52 Weeks of Hustle

Blue Wire
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52 Weeks of Hustle is a podcast hosted by Travis Apple, who has held Executive Roles with teams in the NBA and MLB. Each podcast will consist of Travis having a conversation with top ranking professionals in the sports industry as you will hear their career path, what they look for in successful people, and ultimately a few take-a-ways for listeners to apply to their day to day.

  1. 1d ago

    52 Weeks of Hustle - What Disney Understands About Fans That Sports Teams Still Don't

    🎙️ New Episode Alert — “What Disney Understands About Fans That Sports Teams Still Don’t” This week on the 52 Weeks of Hustle Podcast, I'm taking a different approach. After taking my wife and daughter, Scout, on a Disney Cruise, I came home with something unexpected—not souvenirs, but pages of notes. Everywhere I looked, I saw ideas that sports teams, arenas, and live entertainment venues could implement immediately to create better fan experiences. Disney isn't just delivering vacations—they're engineering memories. And I believe that's exactly what our industry should be doing. 🎢 3 Hustle Hot Topics from this episode: 🎢 Why the fan experience should begin long before game day 🎢 How small moments of personalization create lifelong loyalty 🎢 Why the best organizations design memories—not just transactions One of the biggest takeaways from this episode: People don't remember the final score five years later. They remember who they were with, how they felt, and the moments that surprised them. Disney understands that. It's time for sports to catch up. Whether you work in ticket sales, marketing, sponsorship, premium hospitality, game operations, or fan experience, this episode is packed with practical ideas that can be implemented immediately. Sometimes the best innovations don't come from inside our industry—they come from looking outside of it. Excited to continue Season 7 by sharing real-world lessons that can help elevate the future of sports and live entertainment. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 Weeks of Hustle - What Disney Understands About Fans That Sports Teams Still Don't

  2. Jul 15

    52 Weeks of Hustle with Tunde Oguntimein

    🎙️ New Episode Alert — “52 Weeks of Hustle Podcast” “Purpose, People, and Performance: Building Iconic Events and a Career That Lasts” This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Tunde Oguntimein, Vice President of the Club Performance Group at Major League Soccer, to discuss leadership, club development, and what it takes to help organizations perform at an elite level. Tunde has built an impressive career through internships, the NBA League Office, and now nearly a decade at Major League Soccer, where he partners with clubs across the league to improve business performance, develop people, and share best practices that drive long-term success. We discussed his career journey, leadership philosophy, and how helping others succeed has become the foundation of his career. ⚽ 3 Hustle Hot Topics from this episode: ⚽ How MLS clubs are preparing to capitalize on the momentum leading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup ⚽ What separates the clubs that consistently perform at a high level from those still searching for success ⚽ The skills and leadership qualities the next generation of sports business professionals must develop to thrive over the next decade One of my favorite themes from this conversation is that great leaders don't just focus on improving themselves—they create systems, cultures, and environments that help everyone around them perform at a higher level. Excited for everyone to hear Tunde's journey and perspective as we continue Season 7 of 52 Weeks of Hustle. #52WeeksOfHustle #SportsBusiness #MajorLeagueSoccer #MLS #Leadership #CareerDevelopment #SportsManagement #ClubPerformance #ProfessionalDevelopment #SoccerBusiness #Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 Weeks of Hustle with Tunde Oguntimein

  3. Jul 8

    52 Weeks of Hustle - NIL at Five - The Anniversary Reckoning

    🎙️ New Episode Alert — “NIL at Five: The Anniversary Reckoning” This week on the 52 Weeks of Hustle Podcast, I’m taking a look back at one of the most significant moments in the history of college athletics. Five years ago, NIL changed college sports forever. The debate has been loud ever since—but now we finally have enough data to answer the question: Did NIL ruin college sports…or did it force college athletics to finally operate like the multi-billion-dollar business it already was? In this episode, I break down what the first five years of NIL have taught us, where the biggest predictions were right (and wrong), and what every sports business leader should be paying attention to as the industry continues to evolve. 🏈 3 Hustle Hot Topics from this episode: 🏈 Five years later: Which NIL predictions actually came true? 🏈 How the House Settlement, revenue sharing, and collectives are reshaping the future of college athletics 🏈 What professional sports organizations can learn from the NIL era Whether you're working in college athletics, professional sports, sponsorship, marketing, ticketing, fundraising, or leadership, this episode offers valuable lessons on how one of the biggest industry disruptions of the last decade will continue shaping the future. Excited to continue Season 7 by breaking down the biggest trends impacting sports business and what they mean for leaders across the industry. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 Weeks of Hustle - NIL at Five - The Anniversary Reckoning

  4. Jul 1

    52 Weeks of Hustle with Matt Repchak

    🎙️ New Episode Alert — “52 Weeks of Hustle Podcast" This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Matt Repchak, Chief Marketing Officer at Florida Citrus Sports, to discuss leadership, career growth, marketing strategy, and what it takes to build a lasting career within one organization. Matt's journey is a great reminder that success isn't always about changing companies—sometimes it's about continuing to grow, evolve, and create value where you are. Over the past 20+ years, he has worked his way from Communications Assistant to Chief Marketing Officer, helping lead one of the premier sports and entertainment organizations in the country. We discussed his career journey, leadership philosophy, and how embracing new challenges has allowed him to continuously expand his impact across marketing, communications, ticketing, premium sales, and business strategy. 🏈 3 Hustle Hot Topics from this episode: 🏈 How to prioritize your time and focus on being exceptional instead of simply staying busy 🏈 Why the best leaders immerse themselves in every part of the business—not just their own department 🏈 How to build a long-term career by continuing to evolve, embrace change, and pursue new opportunities This episode is packed with leadership lessons, career advice, and practical insights for anyone working in sports, live entertainment, marketing, or business. Excited for everyone to hear Matt's incredible journey as we continue Season 7 of 52 Weeks of Hustle. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 Weeks of Hustle with Matt Repchak

  5. Jun 24

    52 Weeks of Hustle - The World Cup Ticketing Reset

    New Episode Alert - This week on “52 Weeks of Hustle Podcast,” I’m diving into one of the most important conversations happening in sports business today. Has the 2026 FIFA World Cup changed ticketing forever? From dynamic pricing and premium hospitality to resale challenges, fan trust, and regulatory scrutiny, the biggest sporting event in the world is providing a real-time case study that every team, league, venue, and live entertainment operator should be paying attention to. ⚽ 3 Hustle Hot Topics from this episode: ⚽ Why dynamic pricing is no longer a competitive advantage—it’s becoming the industry standard ⚽ How premium hospitality has evolved from an add-on to the primary revenue driver ⚽ Why fan trust may become the most valuable asset in sports ticketing over the next decade Whether you're in ticket sales, pricing, sponsorship, premium hospitality, marketing, or fan experience, the 2026 World Cup is offering lessons that extend far beyond soccer. Excited to continue Season 7 by exploring the biggest trends shaping sports and live entertainment and breaking down what they mean for our industry. #52WeeksOfHustle #SportsBusiness #WorldCup #Ticketing #DynamicPricing #FanExperience #Hospitality #SportsMarketing #RevenueStrategy #PremiumSales #LiveEntertainment #Leadership #Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 Weeks of Hustle - The World Cup Ticketing Reset

  6. Jun 17

    52 Weeks of Hustle with Jeff Scott

    🎙️ New Episode Alert — “52 Weeks of Hustle” featuring Jeff Scott, Assistant Athletic Director of Ticket Sales & Operations at Long Beach State Jeff has spent nearly two decades building and leading the ticket sales and operations function at Long Beach State, overseeing everything from season tickets and donations to game day operations, NCAA Championships, and third-party events. His career is a great example of what can happen when you combine consistency, leadership, and a relentless focus on the fan experience. 🎟️ 3 Hustle Hot Topics from this episode: 🎟️ How to prioritize resources when managing ticket sales and operations across multiple sports 🎟️ Building a season ticket and donor base that can withstand NIL, conference realignment, revenue sharing, and industry disruption 🎟️ What really happens behind the scenes to deliver a seamless game day experience for every fan One of my favorite themes from this conversation is that great ticketing isn't just about selling seats—it's about creating trust, consistency, and experiences that keep fans coming back year after year. Excited for everyone to hear Jeff's story and perspective as we continue Season 7 of 52 Weeks of Hustle. #52WeeksOfHustle #SportsBusiness #CollegeAthletics #LongBeachState #TicketSales #FanExperience #Leadership #CollegeSports #GameOperations #AthleticAdministration #SportsMarketing #Podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 Weeks of Hustle with Jeff Scott

  7. Jun 10

    52 Weeks of Hustle - The Coachella Effect

    🎙️ New Episode Alert — “The Coachella Effect: Why Festivals Aren’t Festivals Anymore” This week on “52 Weeks of Hustle Podcast,” I’m diving into one of the most fascinating shifts happening across live entertainment, sports, and consumer behavior today: Are people still buying tickets for the event itself—or are they buying access to a cultural moment? For years, festivals were built around the lineup. Today, the experience often matters more than the headliner. Brands, influencers, hospitality experiences, VIP access, social content, and exclusivity have become just as important as the performance itself. This episode explores what happened, why it happened, and most importantly, what sports organizations can learn from it. 🎤 3 Hustle Hot Topics from this episode: 🎤 Why experiences have become more valuable than possessions 🎤 How festivals transformed from events into full-scale marketing platforms 🎤 What sports teams can learn from Coachella, Formula 1, the NFL Draft, and other experience-driven properties Whether you're working in sports, entertainment, sponsorship, marketing, hospitality, or fan experience, this conversation is a reminder that consumers are increasingly paying for memories, access, and belonging—not simply admission. Excited to continue Season 7 by exploring the trends, ideas, and business strategies shaping the future of sports and live entertainment. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 Weeks of Hustle - The Coachella Effect

  8. Jun 3

    52 Weeks of Hustle with Dustin Toms

    🎙️ New Episode Alert — “52 Weeks of Hustle” featuring Dustin Toms This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Dustin Toms, SVP of Revenue at REVELxp, to discuss leadership, revenue growth, premium hospitality, and what it takes to create unforgettable experiences at some of the biggest events in sports. Dustin has built an impressive career spanning media, professional basketball, the G League, and now leading revenue strategy across a portfolio that includes the College Football Playoff National Championship, The Masters, the Kentucky Derby, and more. We discussed his journey from journalism and media relations to leading revenue operations for some of the most iconic events in sports and entertainment. 🏟️ 3 Hustle Hot Topics from this episode: 🏟️ How to effectively lead teams across a national footprint while maintaining culture and accountability 🏟️ Building a service-first organization where relationships matter more than transactions 🏟️ What it really takes behind the scenes to execute world-class events with no margin for error One of my favorite themes from this conversation is that great hospitality isn't about the seats, the suite, or the event itself—it's about how people feel throughout the experience. This episode is packed with leadership lessons, revenue strategies, and practical insights for anyone working in sports, live entertainment, hospitality, or customer experience. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 Weeks of Hustle with Dustin Toms
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About

52 Weeks of Hustle is a podcast hosted by Travis Apple, who has held Executive Roles with teams in the NBA and MLB. Each podcast will consist of Travis having a conversation with top ranking professionals in the sports industry as you will hear their career path, what they look for in successful people, and ultimately a few take-a-ways for listeners to apply to their day to day.

Information

  • Creator
    Blue Wire
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    326
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Travis Apple
  • Show Website
    52 Weeks of Hustle

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