Tower-Summer 2019

SUMMER 2019 | TOWER 25 M ike Clay’s (’07) life-long passion for major pro and college sports and his academic pursuits synchronized perfectly with the rise of the fantasy sports industry in America. Two years after graduating from KU, Clay created his first fantasy football website. A year later, he launched the Pro Football Focus Fantasy section. By 2016, ESPN came calling. “The last decade has been a whirlwind,” said Clay. “My first exposure to ESPN came a few years before I was actually hired. I contributed to ESPN.com on the side while working at Pro Football Focus Fantasy and was fortunate to meet with executives like Keith Lipscomb and Pierre Becquey, as well as front-facing talent like Matthew Berry. They liked my content and, I believe, appreciated my work ethic. It eventually led to a full-time offer.” The global sports and entertainment giant valued Clay’s specialization in innovative statistics and data. He introduced new elements of fantasy football statistical concepts that were nonexistent before 2010, but have since become mainstream industry norms. ESPN features Clay across its array of multimedia platforms. He also contributes to the network’s radio and television offerings, and appears on a variety of shows, including “SportsCenter,” “Fantasy Football Now,” “NFL Live” and “The Daily Wager.” “I had very little TV experience when I got to ESPN,” explained the 34-year-old Pottsville, Pa., native. “I was advised to generate good content and get as many reps along the way as possible, which is excellent advice for anyone interested in getting into the media profession. I worked hard to improve and it led to more opportunities, though I still have a long way to go.” Clay won the 2013 Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) award for most accurate preseason player rankings. He was recognized by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) for best online article in 2013 and presented with the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) Dick Conner Writing Award in the Enterprise Features category in 2014. It took some zigging and zagging, but Clay, former sports editor of “The Keystone” while on campus, feels his career path was inevitable. “I started as an education major, quickly switched to journalism and then, when I knew I didn’t want to write about anything other than sports, transitioned to accounting,” he said. “That allowed me to play with numbers in class while maintaining a focus on sports through ‘The Keystone’ and as a sports broadcaster on KUR (KU Radio) and the Golden Bear Network the rest of the time.” Fantasy sports has become a heavily- saturated, multibillion-dollar industry encompassing professional leagues and formats ranging from daily to season long to dynasties. Clay understands that marketplace and what it takes to succeed as well as anyone. “I think there’s a lot of truth in the statement that ‘you can be whatever you want when you grow up’ if you focus your time and energy on something you love,” he noted. “I’ve gotten to where I’m at today through extremely hard work, delivering unique content and a willingness to learn from respected colleagues. Some luck and great people in your corner help along the way, too. During my time at KU, friends and mentors including DomenickMoore , KristinBaver ’06 , the late Dr. Matt Nesvisky , Mike Regensburger ’99 and Josh Leiboff M’98 played crucial roles in helping me prepare for life in the sports industry.” As the popularity of fantasy sports grows exponentially each year, Clay aims to build upon the work that allowed him to get a foot in the door just over a decade ago. “I want to get better every year,” he said. “There’s too many variables to achieve perfection in the fantasy sports world, but there is always room to increase accuracy. If I can help players gain an edge in their leagues through advanced understanding of the game, so they can compete for championships while having fun, that’s mission accomplished.” BY MATT HEFFELFINGER, SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR Twelve years ago, Mike Clay ’07 walked across the stage at O’Pake Fieldhouse with a freshly-minted accounting degree and job awaiting him in the field. Today, he’s an acclaimed member of the ESPN team. MAKING FANTASY A REALITY