The Voice of ESPN In The Metaverse
It’s been said before, and I’ll repeat it. Unless you try an oculus headset for yourself, you’ll never get to experience what the metaverse is truly like and the connections you can make there. Nonetheless, I will try again to describe an experience and how amazing the metaverse is.
Rick Party at the Good Morning Show at The Soapstone
After a team meeting, Brian (Killer.B) asked if I wanted to check out an interview at The Soapstone Comedy Club, hosted by LollyDee. I said sure, I didn’t think this particular interview/show would be any different than any other one I had experienced, but it ended up blowing my mind about the potential that the metaverse has to impact, change and enhance lives.
Rick Party, a national voiceover and radio host in the Chicago area, along with L.Michelle.McCray, his voice coaching partner, was being interviewed at The Soapstone. He’s the voice of ESPN! He shared how he got to where he is in his career today. He had a powerful story about going from being a kid with a bad stutter to an adult who now has a job in voiceover and as a radio host. You may be thinking big deal; he could share that story anywhere. He could do a Facebook Live video or just a video, in general, sharing his story. While that is true, this was a completely different experience because we were sitting in a room with Rick in real-time, we got to feel his emotion as he shared his story, and the audience was able to react in person to his amazing story and ask questions.
Connection Like No Other
He said so many things that just had me throwing confetti (if you’re familiar with the metaverse, you’ll know what that means). Brian jumped at the opportunity to talk to Rick about his thoughts on the metaverse and radio. He shared how it is important for broadcasters to understand that the metaverse will not overtake radio or take away listeners; it will simply enhance listeners’ experience. Think about listening to your favorite radio show on your way home from work and then, later that evening, actually getting to sit with them at a coffee shop or play a game with them in the metaverse without leaving the comfort of your own home. It’s a connection like no other.
Shifting Away From Likes To Connections
Another great point brought up when it comes to the metaverse is that adults are letting children/teens be heard. On social media, adults might not necessarily know what their kids are doing or ignore them when it comes to comments and messages. In the Metaverse, Rick pointed out how his coaching partner counsels teens in the metaverse that need help and offers them support. The shift goes from how many “likes” you can get on a picture to actual connections and assisting others to become better people.
Voiceover Classes In The Metaverse
Rick also hosts a weekly voiceover class for free in the metaverse! Rick and his coaching partner, Michelle, have created a safe space and community where people from all over the world and from all walks of life can come together and learn a new craft to help provide for their family or just have fun. Opportunities are being made for people that may not have been able to afford voiceover classes in real life. Brian is planning on joining him soon for a class, and who knows, maybe the voice of ESPN will join us at the Killer Bee Studios in 2023!
People Want To Connect With People
In this space, there will be constant pivots on what’s working and what’s not, just like anything else, but so far, my experience in the metaverse is showing me that people aren’t concerned with vanity numbers, how they look, how much money they make, etc. They genuinely enjoy the connections they are making and want to work with one another on how to create a safe and engaging environment in the metaverse.
If you’re curious to learn more about the metaverse, don’t forget to signup for our email list below. If you’re ready to discuss metaverse strategy and world creation, contact us today, and let Killer Bee Strategies help bring your virtual reality ideas to reality.