Exclusive with Steelers Minority Owner Paul Sams

First, tell me how you became a Steelers fan – how did it all start?

I’ve been a lifelong Steelers fan – since I was four years old. I was born in California so it’s a bit strange why I became a Steelers fan.  It was dumb luck really.

I was four, and I was at my Aunt Jan and Uncle Don’s house. My cousins weren’t there so I didn’t have them to play with. I was watching TV – turning the dial – you know – when we all had those! I came across what I later found out was a football game. My parents weren’t big sports fans, so I didn’t know what it was. It turns out it was the 1975 Super Bowl versus the Vikings, so that was my first Steelers game. The first play I saw was Bradshaw throwing his only passing touchdown of the game to Larry Brown and then seeing and hearing the fans going wild. It was love at first sight and I was hooked from that day forward!

Ever since that day, I’ve been an extremely passionate fan of the Steelers. I often joke that the only thing I’ve loved longer than the Steelers is my parents. I have a feeling that you’ll be rather surprised at what a total geek and fanatical fan I am about the Steelers. 

How did you get involved as an investor?

It was through Thomas Tull – another investor. He was the founder and CEO of Legendary Pictures and I was the COO of Blizzard Entertainment. Blizzard is one of the most successful and beloved video game companies in the world.

My team and I were trying to bring some of our game franchises to the big screen and worked with Jon Jashni, who was our external movie producer and a good friend of mine, to make it happen. Thomas ended up hiring Jon at Legendary as his Chief Creative Officer.

Soon after Jon was hired, we ended up having a meeting between Legendary and Blizzard’s leadership – they actually came to us, which was quite uncommon for Hollywood studio folks to come down to Orange County.

They walked in and Jon introduced me and my team to Thomas and their other executives. I was wearing one of those lanyards that holds your office ID – and, yes, it was a Steelers lanyard. Thomas looked at it and said, “What the hell is that?” Well, I thought he was about to talk some trash about my team, so I kind of bowed up and was ready to start verbally defending the Steelers! He asked if I was a fan and I told him I was a lifelong and diehard Steelers fan. He also said he was a diehard Steelers fan.

I think that we were both still suspicious of one another, but after about 30 minutes of playful yet serious banter and fact-checking of each other’s knowledge of Steelers history we both determined that the other person was legit. The funniest part is that both of our leadership teams were in the big conference room with us, and we totally hijacked the first part of the meeting geeking-out together about our beloved Black and Gold. Amazingly, we both fell in love with the Steelers after watching the same game at the same age, but on opposite sides of the country.

What happened after that?

Thomas and I became fast friends. One day he called me and asked me what I was doing on a particular day a few weeks from then. I told him I was probably working, and he said, “No, we’re going to Pittsburgh.” I asked him why and he told me that he was doing a private screening for his new We Are Marshall movie for the Steelers players, coaches and front office folks and that I was going with him. I told him “Yes, I am!”

While in Pittsburgh, I had the opportunity to meet Dan and Art – and Coach Cowher and some of the players. They were all very kind and welcoming. They gave us one of the best tours imaginable. We saw what seemed like every inch of the practice facility and the stadium, including throwing each other touchdown passes on Heinz Field and inside the indoor practice facility. Thomas brought his wife, Alba, who is a spectacular photographer. She took countless pictures of us acting like excited kids – us running out of the tunnel wearing our favorite player’s jerseys – Bradshaw for me and Lambert for Thomas,  standing next to the six Super Bowl trophies, sitting behind the Chief’s desk in his chair and me kissing the grass logo at the 50-yard line of Heinz Field. Since becoming an adult, I have never felt like a bigger kid than that day. It was one of my favorite and most treasured experiences because I got to see things up close and personal that I had watched from afar my whole life. Little did I know that this trip would be the point of connection that would lead to me and my family to becoming a minority investor in the team.

For as long as I can remember, I would make it a ritual of reading the Post-Gazette every morning for news on the Steelers when I’d arrive at work. Well one day, I read that the some of the Rooney family was divesting a portion of their ownership. I called Thomas and, sort of jokingly, told him we should see if Dan and Art would be open to us becoming investors. He laughed and told me that he had already spoke to them and that they had told him that we could participate if we could invest a minimum of “X” dollars, have a solid interview with Art and also pass the extensive NFL security and background checks. Thankfully, it all worked out and that’s how I realized my boyhood dream!

What is your role in the investment team?

My family and I are minority investors and do not have a role in the operations of the team. Some of the larger investors are or have been on the board of directors. While I am not on the board, I do have the opportunity to attend the annual investor’s meeting and to talk with Art regularly each year. Art is a great guy and super open and transparent – just like his dad, so I feel well-informed on what’s happening with the team.

I believe in Art and completely trust the way he and his chosen leaders run the team. I feel completely comfortable asking questions and sharing opinions and ideas, but I do not get involved in the team decisions. I can talk in-depth about video games and esports, but Art and his staff know what they are doing when it comes to running the football team and franchise and they have an incredible track record to prove it.

I think it all comes down to Art, Kevin, Coach T., Omar and a talented front office and coaching staff. They are all extremely smart and talented. I trust and believe that they will always have us in a position to effectively compete for our next Lombardi Trophy with the right mix of incredible players. 

I wanted to talk to you about your own esports work and career and how that plays into other pro sports like the NFL.

Together with an incredibly talented team and an awesome business partner named Mike Morhaime, I helped to lead, build and grow Blizzard into one of the top video game companies in the world. We were responsible for creating and operating some of the biggest game franchises in history like World of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, Warcraft, Overwatch, and Hearthstone. In the late 90’s, our game StarCraft exploded onto the world stage and took competitive gaming to an entirely new level – and it was then that esports were born. Esports really all started in South Korea with StarCraft, grew throughout Asia and then expanded into the West. Not only was Blizzard the pioneer of esports, but the company is also still arguably the biggest player in the esports world – operating three or four major global esports titles, which is more than any other single publisher in the world. After nearly 20 years there, I left Blizzard in 2015 to “semi-retire” in Austin, Texas with my family. However, that “semi-retirement” thing didn’t last too long.

Fast-forward and now I’m involved as a consultant, strategic advisor or board member with a number of AAA game development studios, technology startups and a couple franchise development companies.

I am also a partner with Damage – a creative agency that puts its complete and total focus on the gaming and esports verticals. It’s unique because most major creative agencies may have departments that work on gaming but none of them have the direct game development, publishing and esports experience that we do. We’ve built the agency with a team of gaming, esports and agency experts that is second to none and support clients on many of their gaming and esports related activities such as Intel, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Konami, T-Mobile, Turtle Beach and more.

Where do you see esports and leagues like the NFL colliding?

There are many non-endemic brands that want to capture the hearts, minds and money, frankly, of gamers. Gamers are a very particular and protective group – they see esports as their world and are very cautious when new brands come in. Brands want to ensure they are being seen as “real” and authentic in the eyes of gamers and esports enthusiasts. Posers are not easily allowed or tolerated by gamers. My creative agency, Damage, acts almost like interpreters for those brands and helps them to better connect and engage with that audience.

I think the NFL and other traditional sports leagues are watching the growth of esports very closely. All major sports, including esports, are competing for the younger millennials and the older Gen Z viewers. Believe it or not, more of that coveted audience is now watching esports more than any other traditional sport – and it’s because this audience is truly global in scale. Brands want access to this demographic because they understand that those young adults are at an age and time in their life when they are making their own brand loyalty decisions. They understand that if they capture their loyalty early on, they will potentially have life-long customers that will buy their products and services for years to come. Those brands are the ones with the big advertising budgets that pay the broadcasters and streaming services – and the broadcasting and streaming contracts are one of the largest revenue sources for all of the traditional sports leagues and teams. The esports audience is truly the sweet-spot demographic that all sports covet.

Finding ways to bridge the gap between traditional sports and the esports audience is important, as that younger audience is critically important to maintaining reasonable viewer growth rates. There’s no shortage of ways to potentially create that connective tissue between the esports audience and traditional sports leagues like the NFL.  One of the ways to do it is by traditional sports team owners making investments in esports teams. By doing so, they gain access to the esports audience in a more organic and authentic way. They then can begin learning about them and their unique preferences. Thereafter, they can implement more targeted and tailored marketing activities for their newly acquired esports audience and hopefully find a way to bring those fans over to their core businesses.

As an example, Robert Kraft has done so in New England by acquiring an Overwatch league franchise. Other team owners and players from the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL are investing in esports teams to get an early entry point and to reach this coveted younger audience. It should be really exciting to see all of the things that will occur as traditional sports leagues, franchises and their players invest to bring their world together with the world of video games and esports.

Any good experiences with the Steelers you can share?

One of my favorite people in the Steelers organization is Dan Ferens in the business office – he’s like a brother to me and also like an uncle to my adult kids. If my family and I did not have the opportunity to become investors, we would never have had the chance to know him and to have our friendship. I am very grateful for that.

Early on after my family and I became minority investors, my sons {Michael and Matthew} and I began going out to Robert Morris University each summer for a helmet and shoulder pad football camp hosted initially by Merrill Hoge and later by Dermontti Dawson – both great dudes by the way. During the camp, my boys got to meet and interact with many current and former players. However, the highlight every summer for my boys was driving from Moon Township to the Steelers practice facility on the Southside for lunch with Art. Each year, Art would take them down to the team commissary and let them get whatever they wanted to eat and then would sit and field all of their questions about the draft, current players and anything else that they could come up with. Art is such a family man and I’ve always appreciated how welcoming and kind he has been to my three kids and our family as a whole.

One of my favorite things to do since becoming involved with the team is hanging out with Father Paul Taylor at training camp. Father Paul is one of the team priests and also the President of Saint Vincent College. I’ve met many priests in my day, but this dude is the coolest and most down to earth one I know. I mean what other priest do you know that has his cassock {black priest’s robe} made out of moisture-wicking dry fit athletic fabric in order to stay cool when roaming the sidelines at training camp in 100-degree weather? Father Paul is one of my favorites for sure.

On one of my trips to Pittsburgh to watch a game, I spent part of an evening with Big Ben. As I understand it, Ben used to have dinner with his parents a night or two before most games. Because Thomas Tull is close with Ben, I guess he would join sometimes. Anyhow, Thomas invited me along since I was in town and I ate with Ben, his parents and Thomas. A couple of things stood out to me during that dinner. First, Ben is a really down to earth guy that clearly loves and respects his parents. Second, Ben is accessible and kind. As an example, while we were eating, Ben noticed that there was a young couple with a baby looking over at us. After we were done eating and without prompting, Ben went over and kneeled down next to the family’s table and talked and took a couple pictures with them. I loved sitting back and watching him do that – some guys in his position aren’t nearly as accessible. He was very nice them and he clearly made their night. It was awesome to see that even with all of his success, he didn’t lose that connection with the fans.

On another occasion, I had the opportunity to go to the live studio taping of Fox NFL Sunday. It was an awesome day with my brother Chris and the day that I got to meet my favorite Steeler and athlete of all time – Terry Bradshaw. As luck would have it, the Steelers were playing the Cowboys that day and I got to watch almost the entire game while sitting in between Terry and Michael Strahan. Terry and Michael are incredibly funny individually, but the two of them together was gut-bustlingly hilarious. One of my very favorite quotes of the day came from Terry, as a response to me saying, “You know Terry, you are my all-time favorite football player and the only athlete I’ve ever wanted to meet. Having the chance to meet you today is a real honor.” He looked at me and, in his most serious and deadpan voice said, “Thanks Paul, but you really should have much higher standards!” He and I had quite the laugh at that. That was an awesome day. And, yes, the Steelers beat the Cowboys – of course.

Any other times you remember with the players?

I’ve met a number of players around the practice facility over the years and while standing on the St. Vincent College sidelines and eating with the players at training camp. I’ve also met a number of the players though Thomas at his movie premiers. Those movie premiers were something else. There would regularly be Steeler players there and it was fun to interact with them in a more social and relaxed setting. I also had the opportunity to chat with Coach Cowher for a while at one of those premiers as well – what a cool dude. I don’t like to be a distraction, so in most cases, I’ll say hi to the guys and try to be respectful of their time and space. They don’t need me bugging them – they’ve got may more important business to handle than chatting it up with me.

Honestly, I still have to pinch myself. The players are all much younger than I am now (I’m 50) – but they continue to be some of my biggest heroes. It’s incredible to me that my family and I have the opportunity to meet many of them and to watch them display their God-given gifts up close.

Lastly, any thoughts on the upcoming season? 

I’m not one for predictions. I think that we have a lot of great players and an awesome coaching staff. I’m really excited to see how Coach T. and his staff will integrate our 2021draft class into the fold and then put an awesome team on the field. I am also really happy to see that we were able to bring back a number of the guys that we thought might leave – like Juju, Vince and Alualu. I think it’s a testament to how special and close-knit this team is that these players could have taken better deals to play elsewhere, but instead wanted to stay at home in Pittsburgh. 

I’ve been very fortunate to see a little of what happens behind the curtain in the organization. I can honestly say that what happens behind that curtain is exactly what we all see in front of it. It’s a high-integrity, winning culture and family-based organization that makes a positive difference in the league, in the City of Pittsburgh and in the lives of all of its fans – and I’m proud for me and my family to be involved in it.