At the turn of the century, when the first Internet mania was raging, one could see the party ending when sports stars, Hollywood actors and musicians started setting up some kind of dotcom shop. Does anyone remember MVP.com, which raised $150 million [and change] from John Elway, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky among others? Why this trip down memory lane?
I am beginning to see some troubling signs and celebrity sightings. Sure, things are not quite as crazy as 2000, but I am of the belief that history does repeat itself. Liz writes about IBeatYou, a video/social network/contest site being started by Baron Davis of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. I am doubtful this is going to be a big success, but I have been wrong before.
Liz also points out that Bode Miller, world ski champion, has set up Skispace. There might be more such celebrity social-something-video-whatever efforts lurking around the proverbial corner. And when you read about them, well, you know the end is near.
2 trackbacks so far
12:22 PM PT
[...] are the sign of the beast bubble — Taking a trip down memory lane, GigaOm recalls massive fundings of sites started by actors, musicians and sports stars in the dotcom era — [...]
8:56 AM PT
[...] spends hours on the site could bring in more users early on. However Om Malik over at Giga Om had a far less impressive picture of the startup and wondered if the addition of celebrities into the Web 2.0 mix signifies the [...]
2 comments so far
5:27 PM PT
i thought the same thing until i tried out the site. it’s actually very addictive, haven’t been hooked on anything this badly since GTA Vice City. And I’m very tech savvy, was close to all the action during the bubble…
7:10 PM PT
Uhm, how is this any different from crap rapper turned insurance salesman (http://www.splendad.com/ads/show/446-Nationwide-MC-Hammer) MC Hammer launching a site about… dancing? I seem to remember a GigaOm network writer going gaga over Hammer’s new venture when Arrington blessed that site (that he invests in). The hypocrisy of the valley circle jerk continues.