Navigating Sports Business

Val Ackerman - Big East Commissioner - on why the name, image and likeness era is one of the most momentous junctures in NCAA history. When student-athletes are selecting a school to attend, they look for the best personal fit in terms of coaching staff, facilities, playing time, academics, proximity to home, and now NIL opportunities. Link to Full Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/val-ackerman-big-east/id1544529117?i=1000527346274

Anheuser-Busch is well-known for some of the most innovative and exciting activations, advertisements, and marketing campaigns in sports. As VP of Connections, Azania Andrews has a hand in creating all of it. She explains how A-B is able to react quickly to trends that are relevant to consumers, how she helped make Michelob Ultra the #2 beer brand in the country, and why keeping fans connected at a local level will be more important than ever in a post-pandemic world. Management Leaders for Tomorrow: https://mlt.org/    Details: 1:35 - Azania’s Background 5:50 - Diversity & Inclusion at A-B 11:30 - Beginning a new role at the start of a pandemic 15:50 - Reacting quickly as a brand 20:10 - Michelob Ultra is the #2 beer brand in the country   23:00 - Leveraging an influencer program 27:45 - Rapid Fire Questions For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page and learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/

Matt Davis - Head of U.S. Sports Marketing at Anheuser-Busch - shares the biggest lessons he's learned about engaging sports fans, and why brands should aim to be part of the excitement surrounding the event, rather than a distraction. He also gives his advice for teams hoping to partner with Anheuser-Busch. Jeff Adams Ad Example: Link to full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/matt-davis-anheuser-busch/id1544529117?i=1000523902596

Val Ackerman was the founding President of the WNBA. Now she draws on her years of experience as a professional basketball player, executive, and journalist in her role as Commissioner of the Big East. She joined the Big East in 2013 while the conference was reeling from the departure of 7 member schools. She discusses with AJ how her team overcame that challenge and compares the similarities to their most recent obstacle, the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discuss the impact of NIL on college athletics, advice she took from NBA Commissioner David Stern, and the future of the WNBA.   Details: 1:55 - Val’s basketball career 5:00 - Title IX 12:45 - Launching the WNBA 18:25 - Big East 24:15 - NIL 35:40 - Rapid Fire Questions

Nick Kelly on the importance of getting access to decision-makers when pitching a brand like Anheuser-Busch, and why smaller properties should "stay local" when trying to make a deal happen. Listen to the full episode here.

This week AJ interviews Nick Kelly - President of Charlotte FC and former VP of Partnerships, Beer Culture & Community at AB InBev. They discuss what it has been like launching an MLS team during the COVID shutdown, the biggest lessons Nick learned in his transition from brand to property, and how soccer teams in the U.S. can engage with fans of international clubs.   Details: 1:55 - Transitioning from AB InBev to Charlotte FC 4:30 - Launching a new club during COVID-19 10:45 - Looking back to years on the brand side 17:50 - How to get a deal with AB InBev 22:00 - Nick’s perception of MLS 35:55 - The future of MLS 39:00 - Sports gambling 42:15 - Rapid Fire Questions

Burke Magnus - President of Programming and Original Content for ESPN - discusses why building a community of sports fans might actually be more important than the quality of sports content, and how a mobile-based co-viewing platform could be the next big innovation in broadcasting. AJ Maestas details how international NBA fans who may never get the chance to attend a game in person could use augmented reality to enjoy courtside seats with their friends and family. Listen to the full episode: Here

Matt Davis - Head of U.S. Sports Marketing at Anheuser-Busch - joins the show with guest host Jeff Nelson. Matt shares what it was like to transition into a new role during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also discuss what makes A-B one of the largest and most successful brands in the sports industry, including their commitment to data and analytics, the importance of flexibility, and their process for staying ahead of new trends. Details: 2:05 - Jeff and Matt enjoy an A-B beverage 2:50 - Matt’s new role as Head of U.S. Sports Marketing 8:10 - Surprises from the pandemic 13:00 - Matt’s Background 23:25 - Research and data in building strategy 30:45 - Changing trends in sports marketing 36:45 - Innovations from the pandemic that are here to stay 40:20 - Rapid Fire Questions

Phil Mickelson is changing the history of golf - at the age of 50 he won his sixth Major by claiming the 2021 PGA Championship title! Phil's longtime agent and former college coach Steve Loy shares how he recruited Phil to play for him at Arizona State, and how their relationship has evolved over the past three decades. Phil is one of the highest earning athletes of all time, with career endorsements totaling around $750M. You can listen to the full interview on Navigating Sports Business, and check out our YouTube channel for more highlights.  Listen to the full episode: Here

Burke Magnus is often the person who decides what sports content we get to see on TV in his role as EVP, Programming and Original Content for ESPN. He and AJ discuss how he got to where he is today, what makes a good partner for ESPN, and why co-viewing might be the next big innovation in sports media.   Details: 1:45 - Burke’s background 8:40 - The future of the CFP 13:25 - COVID-19’s impact on ESPN 16:20 - The future of sports media 27:00 - UFC, NBA, and how properties succeed in 2021 30:35 - FAANG companies and sports 33:40 - Co-viewing in the future 39:55 - Sports betting 44:05 - Rapid Fire Questions