David Silberman
PingPod and PodPlay are thrilled to be partnering with international DJ, producer, and entertainer Steve Aoki. Steve is a table tennis enthusiast and we built a full PingPod in his house in Las Vegas. His home ping pong set up just got a major upgrade to the state of the art and the tournaments Steve hosts will be even more epic.
Steve’s Pod is equipped with all the trappings of a typical PingPod including two custom Joola tables and all of the PingPod accessories. The Pod is fully equipped with PodPlay technology, including the instant replay and score tracking features. Steve’s team will post action shots and highlights, some taken directly from the instant replay system, to his social media channels to shine a spotlight on one of his favorite activities.
The Backstory
In late June, we received a direct message from Steve Aoki’s official Instagram account. Steve was in New York City for a show at Brooklyn Mirage and wanted to play some ping pong beforehand. Without hesitation, I cleared my afternoon schedule, reserved a table at our Downtown Brooklyn location, and hopped on a Citi Bike to meet him there.
What do I know about Steve Aoki? As I biked across the Brooklyn Bridge, I threw on a Spotify Aoki playlist hoping that his music would trigger sound-evoked memories. As the sounds of “Delirious” pulsed through my headphones, memories of music festivals from my high school and college years started to bubble up.
Even if I wasn’t a superfan of Steve’s music, it occurred to me that he was a part of the fabric of my past – particularly the fun parts. His hit songs with Afrojack, Blink-182 and Kid Cudi are seared into my memory along with millions of other people.
The Pod
When I arrived at the Pod, I half expected that Steve would not be able to make it after all given his schedule for the day.. But suddenly, there he was. My first impression was that he looked exactly as I remembered him from earlier years (more on his healthy lifestyle later). His hair, goatee and general style are distinct.
Steve rolled in with a small entourage and they greeted me with smiles. Somehow Steve managed to feel familiar, like we had already met several times and we were just catching up.
Ping pong took care of the rest. I gave the group a quick rundown of the replay and score tracking systems and we started an informal round robin. Steve is a solid player, which means that he is able to work up quite the sweat through playing. It didn’t take long before his shirt was off and we were rocking and rolling as New Yorkers gazed in through the surrounding windows to check out the action.
Here’s the thing about Steve: he is as fun in person as he seems on stage. He emits positive vibes and has an infectious energy about him. He’s competitive and gives every point his all. He’s also quick to give credit when someone hits a great shot and is emotive when he strikes the ball well. There was laughter and banter and camaraderie between people who were just meeting for the first time. I was half expecting a cake to be thrown.
The Talk
At some point, Steve and I got to talking. I learned that Steve is almost as obsessed with table tennis as I am. He told me about his much used table in his Vegas home. And when he tours the world, he specifically seeks out local clubs to play at.
Steve asked me a slew of business questions in rapid succession. His questions were pointed and astute and made me feel like a budding entrepreneur being grilled by Mark Cuban on Shark Tank. Now that I more fully understand Steve’s success as a business person and brand builder, his business acumen is not surprising.
We played at the pod for well over an hour before Steve had to leave to prepare for his show. As we walked out, passersby shouting his name on the street, Steve let me know that he thought PingPod was a uniquely cool experience that he loved. Also, he was interested in extending the conversation to figure out how we could work together.
Then he generously invited me to his sold out show at Brooklyn Mirage.
Why We Love Steve Aoki
Steve put me in touch with his team and we began conversations around a collaboration. In parallel, we tried to learn as much as we could about Steve.
Our research included calling friends who work in the music industry, reading numerous profiles on Steve, watching his Netflix documentary, I’ll Sleep when I’m Dead, and watching recent TV and podcast episodes that feature Steve in shows such asThe King of Collectibles and Joe Rogan.
Steve Aoki is a one-of-one cultural mix. He uniquely combines elements drawn from traditional Japanese culture, with SoCal, punk, EDM, and extreme sports.
Steve is a cultural icon and the Aoki name is known across generations. Steve’s dad, Rocky Aoki, was the founder of Benihana and was a larger than life, thrill seeking figure whose fame peaked in the 1980s. And since Steve burst onto the music scene in the 90s and his notoriety accelerated in the 2000’s, he is very well known to both Generation X and the Millennials. Steve continues to maintain a borderline insane touring schedule where Gen Z constitutes a significant portion of his audience and propels the Aoki legacy forward.
Steve is prolific and has a tireless work ethic. He is constantly on tour and regularly does over 200 shows per year (even winning a Guinness book or world record for most shows in a year). Steve has his own record label (Dim Mak records), an apparel line (Dim Mak Collection), and a charitable organization (Aoki Foundation).
We love what Steve stands for. Recently, the Aoki Foundation partnered with Joola to raise awareness about how ping pong can help stave off neurodegenerative disease. He actively promotes a healthy lifestyle. His music spans generations and his shows bring people of diverse backgrounds together.
Partnership
Partnering with Steve was an obvious choice for us. From the way in which we met Steve to his genuine love for the sport of table tennis – this partnership could not be more organic or feel more aligned.
We can’t wait to share the fantastic instant replays and action shots of Steve and his crew playing at his very own PingPod. Steve brings the same infectious energy and joy for life to the table that he brings to the stage. Through this partnership, we hope we can spread the joy of table tennis to an ever broader audience.
