Spotify Inc. SPOT CEO Daniel Ek said he has chosen to steer clear of competing in sports with his long-time friend and Meta Platforms Inc. META CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
What Happened: During a conversation on Acquired Podcast that was posted on YouTube on Monday, Ek was asked if their relationship amplifies their competitiveness.
In response, the Spotify CEO said, “The rule I have with Mark is I don’t try to go into a competition with him because I know it’ll end badly for both of us.”
He went on to speak about Zuckerberg’s intense competitiveness, even to the point of sustaining injuries, which has discouraged him from engaging in sports with the Meta CEO.
“The last time he sort of tore his ACL with someone rather than giving up, so I feel like it would end pretty badly,” he said, adding, “I like playing when I know I’ll win, so I think it’s a pretty good thing not to do that.”
In the past few years, Zuckerberg has embraced mixed martial arts and surfing as new interests, giving him a fresh outlook and influencing his style along the way.
Last year in November it was reported that he underwent surgery to repair a torn knee ligament.
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Why It’s Important: Sean Parker, an early investor in both Spotify and Facebook, introduced Ek and Zuckerberg in 2008. Their early talks focused on integrating Spotify with Facebook, a key move for the music-streaming platform’s growth when it was still invite-only.
In a separate interview last year, Ek told Forbes that Zuckerberg has learned from his experiences the good and bad, ignited fresh passion, and realized the need for responsible action.
“But there’s still some of the old Mark, where he is betting on things even though everyone tells him ‘this is never gonna work,’” he stated at the time.
The Spotify CEO was probably referring to Zuckerberg’s bold $100 billion investment in the Metaverse. While this move initially shook Wall Street and Facebook’s stock, the company has since rebounded.
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