• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Shot Callers: Ben Reynolds, Co-Founder & CEO, Spalk

(Citrin Cooperman is a proud partner of Front Office Sports)

The space of sports broadcasting has grown leaps and bounds in the last ten to fifteen years. With the help of automated and remote production technology, events can now be broadcast with relatively little budget and with less effort than in years past.

FOS Editor Ian Thomas chats with Ben Reynolds of Spalk about how his company’s virtual commentary tools are changing the way sporting events are broadcast as well as the space as a whole.

Edited highlights appear below:

On the impetus for starting Spalk and uses for the technology (0:24)

Reynolds: “We have what we call a virtual commentary studio. We’re helping leagues, teams and broadcasters easily produce multiple different tracks for any one of their live broadcasts. The way we do that is with a virtual studio sitting in the cloud. That means commentators can call games from home rather than having to fly to the venue. We’re working with leagues like the NBA G-League, World Rugby, a ton of Olympic sports and federations and really helping them just talk to more fans in different styles and different languages and things like that. “

SEE MORE: Shot Callers: Don White, CEO, Satisfi Labs

On what types of properties gain the most from working with Spalk (01:11)

Reynolds: “Our sweet spot has been multi-lingual. The obvious opportunity, particularly here in the U.S., is the Spanish-English opportunity for sports leagues. We do a lot in Europe. So the hockey federation, the Triathlon Federation, World Rugby fever and Olympic sports are producing content for a global fan base, but it’s just too costly for them to fly three different commentary teams to every single event they’re producing. And so they end up using our system to make it really simple to have the French commentator sitting in Paris and the English commentators sitting in New York and the Spanish commentator in Europe for example.”

Differences between pitching their product in Europe vs the U.S. (3:10)

Reynolds: “We assume that the same sales pitch that we use in Europe, which is the multi-lingual feed would work the same here. What we’ve found is we’ve had to adapt the pitch quite a bit for the U.S. and North American market. The fan engagement piece is more important. The influencer commentary is more important. The athlete oriented commentary is more important. And then the diversity of the commentary lineup is also an important part of the pitch, whether it’s having an all female broadcast team or a youth broadcast, things like that.”

SEE MORE: Shot Callers: Adi Kunalic, Co-Founder, opendorse

On how virtual production tools help develop broadcasting talent (4:31)

Reynolds: “Commentary is hard. It’s a real skill, right? I think coming into this, a lot of people expect that you can just hand a former player the microphone and they should be able to commentate…In practice you need a lot of time and a lot of experience time behind the microphone, getting used to how you’re telling a story throughout the game and understanding who the players are and what they’ve been doing for all their training and what their form is like and things like that. So we’ve found is we’ve had to spend a lot more time on skills development for commentators and you can’t expect a former athlete to come straight onto the microphone and perform. I think what a lot of leagues are looking at us for is not only the fan engagement piece, but also as a way to do talent recruitment and talent management. [Look at] a league like the MLS where they produce commentaries offsite in a facility in Florida. We help develop some more local talent for a league like MLS or the USL. So suddenly they can have a dedicated Austin FC voice who is the commentator for that team because they know that area and they can call them directly from that location.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mar 4, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks with Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., ahead of President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4, 2025.

House Republicans Delay SCORE Act Vote Tentatively Planned for Next Week

They didn’t believe they had enough votes to pass the bill.
[Subscription Customers Only] Jul 9, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Real Madrid CF forward Kylian Mbappe (9) reacts after a semifinal match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium.

CVC Builds Out Sports Division Amid Crowded PE Market

The firm’s sports portfolio is reportedly worth $13.6 billion.

Who Are the Richest MLB Owners?

MLB owners are among the wealthiest people in the U.S.
Feb 7, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies center Tarris Reed Jr. (5) reacts after his basket against the St. John's Red Storm in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.

After Decade Apart, ESPN and Big East Rekindle Media Rights Relationship

After a decade-plus apart, the network will stream hundreds of conference events.

Featured Today

Premier Lacrosse League

‘The Circus Is Coming to Town’: Why Upstart Leagues Start on Tour

In their ambitious plans, a traveling schedule is only temporary.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
September 13, 2025

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.
September 11, 2025

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.

Fundamentals: Women in Sports

Welcome to the latest episode of Fundamentals, a Front Office Sports interview…
September 22, 2020

Fundamentals: USTA CEO Michael Dowse

Dowse, the CEO and executive director of the national governing body for tennis, discussed the unique challenges of a fan-less US Open and growing the sport in the U.S.
November 17, 2020

Fundamentals: Women In Esports

On this episode of Fundamentals, three guests join the show to discuss the opportunities for women in the gaming industry, as well as the challenges they face.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
July 28, 2020

Fundamentals: RISE CEO Diahann Billings-Burford

Diahann Billings-Burford is the CEO of RISE, a national nonprofit whose mission is to use sports as a means of eliminating racial discrimination and acting as a vehicle for social justice and societal equality.
July 24, 2020

Fundamentals: MLL Commissioner Sandy Brown

Sandy Brown — commissioner of Major League Lacrosse — discusses the logistics and realities of the league’s return to play with a single-location tournament format, along with the growth of the sport as a whole.
July 17, 2020

Fundamentals: Evil Geniuses CEO Nicole LaPointe Jameson

Nicole LaPointe Jameson, CEO of professional esports team Evil Geniuses, discusses the state of esports and what is next for the organization.
July 16, 2020

Fundamentals: The Launch of VaynerGaming

VaynerGaming division lead Darren Glover and VaynerSports EVP Mike Neligan join the show to discuss the new division, and the future of commercial opportunities in esports.