Navigating Sports Business

For this year's brands-only workshop at SBJ BIS - Navigate's custom insights team conducted a robust study of sports fans and where they perceive friction points in the fan experience. Ally Corbin presented the findings along with Navigate's recommendations for brands looking to build relevance and affinity through sponsorship.   She joins AJ Maestas to discuss her presentation and other key learn...

"Our primary brand value, the thing that people choose us for...is about fun and entertainment."   Radhika Duggal – CMO of Major League Soccer – on how MLS used consumer research, stakeholder feedback, and competitive analysis to define its brand.   She explains why creating a fun, inclusive experience is at the heart of the league's identity.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/p...

Eddie Lewis - Two-time World Cup player for the U.S. and founder of TOCA Soccer - is changing the way that young soccer players train, while simultaneously building soccer's answer to Topgolf. He shares how he balances both objectives domestically and his plans for international expansion.   Timestamps: 1:50 - TOCA's Elevator Pitch 5:55 - TOCA Soccer vs. TOCA Social 8:15 - Youth sports 12:55 - The...

Ryan McCarthy — Board of Visitors Member at Virginia Tech — explains the power of athletics to bring positive global exposure to a university.   Smart investments in athletics have the potential for as much as $1B in ROI, and universities like Virginia Tech are wisely making those investments for the future.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f2...

Radhika Duggal - CMO of Major League Soccer - has an opportunity to ride the wave of soccer fandom in U.S. that is building around the FIFA World Cup. She explains how she works with marketers from all 30 MLS clubs to ensure they capitalize on this historic moment.   For more insights, visit our  LinkedIn page  or learn more about Navigate at  https://nvgt.com/ .

"Most clients want to push create something completely cutting edge."   Brian Mirakian - Senior Principal at Populous - on how they work with visionary team owners to push boundaries to bring something new to the marketplace with their venue designs.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=1f6000cb7657f36e212b6428ef8f9d3b   F...

Board members and university administrators are spending an increasing amount of time on athletics.   Ryan McCarthy — Board of Visitors Member at Virginia Tech — joined our podcast with insight on the goals of a university and the role that athletics plays in serving its broader mission.   As the former U.S. Secretary of the Army, Ryan has a unique perspective on leadership and navigating a divers...

With the NBA accepting bids for NBA Europe, they get a chance to vet new owners and create new media inventory.   AJ and Charles break down some of the unseen benefits of expanding the NBA internationally.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=98f53bb4360c6b9e03e064694295d7c5   For more insights, visit our  LinkedIn page  o...

Brian Mirakian - Senior Principal at Populous - discusses how architects and sports teams are designing multi-use stadiums with the future in mind.   Trends and interests evolve much faster than stadiums can be built, so flexibility is key.   Timestamps: 1:45 - Brian's role at Populous 6:00 - What owners are looking for in venue design 10:05 - Trends in development 13:55 - The Battery and Truist P...

From our annual predictions episode, AJ and Charles explore whether or not the NFL will have a new media rights deal by this time next year.   The league already demands $12B annually and they are looking for a 50%-100% increase in their next deal. Will new and existing partners be able to write a big enough check?   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4...

The NBA is officially taking bids and vetting investors for NBA Europe.   AJ and Charles discuss the value proposition for investors, the upside and risk for the NBA, and what this means for the global basketball ecosystem.   They also explore which other leagues should be considering international expansion, and what that looks like in practice.   Timestamps: 1:15 - NBA Europe & the global basket...

Mike Dillon – CFO of the Pittsburgh Penguins – on the "triangle offense" of ticketing, marketing, & strategy that allows them to react to data models and test new initiatives throughout the season.   He cites the example of optimizing games with lower projected attendance by adding indoor fireworks shows - safely.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f...

Katie Bynum Aznavorian — Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee — breaks down how Team USA built on the momentum of past Olympic Games at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.   That approach led to even greater growth in performance, fan sentiment, and engagement compared to the 2022 games.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppp...

Sponsorship budgets often compete with digital and social advertising that offer clear, measurable conversion rates.   Rather than treating sponsorships like a pure media buy, experienced marketers understand the downstream impact on sales, employee morale, brand perception, and reach across markets.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e25...

Special predictions episode: AJ and Charles give their thoughts on the next 12-months in sports business.   What will be the price tag for Seattle Seahawks? Will the NBA expand? Will the NFL add an 18th game? How many private capital deals reach college athletics? We'll revisit these predictions next year to see what we got right and what surprised us.   Timestamps: 0:45 - The next NFL media deal...

Mike Dillon - CFO of the Pittsburgh Penguins - leads a duel role overseeing both finance and strategy for one of the most iconic franchises in the NHL. He and his team work closely with Navigate on advanced fan segmentation and custom research.   He discusses the things NHL teams do well from a revenue standpoint and where there is room for increased sophistication and growth. He also talks about...

How are teams and leagues approaching partnerships with prediction markets?   Jeff and Charles are having frequent conversations with property clients around how to handle this emerging category. For most, the priorities are to monetize the category while respecting existing sports better partners.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e2535...

What is the most common mistake athletic departments are going to make as private capital enters college sports?   AJ and Charles give their thoughts:   1) How are you spending the money? 2) Are you maintaining optionality for the future? 3) Are incentives properly aligned?   Private equity is looking for a return on investment, so schools are going to need to optimize their revenues, and not use...

Katie Bynum Aznavorian - Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee - dives into the metrics behind a very successful Milan Cortina games, and how she's able to pivot quickly to planning for LA28.   The USOPC has a funding model that's different from how all other peer nations pay for the athletes to participate in the Olympic Games. Receiving no money at...

David Dunn – Founder of Athletes First – worked with Leigh Steinberg before separating to start his own agency. He shares the story of the legal battle that followed.   Dunn and Athletes First ultimately won on appeal, but he still faced an 18-month NFLPA suspension from negotiating contracts.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&pp...

If your sponsorship budget was about to be cut, what data would you cite to defend it?   AJ & Charles share insights & ROI data from Navigate's 20+ years of sponsorship consulting to explore why sponsorship works, how it compares to other marketing channels, and how to spend strategically to see true ROI.   Will you be at NSF in St. Louis? Make sure to say hi to Charles while you're in town. Get i...

AJ and Charles share sympathy for athletic directors and administrators who are trying to plan for the future while being pulled in a dozen different directions by forces largely beyond their control.   They discuss this "two timeline" issue of having to tackle the short-term problems while also battling increasing uncertainty about the future. This was part of a larger conversation about the path...

There's a 100% chance we're talking about prediction markets this week.   Jeff Nelson and Charles Rolston offer advice to sports marketers on the property side wondering how aggressively to pursue prediction market partnerships, if sports betting partners maintain exclusivity, and how changing regulation will complicate the signing of these deals.   Many leagues and clubs have already established...

Dan Porter – CEO of Overtime – explains why Overtime Elite teams aren't tied to local markets, saying "we are playing for the internet, not cities."   Regional affiliations don't necessarily lead to loyalty for new sports franchises, so their goal is to optimize the virality of their content to build passionate fanbases from all around the world.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.co...

Our hosts explain the main factors schools should be considering when deciding if a private capital investment makes sense for their athletic department, and if so how they should prepare for it.   For schools that decide to steer clear of such deals, they will still need to prepare for how massive influxes of cash will change their conference and college athletics as a whole.   Private equity or...