On Monday, the Washington Wizards All-Star Guard, Bradley Beal, was a guest on The Breakfast Club. Beal, along with Shawn Gunn, were promoting their business venture PLLAY.
The company focuses on video games, in which players compete for monetary payouts. According to Gunn, they take the data approach in comparison to their competitors in the space. It allows them to monitor without having any relations with gaming companies such as 2k Sports, Bungie, and EA Sports.
“If you can build your data asset, that is where you can win in the long term. So, we have created that environment with propriety tech, and I change that to align with our culture,” said Gunn.
“So to Brad’s point, many times, not just tech, but in general gaming, there is a picture paint it doesn’t look like us. Right? Black people can’t run these companies, women can’t run these companies, and there are no black and brown gamers. We’re focusing on that side of the equation globally. There are over two billion gamers on the planet that play the games that we cover. It is a huge audience, and many look like the four of us on this call. So, we are inclusive of everyone.”
Beal invested in the company because Shawn Gunn is a black entrepreneur.
“I got involved early on; for one, Shawn is a black entrepreneur that is first and foremost. Two, it was a promising concept that hasn’t touched the face of the market yet. So for me, it is always big to get ahead of something. So, this a start-up essentially, and Shawn and I met through a mutual friend. When they gave me the pitch, I take a business-like approach. If you have a legit business plan of how we can put the money in and who else is involved, I went a little bit further than that. I did a background [check] on Shawn and Christine to see what they have done in the past. Shawn has worked with Nav Tech, Nokia; he has been there before. Christine Krzyzanowski has worked with Fan Duel, so she understands the wagering industry too,” said Beal.
“When you put them together, it is a good foundation for an app or a startup. I love video games like everybody else in the world, and I love to wager too. I love casinos, and I love betting. Granted, we can’t bet on sports. I leave that alone, but a kid and a young man growing up.
“What is something hip that nobody else has, and what can we bring to the market that everybody can feed off. The coronavirus just hit, and this is picture-perfect. All we were doing is sitting in the house. Shack up playing video games, so can we make that even more fun. Now, you can put your money where your mouth is, and the whole concept of everything ultimately lured me in.”
Beal shared that he plans on going back to college this summer to pursue a degree in business administration. Further educating himself and secure his family for generations to come.
