Nigel, has been around the block for nearly 40 years in our industry, and in his typical no-nonsense British style, delivers a masterclass in Events Operations, starting with his first event in the 80s to his role as Advisor of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Bid in Qatar.  Nigel is a true entrepreneur who understands the value of working with tight budgets, putting his own money on the line and using “strategic thinking” as a key tool.  Learn about “Structured Visual Thinking” and how Nigel uses this across many new projects around the world now.   Key Highlights His start in early 80s at a major Athletics Events in the UK and working on the America’s Cup Victory Challenge (Media & PR) 1991 Rugby World Cup, first major gig (Media & Accreditation Services).  Alan Callan negotiated a deal for all commercial rights to the Rugby World Cup in perpetuity story (CPMA & Rushmans partnership) and the growth of the rights Moto GP story and how important it is to build relationships across the board Asian Games in Doha, Qatar 2006 – first big gig in the Middle East – scale and size of the Asian Games is huge (bigger than Olympics) and significant event for the region Qatar - “Expect Amazing” at the FIFA World Cup 2022, helping Qatar winning the bid – structured thinking process Never saw any wrong doings by the Bid Committee, playing Devil’s Advocate and initially sceptical about the air cooling system concept Many venues are temporary and will be sold to other countries afterwards Volunteer programs from South Africa to Qatar London Olympics 2012, Non-accredited Media center for the City of London Nigel’s view on overblown budgets by large event organizers, staffing vs volunteers Rushmans new focus on “Structured Vision Thinking” (optimization, planning and strategies) Biggest learning from 40 years (never react in haste) Biggest success (Rugby World Cup 1991 and winning the Qatar bid) and failure (online accreditation platform) Final tip “stay fluid with event dates in current climate”     About Nigel Rushman has spent 25 years working with governments and enterprises on wide ranging programs all over the world. “Nigel is a continuous learner, working with enterprises to create ‘clarity of purpose’, ‘get stuff done’, “making it real”  and using “uncommon thinking to deliver common sense”. He continues to study psychology, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, negotiation and strategy as these are becoming foundational to the vital changes businesses need to make. After founding, building and selling marketing and PR companies, he has established and advised numerous businesses, governments and organisations across a broad range of industries including technology, data, broadcast, sports, medtech, catering, construction, manufacturing and others. He has directed and project managed over 500 political, sports and commercial programmes in more than 30 countries over the last 25 years. Working with John Caswell, Nigel travels the world helping governments and enterprises large and small solve their challenges and master their opportunities. A Co-founder of Venica with the mission of ‘Making Good Science Good Business’. Nigel is active in numerous businesses and initiatives worldwide. You can find out more about Nigel through his blog www.nigelrushman.com. ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Virtual Sports Entrepreneurs University (SEU) too. The Sports Entrepreneurs University is a natural extension of the Podcast series. It's a deep dive into the world of Sports & Esports. Marcus will be sharing his 25 years of experience and learning as a Sports Entrepreneur and connecting the dots. It's a 6 weeks course with an opportunity to join an Affiliate Partnership program after. For more details HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/university ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ

From aspiring Music DJ, turned Music Executives working with some of the biggest labels and artist to Chief Digital Officer at the PFL (Professional Fighters League).  Learning from the music industry and how platforms evolved and disrupted the industry and how that relates to sports now and how the PFL is leveraging the new trends to its advantage by launching its own OTT.       Key Highlights From Liquid Audio, to Napster to EMI Music – the first decade in the music industry operations Early learning, the power of data, if it’s not collected and recorded properly, no revenue from it EMI Music – growth of ring-tones for Mobile devices globally – platforms starting to emerge Katy Perry story,  Last Friday Night release on Facebook through a “fake” profile Calvin Harris, how he became a big EDM star, new way of promoting an artist Beyonce, launch of Lemonade Album (Parkwood Entertainment), from Super Bowl Half time show to other creative “drops”, giving fans access to content before it goes out officially Complex Networks,  learning creative content creation and distribution there Professional Fighters League (PFL) – the difference to other Fight sports Leagues (League format) How to become a clear #2 in the space behind the UFC PFL’s OTT play and the reason why – best place for fans to consume the content Key learning from his career, be flexible and solutions oriented, turn challenges into new opportunities Cancelling the 2020 season for health and safety reasons first International Qualifiers, starting overseas early next year and then the US season  Future of digital,  anytime, anywhere, any device.  NBA leading with innovations Final thoughts on piracy      About Dan Ghosh-Roy joined the PFL from Complex Networks, where he served as SVP, Marketing and Audience Development. During his tenure, he created and curated engaging content, reaching millions of fans with varied passion points, developed customer acquisition campaigns and oversaw year-over-year growth across Complex’s social and web properties. Prior to Complex, he served as Head of Digital for Parkwood Entertainment, responsible for the strategy and execution of Beyoncé's digital business. Dan previously held senior leadership roles at Ultra Music and EMI Music, working with the likes of Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg, Coldplay, Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki and others.   ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Virtual Sports Entrepreneurs University (SEU) too. The Sports Entrepreneurs University is a natural extension of the Podcast series. It's a deep dive into the world of Sports & Esports. Marcus will be sharing his 25 years of experience and learning as a Sports Entrepreneur and connecting the dots. It's a 6 weeks course with an opportunity to join an Affiliate Partnership program after. Check out for more details HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/university ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ

Seven Volpone is a true artist turned entrepreneur, from singer, songwriter to starting several businesses and now leading the Big Block Family Office and Sub-Nation to new heights across various “sub-cultures” from Esports, Gaming, Music, entertainment, Sports, etc.   Key Highlights Early days as music artist from Pop Rock to Country Harmony We3Kings, the first business, created Music IP for TV shows, Sports teams Theme songs, brands, etc From Hit TV Sitcoms to Green Bay Packers – G-Force – helping win the Super Bowl Secret Futurist,  looking at leading technology, and tech for the future , focused on Digital ecosystems Push Point Management & Media Group – lead him to work with ESL and getting into Esports Adidas story, in the early days of Esports Realizing the power of Esports to connect with younger generations through the “lifestyle and culture” part Connecting with Bruce Bendell and setting up the Family Office, Big Block Capital Group The start of Sub-nation and building the team Project with E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) on creative concepts Big Vision, to be the Disney of “E-Gaming” – creating IP and partnering with venues, cities and IP owners Enhancing the experience for the Gamers – content creation, new concepts    Atari Hotel concept coming to your city soon   Big Block Capital Family office – 5Cs – Culture, Content, Conversation, Commerce, Investments in Israel tech start-ups, via Surround Ventures, from entertainment, sports to media Focus on Millennials and Gen Z, guide brands to connect with this audience Tips to young executives or entrepreneurs.  Check out the “Great Fail” Podcast by Final look into the future as a Futurist   About Seven Volpone is an Executive, Fund Manager and Entrepreneur who for over a decade served as President, Co-Founder and architect behind the music, marketing and branding company We3Kings. He has been recognized through out the gaming, Music, Television, & Marketing communities for not only his award winning IP but his forward thinking business development initiatives and integration campaigns that included the likes of AAMCO transmissions, Whiskey Falls & Dale Earnhardt Jr., Whiskey Falls and NAPSTER, The American Labors Union, The Atlanta Braves, and television shows for FOX, NBC, Mark Burnett, and many more.   Seven’s drive, entrepreneurial spirit and ability to understand the delicate art of branding, integration and advertising was what led him to conceptualize and develop the celebrity integration and social influencing platform Radio Connect/TwitYap which he sold to the Publicly traded entity Xhibit Corp (XBTC). Seven later became a consultant for Xhibit Corp and its wholly owned entities SkyMall and SkyMall Ventures, (a leader in the loyalty space).   Seven is a leader in the ever-changing media and digital space and he brings over a decade of executive experience from all facets of the entertainment industry as well as key relationships, with top tier, developers, celebrities, athletes, managers, agents, TV networks, producers and corporations that aid in his ability to help develop companies and brands.   In addition to Seven’s music and content development initiatives, he advises & consults 3rd party companies and individuals through his company AFDKAM on strategic business development opportunities and the leveraging of content, technology, brand integration, online product sales and social influence in new media.    ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Virtual Sports Entrepreneurs University (SEU) too. The Sports Entrepreneurs University is a natural extension of the Podcast series. It's a deep dive into the world of Sports & Esports. Marcus will be sharing his 25 years of experience and learning as a Sports Entrepreneur and connecting the dots. It's a 6 weeks course with an opportunity to join an Affiliate Partnership program after. Check out for more details HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/university ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ

Ravi Krishnan is a true pioneer in Indian sports, from Australia with Indian origin, he was part of the team which set up IMG India 25 years ago and later on lead the organization.  We take a good look into what has happened over those 25 years in Indian sports and where it is heading in the future, including his own venture Stepathlon.  Enjoy the history lessons.   Key Highlights From being an inspiring youth tennis player in Australia to getting even more inspired reading an article about Mark McCormack and his route to get into IMG Part of the team to set up IMG India in the mid 90s, getting the basic right Hospitality of Cricket World in India in 1996 opened the doors to all the corporates, building relationships which lasted till today Sahara Cup in 1997, India vs Pakistan in Toronto, another game changer (it’s war minus the shooting) First ATP tournament in India in 1996, still around till today, not an easy start and not a huge initial success Inside look into the IPL and how it started, why it worked and the ingredients which made it work Franchise Model, the “Indian way” – and how other sports are now copying it in India with mixed success Banter on Media rights model Football in India & IPTL model dissected Stepathlon –  virtual racing, his vision, being a health & wellness company which brings a new form of “fan engagement” and activation to brands and stake holders (data driven)   Final advise for young execs – network, move and be prepared to fail And look into the future   About Ravi Krishnan is a key and prominent name in the business of Sports, Entertainment and Media in India. According to BusinessWorld he has been a pioneer in India's sports management business, helping global sports and media group IMG find a foothold in the country back in 1995. As Managing Director of IMG he was instrumental in creating properties such as the Sahara Cup, The Aircel Chennai Open, Lakme India Fashion Week and many more noteworthy events in India. He has played a notable role in developing potential new business opportunities in the field of Sports, Entertainment and Media. Ravi continues to explore and develop business in the Industry and helped secure Mahindra & Mahindra as the title sponsor of the inaugural Mahindra Sri Lanka Premier League. As Vice Chairman, Ravi also played an important strategic role with Rajasthan Royals, champions of IPL 2008. Ravi was featured among the 50 Most Influential People in Indian Sport by Sports Illustrated (2010) and India's Top 25 Executives under age 40 by Business Today (2004). Currently, he is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Stepathlon Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd. (SLPL), a global wellness company that aims to create an ecosystem promoting corporate health, fitness and productivity by increasing daily activity, through a unique Mass Participation initiative called Stepathlon - A race around the virtual world. In the last two years, Stepathlon has contributed towards gaining participation from more than 500,000 employees from 722 companies across 75 Countries and 1040 cities/locations.   ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Virtual Sports Entrepreneurs University (SEU) too. The Sports Entrepreneurs University is a natural extension of the Podcast series. It's a deep dive into the world of Sports & Esports. Marcus will be sharing his 25 years of experience and learning as a Sports Entrepreneur and connecting the dots. It's a 6 weeks course with an opportunity to join an Affiliate Partnership program after. Check out for more details HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/university ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ -----------------------------------------------

Jeff Marks is a true Sports Entrepreneur, having started several agencies from an early age and now leading a “best in class” COI (Contractual Obligated Income) Agency which is breaking grounds around the world, including a recent huge deal with FC Barcelona to manage the branding of the Nou Camp Stadium and new facilities.  Tons of learning and insights into the world of COI.     Key Highlights Early start during MBA days, Managing Director of a 2 Man Consulting business with his Professor. Stubhub story, the one that got away. Started Sports Business Ventures, Venture Capital Pledged Fund dedicated to Sports, partnered with Alan Rosenberg and other big hitters Premier Partnerships, premier Naming rights agency. Generating massive COI, for large US teams and franchises. Premier Ventures, advisory agency, another run at Venture Capital Innovate Partnership Group (IPG360), starting of a new business development group to help sports IP owners generate long term commercial revenue Two words you are not allowed to say “Sales” or “Sponsorship” in IPG Four Main Areas of Focus: Consultative business development Valuation analytics IP Asset creation Creative agency Proprietary Software – Partnership intelligence platform (a brand new Valuation System) Direct and Indirect Revenue measurements R&D, Technology, other non-traditional areas to measure returns Projects:  US Triathlon,  Circuit of Americas (US F1 Track), MLS teams, Canadian Premier League FC Barcelona story -  Goldman & Sachs intro leads to working on re-development of Camp Nou Not just about Naming rights of a Venue but way beyond …. Naming a part of the city B2B elements in sports partnership deals New NTT Japan Partnership, re-imagine marketplace Allianz and other examples of brands leveraging the power of Naming partnerships and Venue deals (Verizon 5G) Sponsorship Hierarchy of Needs (based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs) Social Responsibility getting more important Advise - Give and don’t sell – figure out how you can add value first Also working with Non-for-profit, municipalities and Health Care Groups on Marketing partnerships Final Learning, sales people always get recognized the most, important to also celebrate the team behind it and reward them   About Jeff Marks is a sports business executive with over twenty years of experience working with C-level executives at Fortune 500 companies, sports teams, leagues, venues, governments, universities, franchise owners and investors. Marks currently serves as Founder and Chief Executive of IPG360 (Innovative Partnerships Group) which is a leading business development company that drives long-term revenue for prestige properties with a focus on sports and entertainment. Marks has been credited with negotiating the largest naming rights agreement of 2016, the Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, which turned out to be one of the most recognized sports deals of the year and a catalyst for changing how naming rights and commercial partnership deals are executed in the sports industry and beyond. Marks has worked on over a hundred plus business partnerships over his career and a few notable partnerships include: Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Globe Life Park in Arlington, TD Place in Ottawa, Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium and O.co Coliseum and Tim Horton’s Field. Marks also executed one of the largest jersey naming rights deal in MLS history with the Atlanta United and American Family Insurance. Jeff Marks is also credited for developing the sports industry’s leading valuation tool which is an analytical sales model for identifying, creating and valuing sponsorships and naming rights. Marks is a frequent industry speaker on revenue related topics in the Sports Industry including NFL league meetings, Sports Business Journal and other industry organizations. Marks is an adjunct faculty member at University of San Francisco’s Sports Management Program and teaches “New Business Models in the Sports Industry.” He frequently provides sports business insight to leading national media outlets, and has also published industry studies on sports business trends and best practices. Prior to IPG360, Jeff served as president of Premier Ventures which specializes in sports investment and advisory for owners seeking to build shareholder value around sports franchises, emerging properties and related businesses. Jeff was concurrently Managing Director of Premier Partnerships where he executed some of the top sports commercial business transactions in the country over the last decade. Marks was also Founding Partner and Managing Director of Sports Business Ventures (SBV), a sports investment and advisory firm. Marks currently serves on the LA Sports Council Board as well as the Cedars Sinai Medical Center Sports Spectacular Committee. Jeff is also involved with his alma mater, the University of California Berkeley on the Revenue Generating Board and the Berkeley Athletics Southern California Committee. Jeff is a member of YPO and former chairman of the Golden West Chapter. Marks is also a past chair of the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Marks earned a bachelor’s degree in International Economics with a minor in Rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley, and his MBA from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He is married with two children and considers Los Angeles, California his home.   ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Virtual Sports Entrepreneurs University (SEU) too. The Sports Entrepreneurs University is a natural extension of the Podcast series. It's a deep dive into the world of Sports & Esports. Marcus will be sharing his 25 years experience and learning as a Sports Entrepreneur and connecting the dots. It's a 6 weeks course with an opportunity to join an Affiliate Partnership program after. Check out for more details HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/university ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ -----------------------------------------------

Greg has had an incredible journey and with it great stories to tell from his Pro-Basketball playing days at Greek’s Olympiakos to launching his first Agency and selling it to SFX, working with David Stern at the NBA, joining Madison Square Garden, Guggenheim Media, Ticketmaster in senior roles to now bringing his passion for sports to Hollywood with game1.  Listen, learn and get inspired.   Key Highlights From playing basketball at the University of Connecticut to going back to his roots with Olympiakos in Athens, Greek SME Branding story, after re-branding “The Patriots” (no not those Patriots), over 1,500 re-branding assignments across sports from Colleges to athletes Acquisition of SME by SFX Sports in late Nineties BrandThink, his new baby, taking branding to a strategic level Call from David Stern, after re-branding Detroit Pistons successfully, re-positioning of the League globally Early days of the Charlotte Hornets franchise – tough job in tough environment, small market team Back to the Big Apple, Madison Square Garden, focused on bringing in new Revenue Guggenheim Media – Dick Clark Production – exposure to entertainment and branded content Missing his Sports Tribe, swing back into Sports retooling Ticketmaster Sports Division Game1 -  Sports, Culture and Stories -  combining his passion for sports with his Hollywood partners Basil Iwanyk (John Wick franchise) and Michael Smith (ESPN Sports Center) Becoming a “storyteller” from short form, documentary, feature films to Podcasts in Sports Back to being an Entrepreneur The meaning of “Elevated Content” Forty projects in pipeline from Feature films, scripted, unscripted to podcast The Last Dance, amazing storytelling and perfect timing Danica Patrick, former Race driver, new show about Equality – Oprah Winfrey watch out Content distribution & Funding/Financing strategies Covid’s challenges and opportunities      About Greg Economou is a Co-Founder and Partner of game1, the cutting-edge content incubator that sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture, producing an array of sports-related content in conjunction with the world’s greatest athletes, teams, leagues, and their counterparts in the entertainment industry. This content includes feature films, scripted and unscripted television and digital programming, as well as audio programming. In his role at game1, he helps oversee the day-to-day operations of the company, while leading all revenue generation and white label studio efforts. Economou also manages his own advisory and investment practice formed in 2016 that focuses on helping a variety of businesses succeed in and around the sports and entertainment industries through strategic counsel and at times financial support and investment. In this capacity, he and his team oversee a series of advisory assignments that range from strategy development, branding, marketing, and digital to client acquisition, business development and sales as well. Prior to launching game1 and his advisory practice, Economou served as Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Sports at Ticketmaster. In this role, he directed the company’s extensive sports division, overseeing all Ticketmaster products and services delivered to clients throughout professional sports and college athletics, while also leading all new business development efforts as well. Economou also had responsibility over all of the company’s industry sales and marketing operations, including sales operations, brand marketing, enterprise marketing, sponsorship and partnership marketing, event marketing, as well as all premium product sales and services included in the Ticketmaster Agency offering. Economou previously served as the Executive Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer at Guggenheim Media/Dick Clark Productions where he built a thriving branded content practice with over $250M worth of deals in four years. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President of Revenue Performance for The Madison Square Garden Company (CRO) where he oversaw multiple billion-dollar revenue portfolios. Economou has also held senior positions as the EVP of Business Operations & Chief Marketing Officer of the Charlotte Hornets (COO) and SVP of Marketing & Communications of the NBA (CMO). In addition to the above-mentioned roles, he also co-founded and sold two successful sports industry-centric consulting firms, BRANDTHINK and SME Branding. He began his career in sports as a professional basketball player in Europe, playing for Olympiakos in Athens, Greece – following a successful collegiate basketball career at the University of Connecticut. Economou also serves on several advisory boards, including Journey One, LAFC, Merchant Advocate, OpenNode, ReachTV, and Sportsdigita, while formerly serving on the advisory boards of The Player’s Tribune and the American Film Institute.  He lives in Santa Monica with his fiancé, Juliette de Campos, and his three sons, Rip 20, Luke 17, and AJ 15.   ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Sports Entrepreneurs Mastermind (SEM) sessions too. ----------------------------------------------- The SEM sessions are an extension of the SEP series, where we bring experts from around the world together for 1.5-2 hours of brainstorming, learning, discussion and connecting.  It’s a live online round table format, moderated by Marcus Luer which includes a short presentation by him to set up the topic of the session and then the members will discuss, share their thoughts, ask questions and debate the topic.  The direction of the discussion is truly influenced by the participants of the given session.  It’s a fascinating learning experience for everyone involved. Come join us for future sessions by getting on our mailing list.  Please register HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/mastermind ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ -----------------------------------------------

Rahul Sood, founded VoodooPC, straight out of High School on his credit card and turned it into a global brand before selling it to HP. Next stop was launching Microsoft Ventures which lead to connecting with his now partner Karl Flores to start “Unikrn”, the largest Esports betting platform in the world.  Great deep dive into Rahul’s world, his passion for Gaming and Esports and why Unikrn will become the next Unicorn by building the future of digital gambling.   Key Highlights Voodoo PC, from a passion project started in a garage to a global brand (now HP Omen brand) Microsoft Ventures Fund – starting a venture found from scratch, building accelerators to connect start ups to Microsoft customers, leading to a valuation of over US$ 4 billion by the time he left Unikrn – how it all started with his buddy Karl Flores, raising funds, bringing in high profile investors Uni-coin ICO and reasons for launching it and the compliance behind it What is Unikrn and how did the idea come about – from betting on yourself to betting on major Esports tournaments   Goal was to be the biggest bookmaker in Esports   UMode – bet on yourself – how it works and only on Unikrn Going from 2 countries to 40 and the challenges which come with it, different betting formats and trends globally The opportunities and challenges because of the pandemic How Games are priced, driven by AI bots – 2-3 years ahead of others   From live in-game betting, different handicaps, special betting options unique to each game Challenge is localization, currently 4 languages and customization to local betting behaviour Business still churning money, large overheads, big team, still in building mode Building the future of Digital gambling - challenge with Investors who don’t understand the business Unikrn’s connection to the E-gaming ecosystem, from Publishers, Teams, Streamers, Influencers to streaming platforms (affiliate programs) Virtual Horse-racing, from breeding them to racing and winning price money Learnings, success and failures as an Entrepreneur and from his time at Microsoft - Focus on your passion and adapt to change as quickly as you can Interplay between traditional sports & Esports after Covid – the future of entertainment   About Rahul Sood is the co-founder of Unikrn, a global Esports entertainment and sports betting platform built on cutting edge blockchain and gaming technologies. Previous to Unikrn, Sood created the first incubation fund for startups at Microsoft, and eventually he consolidated their global startup activities and launched Microsoft Ventures. A serial entrepreneur, Sood spent 18 years in multiple startups prior to joining Microsoft. He founded luxury and gaming computer manufacturer VoodooPC, which was acquired by Hewlett-Packard. Sood is an early shareholder and advisor to Maingear, Razer, ZED, and Vrvana which was recently acquired by Apple. Unikrn’s mission as a global esports entertainment platform is to heighten the experience of watching and participating in esports. Unikrn uses blockchain technology to optimize the payment flow for customers while allowing them to bet using the currency of their choice on a full array of Esports and Video Game offerings. Unikrn is venture backed with investors such as Ashton Kutcher, Mark Cuban, Liz Murdoch, Shari Redstone, and many others. Unikrn built an end to end betting platform that can be licensed by commercial operators, and they have opened their doors to multiple international markets. Unikrn has been featured on Forbes, Fortune, ESPN, CNBC and countless publications around the world. Sood is active in the startup community, helping and mentoring a variety of startups. In his spare time, Sood enjoys wake surfing & wake boarding, standup paddle boarding, cycling, racing cars and spending time with his family. He lives in Seattle, you can find him on Twitter @rahulsood. You can find Unikrn on Twitter @unikrnco.   ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Sports Entrepreneurs Mastermind (SEM) sessions too. ----------------------------------------------- The SEM sessions are an extension of the SEP series, where we bring experts from around the world together for 1.5-2 hours of brainstorming, learning, discussion and connecting.  It’s a live online round table format, moderated by Marcus Luer which includes a short presentation by him to set up the topic of the session and then the members will discuss, share their thoughts, ask questions and debate the topic.  The direction of the discussion is truly influenced by the participants of the given session.  It’s a fascinating learning experience for everyone involved. Come join us for future sessions by getting on our mailing list.  Please register HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/mastermind ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ -----------------------------------------------

Patrick Sweeney’s, fellow YPOer, recent best selling book “Fear is Fuel” and his life experiences are perfect for the current state and level of “Fear” globally.  We take a deep dive into Patrick’s sports career, his entrepreneurial success and off course the “brick” that hit him when he was 35 years old and changed his life.  The Patrick Sweeney 2.0 version is a very different man on a mission.  Incredible stories and learning inside. Key Highlights His early days as the “wimpy kid”, turned world-class rowing champion touring the world and the dream of winning an “Olympic Medal” “Could have been” an Olympic Champion and “could have been” a Billionaire if not for decisions out of fear Life either happens “to you” or “by you” depends on your mindset Transition to Entrepreneur – goal 40 by 40 Fear of failure and fear of success, what worked and what didn’t as an entrepreneur First company and mistakes which cost him dearly, company now worth US$ 3 billion Second company and fears continue And then came the brick-  diagnosed with rare Leukemia at the age of 35 and 15 years later Overcoming the disease and fear Sweeney 2.0 version – first took up flying lessons and then conquered the world Now adventure racing around the world Wrote the book as a guide on how to overcome Fear without having to go through his life-threatening experiences Mentoring CEOs, Masterclass and TED Talk keynote speaker How companies can learn from it in the current environment & get in touch with him Final thoughts on how to use “Fear as Fuel”   About Inc. Magazine called Patrick one of the most interesting men alive, but he considers himself ordinary and able to do things anyone can learn if they understand how to use fear as fuel. He inspires audiences with the neuroscience of fear & how it can be a competitive advantage. He shows why we need to find more fear in our life, and it's fascinating! In 2018 Patrick won the world's toughest bicycle race – the Race Across America almost 20 years after he finished 2nd place in the Olympic rowing trials, he's founded four tech companies while creating eight patents and raising almost $50 million. Patrick has leveraged fear as fuel for peak performance and to create an inspiring life of passion, happiness and fulfillment. The son of Irish immigrants he was the first to go to college in his family and ever since has refused to accept upper limits set by family, friends or society. He teaches audience how to break through their limits. Some fears you can face head on, and some show up unexpectedly to shake you to your core. When Patrick was told he had Leukemia, he, again, faced fear head on and learned the biggest life secrets to success. When he realized the power of fear to fuel amazing feats in all aspects of life he began interviewing the world's top neuroscientists and psychologist for his book Fear is Fuel. He found out why and how our mind locks us in anxiety-ridden prison or leads us to the life of our dreams. His mission is to share those secrets with millions of people. As a winner in sports and a winner in business he is committed to leveraging those fear lessons on himself and channel them into setting world records by being the first person to attempt cycling the Seven Summits. Patrick has been happily married (to the same woman) for 20 years (yes, she's a saint) and has three teenage children. He splits time between Boston Ma, Chamonix, France and Seat 21D. ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Sports Entrepreneurs Mastermind (SEM) sessions too. ----------------------------------------------- The SEM sessions are an extension of the SEP series, where we bring experts from around the world together for 1.5-2 hours of brainstorming, learning, discussion and connecting.  It’s a live online round table format, moderated by Marcus Luer which includes a short presentation by him to set up the topic of the session and then the members will discuss, share their thoughts, ask questions and debate the topic.  The direction of the discussion is truly influenced by the participants of the given session.  It’s a fascinating learning experience for everyone involved. Come join us for future sessions by getting on our mailing list.  Please register HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/mastermind ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ -----------------------------------------------

Stacey is and has been truly a world leader in Tennis for 30 years, I call her the “First Lady of Tennis” but she felt that this should be reserved for a player like Serena Williams. That gives you a great sense of her character, always there to serve the game first and not out to take credit for the amazing work she has done over three decades. Enjoy the deep dive into the rise of the WTA Tour under her leadership, how she learned from David Stern’s playbook and hear how she is planning to host the US Open in August this year.  Very timely discussion on so many levels and excited to finally have a female voice on the Podcast.     Key Highlights How she got started in tennis, as an 8th grader in summer camp Her purpose in life, generate the funds to bring Kids into the sport and create a career path More than 50% of Female leaders have played competitive sports, so it’s a great foundation for the future 15 years at Tennis Canada WTA Tour stories – billions of new revenue during her era Opening an office in China (NBA playbook), expanding across Asia and other new markets, expansion of the WTA Tour Final Price money grew by 100%  (cash is oxygen for sports), PERFORM media rights deal Players come in cycles and build on the previous generation achievements USTA – US Open will happen Aug 31 – Sept 13 (as of today) & lead up events Decision process to go ahead, where to host it (remaining in NYC), working with Governor and US government 80% of players are from around the world, major logistics to get athletes in and out of the country Risk mitigation through tests, screening and other measures – Covid is real and need to take serious Normally 850,000 fans on-site, single largest annual sporting event in the world – this time NO FANS Learning from others who have launched live events, Bundesliga, etc and creating new ideas Her final thoughts on sports in the next 30 years – need to be externally focused beyond the sport itself   About Stacey Allaster is the Chief Executive, Professional Tennis, with the United States Tennis Association (USTA). In this role, Allaster is tasked with setting the strategic vision for the USTA’s pro tennis division – including oversight of the US Open, Emirates Airline US Open Series, Davis Cup, Fed Cup and more – and working closely with the USTA board of directors and the USTA pro tennis staff to ensure the continued viability of professional tennis in the United States. Allaster was born in Windsor, Ontario and started playing tennis at the age of 12. After graduating from University, she worked for the Ontario Tennis Association as membership sales co-ordinator and director of player development. She became the Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Tournament Director of the Rogers Cup. In 2006, she was appointed as the President of Women's Tennis Association, a newly created role in the organization. In July 2009, Allaster was promoted to be the chairman and CEO of the WTA Tour, succeeding Larry Scott. While serving as the CEO, the WTA secured one billion dollars in diversified contracted revenues, which included the partnership with an international media group (Perform). Allaster holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Physical Education from the University of Western Ontario where she also received a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LL.D.) and has an MBA from the Ivey School of Business. Allaster was also recently appointed to the Devos Sport Business Management Program Board of Advisors.   ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Sports Entrepreneurs Mastermind (SEM) sessions too. ----------------------------------------------- The SEM sessions are an extension of the SEP series, where we bring experts from around the world together for 1.5-2 hours of brainstorming, learning, discussion and connecting.  It’s a live online round table format, moderated by Marcus Luer which includes a short presentation by him to set up the topic of the session and then the members will discuss, share their thoughts, ask questions and debate the topic.  The direction of the discussion is truly influenced by the participants of the given session.  It’s a fascinating learning experience for everyone involved. Come join us for future sessions by getting on our mailing list.  Please register HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/mastermind ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ -----------------------------------------------

Papa Massata Diack is a true African Sports Entrepreneur from Senegal and has been involved in some of the biggest events and deals across the world of sports. He is no stranger to controversies and in this Podcast you will hear “his” side of the story.  Listen and then you decide what you think happened in those IAAF corridors. Plus some great insights into the world of African sports. Enjoy.   Key Highlights His early days at ISL Marketing, projects in Qatar, South Africa across Football, Athletics, etc Starting Pamodzi Sports Marketing & Consulting in 1997 with offices in South Africa, Togo, Senegal, etc Getting involved in IAAF after ISL’s bankruptcy and Dentsu’s take over of the contract Involved in Football projects across Africa Appointed as IAAF consultant across 9 Emerging Markets via AMS (China, India, Middle East, Africa, Mexico, etc) bringing in over US$ 200 mil in revenue from big emerging market companies (Samsung, Sinopec, etc) Where it all went wrong with Russia in 2013 – Daily Mail report Transferring money got him into trouble British Press using the Russian Doping story to tarnish his father’s leadership (Liam Diack) and pushing Sebastian Coe as the new IAAF President Sports politics and geo political issues being used for the IAAF Presidential election Current law-suit filed by WADA against his father and himself to investigate sports marketing contracts.  Scaring off sponsors and host venues British and German media attacks His experience as an African Entrepreneur in the world of sports, inspired by Nelson Mandela and thoughts on racial tension The future of Sports Marketing on the African Continent – upcoming sports and regional blocks Senegal hosting the Youth Olympics in 2022 NBA African League Martial Arts, Cycling Tours, etc Esports & Egaming in Africa growing with infrastructure improving   About With more than 25 years of experience in the sports world, Papa Massata DIACK acquired a solid mastery of Public Relations, Event Management, Marketing, strategic development and management of major projects. A true professional, Papa Massata puts his expertise at the service of sports institutions and community as part of his advisory activities. Since 1997, PAMODZI Sports Marketing & Consulting's Mission has been to be a leader in African sports marketing. Sold over USD 678 million worth of contracts in Athletics and Football. Involved in organization of 8 African Cup of Nations, 7 African Athletics Championships, 8 IAAF Invitational Meetings in Nairobi, Dakar, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Abidjan, Doha, Ponce, Belém and Kingston. Worked on 7 IAAF World Championships ( Stuttgart, Gothenburg, Osaka, Berlin, Daegu, Moscow and Beijing) and 2 World Cup in Athletics (Havana and Johannesburg). ----------------------------------------------- If you are enjoying the Sports Entrepreneurs Podcast (SEP) series, check out our Sports Entrepreneurs Mastermind (SEM) sessions too. The SEM sessions are an extension of the SEP series, where we bring experts from around the world together for 1.5-2 hours of brainstorming, learning, discussion and connecting.  It’s a live online round table format, moderated by Marcus Luer which includes a short presentation by him to set up the topic of the session and then the members will discuss, share their thoughts, ask questions and debate the topic.  The direction of the discussion is truly influenced by the participants of the given session.  It’s a fascinating learning experience for everyone involved. Come join us for future sessions by getting on our mailing list.  Please register HERE ----------------------------------------------- Follow us on our social sites for the latest updates Instagram: https://lnkd.in/ferKA6N Facebook: https://lnkd.in/fw7Z_9h LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/fVQzNj5 Website: https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com https://marcusluer.com/mastermind ----------------------------------------------- Feel Good by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyaden Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_feel-good Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/bvgIqqRStcQ -----------------------------------------------