The Game Haus was a happy accident. Robert Hanes, CEO and Founder of The Game Haus, hosted a Sunday night sports radio talk show in college and from there, it grew to be an international media outlet covering the latest news in MLS, MLB, NASCAR, NFL, NHL and even Esports like Call of Duty, League of Legends and so many more.
Continue reading to learn how Hanes turned his passion project into the platform it is today!
Note: Responses may have been edited for clarity.
What motivated you to start The Game Haus?
The Game Haus was a happy accident. In college, we started doing a Sunday night sports radio show. From there, it evolved into The Game Haus by the time I was finishing my master’s degree in 2018.
The Game Haus was helpful in my day-to-day job in terms of writing and teaching. I was able to transfer those skills over as a teacher. My business partners and I were grinding at The Game Haus for a long time. Only one of us had any form of journalism experience so it was a learning experience developing editorial content.
What’s the story behind The Game Haus?
The sports radio show was ending because my co-host, Dan, was graduating. We realized we didn’t want to do the sports show within the college system and so we started writing sports content.
It also helped that Dan had been such a good editor for the sports section of our school paper. There were people who decided to write for him because of that and that has been their ethos ever since.
I’m really thankful for the team that has and currently work at The Game Haus. We wouldn’t be where we are if it weren’t for them. The partners are truly remarkable!
What vision did you have for The Game Haus when you first started and how does it compare to what it is now?
To be honest, the core concept has stayed the same – well-written sports content. We have added more coverage of games like the NFL draft over the years due to the interest and popularity.
The only change that has occurred has been covering Esportsas well. When we decided to include e-sports, there was not a lot of coverage at the time and we wanted to be the first true sports and Esports media company. We wanted to be a platform where you can go to The Game Haus and get content on MLB, NFL and League of Legends.
Who were the people who have been the most helpful in getting you to where you are today?
The obvious answer is my parents. They’ve been very supportive since I decided to make this a full-time gig. We weren’t making anything in the beginning and it was great to get that kind of support.
Additionally, I would have to say Joe Ditullio, my business partner and head of the sports section. He has been a great person to inspire me to get through the burnout and drive me to get on his level. In my opinion, he’s the most underrated NFL draft expert out there. I swear he’s finished in the top 10 draft predictions in the past few years and I would love him to get the recognition he deserves.
What has surprised you about starting The Game Haus?
I knew it was going to be hard, but it’s tough especially with COVID and now, a recession. I’ve had to learn the ins and outs of Google, SEO, and even how fast your website loads. It’s difficult but I enjoy every minute of it.
I think it was also a surprise to see the successes we’ve been able to reach. When we hit half a million users per month, I thought “wow, that’s pretty cool!” It wasn’t even about how much revenue we were bringing in but to see how far we came. We started with 100 views a day and to get to that level was amazing. Another surprise was seeing our work being referenced in other publications and by influencers/YouTubers. They believe in what we’re writing and see us as a credible source.
What’s the one thing you’d tell your younger self?
I would tell myself to pay better attention to grammar classes – several of our pieces were trash and some of earlier pieces reflect that. I also feel like going to school for marketing or business or journalism would’ve helped me alot more instead of learning as I go.
Be sure to check out The Game Haus and see how your team is doing today.
