Entrepreneurial Mindset | Case Gametime

Carlos M Guimarães | EMBA 23/24 | Porto Business School

What is your view of Griffith's methodology for testing whether Gametime is a viable business concept
and then later refining the product to achieve product/market fit? What do you like or dislike about it?
What would you have done differently?

Consumer Research | The initial approach of trying to get feedback from strangers was very positive and
straightforward, allowing Griffith to quickly get 50 valuable consumer inputs to start generating a
prototype.
From the basic project assumptions, I initially found it strange that he was only focusing on IOS devices
but quickly understood that designing with constraints is usually good when we are at a stage where
possibilities are endless. It was a personal constraint - he was only used to programming on IOS
platforms - that I believe it simplified the initial product development steps. If Griffith had the knowledge of
programming for other platforms wouldn't he be tempted to cover them all?
Finding Supply | I found the OpenTable concept of borrowing supply from an incumbent marketplace
was a good idea to prove the concept. Unstable, as stated, but the supply was guaranteed (and that was
the most important thing).
Finding Demand | As the target was very well defined (Stadium-goers Giant fans with iphone), finding
demand was organic. What is interesting is that the target definition was also quite natural. There are
episodic aspects linked to the initial concept: Griffith is from the Bay area, the Giants are there, they allow
mobile tickets to enter the stadium, etc. Everything seemed aligned to be the way it was.
Product/Market Fit | The focus on product development was key to establishing a customer base. The
fact that the application was giving some technical problems was not good for the experience and was not
aligned with the envisioned business model. An improved user experience was fundamental to reach the
current stage.

What is your analysis of Gametime as a business opportunity?

The business opportunity exists because impulses related to sports and the passion for a team do exist.
Last minute purchases are recurring (and at lower prices) and targeting that potential market was smart.
Simultaneously, I believe the easy & curated purchasing process (check out flow) is the winning aspect
and what retained the client after a first experience.
Ironically, Brad decided years earlier that sport organizations were not a great fit to him culturally.

Do you think Griffith made the right decision to go it alone vs. build a founding team?

The fact that the competitors were still forcing the client to print tickets and were still web based and not
mobile focused, gave Griffith a momentum. Competitors would catch up quickly, so he had to move fast.
Going alone gave Griffith the agility and speed required, so yes, I believe it was a good call going alone,
especially because he had a solid technical/managerial background.

What were Griffith's personal traits, behaviors, skills, and assets that enabled him to get Gametime to the
point it is at the time of the case?

I highlight two main aspects regarding Griffith's personal traits: i) his love for sports and the motivation to
be involved in the initial stages of business processes - he would persist despite all the difficulties. And ii)
he learned in his past experience at Zappedy that speed of iteration was key - done and delivered, not
perfect.