近35年來,NBA猶他爵士隊(duì)(Utah Jazz)的老板一直是猶他商人拉里?米勒或他的家族成員。但米勒家族于10月29日突然宣布,球隊(duì)控股權(quán)將出售給科技公司Qualtrics的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人瑞安?史密斯,這讓當(dāng)?shù)厝梭@訝不已。
那么,猶他爵士隊(duì)的新老板究竟是誰?
簡單來說有以下幾點(diǎn):史密斯比較年輕(現(xiàn)年42歲),他是個(gè)籃球迷,并對(duì)社會(huì)公正、尤其是種族公正問題表現(xiàn)出了強(qiáng)烈的責(zé)任感。當(dāng)然了,他也非常富有。
爵士隊(duì)此前的老板米勒出生于鹽湖城。他從一名汽車經(jīng)銷商起步,最終建立了一個(gè)商業(yè)帝國,后來則將業(yè)務(wù)拓展到了電視電影行業(yè),并于1985年買下了爵士隊(duì)。據(jù)報(bào)道,爵士隊(duì)當(dāng)時(shí)100%的股權(quán)價(jià)格為2200萬美元。米勒于2009年去世,并將球隊(duì)控制權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)交給了米勒家族。
米勒和史密斯之間的反差,首先要從收購球隊(duì)的價(jià)格說起。據(jù)報(bào)道,史密斯買下爵士隊(duì)花費(fèi)了16.6億美元。目前還不清楚史密斯將持有多少股份,但據(jù)福布斯日前公布的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,這支球隊(duì)估值為15.5億美元。不論史密斯得到多少股份,按照通貨膨脹調(diào)整后的價(jià)格計(jì)算,史密斯支付的金額幾乎是米勒當(dāng)年買下整支球隊(duì)所花費(fèi)的30倍。
史密斯也有能力付得起這個(gè)價(jià)格。2002年,他與哥哥和父親共同創(chuàng)立了Qualtrics公司(他父親是楊百翰大學(xué)的市場(chǎng)營銷學(xué)教授)。2018年,Qualtrics以80億美元的價(jià)格出售給了德國商業(yè)軟件巨頭SAP,但它仍然是一個(gè)獨(dú)立運(yùn)營的部門,史密斯也繼續(xù)擔(dān)任公司首席執(zhí)行官。據(jù)估計(jì),幾位聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人在這筆交易中獲得了30億美元,目前福布斯則估計(jì)瑞安?史密斯的身家為13億美元。
SAP收購的究竟是怎樣一家公司?Qualtrics最初提供網(wǎng)上客戶問卷調(diào)查服務(wù),但現(xiàn)在業(yè)務(wù)已經(jīng)大幅擴(kuò)展。目前,公司最有名的產(chǎn)品是一種叫做“客戶體驗(yàn)管理”的軟件,它用來整合問卷調(diào)查、社交媒體聊天、客戶直接反饋等各種數(shù)據(jù)。軟件旨在跟蹤人們對(duì)公司產(chǎn)品和服務(wù),以及具體客戶互動(dòng)(例如申請(qǐng)維修或退款等)的總體態(tài)度。與Qualtrics主營業(yè)務(wù)類似的競(jìng)爭對(duì)手還有Salesforce,后者也利用大量數(shù)據(jù)來幫助公司管理銷售與客戶的關(guān)系。
正如《財(cái)富》雜志在揭曉2016年全球“40位40歲以下商界精英”榜單時(shí)介紹的那樣,史密斯畢生都居住在猶他州,而和絕大多數(shù)猶他居民一樣,他也是一名摩門教徒。他一直是當(dāng)?shù)毓ど探绲闹饕С终撸?jīng)幫助建立了猶他州中部科技企業(yè)聯(lián)盟Silicon Slopes。
史密斯一直十分熱衷維護(hù)社會(huì)公正。今年6月,在“黑人的命也是命”(Black Lives Matter)抗議運(yùn)動(dòng)如火如荼之際,史密斯宣布只要Qualtrics公司員工為該運(yùn)動(dòng)的法律辯護(hù)基金捐款,他個(gè)人也將捐出同等金額。福布斯2017年的一份個(gè)人簡介顯示,史密斯與其他創(chuàng)始人一起制定戰(zhàn)略,探討如何才能夠使猶他州變得更加多元化。
鑒于近期體育與政治之間的碰撞,包括今年8月NBA球員一度短暫罷賽,以回應(yīng)警察槍殺非洲裔美國人的事件,史密斯表現(xiàn)出的責(zé)任感將對(duì)他擔(dān)任爵士隊(duì)老板大有幫助。他在這方面也與米勒截然不同。2005年,米勒曾經(jīng)以電影描繪了同性關(guān)系為由,拒絕在他擁有的影院里播放李安的《斷背山》(Brokeback Mountain),從而引發(fā)了活動(dòng)人士的憤慨。
史密斯顯然也十分熱愛籃球運(yùn)動(dòng)。他自己的地下室里建有一座籃球場(chǎng),位于猶他州奧勒姆市的Qualtrics公司總部大堂內(nèi)也有一座籃球場(chǎng)。史密斯經(jīng)常在推特上發(fā)布體育相關(guān)的推文,而他之前也與爵士隊(duì)有過合作,包括今年他贊助球隊(duì)為癌癥研究籌集了2500萬美元。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:智竑
近35年來,NBA猶他爵士隊(duì)(Utah Jazz)的老板一直是猶他商人拉里?米勒或他的家族成員。但米勒家族于10月29日突然宣布,球隊(duì)控股權(quán)將出售給科技公司Qualtrics的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人瑞安?史密斯,這讓當(dāng)?shù)厝梭@訝不已。
那么,猶他爵士隊(duì)的新老板究竟是誰?
簡單來說有以下幾點(diǎn):史密斯比較年輕(現(xiàn)年42歲),他是個(gè)籃球迷,并對(duì)社會(huì)公正、尤其是種族公正問題表現(xiàn)出了強(qiáng)烈的責(zé)任感。當(dāng)然了,他也非常富有。
爵士隊(duì)此前的老板米勒出生于鹽湖城。他從一名汽車經(jīng)銷商起步,最終建立了一個(gè)商業(yè)帝國,后來則將業(yè)務(wù)拓展到了電視電影行業(yè),并于1985年買下了爵士隊(duì)。據(jù)報(bào)道,爵士隊(duì)當(dāng)時(shí)100%的股權(quán)價(jià)格為2200萬美元。米勒于2009年去世,并將球隊(duì)控制權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)交給了米勒家族。
米勒和史密斯之間的反差,首先要從收購球隊(duì)的價(jià)格說起。據(jù)報(bào)道,史密斯買下爵士隊(duì)花費(fèi)了16.6億美元。目前還不清楚史密斯將持有多少股份,但據(jù)福布斯日前公布的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,這支球隊(duì)估值為15.5億美元。不論史密斯得到多少股份,按照通貨膨脹調(diào)整后的價(jià)格計(jì)算,史密斯支付的金額幾乎是米勒當(dāng)年買下整支球隊(duì)所花費(fèi)的30倍。
史密斯也有能力付得起這個(gè)價(jià)格。2002年,他與哥哥和父親共同創(chuàng)立了Qualtrics公司(他父親是楊百翰大學(xué)的市場(chǎng)營銷學(xué)教授)。2018年,Qualtrics以80億美元的價(jià)格出售給了德國商業(yè)軟件巨頭SAP,但它仍然是一個(gè)獨(dú)立運(yùn)營的部門,史密斯也繼續(xù)擔(dān)任公司首席執(zhí)行官。據(jù)估計(jì),幾位聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人在這筆交易中獲得了30億美元,目前福布斯則估計(jì)瑞安?史密斯的身家為13億美元。
SAP收購的究竟是怎樣一家公司?Qualtrics最初提供網(wǎng)上客戶問卷調(diào)查服務(wù),但現(xiàn)在業(yè)務(wù)已經(jīng)大幅擴(kuò)展。目前,公司最有名的產(chǎn)品是一種叫做“客戶體驗(yàn)管理”的軟件,它用來整合問卷調(diào)查、社交媒體聊天、客戶直接反饋等各種數(shù)據(jù)。軟件旨在跟蹤人們對(duì)公司產(chǎn)品和服務(wù),以及具體客戶互動(dòng)(例如申請(qǐng)維修或退款等)的總體態(tài)度。與Qualtrics主營業(yè)務(wù)類似的競(jìng)爭對(duì)手還有Salesforce,后者也利用大量數(shù)據(jù)來幫助公司管理銷售與客戶的關(guān)系。
正如《財(cái)富》雜志在揭曉2016年全球“40位40歲以下商界精英”榜單時(shí)介紹的那樣,史密斯畢生都居住在猶他州,而和絕大多數(shù)猶他居民一樣,他也是一名摩門教徒。他一直是當(dāng)?shù)毓ど探绲闹饕С终撸?jīng)幫助建立了猶他州中部科技企業(yè)聯(lián)盟Silicon Slopes。
史密斯一直十分熱衷維護(hù)社會(huì)公正。今年6月,在“黑人的命也是命”(Black Lives Matter)抗議運(yùn)動(dòng)如火如荼之際,史密斯宣布只要Qualtrics公司員工為該運(yùn)動(dòng)的法律辯護(hù)基金捐款,他個(gè)人也將捐出同等金額。福布斯2017年的一份個(gè)人簡介顯示,史密斯與其他創(chuàng)始人一起制定戰(zhàn)略,探討如何才能夠使猶他州變得更加多元化。
鑒于近期體育與政治之間的碰撞,包括今年8月NBA球員一度短暫罷賽,以回應(yīng)警察槍殺非洲裔美國人的事件,史密斯表現(xiàn)出的責(zé)任感將對(duì)他擔(dān)任爵士隊(duì)老板大有幫助。他在這方面也與米勒截然不同。2005年,米勒曾經(jīng)以電影描繪了同性關(guān)系為由,拒絕在他擁有的影院里播放李安的《斷背山》(Brokeback Mountain),從而引發(fā)了活動(dòng)人士的憤慨。
史密斯顯然也十分熱愛籃球運(yùn)動(dòng)。他自己的地下室里建有一座籃球場(chǎng),位于猶他州奧勒姆市的Qualtrics公司總部大堂內(nèi)也有一座籃球場(chǎng)。史密斯經(jīng)常在推特上發(fā)布體育相關(guān)的推文,而他之前也與爵士隊(duì)有過合作,包括今年他贊助球隊(duì)為癌癥研究籌集了2500萬美元。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:智竑
The NBA's Utah Jazz has been owned for close to 35 years by Utah businessman Larry H. Miller or his family. But in a move that stunned locals, the Miller family announced on October 29 that it would sell a controlling stake in the team to Ryan Smith, cofounder of tech company Qualtrics.
So who is the new owner of the Utah Jazz?
Here are the high points: Smith is young (42), loves basketball, and has signaled a strong commitment to social justice, particularly racial justice issues. And of course, he's very wealthy.
Prior Jazz owner Miller was born in Salt Lake City and built a business empire starting with car dealerships, then expanding to a television station and movie theaters before purchasing the Jazz in 1985. The price tag was reportedly $22 million for 100% of the Jazz. Miller died in 2009 and passed control of the Jazz to his family.
The contrasts between Miller and Smith start with that price tag: Smith’s takeover of the Jazz will cost him a reported $1.66 billion. It’s not entirely clear how large the Smith' stake will be, though the team was recently estimated to be worth $1.55 billion by Forbes. However much he got, Smith paid nearly thirty times what Miller paid for the entire team, in inflation-adjusted terms.
Smith can afford the markup. He co-founded Qualtrics, with his brother and father, a marketing professor at Brigham Young University, in 2002. In 2018, the company was sold to German business software giant SAP for $8 billion, though it remains an independently run unit and Smith still serves as CEO. The founders’ share of that payday was estimated at $3 billion, and Forbes now estimates Ryan Smith’s personal net worth at $1.3 billion.
What exactly did SAP buy? Qualtrics started off by offering customer surveys online, but has expanded considerably. It's now best known for its so-called “customer experience management” software, which brings together a variety of data sources, including surveys, social media chatter, and direct customer feedback. The software is meant to track both broad sentiment about a company’s products and services, and specific customer interactions, such as repair or refund requests. One of Qualtrics’ closer competitors is Salesforce, which draws on a similarly broad array of data sources to help companies manage sales and customer relationships.
As Fortune detailed when we named him to its 40 Under 40 list in 2016, Smith is a lifelong Utah resident and, like the majority of Utah residents, a Mormon. He’s been a major booster of the local business community, helping found a coalition of central Utah tech businesses called Silicon Slopes.
Smith has been notably active on social justice causes. In June, at the height of Black Lives Matter protests, Smith announced he would personally match donations by Qualtrics employees to legal defense funds for the movement. In a 2017 Forbes profile, he strategizes with fellow founders about how to attract more diversity to Utah.
Those commitments should serve Smith well as an NBA owner, given recent collisions between sport and politics that included a brief NBA player strike in August in response to police shootings of African-Americans. They also mark something of a contrast with Miller, who in 2005 raised the ire of activists by refusing to show Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain at theaters he owned because it depicted a gay relationship.
Smith also clearly loves basketball. He has a court in his basement, as well as in the lobby of Qualtrics’ headquarters building in Orem, Utah. Smith’s Twitter feed is sports-heavy, and he has partnered with the Jazz before, including a sponsorship this year that helped raise $25 million for cancer research.