Meet Meghan Chayka: Closing the gender sports gap

In this exclusive interview with Maria Debrincat, Meghan discussed the main hurdles she faced while scaling Stathletes and gives some of her prime advice to striving entrepreneurs

Canadian tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Stathletes, Meghan Chayka has spent the last decade focusing on her brand to move past addressing the female gender in the male-dominated industries of hockey and tech.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR COMPANY STATHLETES?

Stathletes is a sports analytics company, primarily focused on hockey. We provide industry-leading data and analytics to leagues, teams, players, media, and sportsbooks. Our products have revolutionised the way data is used in hockey.

HOW WAS THIS HOCKEY ANALYTICS COMPANY BORN?

The founding team realised that there was a lot of data in other industries but not in hockey. We started 15 years ago by collecting a small data set and then automating that process. A decade and a half later, Stathletes continue to innovate in this space.

HOW ARE YOU FINDING SUCCESS IN THESE TWO VERY MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRIES SUCH AS TECH AND HOCKEY?

Some days are very difficult, but I try to focus on positives and overall goals. I take a lot of energy from building teams of great people that want to solve problems.

Both hockey and tech have different challenges, so I try to take the good from each industry and learn every day.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON GETTING MORE WOMEN INVOLVED IN THE SPORTS BETTING AND GAMING CULTURE?

I think it’s imperative to have more women involved in any space. The amount of women who graduate with technical degrees in college does not match up with the workforce. I hear from a lot of women who want to be in sports betting who are trying to find jobs.

There is a disconnect with recruitment and I think people who solve that problem will be further ahead in the long run.

Finding the best talent out there will always be a competitive advantage.

WHAT MAJOR CHANGES DID THE LAUNCH OF SPORTS BETTING ONLINE OFFERINGS ON APRIL 4TH BRING ABOUT IN ONTARIO? HASSTATHLETES WITNESSED ANY CHANGE SO FAR?

I think hockey is a higher priority for sportsbooks than it has been in the past. Ontario is definitely a strong sports town so this has expedited the use of data in this space. Stathletes’ focus on hockey has been great for partnerships in this province.

WHAT MAKES AN ENTREPRENEUR SUCCESSFUL?

Grit. Some luck too. I think success is waking up each day loving what you do. If you have that, you are always successful.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT STATHLETES’ PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NWHL?

The NWHL changed its name to the PHF this season. We have worked with the league for 2 years as I am a big believer in supporting women’s sports.

I was also a guest coach at the All-Star game and had a great time.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKING WOMEN IN SPORTS?

I think that they will be left behind at some point. Most industry professionals realise that the workforce is changing. Companies that can proactively recruit and retain women will be in a better position in the next decade. Companies that build smart products for the women’s market segment will be even further ahead.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU’VE HAD TO OVERCOME THIS YEAR AND HOW HAVE YOU TACKLED THEM?

I always have challenges but I like to think of them as learning opportunities. Over the last 10 years, it has definitely been getting better for women in sports and tech.

The Covid break– working remotely– has changed workforces as well. Stathleteshas always had some flexible hours and locations, so it was a bit easier on our end to figure out.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”– Robert F.Kennedy

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