App helps adults in Charlotte and beyond find friends through sports
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VRV Athletics app is available for IOS and Android users. Photo: Courtesy of VRV Athletics
Bryan Kaplan wants to help adults in Charlotte and beyond find their 2am friends — meaning the people you can call at 2am when you're in a pickle, because they aren't just surface-level friends.
Why it matters: Kaplan, who lives in Fort Mill, launched VRV Athletics in April. The app is designed to help people make friends through sports and help those grappling with loneliness.
Context: When Kaplan moved to the Charlotte area from Washington, D.C., four years ago, he ran into a problem many transplants experience — how do you make friends in a new city?"
- "It was a huge change for me," Kaplan, who lived in the Adams Morgan area in D.C., tells Axios. That, plus working remotely full-time, made it difficult to meet new people.
- Kaplan wanted to figure out the best way to meet people in their 30s, because the way someone fresh out of college meets people in Charlotte isn't always the same way someone in their 30s does.
- He tapped into his technical background and tried to find a solution.
Zoom in: Meeting new people can be uncomfortable, and it can be awkward, Kaplan says. Instead, VRV Athletics connects you with people who already have similar interests, such as playing basketball, golf or pickleball.
- Focusing on sports was intentional to give men an outlet to make friends, though Kaplan recognizes that connecting with people is a universal struggle.
- Young men in the U.S. particularly struggle with loneliness, per a recent Gallup poll.
- "I wanted to build something that allows people to get out, be active — emphasis on getting out for those that are largely working from home — and have an easier way to make connections that can turn into real friendships," Kaplan says.
How it works: You must be at least 18 years old to download the app, which is available for Apple and Android devices. It's free to use, but the goal is to eventually monetize the app, possibly with premium subscriptions, but that won't be for at least a year.
- You can join as an individual user and match with other people and match based on the activity you want to participate in, your skill level, your location and availability. You grow your squad by swiping on other people who have similar skillsets and interests, Kaplan says.
- The app, which initially focused on users in the Charlotte region, is now open to users nationwide.
- Users can also join local communities called clubs or create their own club by selecting "create new club" under settings. Clubs can create events that users can RSVP to.
- You can also reach out to [email protected] with app feedback or feature suggestions.
- Don't let the swipe feature fool you. This isn't a dating app. If swiping isn't for you, users can also wave at other users to connect, Kaplan says. He says user research will show them what they prefer to go with long-term.
The bottom line: "It doesn't have to be hard to make new friends," Kaplan says. "You just have to put in the work."
Go deeper: 30+ of the best ways to make friends in Charlotte