There's a Seven-Story Tall Statue of Elon Musk in Tulsa (Really)
Joe Bel Bruno
Joe Bel Bruno is dot.LA's editor in chief, overseeing newsroom operations and the organization's editorial team. He joins after serving as managing editor of Variety magazine and as senior leadership in spots at the Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and Associated Press. He's a veteran journalist that loves breaking big stories, living back in L.A., a good burrito and his dog Gladys — not necessarily in that order.
Elon Musk is back in the news cycle, but this time it wasn't because of his tweets.
Tulsa has transformed its iconic 75-foot-tall Golden Driller statue into a likeness of the billionaire entrepreneur in an almost superhero-style pose with the Tesla emblem emblazoned across his chest. The city gave the statue, built in the 1960s as a tribute to the oil industry, a makeover to entice Musk to build a new factory in the Oklahoma metropolis.
Musk is reportedly considering both Tulsa and Austin as locations to build the upcoming "Cybertruck" utility vehicle. The factory could produce as many as 10,000 jobs, and become the largest employer in Tulsa, reported the Tulsa World. And, given that Musk is a frequent user of Twitter, the city's politicians have taken to social media to call attention to the statue as a way to entice Musk into building a plant there.
The Golden Driller got a #tesla facelift today complete with an #ElonMusk mask #tulsa more at… https://t.co/hlsFwuVx7J— Mike Simons (@Mike Simons)1589929202.0
Tulsa is a city that doesn’t stifle entrepreneurs - we revere them! Golden @elonmusk is now the 6th-tallest statue… https://t.co/WL7PO9WK7t— G.T. Bynum (@G.T. Bynum)1589979171.0
If @Tesla and #Tulsa team up to change the world, it would only be right to #BuyLocal. #cybertruck @elonmusk https://t.co/cQJ5baF1iN— G.T. Bynum (@G.T. Bynum)1589739123.0
No word on if Musk has seen the publicity campaign.
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It's never been a better time to "murder your thirst."
Seven months after raising more than $9 million in Series A funding, Santa Monica-based canned water startup Liquid Death has raised $23 million in Series B funding.
The round was led by an unnamed consumer-focused family office and participated in by Convivialité Ventures, Fat Mike (NOFX), Pat McAfee, existing investor in Velvet Sea Ventures and others.
<p>Co-founded by a former Netflix-linked creative director Mike Cessario, the Science Inc.-backed company said in a statement that it is going through a high-growth period and "setting online records every month" after rolling out to more than 1,700 new stores, including Whole Foods Markets, since its last raise. Cessario said that "the funding will go to fuel that growth."</p><p>Their water that sells for $15.99 for a 12 pack is carried in thousands of stores nationally, including bars, tattoo parlors, cafes, liquor stores and more than 1,000 7-Elevens in Southern California. A company representative said their canned tallboys are the fastest growing water brand in Whole Foods and it has broken its own record on overall sales monthly since March.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzOTk5MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDMzMjA4NH0.dmPPTdwLqWgXtMo4n2RuxAOJ_8WdzV3lNGvAPPPiYxY/image.jpg?width=980" id="cf1eb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0b7e5d045f61a05a5c8dab7f01dc790e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
</p><p>Liquid Death has positioned its tallboys of still and sparkling canned water as an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic water bottles — with a bad-boy panache. Along those lines, as part of its #DeathToPlastics initiative, the company gives 10% of profits on every can sold to nonprofits helping to fight plastic pollution and bring clean drinking water to people in need.<br/></p><p>Liquid Death has also upped the ante on its infamous "murder your thirst" tagline, <a href="https://dot.la/liquid-death-metal-album-2645888623.html" target="_self">releasing a heavy metal album of hateful comments</a> its product has received, and giving people the chance to <a href="https://liquiddeath.com/pages/sell-your-soul" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sell their soul</a> "for real. Legally binding for eternity" to join its Liquid Death Country Club. It touts more than 5,000 recurring monthly subscribers. The company uses dark humor and an irreverency to drive marketing -—for example, by offering a "fuck Corona special."</p><p>The Securities and Exchange Commission filing shows the company aimed to raise $23 million but was shy $1.9 million. A company spokeswoman said the last two wires didn't come through until after the filing.</p><p><span></span>__</p><p><em>Do you have a story that needs to be told? My DMs are open on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/latams" target="_blank"><em>Twitter @latams</em></a><em>. You can also email me, or ask for my Signal.</em></p>
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The headlines seem to come every day now. From VC investment to audience growth, all metrics point to an explosion in the popularity of esports, even before the COVID-19 pandemic sent many people indoors. Now, as leagues, developers, publishers, players and the media all sit poised to ride this wave, it's important for all of us, especially the industry veterans, to pause and take a look at the bigger picture.
How do we ensure that this new influx of users and players become a true part of the community – not just for the short term, but for years to come?
<p>Esports has a reputation – some would say rightly deserved – for being insular. While the community has become more open and accepting in recent years, that sentiment still rings true, as with any subculture that sees "outsiders" come into the fold. There can be a bristling or resentment towards the newcomers. And on the business side of things, it's not uncommon to see teams or leagues take a short-term approach to the industry's new money.</p><p>The lifeblood of any sport is the fans. Without them, the games, leagues and media would simply disappear. It's paramount that new fans become part of the community and stick around for the industry to continue its growth trajectory. Here are three things industry leaders and executives can do to ensure this happens.</p><h2>K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid)</h2><p>Longtime gamers may have forgotten the first time they booted up their system and tried to play League of Legends, CS:GO or Rocket League. For the novice, everything about the experience is unfamiliar. The gameplay, the mechanics, even the terminology can seem like a foreign language. How we onboard new players is a critical step. Creating "light versions" or mini-games can help newbies get acclimated without leaving them feeling intimidated.</p><h2>Ensure Equitability, Not Just Equality </h2><p>If you give two players the exact same weapons, but one player is a 10-year veteran and the other has never played before, does each have an equal chance? It's not enough for new players to simply have the same opportunity. Yes, some people enjoy the challenge and are willing to put in long hours getting destroyed in order to build up their experience. But how many people get frustrated after being repeatedly killed, before they can get their bearings? </p><p>This even holds true for fantasy sports, where 90% of games are won by less than 5% of participants. By allowing users and/or players of comparable skill level to match up, everyone can participate at a competitive level, keeping more people engaged with the sport. At Esports One we're looking at instituting<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elo_rating_system" target="_blank"> ELO</a>-style rankings for our users. With such a ranking system, we could minimize situations where the highly skilled (or deeply experienced) rack up wins against less experienced players. </p><h2>Continue to Build A Broader Ecosystem</h2><p>From a consumer perspective, some of the greatest advancements in sports have had nothing to do with rule changes. Think how the viewing experience for the NFL changed with the introduction of the yellow first-down line on television. Or how fantasy sports went from a niche hobby to a full-blown industry. These technologies and creative enhancements improved the experience for fans by adding layers to the core experience. This will be just as critical for the esports industry as it was for traditional sports. A good example here is the plethora of data generated by esports. Harnessing all the information and making it available in ways that enhance the viewing experience has nearly limitless opportunities.</p><p>The future of esports has never been brighter, and 2020 looks to be a pivotal year in its development. Now is the time for the industry to invest in creativity, technology and innovation to ensure that complacency and stagnation are avoided and the future reality lives up to the hype.</p><p><em>Matt Gunnin is the CEO and co-founder of <a href="https://esportsone.com/" target="_blank">Esports One</a></em><em> and a serial esportspreneur.</em></p>
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