Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The first live sports broadcast was a college baseball game between Princeton and Columbia, aired by NBC in 1939. No longer confined to the margins of newspapers or the fuzzy whispers of radio commentators, fans could now witness the pinnacle of athletic competition as if they were right there in the stadium, experiencing the tension, joy, and heartbreak of live action, all from the comfort of their living rooms.
Fast forward to today and technology continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, transforming the way we watch sports and inching ever closer to a fully immersive virtual experience. That’s what Andrew Hawkins and Troy Jones, co-founders of Status Pro, see as the next step on this journey.
Stepping onto the virtual field
Troy Jones (former D1 quarterback) and Andrew “Hawk” Hawkins (former NFL wide receiver) teamed up with a specific goal: allowing fans to experience the feeling of being an NFL star. “People always ask us what it’s like to be a professional athlete,” Hawk says. “We always say the same thing: it’s as fun as it looks.”
Together, the two are using their athletic expertise to turn the fantasy of competing at the highest level into a reality. This vision became the driving force behind their company Status Pro’s tentpole venture “NFL Pro Era.” Launched in 2022, “Pro Era” is the first officially licensed NFL VR game. Using VR headsets, users are transported under center in an NFL game, allowing them to feel what it’s like for professional QBs. The game became the fastest-selling sports title on the Meta Quest store and recently launched its third installation, “NFL Pro Era 2025.”
Switching the play
Before becoming a blockbuster video game, “Pro Era” intended to be a training tool for professional athletes. “When we first got the technology, we spent a lot of time showcasing it to our families, friends, former teammates—anyone with similar experiences,” Jones recalls. Over time, they noticed something unexpected: players spent much more time with the “training product” than anticipated.
“Guys would come to us and say, ‘This feels realistic, but it’s also super fun,'” Hawk notes. This feedback sparked a realization: If professional athletes found the experience enjoyable, how cool would it be for fans who had never experienced anything like it? With this insight in mind, they shifted their focus from locker rooms to boardrooms and began showcasing their technology to investors in the gaming space. “Every time we gave a non-professional athlete a headset and put them on the virtual 50-yard line, it blew them away,” Jones says. These demonstrations confirmed that fans had a deep desire to engage with the sport more meaningfully and that XR/VR technology was the key to unlocking that.
Related: Meeting the Right People Who Can Help Your Business Isn’t Easy — Even for an NBA All-Star. Baron Davis Has a Plan to Change That.
Reading the defense
With tech giants like Meta investing billions into the VR market, the landscape has become increasingly appealing for venture capitalists. But it hasn’t always been that way. When Hawk and Jones started their journey in 2020, enthusiasm for virtual reality was far less common. So, how did they maintain their optimism amid such uncertainty? Hawk thinks it’s because they were “stupid.”
“We were just the right amount of crazy,” he laughs. “Every entrepreneur thinks things will happen faster than they do, but we were so sure.” Jones believes this resolve stems from their backgrounds. “Both of us have been told no our entire lives,” he shares. That chip-on-the-shoulder mentality propelled their success in sports and continues to motivate them as they break through barriers in business.
“When Hawk had a good game, his coach isn’t singing his praises all day,” Jones remarks. Instead, years in the NFL taught Hawk to assess every performance critically, constantly seeking improvement.
Related: ‘Failure Is Just an Opportunity for Growth’: How 1996 Olympic Gymnastics Gold Medalist Dominque Dawes Has Thrived As a Small Business Owner
This resilience served the pair well throughout the license negotiation process with the NFL, which Hawk called “the most difficult thing I’ve done in my career.” Although their status as former athletes opens many doors, it doesn’t guarantee brand partnerships. After all, there are countless athletes with entrepreneurial ambitions. What sets Hawk and Jones apart is their relentless execution. “We’re willing to fly across the country just to connect with someone who can put us in touch with the right person,” Hawk asserts.
Executing the game plan
Success in entrepreneurship requires more than a great idea, a lesson Jones and Hawk learned early on. Before pitching their concept to investors, they needed to transform their vision into a tangible product. While some founders rely on their experience and credibility, even former NFL players must demonstrate that they have something viable to offer. Thus, they developed a prototype, refining their pitch multiple times until they started to gain traction. “Investors want to know that you have a viable product,” Hawk emphasizes. “But more importantly, they want to know why you are the ones who can bring it to life.” Jones admires Hawk’s talent for uncovering the story behind their product and effectively communicating it to potential investors. “He knows how to get people excited about investing in our vision,” Jones says. In a landscape where minority founders are often underrepresented, Jones sees their story as a differentiator. “We had the background to show that we could execute the vision, and we had a prototype that showed the awesome potential for our idea if we could fully develop it,” he says.
Related: ‘Pro Athletes Experience Life Backward’: Here’s How NBA Stars Are Setting Themselves Up for Success When the Game Is Over.
Jones and Hawk’s journey with Status Pro isn’t just about building a business—it’s about transforming how people experience sports. Every sports tech company talks about disruption, but Status Pro is one of the few actually delivering on that promise. As their company continues to grow, Hawk and Jones are redefining what it means to be a sports fan. “Most people focus on improving how we watch sports,” Jones says. “We’re focused on creating what people don’t even know they want yet.” Hawk breaks it down in simpler terms: “Years from now, the first time anyone will have played an NFL VR game, it’ll be through us,” the former wide receiver says. “That’s real disruption.”
