Sports Management Podcast

Welcome to episode 233 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Gloria Mariwa - a footballer, professional freestyler, digital creator known as 14thgunner and founder of Wecheza. At just 19, she's building the future of African women's football at the intersection of sports, tech, and community. We spoke about: Why women's sports shouldn't copy the men's model How sports tech must evolve Why...

Welcome to episode 232 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is JP Lutz - a former Philadelphia Eagles executive turned professor, entrepreneur, and cancer survivor. We spoke about: Breaking into the sports industry Why 'luck' is actually positioning The power of always saying yes How building relationships can define your entire career. And much more! This one is packed with practical advic...

Welcome to episode 231 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is one of the most ambitious football investors in the world. Brett Johnson is the founder of Benevolent Capital, owner of multiple football clubs including Phoenix Rising, Rhode Island FC, and part of the Ipswich Town ownership group. In this episode: Promotion and relegation in US soccer Why stadiums are the real asset How youth...

Welcome to episode 230 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest has lived football from every angle - player, coach, owner, executive, and advisor. Matt Driver is the founder of Soccer Universities and Football Club Advisory Group, and he's worked across Europe and the U.S. helping clubs move from survival mode to scalable success. In this episode, we talk about: Why most soccer clubs struggle...

Welcome to episode 229 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest has been at the center of that work for over a decade. Christian Klaue is Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at the International Olympic Committee. In this episode, we go behind the scenes of how the Olympic Games are planned, positioned, communicated, and ultimately delivered - from Milano Cortina to LA28 and...

Welcome to episode 228 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is John P Reynal, the President & CEO of The Women's Cup - one of the most ambitious global platforms in women's football. John has spent his career building sports properties across continents and in this conversation, he makes a bold case: women's football isn't charity - it's one of the most undervalued growth opportunities in s...

Welcome to episode 227 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Alan Arlt, founder of Ultimate Hoops and co-founder of ARLT Consulting. Alan built a recreational basketball league into a highly-engaged sports product with stats, highlights, and experiences that made everyday players feel like pros and he sold it with an 18x return in under two years. In this episode, we spoke about: What mak...

Welcome to episode 226 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is  Neil Schwartz , President of SBRnet , one of the leading sports business data providers focused on fan behavior, monetization, and engagement. In this episode, we break down the difference between passive fans and active fans , why storytelling is the real skill behind data, and how teams can turn insights into revenue across t...

Welcome to episode 225 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Vance Morris, and in this episode we will uncover what sports teams can learn from Disney when it comes to service and fan experience. We spoke about: How Vance went from a security guard at a birth control factory to working for Disney Why he was a lousy employee Why his business charges 40% more than its competitors Taking the...

Welcome to episode 224 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Ersel Aybasti – a licensed FIFA-agent, founder of Analysis SportAgents and the author of The Women's Game: More Than Just a Game. Voices, Structures & Perspectives in Global Women's Football We spoke about: Why he decided to write about the women's game Why women's football needs more systemic investment How he combines work as...

Welcome to episode 223 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Paul Epstein, a leadership coach, former sports executive and the creator of the Win Monday movement. Paul has worked with elite athletes, executives, and teams around the world, helping them build momentum through habits, identity, and purpose. In this episode, we unpack: Why Mondays matter more than any other day of the week H...

Welcome to episode 222 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Blaine Bishop – a former NFL player, 4-time pro bowler and a broadcasting host. We spoke about: Being drafted as an underdog Playing 10 seasons in the NFL Transitioning from the NFL to broadcasting Life lessons he learned from his mother And much more! SPONSOR: Listeners of the  Sports  Management Podcast  get an exclusive  20%...

Welcome to episode 221 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Stef McLoughlin, Head of Commercial at Glasgow City FC, the most successful women's football club in Scotland and one of the few elite clubs in Europe that is women-owned, women-led and fully independent. Get ready to learn about: Purpose-driven partnerships Building women's sport differently Why copying the men's game may be th...

Welcome to episode 220 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest helped build the Olympic business model as we know it. Michael Payne is the former marketing director of the IOC, creator of the TOP sponsorship program, and widely regarded as the architect of modern sports marketing. In this episode, we explore 50 years of global sport power, politics, money, and what the next 50 years could look...

Welcome to episode 219 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Joe Foster - the founder of Reebok. At 90 years old, he's sharing the real origin story for the first time. From hand-made spiked shoes to billion-dollar global dominance, this is one of the greatest sports business journeys ever told. SPONSOR: Listeners of the Sports  Management Podcast  get an exclusive  20% off on  SportsPro...

Welcome to episode 218 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Luis Fernando Ramirez – the CEO of National Padel League   (NPL) We spoke about: Juggling being CEO of NFL with commercial responsibilities for Bull Padel Padel's potential in the US Challenges and opportunities for Padel The importance of digital broadcast and streaming And much more! Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:42   Why Luis r...

Welcome to episode 217 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Joe Michaels – the former Director of NBC's Today Show and a veteran television production leader. In this episode we get to look behind the scenes of sports media productions together with an 8x Emmy winner.   We spoke about: Why sports media is a young man's business Giving back through teaching and mentorship The future of th...

Welcome to episode 216 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Danny Davis, founder & CEO of Recon Sports - a platform helping college football teams use data and AI to build smarter rosters and develop elite athletes. We spoke about:  The use of athlete data in sports The risks of operating in college sports How military experience shaped his entrepreneurial mindset The mindset shift from...

Welcome to episode 215 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Jordy Leiser - the CEO of Jump, a platform which is redefining the fan experience, from AI-driven personalization to direct-to-consumer fan engagement. We spoke about: Why teams need to own their fan relationships How AI personalizes the sports experience The story behind Jump's $25M raise Working with Alexis Ohanian, Alex Rodri...

Welcome to episode 214 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Spencer Gore – founder and CEO of Gorely Group and the owner & chairman of Chelmsford City Football Club. He is also the founder and CEO of EMJ (European Medical Journal) & AMJ (American Medical Journal) and EMJ Learnings. We spoke about: The power of daily visualization Why process = freedom How Chelmsford City plans to reach t...

Welcome to episode 213 of Sports Management Podcast. Todays guest is Elias Gallego – the VP of Business Development, Marketing and Media at Sporty Group and Football.com We spoke about: The sports media landscape Expanding to Latin America, Africa and more Balancing brand consistency across media, betting, entertainment and tech Elias' journey through sports And much more! Time stamps: 00:54 Sport...

Welcome to episode 212 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Ed Horne – the Chief Operating Officer at On Location – a sports hospitality company set to deliver premium experiences. Ed has a long background in sports industry and he has worked for organizations like the NHL, NFL, 160over90 before joining On Location. Ed has been instrumental in getting NHL players to play in the Olympics...

Welcome to episode 211 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Pablo Carro. The co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Playtomic - the world's leading app for racket sport players and clubs. We spoke about: Why he started Playtomic How to avoid the Swedish example The benefits of competition Becoming the leading company in the field Their US expansion plans And much more! Time stamps: 0...

Welcome to episode 210 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Szymon Szemberg, a reoccurring guest who first appeared on episode 5, almost 5 years ago – and a lot have happened since. Szymon recently wrote an article about the NBA closing in on a league in Europe and if this could lead to an NHL-driven ice hockey league in Europe as well. This topic became even more relevant when NBA commi...

Welcome to episode 209 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Maike Wellmann - a brand specialist, entrepreneur, and founder of Swim & Move Academy. Maike went from regional swimmer to building a thriving swim school and helping athletes and federations shape authentic brands. ' We spoke about: Why authenticity beats copy-paste branding How Swim & Move grew from 5 → 50+ classes in 2 years...