Navigating Sports Business

Rob Mullens - Athletic Director at Oregon - discusses the move to the Big Ten, and the creative risks that have turned Oregon athletics into a national brand over the past 20+ years.   He also discusses the importance that Phil Knight has had to not just the program, but the university as a whole. If you missed our Phil Knight interview, you can listen to it here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer...

"It's a matter of when, not if."   Ryan Engle – Founder and CEO of GOLF+ – explains why he's still bullish on VR, once headsets are able to make the critical shift from toy to tool.   Improvements in battery life and comfortability will play a role, along with additional use-cases and applications like GOLF+.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f...

Jeehae Lee - Founder & CEO of Sportsbox AI - talks about her background as an LGPA professional, and how Sportsbox is using the largest database of golf swing data ever collected, to revolutionize how players like Bryson Dechambeau are able to train.   Details: 4:30 - Jeehae's career as a collegiate and LPGA golfer 10:15 - The evolution of golf training tech 11:45 - TopGolf 12:50 - Sportsbox AI 29...

Jeff Longo & Patrick Stack – Co-Founders of Sports Biz Careers – on the impact that SBC has had on 2,500+ high school and college students in the first five years of operation.   They talk about growing the nonprofit organically, and how they were able to pivot as they went.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=5643a540d0e...

Andrea Hopelain - GM & SVP of Publishing at EA SPORTS - joins the show two days before the official release of EA College Football 25. She talks about the excitement surrounding the game, and everything her team is doing to maximize this moment.       She also talks about EA's ability to manage complicated rights conversations, whether that's the $600 baseline NIL deal for each athlete featured in...

Bob Thurman – Global VP, WIlson R&D & GM, Global Golf at Wilson –  on what it means to work in the Wilson Innovation Center, creating exciting products for the world's top athletes.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=8e485144916bab88aa8154639c00f3d8   For more insights, visit our  LinkedIn page  or learn more about Navig...

Ryan Engle - Founder and CEO of GOLF+ - on how his app is lowering the barriers to entry for golfers around the world. The VR golf game has grown from a putting simulator to a full 18 hole experience, and has partnerships with the PGA TOUR and Topgolf. 54% of users are non-golfers, and the average user is a decade younger than the average golfer.   Ryan also shares details about his background in...

J.J. Gottsch – CEO of the Austin Gamblers – explains how the Gamblers were able to cultivate a team mentality in a sport that has traditionally been an individual competition.   They debated bringing in a legendary coach like Mike Krzyzewski or Mike Tomlin, before ultimately deciding to bring in leaders from the Navy SEALs to train their riders to work together as a unit. He also talks about how o...

Jeff Longo & Patrick Stack - Co-Founders of Sports Biz Careers - share the story of how they launched their non-profit five years ago, with the mission of changing the lives of underrepresented high school and college students through the sports business.   So far, they have directly supported over 2,500 students, with the support of more than 1,000 donors, 50 sponsors, and 800 individuals who hav...

Rich Franklin – VP of ONE Championship – on his transition from elite MMA fighter to executive, and how his mindset as an athlete has helped him succeed.   His current role involves working with sports commissions to pave the way for ONE to host events in those locations.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=dd737148b64032...

Bob Thurman - Global VP, WIlson R&D & GM, Global Golf at Wilson - shares the process behind designing and producing high-quality sporting goods, from the classics to the ground-breaking new technologies.   He gives our listeners a behind-the-scenes tour of Wilson's famous Innovation Center, including the file cabinet that contains the specs for personalized golf clubs for everyone from Michael Jor...

Mike Buckley – Co-Owner & CEO of the United States SailGP Team – shares his excitement upcoming New York Sail Grand Prix, now less than a month away.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=bd72917e7532c2539a4ce4e7783f67b5   For more insights, visit our  LinkedIn page  or learn more about Navigate at  https://nvgt.com/ .

J.J. Gottsch - CEO of the Austin Gamblers - explains how he transitioned to running a Professional Bull Riders team after more than two and a half decades working in baseball.   The team-based model of PBR aligns more closely with other professional sports, so that new fans feel a familiar atmosphere despite many being previously unacquainted with bull riding.   Details: 1:40 - J.J.'s baseball bac...

"We have the largest video and stats database in sports ever created."   Sameer Ahuja – President of GameChanger and SVP at DICK'S Sporting Goods – reveals plans for new video-based AI features that will allow fans and coaches to film games and have stats and data be automatically recorded.   He and Jeff Nelson also discuss the benefits of building this kind of feature in-house, and why data is th...

Rich Franklin - VP of ONE Championship - describes his transition from elite MMA fighter to executive at Asia's largest sports property, and his role in ONE's expansion into the U.S.   A lot has changed since we published our interview ONE Founder Chatri Sityodtong, including their debut U.S. event last May. An important part of Rich's role is working with cities to get new events approved, includ...

Jen Spicher – CEO of Pro Volleyball Federation - on "converting the unconverted" and looking to attract new fans to the league.   She also explains their strategy on expansion, aiming for 10 teams in 2025, and as many as 20 by 2026. She says that she has conversations every day with someone interested in putting a franchise in a new market.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podc...

Mike Buckley - Co-Owner & CEO of the United States SailGP Team - shares his excitement around the sport of sailing and the upcoming New York Sail Grand Prix.   As both an executive and a champion sailor himself, Mike has a unique perspective not shared by many other owners of professional teams.   His fellow investors in the U.S. team include include boxer Deontay Wilder; NFL players DeAndre Hopki...

Meredith Batcheller – Head of Global Sports Marketing at Adobe – explains the tech integration behind their partnership with Major League Baseball.       Using Adobe's technology, MLB is able to create customized messaging for fans entering ballparks. The partnership allows Adobe's marketing team to reach MLB's evolving fanbase.       Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?pppl...

Sameer Ahuja - President of GameChanger and SVP at DICK'S Sporting Goods - leads the largest youth sports video streaming platform in the country. More hours are streamed in a single year on GameChanger than have been played in the entire history of Major League Baseball.   As youth sports continues to become more sophisticated, GameChanger exists to fill a need for stats, video, and more. Sameer...

Navigate's EVP of Consulting, Anne Ristau, discusses the role of private equity in sports, both at the professional and collegiate level.   She and Jeff Nelson emphasize the importance of innovation and increased capital as property valuations soar, while maintaining a focus on what's best for the fans.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a...

Jen Spicher - CEO of Pro Volleyball Federation - discusses the league's rapid ascent to national prominence, as well as the general rise of women's volleyball.   She and Anne Ristau also explore the work that Navigate did with Pro Volleyball Federation to help secure their media rights deal with CBS Sports.   Details: 1:35 - Jen's background as a student athlete 3:20 - Pro Volleyball Federation 8:...

Matthew Holt – President of U.S. Integrity – shares the story of a boxing manager who is being investigated for placing a massive wager on his own client.   He explains how U.S. Integrity monitors nefarious activity in sports betting.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=26b5af50fdc633e2edb4e7236f2139ad   For more insights...

Meredith Batcheller - Head of Global Sports Marketing at Adobe - explains the "why" behind some of their most exciting sports partnerships, including MLB and the NWSL.   She also shares how her experience on the agency side of the business, and her time as a student athlete, have prepared her for success in her current role.   Details: 6:30 - Experience on the agency, B2B, and B2C sides of our ind...

Julie Roe Lach – Commissioner of the Horizon League – on how the House v. NCAA lawsuit is impacting her conference and the mid-major level of college athletics.   The Horizon League is not a named defendant in the case, limiting the information that she and her team receive. However, they still manage to keep their presidents and chancellors up-to-date on this lawsuit and others that have the pote...

Whit Babcock – Director of Athletics at Virginia Tech – on the possibility of NFL-style contracts finding their way into college football, and why he thinks that future is not dissimilar from the present.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=ae8d2b98dc149a023be6909fd08d9af4   For more insights, visit our  LinkedIn page  or...