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What happens when you invite 30 employees from every corner of a sports organization to talk about what frustrates them most at work - and then actually build AI solutions around it?  At the Portland Trail Blazers, it sparked an AI transformation that’s saving hours, surfacing sales leads, and bringing fans closer to the brand. In this episode, Christa Stout and David Long share how they’ve embedd...

We’ve officially hit the midpoint of the year, having released 20 episodes so far - so we thought we’d do something a little different. In this Best Of episode, we’re revisiting some of the most compelling conversations on innovative and emerging technologies in sports. From AI-driven scouting, how leagues are navigating decentralized media consumption, to immersive fan experiences and cutting-edg...

What do you get when you launch a brand new women’s hockey league, sell out 19,000 seats mid-flight, and redefine how sports content is created and consumed, all in year 1? Jayne Bussman-Wise, VP of Growth Strategy and New Ventures at the PWHL , is here to discuss what’s driving the PWHL’s explosive growth in its first two seasons. Jayne unpacks the league’s unconventional startup structure and ho...

When you’re producing more live golf coverage than anyone in the world, the technology behind the scenes better be world-class. Enter Luis Goicouria, SVP of Media at the PGA TOUR, who reveals how the league has transformed into a media powerhouse. Think drone-mapped golf courses, patented ball-tracking AI, and a brand-new 165,000-square-foot production hub that rivals any in pro sports. Seven live...

What do you do when Amazon wants your media rights, but not your production headaches? If you’re NASCAR, you build a $60 MILLION dollar, 58,000-square-foot facility from scratch to solve the problem. This week, Brian Herbst, EVP and Chief Media & Revenue Officer at NASCAR is here to share the bold moves behind NASCAR’s $7.7 billion media rights strategy. He shares the inside story of how NASCA...

Perkins Miller, CEO of Fandom, is sharing his playbook on digital transformation inside some of the world’s most iconic media and sports organizations: NBC, the NFL, WWE, and now Fandom. Perkins opens up about the balance between speed, scale, and accuracy when delivering enterprise-grade digital experiences. From broadcasting 10,000 hours of Olympic video to building the WWE Network from scratch,...

It’s a pivotal time in women’s sports, and today we’re having a wide-ranging conversation about the future of women’s golf, and what it means to lead one of the longest-standing professional women’s sports organizations in the world.  Interim Commissioner Liz Moore brings over a decade of experience in legal, tech, and international operations to her role, and offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look...

The Olympic and Paralympic Games are evolving, and so are the strategies behind them. Katie Bynum Aznavorian, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee shares how the USOPC is evolving from a four-year event cycle to a year-round engagement model, fueled by digital personalization, athlete storytelling, and initiatives like Making Team USA.  She brea...

What does the future of golf look like, and who’s making it happen?  In this episode, Jon Podany, Chief Commercial Officer of the USGA, joins Dave to explore the bold investments and innovations reshaping the sport. You’ll hear how they’ve built a pipeline of young talent with the U.S. National Development Program, AND how they’ve transformed the fan experience.  The USGA is elevating women's...

How did NASCAR reclaim its digital media rights and bring its tech capabilities in-house? CTO John Martin says it wasn’t just a business move - it was a cultural shift requiring executive buy-in, a long-term strategic plan, and the courage to say no to licensing checks in favor of direct fan relationships. John walks us through the early hurdles of going independent, the learning curves of live sp...

What if athlete intelligence became the real competitive edge in college sports? Former NFL player, entrepreneur, and Next League leader Kenyon Rasheed is here to share his journey from the football field to the forefront of sports innovation. Drawing from his experience at Oklahoma and beyond, Kenyon reveals how he built Edge3, a groundbreaking platform helping athletes and organizations use inte...

What does it REALLY take to fuel the explosive growth of women’s sports and ensure it lasts?  From grassroots grants to elite athlete support, Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation, shares how her organization is tackling inequality and building a healthier, more inclusive future for sports. Danette and Dave explore how legislation like Title IX set the foundation for today’s mome...

What if you could watch a live UFC fight or a Premier League match in a dome-shaped venue designed for immersive, shared experiences? Devin Poolman, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Cosm, joins the show to share how his team is reinventing live entertainment. Devin dives into the origin story of Cosm and how they use planetarium technology, 8K live capture, and Unreal Engine-powered renderi...

In a streaming-first world, how does the NBA keep fans engaged while reimagining the local broadcast model? Chris Benyarko, EVP of Direct-to-Consumer Products at the NBA, is here for a compelling conversation around the NBA’s approach to innovation (not just through flashy tech!) through a deep understanding of their global fans and evolving content consumption habits. You’ll hear about the NBA&ap...

One of the most trusted voices in the sports industry is joining the show today to unpack the seismic shifts reshaping how games are distributed, monetized, and consumed.  Doug Perlman, Founder of Sports Media Advisors and former media executive at the NHL and IMG, is bringing his decades of experience to a wide-ranging conversation on the business of sports in 2025. Doug and Dave dig into why wom...

Major League Baseball is a leader in sports technology and innovation. In this episode, Chris Marinak, Chief Operations & Strategy Officer at MLB, takes us inside the league’s evolving approach to tech. You’ll hear about their groundbreaking partnerships with Apple and Google, their use of AI, data analytics, AND streaming advancements to enhance the fan experience. Chris also shares insights...

The Professional Women’s Hockey League has rapidly grown into a powerhouse in women’s sports.  Amy Scheer, EVP of Business Operations at the Professional Women’s Hockey League chats with Dave and shares her career journey from working with the New Jersey Nets and Madison Square Garden to leading the business side of the PWHL.  She offers an insider’s look at the league's expansion plans, the...

NASCAR collects an astonishing amount of data, from cars racing at 200 MPH to the digital footprints of millions of fans.  But how much data is TOO much to the point where you overwhelm a new fan, and how much is just enough that they get an appreciation for it? Today we’re talking to Tim Clark, NASCAR’s Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, to discuss how the brand is using data to red...

What does it take to lead Team USA on the world’s biggest stage?  Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee is here to pull back the curtain on the high-stakes world of Olympic leadership — where sports, politics, and global competition collide. With her deep experience in sports business and governance, she and David discuss the high-stakes decisions behind resource allo...

What does it take to grow golf from 26 million to 45 million players in just a few years while adapting to shifting fan expectations?  Jeff Price, Chief Commercial Officer at the PGA of America, chats with David to explore the evolving role of technology, media, and partnerships in shaping the future of this 2 billion dollar industry. Jeff shares insights into the PGA’s massive Frisco, Texas campu...

What does it take to revolutionize digital media in professional sports?  In this episode, Next League’s David Nugent sits down with Scott Gutterman, SVP of Digital Operations at the PGA TOUR, to discuss the evolving intersection of sports, technology, and fan engagement. Scott shares fascinating insights from his tenure leading the PGA Tour’s digital transformation, including pivotal decisions AN...

AI is the future, and it’s playing a transformative role in sports. Shripal Shah is a sports and retail industry veteran, here to share all of the latest innovations in AI in 2025, including how tools like Persado are contributing to $5 million dollars in ticket sales for half a dozen baseball teams in the MLB.  Dave and Shripal discuss AI-driven content creation, how overseas teams are experiment...