Navigating Sports Business

Lorien Parry Luehrs - President & COO of HomeTown Ticketing - on the impact that digital ticketing can have on K-12 sports and events, beyond just the bottom line. She talks about how Athletic Directors have so many objectives to tend to, and profit is rarely one of them. Therefore, making the transition to digital isn't about increasing revenue, but is about ease of access, improved data capabilities, security, and marketing. Listen to the full episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lorien-parry-luehrs-hometown-ticketing/id1544529117?i=1000560476378 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Abe Madkour - Publisher & Executive Editor at Sports Business Journal - joins the Navigating Sports Business podcast to discuss the state of the sports industry and his transition from journalist to editor. He and AJ also highlight their favorite SBJ events throughout the year, and sports business trends they are keeping an eye on. Details: 3:20 - Abe's background 9:55 - The transition from journalist to publisher 12:05 - Competition in the sports business news world 16:35 - Balancing objectivity 22:30 - Sports Business Trends 35:30 - Abe picks some of the best organizations in sports 40:45 Rapid Fire Questions The Charlotte FC crowd singing the National Anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S09-E-OwxtI AJ's 2019 article on downward attendance in college athletics: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/11/06/maestas-college-football-attendance-is-down-but-why-we-have-the-data-and-ideas-for-getting-fans-back-to-the-stadiums/ For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Earl Santee - Senior Principal & Global Chair at Populous - on the evolution of sports venues from a seated experience to more of a personalized entertainment experience, and a community meeting place. He and AJ also cover the importance of easy transit as a common friction point among fans, and as a key way that live sports needs to improve in order to compete with the ease of at-home entertainment. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=76aabd97d697699a6c7d7ac9e2e47eef For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Lorien Parry Luehrs - President & COO of HomeTown Ticketing - joins the show to discuss how digital ticketing is changing the game for high school sports and other community events. With 865M tickets sold each year, K-12 events (including sports and other events) account for 60% of ticket sales in the U.S. - pro sports sell about 200M for comparison. HomeTown Ticketing is the market leader in digital ticketing for K-12 schools and colleges, and offers benefits beyond ticketing such as improved security, push notification marketing, and access to important game day data. Together they dive into the digital ticketing space, and highlight the growth and impact HomeTown Ticketing is making in the space. Details: 11:00 - COVID as an accelerant 12:55 - Lorien's background 28:00 - HomeTown Ticketing 42:15 - The impact of technology on high school events 45:20 - Rapid Fire Questions Books and TED Talks Mentioned: The Hard Things About Hard Things The Obstacle is the Way Brené Brown - The Power of Vulnerability For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

With the WNBA tipping off this week, we're showcasing a highlight from our interview with current client Keia Clarke, CEO of the New York Liberty. She breaks down how her team is working to share the unique story of each of their players, not just the stars. She also talks about the team's talent and how they'll be able to capitalize on basketball success when it comes to the business side. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=74f86ab7111e99260206d7f845a8c9cb For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Earl Santee - Senior Principal & Global Chairman at Populous - is one of the most most well-known and respected stadium designers in the world. As a founder of Populous, he and his team pioneered practices that we take for granted today, like the "skybox" that led directly to the prevalence of luxury suites in modern stadiums. He and AJ explore some of his favorite projects he's worked on, and discuss what rapidly-evolving technology means for the future of entertainment gathering spaces likes arenas and ballparks. Details: 9:40 - Looking back 13:15 - The future of stadiums 24:55 - Food & beverage 31:20 - Collegiate Athletics 36:10 - Rapid Fire Questions Books mentioned in the show: Future Shock, by Alvin Toffler The Algorithmic Leader by Mike Walsh Age Power by Ken Dychtwald For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page and learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/

Gretchen Sheirr - President of Business Operations for the Houston Rockets - explains the evolution of digital ticketing best practices since she joined the organization two decades ago, and how her team was on the cutting edge. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=2ff005acc36817567fec4d871854d24d For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Keia Clarke - CEO of the New York Liberty - joins the show to discuss the bright future of the Liberty and the WNBA as a whole. She shares with AJ Maestas her career path and how she made the transition from marketing to operations, and now to the role of CEO. They also touch on the Liberty's investment in custom market research and the work they're doing with Navigate. Details: 2:15 - The $75M investment in the WNBA 4:50 - The Tsai Family 9:05 - Following in Keia's footsteps 14:15 - DEI in Sports 17:45 - YES deal and the Liberty's star power 28:10 - Rapid Fire Questions For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page and learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/

Bob Cialdini, the best-selling author of Influence shares the importance of using his Seven Principles of Persuasion ethically and authentically. He also gives tips for negotiations, and explores the authority principle as it applies to pricing, and why you should never round your prices. Listen to the full interview here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=f25c6273083e5871d732a8ac155034dc Find Bob's books here: https://www.influenceatwork.com/ For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/

Former Oregon AD - Pat Kilkenny- is a close friend and advisor to many leaders in college sports, including Phil Knight, Bob Bowlsby, and Larry Scott. He shares the lessons he learned as an entrepreneur and how he applied them at Oregon. He and AJ Maestas discuss his transition to the world of college sports, and why he ultimately left Oregon. They also discuss Pat's relationship to Phil Knight, and the role that Nike and other large brands might play as NIL continues to evolve. Details: 2:10 - Pat's path the Oregon AD job 9:30 - NIL 15:40 - The Pac-12 22:40 - Nike and Apple's role in college athletics 24:25 - Pat's business background 27:15 - the Lucky Duck Foundation 33:10 - Pat's childhood on a farm in Oregon 34:50 - Rapid Fire Questions Learn more about the Lucky Duck Foundation at https://www.luckyduckfoundation.org/ For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page and learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/