Navigating Sports Business

Phil Knight - Co-Founder & Chairman Emeritus at Nike - joins AJ Maestas for an exciting interview about branding, Oregon football, and their experience working together.   Phil is one of the biggest university benefactors in the country. His donations to Oregon athletics are well known, as he has helped transform the program into a perennial powerhouse across sports, but his efforts have also included helping to fund a new law school building, a new library, and a half-billion-dollar donation for the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact.   Details: 1:55 - “Air” movie 5:05 - Phil’s role in growing Oregon athletics 10:10 - The state of college athletics 16:10 - Oregon’s brand 18:05 - NIL and college apparel deals 25:15 - Phil’s legacy 27:10 - Keys to success in sports business 31:55 - Rapid Fire Questions   Links: Shoe Dog  Revolution Commercial  Phil watching LeBron break the scoring record For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Whit Babcock - Director of Athletics at Virginia Tech - on why donations to NIL collectives have a more immediate impact on winning than a longer-term project like a new facility.   He and Jeff Nelson also discuss the NCAA's proposal for a new subdivision and how schools would look to increase revenue to meet rising expenses.   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Jim Delany – Former Commissioner of the Big Ten – on the challenges related to the current collegiate model. He discusses NIL and how any future system needs to ensure that payouts are made in compliance with Title IX.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=5a7928eec786137cdf7c90201ccd5dc7   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Rick Schlesinger - President of Business Operations for the Milwaukee Brewers - joins life-long Brewers fan Jeff Nelson to discuss the state of the team and their new long-term lease that runs through 2050.       They also discuss the RSN situation in Major League Baseball, robot umpires, and how to overcome a "small market."       Details: 1:45 - The Brewers/Cubs rivalry 4:00 - American Family Field renovations  10:40 - The sports media landscape 14:55 - Small market vs. large market 18:10 - Growing up a Brewers fan 21:45 - Sharing best practices with other teams 24:05 - Membership programs in sports 30:00 - MLB Expansion 32:30 - Robot umpires 34:55 - Rapid Fire Questions       Rick’s Milwaukee restaurant recommendation - Carnevor (718 N Milwaukee St)       For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Mat and Justin Ishbia – Governor and Alternate Governor of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury – on their ground-breaking decision to broadcast their games over-the-air for free. Additionally, they distributed 25,000 antennas to support their community and grow their fan base.   While the future of sports media remains uncertain, the Suns and Mercury have now established themselves as pioneers of the free-to-air model.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=f190d632d202df98428bbe02ec850084   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Blake Lawrence - Co-Founder/CEO of Opendorse - shares his unique perspective on the NIL marketplace and what the data tells us after 2+ years.   He also gets into the precarious relationship between athletic departments and collectives, and how forward-thinking ADs are prioritizing NIL dollars in order to ensure sustained success.   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Jon Steinbrecher - Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference - on the origins of MACtion in November and why midweek football games do so much to drive exposure for the schools in the MAC.   He and AJ discuss the benefits that come with that exposure, such as recruiting advantages for coaches and increased brand awareness. They also highlight some of the challenges that midweek games create, particularly for campuses on game day.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast/?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=7975a5a8599641b461e1fa1039a24166   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Mat and Justin Ishbia - Governor and Alternate Governor of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury - on their philosophy for succeeding on and off the court. Mat believes they're ready to compete for an NBA championship with players like Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker, whom he calls the best player in the NBA.       In just a short time as majority stakeholders of the teams, they've already made incredible investments with a focus on winning and fan engagement.       For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Rick George – Athletic Director at the University of Colorado – highlights the importance of geography in the decision to join the Big 12, and whether or not Coach Prime had a say in that decision. He highlights having access to key markets for "fundraising and fan-raising."   The advantages of a broad reach impact recruiting, branding, and even enrollment for the broader student body. Therefore, having access to the state of Texas was an argument in favor of the Big 12. He also explains how, despite no longer having conference games against USC or UCLA, Colorado will still look to maintain a presence in California.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=7dd137310ff9a0d9b96a50cbf1bc998e   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Jim Delany - Former Commissioner of the Big Ten - debates NIL, realignment, and the future of college sports. He and AJ discuss the factors that impact major decisions at the collegiate level, and set a reminder to have another conversation 5 years down the road.   Details: 1:55 - Life since retirement 3:45 - What makes a successful commissioner 12:05 - How would you lead college athletics? 21:45 - Jim’s time as a UNC basketball player 25:15 - Rapid Fire Questions   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.