Sports Management Podcast

Welcome to episode 218 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Luis Fernando Ramirez – the CEO of National Padel League  (NPL) We spoke about: Juggling being CEO of NFL with commercial responsibilities for Bull Padel Padel's potential in the US Challenges and opportunities for Padel The importance of digital broadcast and streaming And much more! Time stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:42  Why Luis rebuilt the NPL from scratch 02:10  The first version of the league — what was broken 04:03  How the NPL expanded to 42 cities 06:58  The business model behind the league 08:20  How Racket360 powers streaming + scoring 11:12  Creating the NPL pyramid: juniors → amateurs → pros 14:33  The partnership with USPA 16:48  Why amateurs are the key to U.S. padel's growth 18:26  Why padel is exploding in the U.S. (data + trends) 21:17  The long-term vision — becoming the MLS of padel 24:09  The future of pro padel in America 26:40  How to build sustainable leagues 29:55  Luis' advice for young sports professionals 35:00 Outro   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 217 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Joe Michaels – the former Director of NBC's Today Show and a veteran television production leader. In this episode we get to look behind the scenes of sports media productions together with an 8x Emmy winner.  We spoke about: Why sports media is a young man's business Giving back through teaching and mentorship The future of the media industry If AI will take jobs from the media industry But also how it was like broadcasting the 9/11 tragedy in New York This and much more, in this episode with Joe Michaels. Time stamps: 00:01 Intro 00:44  How Joe started at NBC  03:38  What a sports director actually does behind the scenes 05:16  Turning nerves into energy during live broadcasts 08:23  Inside a live sports truck  11:07  Lessons from the man who invented baseball on TV 16:10  From gaff-taped cameras to 200-camera Super Bowls 20:22  Directing "Brain Surgery Live" for National Geographic 26:34  Why sports broadcasters must understand history 38:46  The future of sports media and technology 41:29  Can AI replace directors?  46:30  What Emmy Awards really mean 52:30  Career advice 53:00 Outro   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com    

Welcome to episode 216 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Danny Davis, founder & CEO of Recon Sports - a platform helping college football teams use data and AI to build smarter rosters and develop elite athletes. We spoke about:  The use of athlete data in sports The risks of operating in college sports How military experience shaped his entrepreneurial mindset The mindset shift from Army officer to entrepreneur How he invested 10,000 hours to master his craft And much more!    Time stamps:  00:01 Intro 00:26  What Recon Sports does - syncing athlete data 01:22  Internal vs external data and identifying future stars 02:40  The hundreds of metrics collected across programs 04:15  The original idea: from high school analytics to college innovation 05:43  First client discovery and go-to-market process 07:02  Biggest challenge - scaling himself and training others 09:03  AI, digital twins, and the next frontier of sports analytics 11:19  Why consolidating data is the foundation of AI success 12:01  The risks of operating in college sports 14:38  Expanding into aerospace and other verticals 18:27  How military experience shaped his entrepreneurial mindset 22:02  The mindset shift from Army officer to entrepreneur 26:57  How he invested 10,000 hours to master his craft 31:14  The value of mentorship and how to find great mentors 37:17  Overcoming rejection and separating vision from strategy 40:16  Advice for breaking into the sports industry 43:40 Outro   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 215 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Jordy Leiser - the CEO of Jump, a platform which is redefining the fan experience, from AI-driven personalization to direct-to-consumer fan engagement. We spoke about: Why teams need to own their fan relationships How AI personalizes the sports experience The story behind Jump's $25M raise Working with Alexis Ohanian, Alex Rodriguez & Mark Lore The future of global fan engagement And much more! Time stamps: 00:01 Intro 00:30 Jump - connects the full fan experience 01:23 Partnering with North Carolina Courage and Minnesota Timberwolves 03:18 The meaning of "vertical platform" in sports tech 05:36 How Jump replaces legacy ticketing systems 07:51 Using AI to personalize fan experiences 10:58 Why direct-to-consumer fan relationships matter 15:01 Raising $25M led by Alexis Ohanian 18:23 Global expansion opportunities 20:32 Remote-first company culture & trust 23:19 Jordy's path from finance to sports entrepreneurship 33:47 Resilience through setbacks 39:15 Advice for young professionals in sports 40:35 Outro   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 214 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Spencer Gore – founder and CEO of Gorely Group and the owner & chairman of Chelmsford City Football Club. He is also the founder and CEO of EMJ (European Medical Journal) & AMJ (American Medical Journal) and EMJ Learnings. We spoke about: The power of daily visualization Why process = freedom How Chelmsford City plans to reach the Premier League by 2038 Lessons in leadership, failure, and mindset And much more! Time stamps: 00:01 Intro 00:33  How he manages multiple companies & leadership structure 01:58  The gap in the market that led to founding EMJ 05:38  Scaling challenges & importance of process 08:47  Launching AMJ in America — following his dream 10:18  Visualization & daily affirmations 13:01  Hiring for values over skills 15:49  Why he bought Chelmsford City FC 19:38  Reverse-engineering the 2038 Premier League goal 22:43  The 3 critical success metrics for Chelmsford City 28:36  Marginal gains and learning from Clive Woodward 35:03  Failures, mistakes & the "win or learn" philosophy 37:33  COVID resilience — "One day closer" mindset 39:00 Outro Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com  

Welcome to episode 213 of Sports Management Podcast. Todays guest is Elias Gallego – the VP of Business Development, Marketing and Media at Sporty Group and Football.com We spoke about: The sports media landscape Expanding to Latin America, Africa and more Balancing brand consistency across media, betting, entertainment and tech Elias' journey through sports And much more! Time stamps: 00:54 Sporty Group vision 01:59 Building SportyTV Nigeria in 4 months 06:13 Free-to-air model & European rights 08:12 Brazil strategy: Serie C rights + YouTube access 10:17 "Curated content is king" philosophy 12:10 Multi-country production hubs  13:39 Mobile-first, highlight-driven model 17:10 Balancing global brand with local identity 20:35 ROI and brand impact in multi-vertical business 23:20 Future of sports media & smart TV expansion 27:59 Watch parties and interactive fan experiences 37:07 Career advice: "Hard work and passion are non-negotiable Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 212 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Ed Horne – the Chief Operating Officer at On Location – a sports hospitality company set to deliver premium experiences. Ed has a long background in sports industry and he has worked for organizations like the NHL, NFL, 160over90 before joining On Location. Ed has been instrumental in getting NHL players to play in the Olympics as well as being part of organizing the first ever Super Bowl half time show. It was great speaking with Ed and learning from his wisdom. We spoke about: Key components for a successful event What fans request from a premium sports experience The skills you need to succeed in the sports industry His involvement in the first ever Super Bowl half time show His career journey and pitfalls along the way And much more! Time stamps: 00:01 Intro  02:23 Global Sports Hospitality  05:22 Experience Economy Growth and Consumer Expectations 06:52 The "driveway to driveway" experience 09:29 Technology Integration and Personalization Strategy 10:51 On Location future plans  17:42 Strategic Positioning within TKO and Multi-Property Synergies 19:00 Future Outlook and Market Vision 20:10 Leadership Philosophy and Talent Development 21:20 Ed's career bumps  23:00 Outro Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 211 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Pablo Carro. The co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Playtomic - the world's leading app for racket sport players and clubs. We spoke about: Why he started Playtomic How to avoid the Swedish example The benefits of competition Becoming the leading company in the field Their US expansion plans And much more! Time stamps: 00:01 Intro  00:47 Playtomic Origin story  03:19 Social DNA of Padel & how tech mirrors it 05:13 Scaling globally – passion & persistence 10:27 Sweden's rise & fall – the social lesson 13:24 Competition makes you stronger 15:29 U.S. expansion – 200 clubs in months 19:13 PwC Global Padel Report insights 28:58 Asia is next – India & China potential 30:00 Outro   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 210 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Szymon Szemberg, a reoccurring guest who first appeared on episode 5, almost 5 years ago – and a lot have happened since. Szymon recently wrote an article about the NBA closing in on a league in Europe and if this could lead to an NHL-driven ice hockey league in Europe as well. This topic became even more relevant when NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently stated that such a league could start already in 2027 or 2028. Szymon is the perfect person to discuss this topic. He has been a player, coach and later sports director and managing director of an elite basketball club in Sweden. He has worked as a sports reporter, covering both basketball and hockey. Between 2001-2014, he served as Communications Director for the International Ice Hockey Federation. He was the Champions Hockey League's project lead and later COO (2013-2015) and most recently he was the Managing Director of EHC, Alliance of European Hockey Clubs, from which he just stepped down after 10 years. We spoke about: Why the NBA is planning a new European league How such a league could be structured If NHL can go the same route, and if so how the league look like Szymon explains the possible 4 scenarios, from least to most likely. We also cover the financial and political implications And much more!   Time stamps: 00:01 Intro  02:00 NBA's European League Plans 03:30 The NBA's move to control the global basketball ecosystem13:30 The NHL's current strategic advantage 15:45 Expanding NHL franchises directly into Europe 20:45 Financial and Market Considerations for European Leagues 28:50 Potential NHL European League Scenarios and Strategy 35:00 Long-Term Vision and Regional Opportunities 40:00 Outro   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 209 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Maike Wellmann - a brand specialist, entrepreneur, and founder of Swim & Move Academy. Maike went from regional swimmer to building a thriving swim school and helping athletes and federations shape authentic brands. ' We spoke about: Why authenticity beats copy-paste branding How Swim & Move grew from 5 → 50+ classes in 2 years Branding workshops for federations & athletes Why hard skills can be taught, but passion can't Lessons in consistency, self-care & scaling a business And much more!  Time stamps: 00:01 Intro 07:27 Swim school growth from 5 to 50 classes 09:09 Authenticity in branding 13:49 AI & branding workshops for federations 31:50 Recruitment: hard skills can be taught, soft skills can't 34:29 Consistency + self-care in entrepreneurship 37:17 Taking a step back: aligning brain and heart Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to epsiode 108 of Sports Management Podcast. James Kerr is bestselling author of Legacy, the book that revealed the leadership principles behind the legendary All Blacks. We spoke about: What truly defines high performance Why humility and accountability matter How culture can be designed and delivered in any team Transferable skills from sports to business And much more!  Time stamps: 00:01 Intro 04:03 Defining High Performance 07:25 All Blacks Principles 09:10 Purpose explained through "day makers" 11:22 How to build culture 15:45 Toxic people & the "no dickheads" rule 18:25 How behaviors spread 24:47 What would a great All Black do? 27:55 Saying yes means first saying no (focus & sacrifice) Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 207 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is former Swiss Olympic Swimmer David Karasek. David is the owner of Swimpros, a swim camp focusing a lot on the mental aspect of swimming, since that was something David struggled with himself. Get ready to learn: Why David used to choke under pressure Why tennis players are the mentally strongest athletes The power of visualization What he has learned from Michael Phelps and Roger Federer Why sport is so important for kids What his favorite animal is His favorite C-words And much more! Time stamps: 00:01 Guest Introduction & Background 01:19 Swim Pros Business Development 10:18 Mental Training Philosophy & Techniques 19:46 Athletic Performance Insights 25:35 Youth Sports Development 30:36 Personal Journey & Career Transition Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 206 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is John Parker – the CEO of Kickback Soccer Media. John is clear: Soccer in the US is not an up and coming sport anymore. In this episode you can expect to learn: Why the media narrative around soccer is often wrong The building up to the Men's World Cup The Beckham rule The legacy after World Cup 2026 And much more! Time stamps: 01:36 Soccer's Current State in America 03:05 Company Overview & Mission 05:46 World Cup 2026 Concerns & Opportunities 06:56 Youth Development Evolution 19:53 Media & Fan Engagement Strategy 21:09 Player Quality & League Evolution 24:56 Future Predictions & Infrastructure 27:42 Career Journey & Industry Challenges Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com  

Welcome to episode 205 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Tan Kesler, the CEO and minority shareholder of the Ekstraklasa club Pogoń Szczecin. How can you take a club who is 48 hours away from collapse, to a financially stable club with a 10 year plan and a league contender? That's what we will learn today! We also spoke about: Leaving a secure job in England for a struggling Pogon Foreign investments in football How he was welcomed by the fans as a foreign owner Poland as an emerging football market Tan's journey from agent to sports executive And much more! Time stamps: 00:00 Podcast Introduction & Club Background 04:30 Financial Crisis Resolution 07:34 Market Opportunity Assessment 09:11 Operational Improvements & Revenue Streams 09:11 Football Assets & Academy 12:08 Strategic Goals & Timeline Balance 15:05 Polish Market Integration 18:05 Operational Philosophy 19:27 International League Development 20:54 Professional Background Journey 23:58 Agency & Executive Experience 29:37 Specific Organizational Goals 33:56 Career Advice & Industry Insights 35:24 Networking Recommendation   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to this week's episode of SMP Insights. Andrew Brandt grew up in Washington, DC and played tennis at Stanford University before going on to law school at Georgetown. He started his career as an unpaid intern at a firm that represented tennis players, but eventually transitioned into football and grew a team of clients from three to 15 over the course of six years. He then made the switch to the management side of the industry, taking on the role of running the Barcelona Dragons in the NFL's World League. From there, he went on to work with the Minnesota Vikings and eventually became the VP of the NFL team Green Bay Packers. Today he works as an academic director, hosting a podcast, writing a weekly newsletter and is often seen on ESPN giving insight to sports law matters. Get ready to learn: How To Get a Job in Sports Full episode: https://sportsmanagementpodcast.com/77-andrew-brandt-former-vp-of-green-bay-packers  ________________________________________________ Follow us on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com  

Colo Colo were on the verge of a squad overhaul after losing the title. Then, KPI Football told them something surprising: "You're already the best team. Keep your core, tweak a few details." They followed the advice. Next season: 🏆 Champions + 💰 Big budget savings. Jose Gandarellas joins me on Sports Management Podcast to share: The KPI that shows a player's value without goals or assists How AI predicts football success Lessons from running a club & a sports analytics startup 🎧 Full episode here → https://sportsmanagementpodcast.com/204-how-data-analytics-create-champions-jos-gandarillas-founder-of-kpi-football    Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 204 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is José Gandarillas – the founder of KPI Football. In this episode you will hear the story of how José took a football team from struggling to champions using data analytics. You will also learn: José's journey from industrial engineer to sports entrepreneur The time he was managing one of Chile's most iconic football clubs How covid almost changed everything How AI will impact the football industry And much more! Time Stamps:  00:30 Football KPI Overview & Founding 01:38 Data Analytics Methodology 11:34 Technology & AI Implementation 17:04 Jose's Professional Background 22:41 Future Plans & Market Expansion 24:33 Challenges & Obstacles 26:14 Networking & Industry Recommendations   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 203 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Chris Marshall – the Co-founder of Young Champs – an initiative to bring more young people into tennis. We spoke about: How to get more people into sports What's keeping kids from being active Over-coming the financial barrier to sport If there is a Marcus Rashford of tennis And much more! Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 202 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Leticia Martignon, founder of AquaNova - a bold initiative dedicated to transforming youth development in Switzerland through the sport of swimming. We spoke about: Building AquaNova Transforming lives through swimming Sport as a second education Why infrastructure should have a pulse And much more!   Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com

Welcome to episode 201 of Sports Management Podcast. Today's guest is Geoff Thomas MBE – A former professional footballer, cancer survivor and a Patron of charity for Cure Leukaemia. When this episode is live, he just completed all the 21 stages of the Tour the France, raising vital funds for Cure Leukaemia, a cause close to his heart having overcome chronic myeloid leukaemia himself. We spoke about: His background as a professional footballer 9 caps with England without losing Being diagnosed with leukaemia and getting 3 months to live Giving back through charities How Arthrosamid® helped with his knee pain And much more! Time stamps:  00:03 Guest Background & Football Career   03:09 Cancer Diagnosis & Treatment Journey   09:51 Sports Mindset Application to Cancer Treatment   11:54 Tour de France Charity Challenge   15:00 Cure Leukaemia Charity Evolution   19:46 Physical Challenges & Recovery Strategy   21:22 Arthrosamid Knee Treatment   27:09 Mental Health & Support Advice   31:58 Future Goals & Network    Follow Sports Management Podcast on social media Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com