Navigating Sports Business

Nic Barlage - CEO of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group - on how their organization is maximizing a dominant season from the Cavs, all while managing a growing portfolio of other properties across sports and media.   He also breaks down their Cavs Rewards program, and what differentiates it from what other teams have tried before.   Details: 1:50 - What is Rock Entertainment Group? 10:05 - Dan Gilbert’s ISMs 16:35 - Other organizations to emulate  19:00 - Investing in new innovations 23:55 - The Cavs’ success 28:10 - Cavs Rewards 30:40 - Measuring business success in a 1-seed season 36:15 - Launching Rock Entertainment Sports Network 40:35 - Rapid Fire Questions Nic's Cleveland Restaurant Recommendations: Olivia Dante   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Vincent Pierson and Curtis Walker – Co-Founders of The Black Sports Business Academy – discuss the business imperative behind building a diverse and equitable organization. In a time when DE&I practices are at risk, it's more crucial now than ever to understand the benefits.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=69b9d091a38903dbc0dcab91e256677f   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Jahm Najafi - Chairman and Partner at MSP Sports Capital and Head of the Najafi Companies - is an investor in McLaren Racing, the X Games, and other major sports properties. He discusses some of his most significant investments and the philosophies that guide his decision-making.   Jahm's Book Recommendation: The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success   Details: 1:45 - Being an owner vs. a shareholder 3:25 - Investing in McLaren Racing 21:30 - The X Games investment 26:15 - What’s next? 30:20 - Rapid Fire Questions   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Lynn Holzman – VP of Women’s Basketball at the NCAA – on the NCAA's new media rights deal with ESPN and the opportunities it creates for fans of women's sports.   Embedded in the deal are storytelling opportunities that aim to promote women's basketball utilizing ESPN's platform.   While the NCAA men's basketball tournament is sold to network partners as a standalone package, women's basketball remains part of this larger agreement.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=e1208c0097bd387a03635525a3e5728a   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

In the first episode of our new "Navigating Sports Media" series, Navigate's Head of Media, Umar Hussain, hosts two guests who are leading the way in the regional broadcast space.   Staring down a new local media rights reality and with just 9 months of prep time, the Texas Rangers launched Rangers Sports Network and DTC offering in partnership with Victory+. With the ongoing disruption in cable and streaming, teams will need to get creative and ensure that their content (especially games) are accessible and attractive in-market for both existing and new fans.   Jim Cochrane - Chief Business Officer at the Texas Rangers - and Jon Heidtke - Founder and Principal at Heidtke Sports Entertainment - discuss how this new strategy has put the organization in the best possible position in this new media marketplace.   Details: 2:25 - Rangers Sports Network 12:50 - Content beyond live games 15:25 - The next 5 to 10 years 18:15 - Baseball’s TV product 28:05 - Rapid Fire Questions  36:55 - Umar’s POV on sports media     For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Matt Dennington – Co-Chief Commercial Officer at McLaren Racing – on how the team's 2024 Constructors' Cup Championship ultimately hinged on 0.7 seconds during one critical pit stop. He explains how that difference is reflective of the team's Forever Forward mentality which pushes for high performance at every level of the organization.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=63a7a2d379877303044ce5fc20d536a7   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Vincent Pierson and Curtis Walker - Co-Founders of The Black Sports Business Academy - highlight how they're engaging with the HBCU family to provide programming and resources with the ultimate goal of improving equity in the sports industry.   If you'd like to help support their mission, or if you're a student interested in learning more, visit www.thebsba.com.   Details: 2:15 - The business case for DEI 6:30 - BSBA overview 16:00 - Networking advice 20:05 - The Yard 23:00 - The future of the BSBA   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Randy Freer - Media Expert, Former Hulu CEO, & CEO of the Freer Company - explains why we need to adopt updated metrics for measuring ratings. He shares the example of the NBA, which seems to be more popular than ever across media platforms, despite ratings concerns early in the season.   Listen to the full episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/111-randy-freer-media-expert-former-hulu-ceo/id1544529117?i=1000686685297   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Lynn Holzman - VP of Women's Basketball at the NCAA - breaks down the excitement for this year's March Madness and the record-setting growth metrics surrounding women's basketball.   Lynn also discusses her time as a conference commissioner, her background as a student athlete, and addresses the continued inequity we face as an industry despite all of our progress.   Details:  1:40 - Lynn’s background as a basketball player 5:05 - The growth of women’s basketball 12:35 - The media value of the Women’s Basketball Championship 16:15 - Challenging issue for the NCAA 18:45 - Addressing gender inequity in sports 23:45 - Emerging trends 30:00 - Rapid Fire Questions     For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Kimberly Bolt – CMO at the Washington Nationals – on marketing to fans who have recently moved to D.C. for work or school. They approach new fans with a two-pronged approach of excellent fan experience at Nationals Park, and brand storytelling that builds emotional connections between fans and players.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=95c5af8b8ff44aaf981512b046a1330e   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.