Tao of Sports Podcast

The racing world in Northern California is one that Michelle La Sala has helped define in San Francisco and Sacramento, overseeing some of the most complex marathon management events in the area's history. La Sala discusses some of the intangibles surrounding the racing community, how 2013 was a year of perfection in participant sign-ups, which ended up translated to a glut of races which has pote...

The end of this episode probably has one of the largest "drop the mic" moments recorded from all of the guests on the Tao of Sports. Sr. Associate Athletic Director Bill Lansden discusses the greater financial landscape of college athletics, where even in the Power 5 Conferences, there are have-nots, and may end up being less sports in order to financially compete with the upper, upper echelon. La...

Chris Thompson returns for a third appearance on the podcast, bewildered that it has taken him two years to grace the audience with his presence. Thompson discusses the idea of NAATSO (National Association of Athletic Ticket Sales & Operations) as an outsider, from the original inception in 2014, to the second year of the association at the NACDA conference. Thompson shares his thoughts on how lea...

In 30 years of sports media, Joe Favorito has separated himself from the pack with a dynamic look at how to penetrate weak attention spans with some of the most effective, contagious branding in the industry today. Favorito discusses his time at the New York Knicks as the Vice President of Communications, and his eventual building up a massive 36,000 email list which continues onto this day. Favor...

For Levis Stadium, the signal breaks through the noise in the digital sales world of Paul Epstein, who knows his fair share of data analytics business development. Epstein talks about some of the issues surrounding the applications of buzzwords such as "data" and why egress is just as important toward customer experience as the actual seats. Epstein shares his vision of values, of how to ensure th...

A returning guest to the podcast (Ep. 493), John Ruhlin discusses his new book, Giftology, which is a concept of how to maximize gifting which benefits relationship building through unique strides in care. Ruhlin is quick to point out that this isn't a mass distribution of a monetary item that creates the large impact, but the honest focus of understanding what the recipient will find specifically...

Ray Austin represents a budding revolution of tech in the sports world, with a crowd funding platform which is gaining media attention and fan support, called Project FANchise. Austin discusses how this unique idea is taking hold in the Indoor Football League, where the fans vote on every component: team location, name, uniform colors, beer, and everything else imaginable. Austin covers the early...

Looking beyond the simple platform chasing of social media, the central focus arises as to what digital as a brand can do for a sports team. James Royer oversees the Kansas City Chiefs digital endeavors which was recognized as one of the most "Contagious" brands on Facebook by a study done by author and professor Jonah Berger and Digitas lbi. Royer also discusses his recent NFL Digital Summit spee...

After nearly 7 years as an Assistant Commissioner at the American Association, Mark Hodgkin has struck out on his own while bringing his unique insight into the world of digital media. Hodgkin is quick to point out that he doesn't believe in the expert label for social media, and in fact, runs away from anyone making that claim. Hodgkin shares his vision of providing a great overall brand messagin...

How much ownership does an athlete have over their own biometric data. Hypergolic's Kristy Gale discusses some of the ramifications into the deep, dark dystophia world of trademark or copyrighted biometric information, and how it can affect an athlete throughout their career. Gale talks about how this is also a greater concern for both players associations, as well as how that personal information...

S.E.T. is a big component of how Danny Kambel runs not only his sports information department, but also his professional development in college athletics. Kambel describes how Strategic Engagement Teamwork is effective at helping both himself, as well as his colleagues, understand a betterment of embracing situations around them. Part of that overall vision comes from not only being a member of Co...

From the moment he speaks, Ryan Stewman brings an electricity to his opinions about cold calling, closing and learning to sell. Stewman talks about some of the ways that he has used to close big deals and take prospects down the path to buying, especially when it comes to text messaging. Stewman discusses his thoughts on why cold calling is ineffective compared to other forms of selling, and why w...

It's no longer just the role of the secondary market, but of the entire revenue stream via distribution channels, that gets discussed with Mike Guiffre, Vice President at TicketCity. Guiffre has been on the podcast prior, Ep. 461, but now, as a member of the secondary market, Guiffre has the distinction of working for both primary and secondary marketplaces. As Guiffre explains, there may not be a...

Technology not only changes the sales person, but also the customer. Sales Hacker Author Max Altschuler explains how the growth of new devices has altered the way that customers are willing to receive messaging and sales propositions, and how new sales people must adapt in order to achieve revenue success in the modern era. Altschuler talks about the investment required by sales managers in order...

The Brooklyn Cyclones represent one of the feats of the modern minor league baseball era in sports marketing. Not only did the franchise establish itself in one of the relics of a bygone time in Coney Island, but it created a stadium landmark that became an anchor tenant in a revitalization of a formerly notorious area for urban decay. Cyclones VP Steven Cohen discusses how the team shot right out...

Danita Johnson is a WNBA home-grown ticket sales talent, developing her skills with the Washington Mystics, Tulsa Shock and now as Vice President of Ticket Sales at the LA Sparks. Johnson talks about selling in the Los Angeles market, and creating not just a niche for the WNBA product, but a community-based support system which extends all season long. Johnson shares her thoughts on how to ensure...

David Gravenkemper is caught between two wholly different worlds in sports business, the modern day Australian way of selling and the United States version. Gravenkemper took the leap less than a year ago, leaving his Associate Athletic Director position at the University of Washington to held up National Sales for the Australian Baseball League. Gravenkemper discusses the dynamic changes, especia...

Temple University's Director of Programs of Sports & Recreation Management Joe Mahan discusses the state of the education side of the industry. Mahan presents his argument to the vital nature of developing a wide-ranging practicum in the field, as well as building connections overall by attending major industry conferences. Mahan talks about why a graduate degree is becoming more important for ind...

Director of Season Seat Membership and Group Sales Chris Atack discusses how the conversion from season ticket holders to members began, and how it is has helped continued foster a solid renewal base for the team. Atack mentions that while hockey in Canada is always close to being considered a sports religion, second most may be a Montreal Canadiens' fan. However, selling the Ottawa Senators only...

With over 20 years of sports selling experience in the industry, John Davis has seen various trends come and go. Davis talks about his time in the NFL, MLB, MiLB and NHL at selling the ticket product and driving revenue for teams. Davis discusses how the secondary market has a foothold on specific areas of ticket sales, but also how the fan experience reigns supreme.

The New York Lizards have established themselves as a professional lacrosse dynasty over the past 15 years, winning the Major League Lacrosse championship three times. Jason Velez has been part of that wave over the past 2 years, and shares his vision of where the Lizards have created a foothold with their brand. While the game of lacrosse may be somewhat niche, Velez talks about the opportunities...

Consumer behavior in sports drives revenue, whether it be in ticket sales, marketing or corporate sponsorship. Temple's Assistant Professor Dr. Christopher Lee has taken a deep dive into the examination of what pushes consumers to purchase or stay away from products, as well as the relationships that people have with brands entirely. Lee discusses his research, along with deciphering the attention...

For a couple of years, Lance Tyson and PRSPX has started to shake up the sports sales training model with dynamic B2B and B2C concepts. This has enabled PRSPX to become a major player for franchise sales floors nationally. Tyson discusses the concepts which have separated him from the pack, including his view of tickets, marketing and revenue generation. A former owner of Dale Carnegie Training in...

Independent league baseball in New Jersey means thinking outside the boxes when it comes to promotions, but not so much when it comes to a sales mentality. Dave Marek has risen through the ranks of the Somerset Patriots for the past 17 seasons, becoming senior vice president of marketing. Marek discusses the ways in which the Patriots focus on a customer-first mindset, especially when it comes to...

The Citadel is one of the most storied institutions in the United States, but growing its revenue for its athletic programs takes time and care. Assistant Athletic Director of Ticket Sales & Revenue Chris Baretta has helped transform the paradigm by building a sales training academy with interns and student workers. Leveraging his experience with the Seattle Seahawks & Sounders FC, Baretta discuss...