Next Play: The Business of Sports powered by Playfly Sports

Live local sports are entering a new era. While changing media distribution models are giving some advertisers cold feet, the value of local sports is unchanged. In fact, new distribution models, paired with technological innovations in live broadcasts, are creating a unique opportunity for advertisers to reach the most valuable audiences. At a time when ROI is difficult to achieve due to marketpl...

On the latest episode of JohnWallStreet Presents: Big Business on Campus –a college sports podcast powered by Playfly Sports and sponsored by Short's Sports Travel Logistics – JohnWallStreet Founder Corey Leff and Playfly Sports Chairman Michael Schreiber sit down with Baylor University Vice President & Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades and Deputy AD & Chief Operating Officer Jovan Overshown.  In...

In this episode of On the Fly, host Gene DeFilippo is joined by Kit Hughes, Director of Athletics at the College of the Holy Cross. The conversation explores the tradition-rich history of Holy Cross athletics, the school's recent competitive success, and the growth of the Patriot League with new football members. Hughes also discusses navigating challenges such as the transfer portal, NIL, and the...

On the latest episode of JohnWallStreet Presents: Big Business on Campus sponsored by Short's Sports Travel Logistics, a college sports podcast powered by Playfly Sports, JohnWallStreet founder Corey Leff (making his BBOC debut) and Playfly Sports chairman Michael Schreiber sit down with University of Arizona Athletics Director Desireé Reed-Francois to discuss a wide-range of topics including fisc...

Julie Simmons, Co-Founder & Head of Operations and Rashid Ghazi, Co-Founder & President of Paragon Marketing Group,  joined Craig Sloan for another insightful episode of Playmakers. Julie and Rash tell us what it means to be a playmaker in their own lives, and explain how innovation, at the heart of Paragon from its inception, guided them to join Playfly Sports; a promising alliance which is alrea...

In this episode of On the Fly, host Gene DeFilippo is joined by Christy Hedgpeth, President of Playfly Sports Properties. Christy takes us through her remarkable career, starting with her time in college basketball and her pivotal role in shaping the WNBA. She shares insights into her journey in sports leadership and the experiences that have shaped her career, leading her to her current role at P...

Just as the BIG EAST prepared to announce its new 6-year digital media deal with ESPN, Val Ackerman, BIG EAST Commissioner, sat down with Mike Schreiber, Playfly Sports Founder and Chairman, for the first episode of JohnWallStreet Presents: Big Business On Campus podcast. In this episode, Commissioner Ackerman shares her vision for the BIG EAST conference, weighing in on media rights and reaching...

In this episode of On the Fly, host Gene DeFilippo is joined by President of Playfly Aspire, Gil Beverly. Gil shares his professional journey, beginning with his first job in healthcare and a subsequent transition into sports marketing. He reflects on his roles at ESPN, the NFL, and the Tennessee Titans, detailing his experiences and accomplishments in sports marketing and sales. Beverly discusses...

"Playfly FanScore: Modernizing the Business of College sports" presents a comprehensive overview of the challenges and necessary modernizations within college athletics. It argues that college athletic departments must adopt a corporate business and media company mindset to navigate financial pressures and evolving fan engagement. It highlights key areas for revenue maximization, including robust...

"Playfly FanScore: College Basketball Edition 2025" focuses on college basketball in 2024-25, offering insights into fan engagement, viewership, and attendance trends. It examines the demographics and dedication of college basketball fans, highlighting their regional distribution and emotional connection to the sport. The report also discusses viewing patterns for both men's and women's college ba...

"Playfly FanScore: NHL Edition 2024," is a report from Playfly Insights, powered by Vision Insights, focusing on the National Hockey League (NHL) fandom. It highlights the NHL's growing popularity, revenue, and technological advancements such as digitally enhanced dasherboards and player tracking, which aim to enhance the fan experience. The report also identifies the unique characteristics of NHL...

"Playfly FanScore: NBA Edition 2024" offers a comprehensive examination of the NBA's fan base and its value. It highlights the league's distinctive cultural influence, global appeal, and diverse, younger audience.

"Playfly FanScore: College Football Edition 2023" examines the state of college football fandom in 2023, highlighting that fan sentiment is very positive and growing. It notes a 15% increase in viewership during the early 2023 season, attributing this to factors like marquee matchups, star players, the transfer portal, and conference realignment. The source also points out that college football at...

"Playfly FanScore: MLB Edition 2023" focuses on the popularity and unique characteristics of Major League Baseball (MLB) fans in 2023. It aims to demonstrate that MLB is a highly popular sport with a devoted fanbase, often underestimated compared to other major sports leagues.

With less than 12 months to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we're diving into what it will take for host cities and global brands to make the most of this generational opportunity. Playfly Sports CEO Craig Sloan sits down with John Kristick, Co-Head of Playfly Sports Consulting and a global soccer veteran that has had a hand in every World Cup since 1994. From city readiness and infrastructure...

The House v. NCAA settlement has forever altered the landscape of college athletics — and in this episode of Playmakers, we dive headfirst into what that means for properties, brands, and the future of NIL. Playfly CE Craig Sloan sits down with Jon Bishop and Jason Frandi to break down how schools can adapt, how brands can authentically engage, and how Playfly is uniquely positioned to lead in thi...

In this episode of On the Fly, host Gene DeFilippo is joined by Rob Thompson, Sports & Media executive who is the current commercial director of the Walter Camp Foundation. Rob discusses his extensive career that began as a football player at the University of New Haven, transitioned into coaching and recruiting, and led to significant roles within NFL Properties, Disney, and the Arena Football Le...

In this episode of Playmakers, Playfly Sports CEO Craig Sloan sits down with two of the company's top commercial minds — Nick Cartan and Paul Asencio — for a candid conversation on what it really means to connect with sports fans. They challenge the outdated notion that simply buying into sports guarantees engagement, and instead focus on what it takes to create authentic, high-impact brand experi...

In Episode 3 of Playmakers, titled "Certainty in the Uncertain," Playfly Sports CEO Craig Sloan sits down with Chad Copher, SVP General Manager of Playfly Media, for a candid conversation about how brands can find clarity amid today's fragmented media landscape. Chad shares his perspective on why local sports fans represent a powerful yet underleveraged opportunity for national advertisers, how li...

In our second episode, Craig Sloan, Playfly Sports CEO, sits down with Gregg Liebman, Head of Insights at Playfly Sports, to unpack the recent release of the Playfly FanScore: College Basketball Edition. Gregg breaks down the untapped marketing potential of the college basketball regular season, how brands can more effectively invest in the space, and some of the most surprising—and telling—insigh...

In our first Playmakers by Playfly Sports episode, Craig Sloan, Playfly Sports CEO sits down with Christy Hedgpeth, President of Playfly Sports Properties, to break down her personal journey in sports, leadership values, and the underlying foundation and reason behind the exponential growth of Playfly Sports Properties. She also provides an inside look on the challenges - and opportunities – that...

In this episode of On the Fly, host Gene DeFilippo is joined by Paul Schlickmann, the Director of Athletics at Fairfield University. We two discuss Paul's career journey to his current role, the trajectory and growth of Fairfield University both academically and athletically, being recognized as a Front Office Sports Best College Athletic Department of 2024, and more.

Host Gene DeFilippo is joined by Amy Folan, the Director of Athletics at Central Michigan University. They dive into Amy's career journey from a student-athlete at UConn to her current role at CMU. Amy shares her impactful experiences in compliance, fundraising, and the various leadership roles she assumed at institutions like Georgia and Texas. The discussion also covers the qualities she looked...

In this episode of On the Fly, host Gene DeFilippo is joined by Pat Kraft, the Director of Athletics at Penn State. They discuss the success of Penn State's football program, including their recent achievements and coaching hires. Pat also gives an in-depth look at the $700 million renovations for Beaver Stadium, the dominance of Penn State in collegiate wrestling, and the remarkable story of Kati...

In this episode of On the Fly, host Gene DeFilippo is joined by Michael Kelly, the Director of Athletics at the University of South Florida (USF), for an in-depth discussion about the developments and strategic initiatives happening at USF. Michael shares insights into the financial strategy behind funding the new football stadium, the importance of new revenue streams in the face of revenue-shari...