Navigating Sports Business

Amy Latimer is the President of TD Garden, home to the NHL's Boston Bruins and NBA's Boston Celtics. After successful seasons for both teams in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down live events, and pro sports venues were among the hardest hit. On this week's episode, Amy joins AJ to discuss how she was able to overcome the challenges of 2020, and how TD Garden's business emerged from the shutdown...

Revolutionizing the college sports media landscape and founding Host Communications was only the start of Jim Host's story.  On this week's episode he talks about his time as a DI pitcher, his start as a businessman, and what he learned in his run for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky.  He also shares his thoughts on NIL and how student-athletes may be compensated in the near future.    Details: 3:0...

As an NFL player, DI Athletic Director, and now the President & CEO of the Green Bay Packers, Mark Murphy has experienced the sports industry from all sides. His interview with guest host Jeff Nelson - Navigate President and lifelong Packers fan - explores a wide range of topics that include NFL labor relations, winning a Super Bowl, and appealing to the next generation of NFL fans.   Details: 3:3...

Andy Pierce, Special Advisor to Bruin Sports Capital, joins the show to discuss the role of private equity in the sports industry and how access to capital is shaping the landscape for 2021 and beyond. Andy also shares some of the great stories from his 20+ years at IMG working alongside industry legends like Arnold Palmer and Mark McCormack.   Details: 1:30 - Andy's background  11:15 - Private eq...

West Coast Conference Commissioner, Gloria Nevarez, joins the show to discuss the current state of college athletics and shares her thoughts on NIL, the one-time transfer rule, and why conferences and athletic departments tend to lag when it comes to racial and gender diversity. Under Gloria's leadership, the WCC recently created the "Russell Rule," named after the legendary conference alum Bill R...

Tod Leiweke - CEO of the Seattle Kraken - is an accomplished sports executive with an impressive résumé and a compelling personal story. He has held leadership positions at the Seahawks, Sounders, Trail Blazers, Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment, and the NFL. He is also a minority owner of the Seattle Sounders. This week's episode features a great conversation about Tod's path from being a child in...

College athletics has experienced a turbulent period over the last 12 months. In that time, Steve Berkowitz - Sports Project Reporter for USA Today - has covered coaches' compensation, COVID-19, NIL, and more. He brings his unique perspective on the sports industry to this week's episode of Navigating Sports Business. In this episode, Steve gives his outlook on the next few years of college sports...

Luke Bould, Director at Alacria, has been recognized as one of the top CMOs in Australia. He has had enormous success in bringing new generations of sports fans to cricket and soccer. He also played a role in Australia's successful bid to host the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023. He and AJ discuss strategies for marketing to a younger audience, the impact that sports gambling will have on...

Major League Baseball's Chris Marinak joins us this week. As Chief Operations & Strategy Officer, Chris shares with AJ how his team overcame the challenges of COVID-19, and how the solutions they found might impact the future of professional baseball. Chris presents his thoughts on how cutting-edge technology can help MLB appeal to all fans, including a new generation of baseball enthusiasts.   De...

Mike Haynes is an NFL Hall of Fame cornerback who played 14 years in the league with the Patriots and Raiders. He is a businessman, a cancer survivor, and an advocate for increased research on concussion safety. AJ and Mike discuss the early days of his football career, diversity in sports, the transition from player to executive, and why Mike is set on living to 125-years-old.   Details: 2:05 - M...

Steve Loy is the longtime agent and business partner to golfer Phil Mickelson, one of the highest earning professional athletes of all time. Known by "Coach" to many, Loy began his relationship with Mickelson while recruiting him to play for his golf team at Arizona State. His conversation with AJ includes a history of how he transitioned from coach to agent, his strategy for succeeding in busines...

The second part of AJ's conversation with the legendary sports agent to Michael Jordan and Stan Smith focuses on advice learned over the course of a successful career. Donald Dell also gives his takes on current events including COVID-19, and NIL in college athletics. If you missed it, check out Part 1 for stories about Donald's work with Michael Jordan, Arthur Ashe, and Stan Smith.   Details: 0:0...

Roger Valdiserri, Notre Dame legend, is one of the most influential people in the history of college athletics. He worked 21 men's basketball Final Fours, 2 Olympic games, and even a World Cup. He played a role in so many monumental moments in sports history from serving on the original Knight Commission to working behind the scenes of the film "Rudy." He even convinced Joe Theismann to pronounce...

Donald Dell is one of the most impactful agents in the history of sport. As the founder of ProServ, his list of notable clients includes Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Patrick Ewing, and of course, Michael Jordan. Donald and AJ discuss some of the largest and most important apparel deals ever, including Michael Jordan's first deal with Nike, and Stan Smith's contract in perpetuity with Adidas. Details:...

Greg Sankey, Commissioner of the SEC, joins AJ Maestas on today's episode of Navigating Sports Business podcast. They discuss operating during COVID-19, the path to becoming commissioner, the future of collegiate athletics, and some great book recommendations.   Details: 00:00 - Commissioner Sankey's background 3:50 - Handling COVID in the SEC 17:20 - Book Recommendations 25:00 - Was playing footb...

AJ Maestas met up with former NFL quarterback and longtime sports industry executive Oliver Luck on our first episode of Navigating Sports Business. They discuss the differences between collegiate and professional sports from a management perspective, the future of American football overseas, and the viability of new leagues hoping to rival the NFL. Oliver Luck has been an executive in professiona...