Loading audio file, please wait.
Millions of people have watched the Indiana Pacers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. The NBA reports the first three Finals games have been the most-watched programs on TV since the first week of May and social media content has more than 1.5 billion views globally.
With every pass, basket and rebound, fans have seen a jersey patch from Fishers-based Spokenote on the Pacers’ jerseys. The partnership began in 2024 as the Pacers became the first major professional sports franchise in the United States to debut a QR code patch on their regular season and postseason jerseys.
Spokenote founder & CEO John Wechsler launched the company about four years ago as a way for consumers and businesses to personalize interactions from a simple thank you to business-to-business communication.
“We lead with the idea that in a digital first world, people really crave authenticity. We give organizations the ability to put a human face and a connection using video,” Wechsler said in an interview with Inside INdiana Business host Gerry Dick. “Increasingly, we see brands and organizations and teams interested in how they can connect with their fans, because at the end of the day, the Pacers don’t need awareness. What they really could benefit from is, how do they better connect with their fans? How do they connect with their community?”
Previous coverage: CEO: Significance of Spokenote’s deal with Pacers ‘not lost on us’
The Pacers control the content fans see when they scan the patch with their phone and have the option to change the video that plays.
Right now, Spokenote data show it’s seeing about eight times its average regular traffic volume. The company is able to track where the scans are coming from.
“In our wildest dreams, we really didn’t imagine that we would be front and center on the NBA Finals broadcast with Tyrese Halliburton doing an interview on a game winning shot,” Wechsler said. “We actually have done the analysis to look at road games and home games and win and loss. We can see that when the Pacers win and they go far, the impact on our business is profound.”
Earlier this month, Sports Illustrated said the Pacers “have maybe the most eye-grabbing sponsorship patch on their jersey in all of sports.”
Pacers Sports & Entertainment President of Business Operations Todd Taylor tells Inside INdiana Business fans can expect new things with Spokenote “very, very shortly.”
“It’s dynamic and allows us to a lot of things. Certainly on the jersey, it allows us to provide custom content to all of our fans,” Taylor said. “But beyond that, we’ve been working with Spokenote on new items that really allow people to capture memories that are personal to them and be able to attach them to physical items, like commemorative tickets.”
The Pacers’ spotlight is also shining on Spokenote. Wechsler says the company is getting calls from sports teams across the country.
“From the LA Olympics organizing body to FIFA World Cup to agents for sports stars, they’re all calling and saying, ‘How would this impact us if we wanted to use Spokenote?’” Wechsler said. “We’re [also] seeing a lot of interesting conversations with teams and leagues on how they can engage with their fans using our platform.”
The Spokenote-Pacers partnership was also honored with the 2024 NBA Changemaker of the Year Award, which celebrates “a franchise driving innovation in fan engagement and technology integration.”
Story Continues Below
