Sports Marketing Machine Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, Jeremy Neisser discusses the often-overlooked aspect of lead generation in sports marketing. He emphasizes the importance of allocating a portion of the marketing budget to grow the fan database, rather than solely focusing on immediate ticket sales. Neisser outlines effective strategies for lead generation, including involv...

Send us Fan Mail Meta ads didn’t “break” — they evolved. In this episode, Jeremy explains (in plain English) what actually changed inside Meta over the last few months and why the old playbook of tight targeting, lookalikes, and lots of small campaigns no longer works. If you’re trying to sell more tickets in 2026, this episode gives you a clearer, simpler framework built around creative, behavior...

Send us Fan Mail Marketing predictions are everywhere—but most don’t help sell tickets. In Episode 146, Jeremy Neisser shares 13 practical marketing predictions for 2026 , filtered through one question: does this sell more tickets, or is it busy work? This episode focuses on controlling the buying moment, personalization, signal-based marketing, and why the revenue loop replaces the funnel. Key To...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jeremy Neisser reviews his previous predictions for sports marketing and fan engagement for 2025, assessing where he was right, where he was wrong, and what the implications are for 2026. He discusses the impact of AI and personalization, the shift towards membership models, the rise of short form video, the importance of user-generated content, and the challenges...

Send us Fan Mail The marketing landscape changed fast in 2025—and sports teams felt it in their revenue. In this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine , Jeremy Neisser breaks down 13 real-world marketing lessons that directly impacted ticket sales, renewals, and average order value. No trends, no platforms, no vanity metrics—just the decisions that actually showed up on the revenue report and ma...

Send us Fan Mail The way fans decide where to spend their money has fundamentally changed—and many sports teams are still marketing like it hasn’t. In this episode, Jeremy Neisser breaks down the post-COVID “experience shift” and explains why fans are choosing experiences over products, convenience, and even price. By studying how restaurants reinvented themselves after COVID, Jeremy shows sports...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jeremy breaks down one of the most overlooked—but most profitable—windows in the entire sports marketing calendar: Q5 , the five-to-seven-day stretch between Christmas and New Year’s. While big advertisers shut down campaigns and CPMs plummet, fans are at home scrolling with gift cards, holiday cash, and a “treat yourself” mindset. Jeremy explains why Q5 consisten...

Send us Fan Mail Buyout nights are one of the most misunderstood tools in sports marketing. Some teams swear by them — others won’t touch them with a ten-foot pole. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down exactly why buyout nights can be a revenue machine and a sponsor slam dunk … but also how they can quietly erode your ticketing strategy, overwhelm your operations, and reposition your brand as the “...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jeremy breaks down one of the strangest ticket offers he’s ever seen—a “mystery pack” that moved nearly 700 opening day tickets months before first pitch. He unpacks why fans lined up to buy something they couldn’t fully see, using four key levers: price, surprise, giftability, and game-specific demand. You’ll walk away with plug-and-play mystery pack ideas you ca...

Send us Fan Mail n this episode, Jeremy breaks down Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) in the simplest, most actionable way for sports teams. You’ll learn what CRO actually means, which parts of the process you can control, and how small tweaks to your copy, creative, and landing pages can turn more fans into ticket buyers. If you’ve ever wondered why your ads get clicks but not sales, this episod...

Send us Fan Mail Not all surveys are created equal. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down the crucial difference between community surveys (awareness audits) and fan surveys (experience audits)—and how using both strategically can turn feedback into real ticket sales. Learn when to deploy each, what questions to ask, and how to connect survey results directly to your CRM to uncover actionable insigh...

Send us Fan Mail Black Friday and Cyber Monday are no longer about slashing prices — they’re about stacking value. In this episode, Jeremy Neisser breaks down how sports teams can create irresistible, high-perceived-value bundles that fans can’t resist. Using Alex Hormozi’s “Value Equation” as a foundation, Jeremy shows you exactly how to build, time, and promote a Black Friday offer that feels to...

Send us Fan Mail Minor league veteran and Game Day Advising founder Mike Van Hise breaks down how teams can squeeze more revenue from the same building—without gutting budgets or fan experience. We talk menu engineering, speed vs. margin at concessions, season-seat strategy, staffing math, and a simple “3% better” rule that compounds into real profit. If you lead marketing, ticketing, or operation...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Sports Marketing Machine , Jeremy Neisser breaks down a simple, data-driven way to build — and defend — your marketing budget. Forget complicated spreadsheets and vague “awareness goals.” Jeremy shows how using your single game ROI as your north star can turn every budget request into a business case. Learn how to project spend, justify investment, and track...

Send us Fan Mail Season ticket holders give you stability; single-game buyers fuel reach and growth. In this episode, Jeremy maps a practical “ticket plan ladder” to convert first-timers into multi-game, mini, half-season, and ultimately full season ticket holders. You’ll get concrete plays—post-game bouncebacks, perk-led nurturing, and data-driven upsells—plus how marketing and sales should opera...

Send us Fan Mail All You Can Eat ticket plans sound like a fan’s dream—one ticket, unlimited food—but are they really a win for your team? In this episode of The Sports Marketing Machine , Jeremy Neisser breaks down the pros and cons of these packages, from predictable revenue and marketing appeal to margin risks and operational headaches. You’ll learn how to structure these plans strategically so...

Send us Fan Mail More traffic doesn’t always mean more profit. In this episode, Jeremy Neisser unpacks a real case study from a minor league baseball team that saw website visitors surge from 27,000 to 35,000—but lost $15,000 in profit along the way. He explains why chasing vanity metrics like clicks, impressions, and raw attendance can mask deeper problems in profitability. From understanding dim...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, Jeremy Neisser unpacks Meta Advantage Plus—Meta’s automated ad system for Facebook and Instagram. While it promises simplicity, Advantage Plus often hurts sports teams by prioritizing clicks over actual ticket sales, lumping all fans into one generic audience, and masking true performance with misleading metrics. Jeremy expl...

Send us Fan Mail AI isn’t just about writing better emails anymore—it’s about creating visuals that sell . In this episode, Jeremy introduces Nano Banana , Google’s new AI image-generation tool, and breaks down exactly how sports teams can use it to move more merchandise, sell more tickets, and close bigger sponsorships. If you’ve ever wished you could create pro-level visuals in minutes instead o...

Send us Fan Mail How does a minor league hockey team add nearly 1,500 fans per game in just four seasons? In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Adam Winslow, Chief Marketing Officer for the Florida Everblades , to break down the strategies that fueled a 27% attendance jump.  From surviving COVID challenges to building a data-driven marketing machine, Adam shares how his team turned small experime...

Send us Fan Mail Meta keeps moving the goalposts—and if you’re still running ads like it’s last season, you’re wasting money. In this episode of Sports Marketing Machine , Jeremy Neisser breaks down the three biggest changes Meta has rolled out —weaker targeting, new placements, and the launch of its AI engine Andromeda —and shows you how to stay ahead so your ads actually sell tickets instead of...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the world’s biggest pop star drops in on an NFL podcast? A marketing masterclass in collaboration, authenticity, and buzz creation. In this episode, Jeremy Neisser breaks down the viral Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, and Taylor Swift moment—and turns it into three concrete, locally applicable strategies any sports team can use to sell more tickets and grow their fan...

Send us Fan Mail Nick Richardson, VP of Ticket Sales & Service at the Texas Rangers, joins the show to break down how one of MLB’s premier organizations is evolving ticket plans to match fan behavior, preferences, and expectations. From mini packs and flex plans to AI-driven outreach and unforgettable fan experiences, Nick shares powerful, tactical insights on customer service, digital transfo...

Send us Fan Mail Is your ad traffic up but ticket sales down? In this episode, Jeremy Neisser dives into the most overlooked reason sports teams struggle to convert traffic into revenue: misaligned messaging and retargeting.  He outlines a smarter, segmented funnel approach that turns casual ad viewers into committed buyers. Learn how to optimize each stage of your ad strategy—from TOFU to BOFU—an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jeremy Neisser sits down with two seasoned college athletics marketers: Scott Peace (Senior Associate AD for Revenue Generation at UNI) and Kelly Wilga (Assistant AD for Marketing at Sacramento State). Together, they dive into what it takes to successfully plan and execute a football marketing campaign. From budget discussions and scheduling promotions to engaging...