the multimedia digital sports juggernaut just announced a new venture that may disrupt the landscape of NCAA basketball. They launched Overtime Elite, a professional basketball league for high school prospects that will pay six-figure salaries, offer equity in the league, and provide college scholarships for players who ultimately opt out of pursuing a career in the NBA.
Porter and Wiener talk to Rich and Gianni on “Boardroom: Out of Office” about the motivations behind launching Overtime Elite, the advice that KD gave them that helped hone the OTE concept, and what it’s like for the unique co-founder duo (Porter is in his 50s, Wiener is in his 20s) to combine their generationally-distinct perspectives, experience and networks in forming a dynamic digital brand with global ambitions.
