The CUSP Show

The CUSP Show
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Home of the Columbia University Sports Management Podcast ('The CUSP Show'), faculty members Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson host thought leaders from across the sports industry as they discuss a wide array of topics. thecuspshow.substack.com

  1. 497: Next League Co-Founder Dave Nugent Talks Building Tech Stacks That Drive Fan Growth

    21 HR AGO

    497: Next League Co-Founder Dave Nugent Talks Building Tech Stacks That Drive Fan Growth

    Live from SuperBowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Dave Nugent, Co-Founder & CEO of Next League, to unpack how sports organizations should evaluate, build, and operate technology that grows audiences and drives revenue. Nugent shares his path from co-founding OMNIGON in 2008, spotting an early gap in “deep tech” within sports, to selling the company to Infront Sports & Media, learning inside a larger global organization, and ultimately launching Next League to fill a need that still hadn’t been solved. Nugent explains Next League’s role as an “owner’s rep” for sports properties: helping teams and leagues decide what to invest in, how to prioritize outcomes over shiny objects, and how to get “90% of the functionality for 50% of the price.” The group discusses why trust and long-term relationships matter in complex services work, how leadership and culture shape tech decision-making, and why it’s increasingly hard for even experienced executives to keep up with the pace of change. Nugent also highlights work Next League is doing across the sports landscape, including Team USA’s challenge of maintaining fan engagement between Olympic cycles, NASCAR’s evolving fan experience, and opportunities with properties like TGL, the LPGA, and others. He closes by previewing his upcoming book, The Business of Sports Technology (releasing April 14), and his podcast, Know What Is Next, focused on what’s changing across sports and technology. Connect with Dave: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nugentdavid/ The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

    25 min
  2. 496: SMAC Entertainment’s Jose Diaz on Managing Talent and Creating Media That Scales

    1 DAY AGO

    496: SMAC Entertainment’s Jose Diaz on Managing Talent and Creating Media That Scales

    Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Jose Diaz, Executive Vice President at SMAC Entertainment, to break down how the agency operates at the intersection of talent management, content production, brand incubation, and strategic partnerships. Diaz shares SMAC’s origin story, from early days working out of Constance Schwartz’s kitchen table to building a multifaceted business representing high-profile clients such as Michael Strahan, Deion Sanders, Tony Gonzalez, Aaron Andrews, Deanna Flores, and others. Diaz explains SMAC’s “client-first” approach: starting with a talent’s long-term goals, aligning every opportunity to that mission, and making selective decisions that prioritize longevity over quick paydays. He details how athlete storytelling has shifted across podcasts, streaming, and digital-first platforms, highlighting projects like Coach Prime, Evolution of the Black Quarterback, the upcoming Madden film, and branded content initiatives tied to the growth of flag football ahead of LA28. The conversation also dives into media training, NIL-era realities, building trust through transparency, and why smaller companies can offer early-career professionals outsized responsibility and accelerated learning. Connect with Jose: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdiaz021/ The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

    41 min
  3. 495: Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation President & CDO Dedan Brozino on CFP & LA28

    2 DAYS AGO

    495: Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation President & CDO Dedan Brozino on CFP & LA28

    Live from SuperBowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner sit down with Dedan Brozino, Chief Development Officer and President of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, to talk legacy, modernization, and what’s next for one of sports’ most iconic venues. Brozino breaks down the Rose Bowl’s unique governance structure, City of Pasadena ownership, the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation’s fundraising role, and the Tournament of Roses’ leadership around the Rose Bowl Game and the evolving College Football Playoff landscape. The conversation covers UCLA’s ongoing relationship with the stadium, why the Rose Bowl aims to stay central as college football changes, and how major investments are preparing the venue for the future. Brozino shares details on current and upcoming upgrades, including a new South End Zone field-level club, plans for a massive video board, and a post-Olympics seating reconfiguration designed to improve comfort and safety while preserving the stadium’s historic architecture. Looking ahead to LA28, he previews the Rose Bowl’s role as host of the men’s and women’s soccer semifinals and finals, adding to a long list of defining moments that have made the venue a generational bucket-list destination. Connect with Dedan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dedanbrozino/ The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

    21 min
  4. 494: Dystany Spurlock on Becoming the First African-American Woman to Race the NASCAR ARCA Series

    3 DAYS AGO

    494: Dystany Spurlock on Becoming the First African-American Woman to Race the NASCAR ARCA Series

    Live from SuperBowl Radio Row, on National Girls & Women in Sports Day, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Dystany Spurlock to the show. Spurlock shares her unconventional path to stock car racing, starting on motorcycles as a kid, setting a record on a BMW S1000RR, and grinding for years while working as a tractor-trailer driver and sending sponsorship emails between loads. Now backed by Foxxtecca, she’s preparing to debut in the NASCAR ARCA Menards Series, with a clear ladder in mind: a full ARCA season, the O’Reilly Series, and ultimately the Cup Series. Spurlock breaks down what transfers from motorcycles to cars (fear management, fitness, and focus), how she trains and studies the sport “to failure,” and why understanding the engineering helps her communicate better feedback to her team. She also talks about crashes, flow state, and how she builds a following by engaging fans beyond racing, while staying authentically herself through fashion, personal branding, and her Avatar-inspired design choices. Connect with Dystany: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dystanyspurlock/ Follow Dystany on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dystanyspurlock/ The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

    15 min
  5. 493: Daniel Shi and Shivaas Gulati on Using AI to Modernize the Sports Business

    18 FEB

    493: Daniel Shi and Shivaas Gulati on Using AI to Modernize the Sports Business

    Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Daniel Shi and Shivaas Gulati, co-founders of Arkero AI, for a conversation on how artificial intelligence is beginning to transform the business side of sports. Fresh off a $6.2M seed raise backed by investors including Alexis Ohanian and Roger Ehrenberg, the founders explain why sports remains one of the most under-software-ed industries, and how AI can finally move teams beyond email-and-Excel operations. The discussion explores Arkero’s philosophy of working backwards from real business problems, embedding with teams to improve productivity, decision-making, and revenue generation rather than selling AI for its own sake. Gulati shares insights from owning Southend United in England and how the club has become a live testing ground for AI-powered planning and operational efficiency. Shi reflects on scaling a fintech company from startup to IPO, why private equity sees massive upside in sports modernization, and how AI could allow smaller clubs to operate with the sophistication of top-tier organizations. The episode closes with a forward-looking look at how AI may reshape sports operations, fan experience, and club management over the next five years. Connect with Daniel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielshi/ Connect with Shivaas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivaas/ The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

    29 min
  6. 492: Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-Time Division UFC Champion Henry Cejudo Talks Life After the Octagon

    16 FEB

    492: Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-Time Division UFC Champion Henry Cejudo Talks Life After the Octagon

    Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Olympic Gold Medalist and two-division UFC Champion Henry “Triple C” Cejudo for a powerful conversation on resilience, reinvention, and what it truly means to compete at the highest level. Cejudo reflects on his journey from growing up in poverty as the son of undocumented immigrant parents to becoming the youngest American Olympic wrestling gold medalist in 2008, and later capturing UFC titles in two weight classes. He shares what it felt like standing atop the Olympic podium, why wrestling remains the purest test of competition, and how he rebounded from setbacks early in his MMA career to become a champion again. Beyond the cage, Cejudo discusses life after fighting, mentoring other athletes in business, launching One Water, and the importance of self-awareness, discipline, and surrounding yourself with the right “engineers” to maximize both heart and ability. The episode explores legacy, leadership, and how elite performers transition from sport into entrepreneurship while continuing to inspire the next generation. Connect with Henry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-cejudo/ Follow Henry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henry_cejudo/?hl=en Follow Henry on X: https://x.com/HenryCejudo Henry’s Profile on ESPN: https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3023388/henry-cejudo Henry’s Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@Pound4PoundwithKamaruHenry The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

    17 min
  7. 491: Chris Stone on Why Sports Coverage and Media Isn’t Dying, It’s Fragmenting

    16 FEB

    491: Chris Stone on Why Sports Coverage and Media Isn’t Dying, It’s Fragmenting

    Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner sit down with Chris Stone, whose career spans across sports media at Sports Illustrated and the LA Times and Co-Founder of emerging platform, Off Ball, to unpack how sports storytelling is changing in real time. Stone explains Off Ball’s founding premise: making it easier to sort the “chaos” of the internet and surface the most interesting sports-and-culture stories across formats, from longform writing to YouTube shorts and social threads. He details Off Ball’s approach to human-driven curation (not aggregation), including how a small team selects dozens of pieces each day from a much larger universe and sends audiences directly to creators. The conversation also turns to the week’s major media news, Washington Post sports cuts, and what it signals about the difficulty of reinventing legacy organizations, the growing fragmentation of sports coverage, and why demand for high-quality local and cultural sports storytelling hasn’t disappeared. Stone shares what he’s learned in Off Ball’s first phase, establishing credibility and relationships with creators, and previews the platform’s next chapter: building original storytelling experiences and new formats, while helping connect the creator class with media outlets, brands, and leagues. Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-stone-1401b31/ The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

    31 min
  8. 490: The Expanding Business of Sports, Fashion, and Pop Culture

    13 FEB

    490: The Expanding Business of Sports, Fashion, and Pop Culture

    Recorded at the 2025 Columbia Sports Management Conference in October, Kati Fernandez (Chief Content Officer at Together) welcomes: Emilie Arel (President, Mitchell & Ness), April Guidone (COO, SMAC Entertainment), and Natalie White (Founder & CEO, Moolah Kicks) to talk how brands, leagues, athletes, and entrepreneurs are shaping modern fan identity through product, partnerships, and culture. Arrell breaks down what makes an authentic collaboration, and how heritage brands balance trend moments with long-term DNA. Walker explains how SMAC uses capsule collaborations to test culture and consumer demand, why women’s fan apparel has moved beyond “shrink it and pink it,” and how the tunnel walk has become the new runway. White details how Moolah Kicks designs performance footwear specifically for female basketball players by listening directly to athletes, building trust at scale, and pushing women’s basketball sneaker culture forward. The conversation also touches on trend cycles versus commercial viability, the rise of women’s sports as a commerce growth engine, and what’s next, from wearables in apparel to dream collaborations tied to major moments like the WNBA’s 30th anniversary and LA28. Connect with Kati: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiuska-fernandez/ Connect with Emilie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-arel-bb4b161/ Connect with April: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilguidone/ Connect with Natalie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-white-792298127/ The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

    47 min
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About

Home of the Columbia University Sports Management Podcast ('The CUSP Show'), faculty members Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson host thought leaders from across the sports industry as they discuss a wide array of topics. thecuspshow.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    The CUSP Show
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    501
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The CUSP Show
  • Show Website
    The CUSP Show

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