Going For It‪!‬ Professional Sports Partners

In a special episode of Going For It, host Ben Crook is joined by PSP CEO Jason Kohll and COO Tamara Lupo as they take a trip down memory lane as the agency celebrates its 10 year anniversary. Jason and Tamara explain the agency's vision and explore the growth experienced over the past decade, and we hear from several "early adopters" of PSP as they share their experiences with the agency and reminisce on some stories from our first 10 years.

Gretchen Sheirr joins PSP's Ben Crook and Jason Kohll for a conversation about her role at the Rockets, being one of a handful of female execs in the NBA, and her growth through the organization after 20 years with the team. Sheirr also discusses how the Rockets have kept their fanbase engaged and active during a rebuilding period, and what flexibility that allows that maybe isn't available when the team on the court is a championship contender.

Amanda Mann was on the forefront of the Covid-19 pandemic as the GM of the Moda Center, home of the Portland Trailblazers. She chats with PSP's Ben Crook and Tamara Lupo about how they had to react to the pandemic and how it's changed venue operations as fans have returned. Mann also shares her experience in founding the Portland chapter of WISE (Women in Sports & Entertainment), and how she's made connections with fellow female GMs in a field traditionally dominated by men. Finally, we look ahead to what's coming in the sports and entertainment industry and the one thing that she recommends building for with a new venue or renovations.

While still not fully decriminalized across the United States, the cannabis industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country and is primed to make waves in the sports sponsorship world as perceptions, league rules, and state and federal laws evolve. Dustin Smalley is the CEO of Bird Rock Group, a cannabis consulting firm, which has recently partnered with Professional Sports Partners to help cannabis companies explore opportunities within the sports landscape to highlight the health and wellness benefits of their products. Dustin speaks with host Ben Crook and PSP CEO Jason Kohll about the partnership, the changing landscape of the young cannabis industry, and the category's future in sports.

As we prepare for the start of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo (in the summer of 2021), host Ben Crook speaks with the CEO of USA Triathlon, Rocky Harris. Harris shares how USA Triathlon and their Olympic athletes are approaching this summer after last year's postponement, plus how USA Triathlon's mission extends beyond the Games to its members at the amateur levels. Harris also dives into how participatory sports such as triathlon are driving partnerships, and how he views USA Triathlon's role in caring for athletes' well-being and growing diversity within the sport.

This episode, we're excited to welcome our friend J.W. Cannon, Senior Director of Sports Alliances at the American Cancer Society. ACS has strategic partnerships across the sports landscape, from the NFL to college basketball and more, and J.W. provides insight into how his team and PSP work together to maximize those partnerships to tell ACS's story and support the organization's broader mission to fight cancer and support those affected by it. Plus, J.W. shares his journey through 20+ years in the sports marketing industry and the trends he's watching closely going forward.