Deb Belinsky

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED?

by Burke Campbell 

Published in the Financial Post

 Dec 1, 2008

Deb Belinsky, along with Cheryl Benson-Guanci are principals of the DCB Group, (www.thedcbgroup.com). With offices in Winnipeg , Toronto , and Newport Beach , California , the firm designs and implements sports entertainment. Deb Belinsky tells the Financial Post what motivated her to become an entrepreneur.

Opportunity: “In the early 1990s, in Winnipeg , Cheryl and I were attending a hockey game and noticed how out of sync the background music and visuals were to the action on the ice. Rather than engaging the fans, ambient background was distracting, dividing up the crowd’s attention.”

Sportive: “We prototyped our ideas in Winnipeg and then took the concepts to California , talking with Disney Sports Enterprises, who then owned the NHL Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. They liked what they heard. Suddenly, we were networking in the vast American market.”

Cutting-edge technology: “Stadiums were just introducing giant video boards, generating revenues from advertising. We showed how animation, film, and music could be synchronized to suit the action on the field, enhancing the total experience for spectators.”

Evolution: “I’ve moved more into production and broadcasting, while Cheryl has moved more into film and music. Recently, I was in Tampa , Florida , working during the baseball World’s Series.”

Making an impression: “People should remember and talk about a game. It’s important for the whole game experience to tell a story. That’s what grows and keeps an audience.”

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