Sportonomics

A frustrating catch-and-release moment sparked an idea that turned into a full-fledged fishing tech company.This week, Jake and Tyler sit down with Lawrence, founder of Fishtechy and creator of the Proofball, to talk about measuring fish without harming them, turning a physical product into a data-driven platform, and why fishing might be the next sport to see a true social-tech revolution. They also dig into ethics, fair chase, and where technology should, and shouldn’t, go in outdoor sports.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Intro & Proofball Overview01:04 — Lawrence’s Entrepreneurial Background03:50 — The Fishing Moment That Started It All05:30 — Why Measuring Fish Is Hard07:18 — What the Proofball Is Made Of08:14 — Why a Reference Object Matters09:40 — Ice Fishing & Slot Limits10:51 — Pushback From Traditional Anglers12:45 — Technology Resistance in Fishing14:22 — When FishTechie Launched15:14 — Growth Curve & Seasonality16:10 — Going Viral Without Inventory17:28 — Why the Ball Markets Itself18:13 — Total Addressable Market19:18 — Does It Ruin Fishing Stories?21:18 — Policing Accuracy vs. Letting Stories Live22:21 — Fishing as a Social Platform24:36 — Comparisons to Strava & Golf Apps26:03 — Physical Product vs. Tech Company26:42 — Broader Fishing Tech Landscape28:27 — Fair Chase & Ethical Limits30:56 — Data Ownership & Privacy32:41 — Barriers to Entry in Fishing35:10 — Is Fishing Growing Too Fast?38:26 — The Next Wave of Fishing Tech39:24 — Closing Thoughts39:52 — Post-Episode Reflections45:16 — Outro

Jack Appleby has spent 15 years building brands on the internet, and then used that same playbook to build two of his own.This week, Jake and Tyler sit down with the creator behind How to Hoop Forever and Future Social to talk about treating content like a business, why perspective matters more than information, and how Jack turned rec league basketball, storytelling, and strategy into sustainable media companies across sports and marketing.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Intro & Jack’s Two Businesses01:20 — Explaining What You Do02:50 — Marketing vs. Basketball Content03:14 — Building a Public Career Online04:41 — Starting the Newsletter05:37 — Burnout & Creative Energy07:18 — Opinion Writing vs. Wholesome Sports08:04 — Topic Selection Frameworks09:13 — Making “Uninteresting” Things Interesting10:51 — Documenting Life vs. Ideas12:58 — Series-Based Storytelling14:42 — Hooks That Stand Alone16:21 — Story Over Short-Form Trends17:25 — Filming Without Forcing Outcomes18:15 — Owning the Edit19:37 — Scaling Without Losing Control22:01 — Monetizing Marketing vs. Sports23:23 — Brand Safety in Basketball Content24:19 — Crowdfunding a Pro Team26:32 — Audience Age & Community Buy-In28:46 — Content vs. Business Identity30:08 — Packaging Sponsorships31:08 — Creative Brand Integrations33:23 — Making Non-Obvious Partnerships Work35:19 — Long-Term Business Direction37:47 — Career Frameworks Without Ladders39:59 — Planning vs. Reacting41:45 — Turning Life Into Content42:52 — Where Sports Content Is Headed44:59 — Final Advice on Perspective45:13 — Post-Episode Reflections53:41 — Outro

Riley Martin doesn’t break news or argue hot takes — he explains sports so clearly that anyone can follow along.This week, Jake and Tyler sit down with the creator behind Sportsball to unpack how data visualization became his creative edge, why he designs content for casual fans first, and how focusing on a single fastball helped him build a durable, brand-friendly creator business without chasing trends or outrage.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Intro & Creative Background01:00 — Analytics vs. Creativity02:15 — Learning Data Visualization03:10 — Turning Work Skills Into Content04:20 — Starting Sportsball05:15 — Explaining Sports Simply06:40 — Designing for Casual Fans08:50 — Avoiding Hot Takes09:20 — Where Ideas Come From10:45 — Finding the Right Data12:00 — Topic Selection as a Skill13:35 — Speed vs. Depth in Content15:00 — Embracing Randomness16:20 — Being a Curator, Not a Newsfeed17:45 — Originality & Copycats19:10 — Confidence and Career Security21:00 — Quitting the Day Job23:00 — Explaining the Career to Family26:30 — The First “Legit” Brand Deal28:00 — How Sportsball Makes Money29:35 — Low-Cost Creator Economics31:15 — Visual Planning Process33:00 — Data Modules Explained35:05 — Newsletter Debate37:20 — Staying Focused on the Fastball39:30 — Building Trust With an Audience41:05 — Final Takeaways42:20 — Post-Episode Reflections49:50 — Outro & Newsletter Plug

Nathan Dorton started his football brand with a $65 loan, a Photoshop glove template, and a factory connection in Pakistan. Today, Phenom Elite is a $10M business redefining how football gear, culture, and IP intersect.This week, Jake and Tyler sat down with Nathan to talk about building an equipment brand without VC money, why licensing SpongeBob and Kool-Aid works better than superheroes, and how 7-on-7, flag football, and NIL are reshaping football culture from the ground up.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Intro & Phenom Origin Story00:47 — The $65 Loan01:55 — College Football Setbacks03:30 — The Gear Market Gap04:50 — First Glove Customers05:30 — Unit Economics & Early Margins06:11 — First Big College Break07:12 — Made-to-Order Limits07:46 — Holding Inventory08:55 — When the Model Had to Change09:42 — Walking Away from Playing10:57 — Finding an Underserved Niche12:21 — Who Buys Licensed Gear13:25 — Youth vs. Adult Buyers13:54 — Discovering Licensing15:03 — Why Big Brands Avoid IP16:19 — Licensing Economics Explained17:38 — The Joker Gloves Moment18:47 — Becoming the “IP Brand”19:21 — Food Brands & Culture21:26 — Bowl Games & Activations22:58 — IP vs. Brand Identity23:50 — Picking the Right Licenses25:01 — Challenger Brand Strategy26:51 — Why Big Sizes Are Hard28:06 — Adding Sizes Over Time29:37 — 7-on-7 & Flag Football Growth31:27 — A Second Sales Season32:17 — From $65 to $10M32:41 — The IP Checklist33:13 — Generational Relevance34:03 — Why SpongeBob Wins36:29 — Missed Licenses & Timing37:26 — The “White Whale” IP38:30 — Football’s Culture Shift39:44 — NIL as a Growth Lever40:25 — Phenom U Strategy41:11 — What Athletes Can Wear42:27 — Off-Field Culture Plays42:57 — Packaging as Marketing44:19 — Jake & Tyler Reflection45:43 — IP Brainstorming47:06 — When Gear Becomes Ads48:25 — Exclusivity vs. Scale50:11 — Where Football Culture Lives52:36 — Table Scraps & Opportunity53:05 — Outro

Most sports innovation focuses on what fans can see. Almost none of it considers what happens when you can’t.This week, Jake and Tyler sat down with the founding team behind OneCourt, a startup using real-time player and ball-tracking data to turn live sports into a tactile experience for blind and low-vision fans. They break down how the idea started in college, why accessibility has lagged behind fan experience design, and how inclusion can move from compliance to competitive advantage.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Intro & The Accessibility Gap00:44 — Where the OneCourt Idea Came From02:06 — Personal Connection to the Problem03:51 — Why Audio Isn’t Enough05:49 — What OneCourt Actually Is06:49 — Using League Tracking Data09:04 — Pitching Leagues Without a Product10:32 — Selling Impact vs. Business Value11:50 — Choosing the Right Teams First13:53 — Who Pays for OneCourt?14:45 — How It Works on Game Day15:46 — What the Experience Feels Like17:49 — Building a Multidisciplinary Team18:47 — College Origins & Hustle Culture20:16 — Addressing Market Size Concerns22:39 — From Tennis to Basketball24:12 — Why the NBA Moved First27:01 — In-Stadium vs. At-Home Use28:24 — Direct-to-Consumer Expansion29:10 — Beyond Pro Sports Use Cases30:08 — Funding & Investors30:35 — Measuring Success & ROI32:21 — The Future of Sports Data34:52 — Scaling Across Sports35:42 — Fan Requests & Hockey Demand37:34 — Marketing Without Visuals38:44 — What’s Next for OneCourt41:24 — Closing & Host Reflection43:10 — Accessibility vs. Economics44:33 — Why This Data Use Matters46:29 — Rethinking the Live Fan Experience48:07 — Outro

A lot of people dream about playing professional sports. Fewer think about the careers built behind the scenes that make those games possible.This week, Jake and Tyler sit down with longtime athletic trainer Lenny, whose 50-year career spans high schools, minor league baseball, the NBA, and the Philadelphia 76ers. They talk about breaking into pro sports, the importance of networking, life on the road, and the unexpected origin of one of basketball’s most iconic pieces of gear — the shooting sleeve.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Intro & Career Beginnings00:49 — From Athlete Dreams to Sports Careers01:55 — Athletic Training in the 1970s02:47 — Education, Certification & Early Jobs03:55 — First Break at Cal Berkeley04:36 — Mentorship and Career Influence05:16 — Old School vs. New School Training06:28 — Trainers vs. Doctors06:53 — Trusting the Medical Team07:06 — Getting Into Pro Sports08:07 — Minor League Baseball Life09:43 — Wearing Every Hat on Staff10:00 — NBA Expansion Opportunities10:24 — Joining the Orlando Magic10:46 — Winning (and Losing) in Orlando12:17 — Life with Shaquille O’Neal13:30 — Leaving Orlando14:35 — Joining the Philadelphia 76ers15:04 — Career Moves Without Regret15:38 — Chasing Jobs vs. Chasing Locations16:05 — Why Networking Matters17:26 — Job Chasing Philosophy18:10 — Long-Term Stability in Sports19:00 — Life on the Road19:27 — Work Ethic in Athletic Training20:01 — Treating Superstars the Same21:26 — Working with Allen Iverson22:12 — Origin of the Shooting Sleeve23:33 — Why the Sleeve Worked24:06 — Style Meets Function24:44 — Under Armour Enters the Picture25:29 — Sleeve Goes Mainstream26:35 — Cultural Impact of Iverson27:45 — Seeing the Product in Stores28:55 — Fashion vs. Function Today

Youth sports used to be simple — show up, play, go home. Today, it’s a fully developed industry with travel requirements, hotel contracts, massive tournaments, and real money flowing through every weekend on the calendar.This week, Jake and Tyler sat down with John D’Orsay, CEO of EventConnect, to break down how the youth sports economy actually works — from the rise of elite travel teams to the hidden logistics behind registration, scheduling, lodging, and economic impact. We talk about why costs keep climbing, how the industry professionalized so quickly, and what the next decade of youth sports will look like.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Intro: Youth Sports Has Changed00:54 — John’s Background & Coaching Origins02:21 — How Youth Sports Shifted Over 20 Years03:45 — The Specialization Problem06:47 — What’s Driving Youth Sports Toward a Business Model?08:32 — The Real Cost Pressures Behind Youth Sports08:57 — How EventConnect Was Born10:41 — From Musician to Software Builder12:00 — Early Digital Transformation Work14:31 — Why EventConnect Started with Lodging16:15 — Negotiating Rates & How Hotel Pricing Actually Works18:53 — Transient vs. Group Booking Explained19:38 — Scaling the Platform Beyond Housing21:29 — Leaving the Marketing Agency & Going All-In22:19 — Who EventConnect Actually Serves22:53 — Why Transparency Is the Core of the Platform23:47 — Understanding Economic Impact (and Its Limits)25:17 — The Rise of Hyper-Involved Sports Parents26:49 — How Tournaments Turn Into Family Travel28:17 — Facilities Becoming “Youth Sports Resorts”28:46 — Building Registration & Scheduling Tech30:37 — Why Scheduling Is a Loss Leader31:35 — The Model: Free Tools, Revenue Through Lodging32:54 — How the Tournament Director Role Has Evolved34:59 — Competition, Marketing, and Professionalization36:34 — Why Big Tournaments Feel Like Major Events Now37:22 — Will the Current Cost Structure Hit a Wall?38:26 — The Future: More Kids Playing, Tiered Pathways39:07 — The Private Equity Discussion: Good or Bad?41:18 — Why Bad Actors Won’t Survive in Youth Sports42:23 — What Tournament Directors Want Most: Transparency43:31 — Families Want Experiences, Not Just Games44:31 — Why Youth Sports Travel Is Replacing Family Vacations45:02 — Jake & Tyler Debrief the Business Model47:35 — Why EventConnect Works (The “Google” Comparison)49:20 — Discretionary Income & Sports as Education50:05 — The Economic Impact Debate52:15 — The AAU-ification of Youth Sports56:49 — The “Globalization” of Youth Sports57:37 — Outro

Stadiums track everything. Tickets, fans, sponsors, on-field performance, but one problem has quietly resisted innovation for decades: lines.This week, Jake and Tyler sat down with Sam Porta, founder of Queues, to break down how he went from hacking together queue data at Georgia Tech to helping the Atlanta Braves cut wait times, increase throughput, and uncover hidden inefficiencies using computer vision.From the true cost of bad data to what “occupancy as a service” could mean for every major venue, this episode digs into why lines still exist — and what it will take to finally fix them.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Intro: Why Sports Still Struggle With Lines00:46 — How Qs Started at Georgia Tech02:35 — Why Google Popular Times Doesn’t Work for Queues04:13 — Building the First Crowdsourced System05:06 — Winning Georgia Tech’s InVenture Prize & Hitting COVID06:41 — Why Sam Didn’t Quit When Lines Disappeared09:23 — AI, Computer Vision, and the Missing Data Problem10:57 — The ROI of Queue Data in Airports & Stadiums12:04 — Who Should Pay for Faster Lines?13:54 — Disney’s Long-Held Lead in Queue Tech15:33 — Moving from Dining Halls to Stadiums17:43 — How the Braves Found Qs19:30 — From Manual Reporting to Full Computer Vision22:46 — Testing Qs Across Cafes, Arenas, Waffle House & More23:31 — Building the First Real Hardware Version24:12 — How Qs Sensors Count Without Storing Video25:54 — How Queue Tracking Actually Works26:18 — Breaking Down the Braves Clubhouse Case Study29:24 — What Happened When They Eliminated a 25-Minute Line31:08 — Privacy, PII & Why Qs Doesn’t Store Images33:07 — Will Stadiums Want More Data on Individual Fans?36:10 — How Fans Will Eventually See Live Queue Times37:39 — Occupancy as a Service: How Qs Makes Money39:44 — Beyond Sports: Airports, Retail & Drive-Thrus41:43 — The Consulting Layer Hidden in Queue Data43:35 — Tech Sam Thinks Is Missing in Sports45:01 — Defensibility: What Stops Competitors?47:27 — Closing Thoughts & Next Episode Tease48:05 — Should Everything Be Maximally Convenient?49:37 — Why People Choose the Longest Line50:50 — Is Queue Data Part of a Bigger Fan Surveillance Trend?53:43 — Privacy, Stadium Data & the Slippery Slope57:34 — Do Speed Cameras Make Cities Safer?59:29 — Final Thoughts

Thanksgiving and football feel like they’ve always gone together...but the story behind that tradition is way stranger than most fans realize.This week, Jake and Tyler break down the full history of Thanksgiving football, from Yale vs. Princeton in the 1800s to the Detroit Lions’ radio-fueled rise, the Cowboys volunteering their way into a national spotlight, and how the NFL turned a quiet holiday into one of the biggest moments on its calendar.🕐 Timestamps00:00 – Intro00:20 – NFL Thanksgiving, Not Turkey Bowls00:49 – Early Thanksgiving Football Traditions01:19 – The First Thanksgiving Games in College Football02:01 – Michigan and Chicago Maroons Era02:31 – College Football’s Role in Shaping the Tradition03:00 – Yale & Princeton’s Historic Football Legacy04:22 – Ivy League Football Today05:09 – The Messy Early Days of Pro Football06:28 – Scandals, Collapses & Regional Leagues07:01 – Why the Ohio League Stopped Thanksgiving Games07:21 – Thanksgiving High School Football Culture08:29 – How Fragmented Early Pro Sports Really Were10:07 – Grassroots Growth vs. Top-Down Leagues11:29 – Detroit Lions Enter the Story12:50 – George A. Richards and the 1934 Breakthrough14:44 – “Franksgiving” and FDR Changing the Holiday16:32 – States Not Agreeing on a Thanksgiving Date17:10 – Post–WWII: Lions Cement the Tradition17:56 – The Almost-Packers Thanksgiving Tradition18:44 – Cowboys Volunteer for the Spotlight (1966)19:30 – Why the Cardinals Briefly Replaced Dallas21:00 – 2006: NFL Adds the Primetime Game21:55 – The NFL Expands Holiday Football23:06 – Should the NFL Take Over More Holidays?24:14 – Does More Football Dilute the Magic?25:46 – Why the NFL Will Only Keep Adding Games27:40 – Thanksgiving Food Talk28:47 – Charity & The Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff29:40 – The Madden Thanksgiving Games30:56 – John Madden’s Turkey Leg Legacy31:09 – Outro

Jordan Green isn’t your typical 22-year-old founder.He’s built meme pages with millions of followers, brokered NIL deals for brands like Fox Sports and Gymshark, and launched his own agency — Glacier — from a college dorm room.This week, Jake and I sat down with Jordan to talk about the evolution of NIL, how athletes and brands can actually build trust instead of hype, and what the future of college marketing looks like in an era driven by creators, not companies.Timestamps ⏰00:00 – Introduction00:46 – Early Hustles and Fidget Spinner Empire02:24 – Starting Meme Pages and the First Brand Deal05:05 – From Sports Dreams to Sports Marketing06:34 – How Meme Pages Led to Athlete Management08:22 – Entering College as NIL Was Legalized08:41 – What Brands Get Wrong About NIL10:25 – Creating Win-Win Partnerships Between Brands and Athletes12:32 – The Fox Sports Campus Activation Example14:20 – Working with Social-Savvy Athletes15:00 – Why Universities Still Don’t Get Social Media17:10 – Athlete Entitlement and Reality Checks19:54 – Why Gen Z Craves Real-World Experiences21:53 – Scaling Glacier While Staying Authentic24:43 – Growing Out of the “Young Guy in the Room” Phase29:21 – Managing a Massive Network and Staying Organized32:48 – What Happened to the Meme Pages34:30 – Building Glacier and Defining Growth36:55 – Building a Career from Alaska to New York39:14 – The Future of Creators and Authenticity42:01 – Post-Episode Reflections46:20 – Should Every Athlete Be a Creator?48:44 – The Reality of Agency Life52:00 – Redefining Career Progress Without a Ladder53:35 – Closing Thoughts

Kurt Benkert and Matt Blakely are redefining what a football brand can be.After Kurt’s NFL career, they launched DimeLab, a direct-to-consumer company making game-ready footballs that feel perfect right out of the box.This week, Jake and I sat down with them to talk about building a product from scratch, growing without burning out an audience, and turning 40,000+ bootstrapped orders into a retail movement.⏰ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction00:36 – The Problem with Traditional Footballs01:39 – Why NFL Game Balls Aren’t Built for Real Life03:25 – How Kurt and Matt Met04:31 – Building the First Prototype05:34 – From Idea to First Product Launch06:45 – Turning Social Reach into a Physical Product07:11 – Engineering and Testing the Material08:26 – What Makes DimeLab’s Football Different10:15 – Durability and Real-World Testing10:52 – Why NFL Balls Require Hours of Prep12:19 – Can Synthetic Replace Leather?13:06 – When DimeLab Became a Real Business14:05 – Using an Audience Without Burning It Out16:42 – Bootstrapping and Warehouse Chaos18:38 – Scaling from a Garage to Retail Distribution19:30 – Understanding Their Core Customer21:43 – Merchandising and the “Sneaker Model” for Footballs23:48 – Converting Traditional Players into DimeLab Users27:15 – How the Promotion Strategy Evolved28:54 – Retail Growth and Expansion30:03 – 40,000 Orders and Counting31:27 – Why They Decided to Go into Retail33:48 – Creating a Self-Sustaining Brand Beyond Social Media35:30 – The Power of Partnership and Division of Roles37:29 – What Each Co-Founder Learned from the Other42:24 – Launching into Shields and Retail Strategy45:22 – Leveraging Creator Marketing for Retail Success48:13 – The Future of Football Design49:44 – Closing Thoughts and Takeaways

Dean Snell has built golf balls for Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and thousands of weekend players, but his story is about craft, not fame.After decades at Titleist and TaylorMade, he launched Snell Golf to deliver premium performance without the price tag or tour hype.Jake and I sat down with Dean to unpack the creation of the Pro V1, why most golfers use the wrong ball, and how he’s quietly built one of the most trusted names in golf.⏰ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction00:52 – Early Career: From Fighter Jets to Fairways03:00 – Inventing the Modern Golf Ball06:10 – What Golf Balls Were Like Before Pro V108:34 – The Science Behind Spin and Distance10:55 – Testing with Tour Players16:10 – Custom Designs for Tour Players18:37 – How Golf Ball Options Evolved21:30 – The Explosion of Golf-Ball Technology23:18 – Price vs. Performance24:44 – Do Tour Players Really Need Different Balls?27:20 – The Marketing Illusion in Golf29:25 – Declining Tour Sponsorships31:14 – Building Snell Golf’s Brand Without the Tour33:02 – Sound Engineering and “Feel”35:16 – Listening to Customers, Not Pros36:50 – What Snell Golf Allows Him to Do37:32 – Snell’s Vision for the Future40:06 – Starting from Scratch43:06 – Why He Put His Name on the Ball45:23 – COVID-19 Setbacks and Recovery46:11 – Keeping Numbers Private49:59 – Lean, Outsourced Operations50:11 – Tech Innovations: Smart Balls & Tracking Chips53:16 – Closing Thoughts53:39 – Host Debrief: Lessons from Dean Snell

Brian Davison’s path into the sports industry wasn’t traditional—it was relentless.After leaving a college coaching job, he started selling sneakers at a Nike outlet for $11/hour. Over the next decade, he networked his way into corporate Nike, became one of the company’s elite EKINs, and eventually landed on the Nike basketball team, helping re-sign Giannis Antetokounmpo on a $240 million deal.This week, Jake and I sat down with Brian to unpack that entire journey—from cold-emailing executives to flying on private jets, and why he ultimately left it all to launch Sports Business Ventures, a company focused on mentorship and access in sports.Whether you’re chasing your first job or thinking about your next one, this episode is full of practical lessons on career building, brand storytelling, and staying relentlessly visible.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Intro00:57 – Brian’s early dream to work in sports03:35 – Coaching at a small D2 school (and working 3 jobs)06:06 – The moment he realized coaching wasn’t sustainable08:23 – A trip to Salt Lake City changes everything10:24 – The dream to become a Nike EKIN is born12:10 – From retail store to Nike email address13:51 – Cold-emailing Nike execs from the manager’s office16:58 – Flying to Beaverton on his own dime to pitch himself20:19 – Turning down a pro basketball contract to keep chasing Nike22:15 – Winning EKIN of the Year and getting closer to sports marketing26:10 – How he converted 1,900 youth teams to Nike30:14 – Moving into product creation at Jordan Brand33:50 – Joining the Nike basketball team and working with Giannis35:07 – How Nike values signature athlete deals37:53 – Leaving Nike for the Milwaukee Bucks front office42:35 – Winning a championship and still feeling unfulfilled43:10 – Launching Sports Business Ventures45:43 – What SBV actually does47:13 – Advice for anyone trying to break into the sports industry51:46 – The importance of storytelling, perspective, and effort54:07 – Outro

Carlo Jiménez didn’t come from a broadcasting family. He didn’t play college ball. But at just 24, he’s already the radio voice of the LA Clippers—calling playoff games at Intuit Dome and growing a massive social media following along the way.This week, Jake and I sat down with Carlo to talk about how he went from JV benchwarmer to NBA broadcaster, the role content played in getting the job, and how he's thinking about the future of broadcasting in the age of AI.We also get into discoverability, career leverage, and why being interesting might be the best moat of all.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Intro01:00 — From benchwarmer to broadcaster03:30 — Starting the grind in high school06:40 — Building reps in college and getting early breaks08:30 — Obsession, feedback, and constant improvement10:36 — Breaking into the Clippers' job13:27 — Launching a social strategy in college14:25 — Gatekeepers vs. content18:00 — Becoming a marketing asset for the Clippers21:22 — Can AI replace broadcasters?24:00 — Protecting the role of the human voice26:49 — Career progression and not rushing the next step29:07 — Advice for aspiring broadcasters31:19 — Quality over quantity and being a well-rounded person34:18 — Outro

This week, Jake and I sat down with Michael Gursha—co-founder of Rookie Road and CEO of Point Curve—to talk about what it means to own content in a world that’s being overtaken by AI.Mike’s team has quietly built a network of 13 media brands across niche verticals, powered by custom-built infrastructure and original content. In this episode, we unpack how Rookie Road scaled from a football explainer to a sports encyclopedia, why Mike thinks original content will become even more valuable in the GenAI era, and how his team is monetizing everything from ad revenue to commerce to potential tech licensing.Whether you’re a content creator, a media operator, or just curious about the future of publishing, this episode is for you.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — Intro00:45 — How Rookie Road started at Michigan03:43 — Early traction and what made it work06:14 — Growth through replication and SEO08:26 — The mechanics of viral web traffic11:18 — How Point Curve is evolving in the AI era15:19 — Why original content still matters24:45 — The shift from Rookie Road to Point Curve29:54 — Building 13 digital brands from scratch31:01 — Monetization: ads, affiliate, commerce, licensing34:43 — The potential to license their CMS and infrastructure38:22 — Checklist for launching a new content brand41:33 — Where the biggest growth opportunity lies44:31 — Outro + Recap with Jake and Tyler

Frank Michael Smith has built one of the biggest audiences in sports content—over 3 million followers, 2 billion views, and major partnerships with brands like Underdog and PointsBet. But this fall, he’s betting on something entirely new: Solo Survivor, a live, elimination-style fantasy game that blends sports, trivia, and real-time payouts.In this episode, Jake and Tyler sit down with Frank to unpack why he walked away from lucrative brand deals, how he’s using content to scale a real product, and what his leap into tech says about the next phase of the creator economy.Whether you're building in sports, media, or tech, this conversation is a blueprint for what creator-led businesses can look like at scale.00:00 – Intro00:39 – What is Solo Survivor?01:30 – Why Survivor Format?02:11 – Frank’s Fantasy Sports Start04:07 – Lessons from Brand Deals06:27 – Creator Value Gap07:05 – Launching Five Card Draw08:26 – Solo Survivor Business Model10:25 – Launch Surprises12:28 – Why Big Platforms Haven’t Done This14:47 – First-Mover Advantage17:30 – Content as Growth Engine18:50 – Viral Event Ideas20:51 – Balancing Brand and Business22:03 – Monetization as a Creator24:15 – Why Build Something Bigger25:28 – The 30K User Goal26:26 – What Has to Work27:37 – Exit Strategy28:55 – IP and Watch Parties31:51 – Recap

Basketball hasn’t changed its playing surface in over 100 years. ASB GlassFloor wants to change that.This week, Jake and Tyler talk with Chris Thornton, President of ASB GlassFloor Americas, about the rise of LED-powered glass courts and what they could mean for the future of the game.Already used at the NBA All-Star Game and in professional leagues across Europe, ASB’s surface is softer on players' joints, unlocks new digital revenue, and allows for full court customization at the push of a button.Chris explains how it works, why athletes are already preferring it over hardwood, and what it'll take to make glass floors the new standard in arenas across North America.00:00 – Intro00:42 – What ASB GlassFloor actually is03:22 – How it’s made and why it was developed06:30 – Why players prefer it over hardwood09:17 – Installation, cost, and durability12:23 – How the floor generates new revenue14:43 – The challenge of pricing new inventory17:25 – Sensors, ShotTracker, and performance data20:03 – What’s holding adoption back21:46 – Targeting different markets (pro, college, high school)24:13 – Customization and usability for coaches26:55 – Selling to multiple stakeholders28:20 – Will fans reject more in-game advertising?30:39 – Fan engagement potential and personalized courts32:13 – Adjusting brightness and visual distraction concerns34:48 – Feedback and crazy designs from players35:26 – Education and experiential learning use cases38:18 – Jake & Tyler recap: Will this replace hardwood?41:26 – Cost comparison and long-term value43:09 – Final thoughts on adoption and monetization strategy46:57 – Outro + Bottom of the Ninth plug

This week on Sportonomics, I sat down with Sam Berman, Head of Brand at Underdog, to unpack one of the boldest activations we’ve seen in the sports betting space.As sportsbooks fight for market share, Underdog is going a different route—ditching promos in favor of personality. Their latest stunt? Two 8.5-foot “Portals” dropped into Norman and Ann Arbor ahead of Oklahoma–Michigan, letting rival fans talk smack in real-time.We recorded this episode before the activation went live, so you'll hear us talk about it in future tense—but now that it’s happened, the strategy behind it is even more relevant.Sam breaks down how Underdog approaches culture-first marketing, how they think about creators, and why they want to be more like Red Bull than FanDuel.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 – Intro01:05 – What the Portal is and why it matters02:25 – Building the installation and fan interaction03:33 – How long it took to pull off04:00 – Legal concerns and NSFW risks05:25 – Risk vs. reward: avoiding a flop06:41 – Why virality > conversion08:47 – How they’ll measure success09:39 – What other brands can learn from this11:47 – Defining Underdog’s target audience13:25 – Letting creators run with the idea14:42 – From CPA deals to brand lifts17:00 – Staying nimble as the company scales18:28 – Internal motto: “Give a sh*t”19:32 – The wildest ideas that didn’t get approved21:31 – Red Bull as a brand model22:41 – Planning for unplanned activations24:16 – The evolving focus: acquisition vs. retention26:17 – Brand awareness gaps and growth27:24 – Sam’s litmus test for good marketing ideas28:25 – Staying relevant as you age out29:46 – What happens if the Portal flops?31:44 – Why the activation had a high floor32:23 – Other stunts that worked33:08 – Final Portal pitch

Pro volleyball is booming—but the pro game hasn’t caught up.College matches are drawing millions of viewers, participation is surging, and cities like Omaha are packing stadiums. But until recently, the pro side of the sport was fractured and underfunded.That changed with the $325M merger between PVF and Major League Volleyball.This week, Jake and Tyler called up Abby Benton—a volleyball content creator and one of the sport’s most trusted voices—to break down the merger, the business model behind each league, and what needs to happen for pro volleyball to finally break through.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Intro01:02 – The 3-league pro volleyball landscape03:22 – Beach vs. indoor volleyball explained04:24 – Which league model has the most upside?06:07 – Why Omaha forced the merger09:36 – The truth about the PVF–MLV “merger”10:24 – Fan sentiment and why it’s a net positive12:39 – No men’s league = no direct comparison14:30 – Why pro hasn’t caught up with college15:32 – Which leagues are worth copying?17:06 – Building a fanbase around youth markets18:30 – Is expanding to 16 teams too fast?19:12 – What life is like for a pro volleyball player22:29 – Who’s funding the league?24:49 – Why volleyball has a media problem26:56 – How leagues can support creators28:08 – What has to happen by 202829:20 – Who’s volleyball’s Caitlin Clark?31:11 – What games to watch and where to follow Abby32:43 – Recap with Tyler and Jake

Jack Settleman isn’t just making content around college football—he’s investing in it.This fall, he’s spending $250,000 to embed Snapback Sports into the college football season, with creator-led partnerships, game-day content, and a bold $100,000 jersey patch offer.Jake and Tyler sat down with Jack to talk about the future of creator brands in sports, how schools are pricing attention, and what it takes to bet on yourself when there’s a deadline attached.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Intro00:02 – The $100K jersey patch pitch03:00 – Legal hurdles and NCAA approval04:10 – Valuing attention vs. media impressions06:00 – Alternate monetization ideas: helmet stickers, Player of the Game08:06 – Working with schools (and agencies) that “get it”10:12 – Why the jersey patch is just the start12:25 – Building relationships with schools and conferences14:45 – Why Snapback makes social-native content17:04 – DMing fans and listening without losing your vision19:27 – Snapback’s $250K fall content budget21:10 – No direct ROI, but a long-term vision24:48 – Why sustainable content matters26:45 – Building a team and letting go of control28:50 – The stress of staying in the game30:12 – Budgeting without guaranteed revenue32:34 – Runway pressure and April 2027 deadline35:18 – Creator identity, performance, and mental toll37:32 – YouTube monetization in real numbers39:19 – Why creators should be funded like startups40:26 – Snapback x Underdog: a long-term partnership44:11 – Understanding brand value and indirect ROI45:12 – Equity deals and what creators should know47:20 – Why transparency matters50:05 – The reality of creator equity: big upside, no liquidity51:04 – Recap with Jake and Tyler