Navigating Sports Business

Kara Nortman – Founder of Angel City FC and Managing Partner of Monarch Collective – on the immense success that Angel City has seen so far, and what it means for the rest of the NWSL.   According to SBJ, Angel City FC accounted for 38% of NWSL total revenue in 2022. Kara shares best practices that she's seen internally and at other teams for building and sustaining a successful organization.   Li...

For the 75th episode of Navigating Sports Business, Shawn Quill - National Sports Industry Leader at KPMG - discusses KPMG's unique role in sports as both a brand sponsor, and as an agency, working with properties on tax consulting as well as other more niche business challenges.   Shawn also shares his thoughts on which sports and leagues make the most compelling targets for sponsors and private...

Jim Kahler – Director of the Sport & Entertainment Management Program – Monte Ahuja College of Business – Cleveland State University – gives advice about where to invest sponsorship dollars. Hear his thoughts on pickleball, soccer, rule changes in baseball, women's sports in general, and the collegiate landscape.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41...

Rick George - Athletic Director at the University of Colorado - talks realignment, the current state of college sports, and how the move to the Big 12 will help Colorado student athletes and the program in general.   He and AJ Maestas also discuss the hiring of Deion Sanders as Head Football Coach, and what it was like the have two monumental decisions impact the past 9 months of CU athletics.   D...

Latasha Causey – President of Phoenix Raceway – Explains the emphasis that she and her team have placed on listening to fans and providing top-notch experiences. That strategy continues to pay off this year as they look ahead to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race in November, an event they hope to continue hosting in future years.   Listen to the full episode here:  https://nvgt.com/podcast?p...

Stu Halberg - CEO of Logitix - breaks down which technologies and emerging players are going to have the biggest impact on ticketing in the near future. He and Jeff Nelson also discuss the factors that influence ticket pricing, and what properties can do to ensure they're maximizing ticket revenue.   Details 2:15 - Overview of Logitix 9:50 - Dynamic pricing 14:15 - Stu's background 23:55 - New tec...

Chris Davis – Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President of Merchandising at New Balance – on what it means to be the "ultimate challenger brand" and the creative risks that his team is taking in order to achieve that lofty goal.   They embedded themselves in two major truths as a brand: If you're standing still, you're moving backwards. Stagnation is the death of all great brands. Your marke...

Kara Nortman - Founder of Angel City FC and Managing Partner of Monarch Collective - on how she, Natalie Portman, Julie Uhrman, and others founded Angel City FC and why she's optimistic about the future of the NWSL and women's sports in general.   Angel City accounted for 38.75% of all NWSL revenue in 2022 according to SBJ . Kara and Jeff Nelson discuss that figure and what it means for the long-t...

After overseeing back-to-back national championships in football, Josh Brooks – the Director of Athletics at University of Georgia – gives us an inside look at the day-to-day life of someone at the helm of a successful DI athletic department. In a job where you're always "on" it's important to keep the mentality that you're doing what you love.   He discusses the ways he finds balance with his fam...

Jim Kahler - Director of the Sport & Entertainment Management Program - Monte Ahuja College of Business - Cleveland State University - has decades of sports business experience as CMO of the Cleveland Cavaliers, as well as in academia with 3 separate universities.   He offers a unique perspective on the state of the industry, and shares what he teaches his students to prepare them for a successful...

Chris Pezman – Vice President for Athletics at the University of Houston – gives the collegiate athletics industry a 3 out of 10 when it comes to monetizing stadiums and other facilities. He and AJ Maestas discuss how we can improve in that regard.   Chris explains what can be done to maximize revenue with concerts and other events, and why in some cases, schools in smaller markets actually have a...

Latasha Causey - President of Phoenix Raceway - discuses her transition from banking to the sports industry, and why she's so excited for the future of NASCAR. She highlights the creative activations that she's coordinated to increase excitement around her races, attract younger fans to the sport, and maximize value for sponsors.   Details  4:40 - How Latasha got involved with NASCAR 6:50  - Diver...

Joe Moglia - Former Head Football Coach at Coastal Carolina, also formerly CEO of TD Ameritrade - on the possibility of the Power 5 football programs divorcing themselves from the NCAA, and why he thinks that's the logical next step for college athletics. He gives solutions for some of his plans' toughest challenges, including funding non-revenue sports if football dollars are no longer part of th...

Chris Davis - Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President of Merchandising at New Balance - offers a great look into his philosophy for innovation and constant industry disruption. He explains how sports and culture have never been more intertwined than they are today, and what that means for brands like New Balance that are looking to establish themselves at that intersection.   Details 1:30...

Richard Lapchick – Director of The Institute for Diversity & Ethics in Sport (TIDES) and President of The Institute for Sport and Social Justice (ISSJ) – shares an incredible story about the power of sports, and his personal relationship with Nelson Mandela.   After being inaugurated as president of South Africa, Mandela chose to attend a soccer game, rather than the ongoing celebrations of his in...

Josh Brooks - the Director of Athletics at University of Georgia - sheds some light on the life of an SEC AD during an immensely successful period, including back-to-back national championships in football.   He details the highs and lows of the job, including the elation of victory, and then the reality that you are back to the grind within 24 hours. He also shares advice for the next generation...

Terrell Jones - Head of Sports Strategic Partnerships at Flexpower - on how to be strategic with your endorsement budget with an economic recession looming, and how being smart with your money is crucial regardless of the situation.   He shares his preference for targeting up-and-coming athletes that "grow with the company," and gives some examples of deals he's seen go wrong due to the brand havi...

Chris Pezman - Vice President for Athletics at the University of Houston - breaks down the transition to the Big 12, and the work that still needs to be done to compete at that level. He and AJ also discuss his first stint at UH as captain of the football team, the unlikely story of how he got a new stadium built as one of his first ever facilities projects, and the legend of Mattress Mack.   Deta...

What percentage of a property's revenue will come from international sources in the year 2040? David Cipullo - Principal at Tigertail - believes the split will be close to 50/50. He gives his playbook for planning and pursuing an international revenue strategy for major U.S. properties, and explains why sponsorship is only one piece of that puzzle. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com...

Joe Moglia went from being an assistant football coach, to being the CEO of TD Ameritrade, and then back to DI football as the Head Coach at Coastal Carolina, before transitioning to his current role as Chair of Athletics and Executive Advisor to the President. It's certainly an unorthodox career path, but Joe shares how his coaching experience made him a better businessman, and vice versa. Detail...

In celebration of the new movie, Air , which tells the story of Sonny Vaccaro and Nike's recruiting of Michael Jordan, we're featuring Sonny telling part of that story on our podcast in 2021. Sonny (played in the movie by Matt Damon), mentions Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman), and David Falk (Chris Messina), and details his strategy for recruiting not just Michael Jordan, but Kobe Bryant and LeBron Ja...

Sandra Richards - Managing Director, Head of Global Sports & Entertainment at Morgan Stanley - discusses how her team's sponsorship strategy amplifies important messaging around financial education.   She and AJ also touch on the significance of athlete ownership in professional sports, Sandra's career path, and the children's book she authored.   2:20 - Sandra's role at Morgan Stanley 3:50 - Athl...

With the NWSL season kicking off, we're showcasing a highlight from our interview with Julie Uhrman, Co-Founder and President of Angel City FC.   Julie talks about the club's mission to serve the community while maintaining profitability. She explains how the availability of soccer-ready stadiums in Los Angeles, as well as the NWSL salary cap, allow them to meet this goal by managing expenses. She...

Richard Lapchick - Director of The Institute for Diversity & Ethics in Sport (TIDES) and President of The Institute for Sport and Social Justice (ISSJ) - shares lessons and stories from his career fighting against inequality in sports and beyond.   Richard's list of personal friends includes activists such as Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and many more.   Details: 2:00 - Richa...

In recognition of March being Women's History Month, we are highlighting some accomplished women who have joined us on the podcast to revisit the conversation surrounding equity in our industry.   [00:05] Nina King - Vice President/Director of Athletics at Duke University - details the commitment to equity that is necessary for growing a successful athletic department, and the signs of progress sh...