Sports Marketing Machine Podcast

Jeremy Neisser
  • 5.0 (9)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

If you're a sports executive or digital marketer working to fill seats, drive ticket sales, and grow your fan base, the Sports Marketing Machine Show is for you! Award-winning sports marketing veteran host, Jeremy Neisser brings with him over 21 years of experience in sports marketing and shares We'll cover all aspects of marketing including digital advertising, social media strategy, branding, customer relationship management, and how to best use analytics to measure success. With interviews from experts in digital marketing and sports industry veterans, you’ll be sure to find some helpful tips on how to engage more with your fans – all while having fun learning. Tune into Sports Marketing Machine for tips and advice on how to grow your fan base and sell more tickets. 

  1. 1D AGO

    158 - The Theme Night Framework That Actually Works

    Send us Fan Mail Most teams are asking the wrong question when it comes to theme nights—and it’s costing them ticket revenue. In this episode, Jeremy Neisser breaks down a practical, repeatable framework for building theme nights around real audiences, not random ideas. If you want your promotions to actually sell tickets (and grow year over year), this is the blueprint. Key Topics Covered  Why “What theme night should we do?” is the wrong starting point  The shift from idea-first thinking → audience-first strategy The 4-part framework every successful theme night must have:  Clear audience  Reachable list  Organizer/advocate  Compelling reason to attend  How weak theme nights fail (and why they don’t drive group sales)  Real examples of audience-driven nights (Korean Night, Healthcare Appreciation, Bark in the Park)  How to evaluate and score your current theme nights for effectiveness  The role of organizers (coaches, principals, business leaders) in scaling ticket sales  Building momentum: turning 200-ticket nights into 500+ year-over-year  Why specificity beats broad appeal when trying to grow attendance Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: Why most theme nights don’t work  00:26 – The common mistake teams make when planning promotions  00:54 – Theme nights as audience strategy (not ideas)  01:46 – The wrong question teams are asking  02:16 – Start with audience: the foundation of every successful night  03:15 – Real-world examples of targeted theme nights  04:10 – Build the idea for the audience (not the other way around)  05:07 – The 4-part theme night framework  05:37 – Defining a clear, specific audience  06:05 – Do you actually have a list to reach them?  06:34 – The importance of having an organizer/advocate  07:03 – Creating a compelling reason to rally a group  07:58 – Challenges at the minor league and college level  09:22 – The 4-point filter to evaluate your theme nights  10:20 – Using momentum to grow attendance year-over-year  11:14 – Leveraging past success to scale future nights  12:13 – Why specificity drives results  13:10 – Prioritizing high-impact theme nights  14:07 – Continuous improvement and iteration  15:04 – Final takeaway: audience first, always  15:34 – Wrap-up and next steps Core Takeaway Theme nights aren’t promotions—they’re audience acquisition strategies. If you don’t have:  A clearly defined audience  A way to reach them  Someone to organize them  A reason for them to show up …you don’t have a theme night. You have an idea. Resources & Links  Previous Episode: Top 10 Theme Nights That Actually Sold Tickets  Revelocity Sports  Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    16 min

  2. MAR 25

    157 - What Your Group Renewal Rate SHOULD Be — And Why They Don’t Come Back

    Send us Fan Mail Most teams sit at a 75–85% group renewal rate… but that’s not the goal — it’s the starting point. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down what elite renewal actually looks like, why groups really don’t come back, and how small breakdowns quietly kill retention. If you want to stop rebuilding your book of business every year and start compounding revenue, this is a must-listen. Key Topics Covered Why 75–85% renewal is average — and why 90%+ should be your targetThe hidden cost of low renewal rates (and how it kills efficiency)The real reason groups don’t come back: “death by a thousand cuts”Why lack of follow-up is the #1 renewal killer (and how to fix it)How experience vs. expectation gaps destroy retentionTurning one-time group outings into long-term relationshipsSimple post-event follow-up systems that drive repeat bookingsHow to segment groups by renewal potential and prioritize the right onesWhy you’re not selling tickets — you’re selling someone else’s reputationThe KPIs that actually matter: tracking renewal revenue, not just volumeTimestamps 00:00 – Why renewal rates matter more than you think  00:30 – Industry benchmarks vs. real goals (75–85% vs. 90%+)  01:35 – Renewal rate = reflection of your entire system  02:28 – The compounding impact of lost groups each year  03:53 – Excluding one-time groups from your true renewal rate  04:51 – Why higher renewal = massive efficiency gains  05:20 – “Death by a thousand cuts” — why groups actually leave  05:49 – The #1 mistake: not asking for the renewal  06:45 – No follow-up = no renewal system  07:16 – Experience vs. expectation gaps  08:12 – Group leader pressure: you’re selling their reputation  09:10 – Why transactional thinking kills long-term revenue  09:39 – Creating next steps and ongoing engagement  10:08 – One-time vs. repeatable groups (and how to handle both)  11:04 – Turning situational buyers into repeat customers  12:23 – Game day execution + post-event engagement  12:52 – Using photos and recaps to reinforce the experience  14:35 – Pricing vs. perceived value  15:04 – Positioning your offer as a time-saver  16:55 – Building a simple follow-up sequence (24–72 hours + beyond)  17:21 – Creating urgency for next year’s booking  18:10 – Giving group leaders a “win”  18:39 – Segmenting groups by renewal potential  19:31 – Tracking renewal KPIs that actually matter  21:18 – Why renewal is always improve-able  21:47 – The real takeaway: small issues drive churn  22:17 – Shift from transactional → relationship-based selling  23:13 – Using surveys and feedback to continuously improve Episodes mentioned:  134: Season Tickets vs Single Game - And How to Convert One Into the Other 139: What Is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)? Call to Action Pull your group sales data from last season and answer two questions: What percentage actually renewed?Why didn’t the others come back?Then build a simple post-event follow-up system — because without it, you don’t have a renewal strategy… you have a guessing game. Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    24 min

  3. MAR 20

    156 - Pros / Cons of Doing Trade Deals with Your Marketing

    Send us Fan Mail Trade deals are everywhere in sports—but most teams treat them like “free marketing” instead of what they actually are: untracked investments. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down how trade really works, where it provides value, and why it often fails to drive results. If you’re relying on trade without accountability, this will change how you think about it. Key Topics Covered Why trade isn’t free—and how teams unknowingly give up real revenueThe right way to use trade: unsold inventory, awareness, and sponsor amplificationWhy trade is almost always a top-of-funnel channel (not a ticket sales driver)The biggest mistakes teams make: no tracking, no accountability, wrong expectationsHow media partners often deliver leftover or low-value inventoryThe problem with inflated trade value across different market sizesWhy digital add-ons (email blasts, banners) are often overvalued and underperformingHow to treat trade like paid media with promo codes, landing pages, and performance reviewsTimestamps 00:00 – Intro: Why trade is everywhere—but rarely measured01:25 – What trade actually is (and why teams love it)02:23 – The “free marketing” illusion03:47 – Why lack of accountability is the real issue04:16 – Where trade actually works (unsold inventory + awareness)05:56 – Budget constraints and why trade is so attractive06:24 – Using trade to enhance sponsorship value08:13 – Creative community exposure opportunities09:08 – Trade = top-of-funnel (not direct response)10:37 – The expectation gap: trade vs. paid media11:07 – The tracking problem (and why nobody knows what works)12:56 – Leftover inventory and bad placements15:18 – Inflated value and market-size mismatches16:00 – Why accountability disappears in trade deals17:09 – The truth about digital add-ons20:31 – How to actually use trade the right way21:22 – What to avoid (high-demand inventory, no tracking)22:47 – Treating trade like real media23:16 – Final takeaways: awareness vs. revenue Episodes Mentioned: 125 - I saw your ad but didn't buy 111 - Building Your Marketing Budget Like a Funnel Call to Action If you’re doing trade deals and not sure if they’re actually working, let’s take a look.  Head over to sportsmarketingmachine.com and schedule a free 30-minute call—I’ll help you evaluate what you’re getting and where you might be leaving revenue on the table. Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    26 min

  4. MAR 17

    155 - Game Entertainment 101 - How Great Teams Design Crowd Energy

    Send us Fan Mail Most teams treat in-game promotions as filler between plays. The best teams use them to design the energy of the building. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down what he observed during a Sacramento Kings game and shares five practical principles he calls Game Entertainment 101. These fundamentals show how smart teams engage thousands of fans at once, create better crowd energy, support sponsors, and even drive revenue during the game. Whether you work in marketing, ticket sales, or game operations, these lessons can help you create a more intentional and more engaging game-day experience. Game Entertainment 101 – The 5 Rules 1. Design promotions for thousands, not one person Too many promotions involve one fan on the field while everyone else watches. The best promotions invite entire sections — or the whole building — to participate. At the Kings game, a themed “Lowrider Cam” had fans pretending to drive lowriders in their seats, turning thousands of fans into part of the entertainment. 2. Timing matters more than the promotion Crowd prompts like “Make Noise” or decibel meters are most powerful when used strategically. The Kings used them before tip-off, coming out of halftime, and during key late-game moments — when the team needed crowd energy the most. 3. Let the game breathe The video board shouldn’t demand attention every second. The best game presentations mix high-energy interactive moments with quieter stretches where fans can simply watch the game and take in the atmosphere. 4. Game entertainment should drive revenue In-game moments are powerful opportunities to promote concessions, merchandise, and sponsors. The Kings tied promotions to specific game moments — like a discount triggered after the team hit its 10th three-pointer — creating excitement while driving sales. 5. Your PA announcer is a crowd conductor A great PA voice does more than read scripts. They help guide the rhythm of the game — amplifying big moments, supporting promotions, and letting the game breathe when it needs to. Key Topics Covered Why many in-game promotions fail to engage fansHow to design promotions that involve entire sectionsThe importance of timing for crowd prompts and giveawaysUsing game entertainment to drive concessions and sponsor activationsThe role of the PA announcer in shaping the fan experienceSports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    18 min

  5. MAR 8

    154 - How to Make Your Group Sales Page Easier to Buy From

    Send us Fan Mail Group ticket buyers aren’t casual fans — they’re planners. Office managers, HR directors, coaches, and teachers are trying to organize an event without creating more work for themselves. If your group sales page makes them think too hard, they leave. In this episode, Jeremy Neisser explains how cognitive load quietly kills group sales and shares a simple framework that helps teams make their group pages clearer, faster to understand, and easier to book. Jeremy also walks through how small changes in messaging — like clearer headlines, pricing cues, and fewer decisions — can dramatically increase group inquiries. Key Topics Covered Why cognitive load is one of the biggest hidden killers of group ticket salesThe four questions every group sales page must answer immediatelyWhy group buyers behave differently than single-game ticket buyersHow too many packages, options, and paragraphs create frictionThe power of bullet points over paragraphs on sales pagesWhy teams should show starting prices early instead of hiding pricingThe importance of one clear call-to-action for group buyersThe “Caveman Test” for instantly evaluating your website clarityThe 4 Questions Every Group Sales Page Must Answer When a group organizer lands on your page, they are trying to answer four simple questions: Is this for me? Show the types of outings immediately (company picnic, youth sports night, church outing, birthday party, etc.).What do I get? Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs.What does it cost? Even simple starting pricing reduces friction.What do I do next? Give one clear action like “Check available dates” or “Get group pricing.”If buyers have to scroll around and interpret things to figure these out, you’ve created friction. And confused people don’t buy tickets. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: The hidden killer of group sales  01:28 – What cognitive load actually means  02:30 – Why group buyers behave differently than single-game buyers  04:16 – The four questions every group sales page must answer  05:43 – Why bullet points outperform paragraphs  06:41 – The importance of showing pricing early  07:32 – Simplifying your call-to-action  08:57 – Common mistakes teams make on group sales pages  10:50 – The “Caveman Test” for website clarity  11:48 – Live teardown of a Minor League group sales page  14:06 – Why clarity matters more than traffic YouTube walk-through video - LINK Call to Action If this episode helped you rethink your group sales pages, share it with someone else in sports who’s trying to sell more tickets and grow their fan base. And if you enjoyed the show, a quick rating or review on Apple or Spotify helps more sports marketers discover the podcast. Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    15 min

  6. FEB 28

    153 - Selling Merchandise on Amazon — The Pros, Cons & Hidden Tradeoffs for Sports Teams

    Send us Fan Mail Should your team be selling merchandise on Amazon? In this episode, Jeremy breaks down the real strategic implications of adding Amazon as a sales channel — from margin math and SEO strategy to customer data ownership and cannibalization risk. If you're responsible for revenue, merchandise, or digital marketing, this is your practical roadmap before you jump in. Key Topics Covered Why Amazon is more search engine than storefront — and why that mattersThe real math behind Amazon’s 15% referral feeFBA vs. FBM: Fulfillment by Amazon vs. Merchant fulfillmentThe hidden cost of losing first-party customer dataWhy you should never push your fans from Shopify to AmazonHow Amazon SEO works (and why semantic SEO matters)Why city/state-forward merchandise should launch before team-branded itemsHow to prevent Shopify cannibalizationPricing strategy: Why you may want to charge more on AmazonUsing Amazon strictly as an acquisition channelConnecting Shopify to Amazon with Marketplace ConnectModeling margin before listing a single productChapters 00:00 Introduction to Selling Merchandise on Amazon  01:59 Why Amazon Is a Powerful Sales Channel  03:48 Revenue Potential During Peak Seasons  05:42 Fulfillment Options: FBA vs FBM  07:08 Understanding Amazon Fees and Margins  08:32 Customer Data Ownership and Marketing Challenges  10:54 The Importance of SEO and Search Demand  13:14 Keyword Strategies and Search Terms  14:58 Starting with City and State Apparel  18:23 Semantic SEO and Listing Optimization  20:12 Connecting Shopify and Amazon  21:32 Getting Started and Learning the Platform  22:29 Pricing, Margins, and Protecting Your Brand  23:25 Strategies to Increase Sales and Customer Lifetime Value  24:46 Balancing Amazon and Shopify for Growth  26:10 Next Steps and Deeper Conversations Core Strategic Takeaways 1. Amazon is an acquisition engine — not a loyalty platform.  You will gain reach. You will gain visibility. But Amazon owns the customer relationship — not you. 2. Start broad before going branded.  City-forward, state-pride, and general baseball apparel can build search velocity and reviews before you launch deeper team SKUs. 3. SEO is the real game.  Amazon rankings are driven by relevance + performance + conversion velocity. Without visibility, there are no sales. 4. Model your numbers before you move inventory.  Understand your true profit after fees. Align pricing carefully. Consider charging slightly more on Amazon to protect margin. Resources Mentioned Shopify Marketplace ConnectMarketplace Connect TipsFulfillment by Merchant Overview & Referral FeesAmazon Seller CentralAmazon Seller UniversitySemantic SEO research toolsJungle ScoutHelium 10Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    27 min

  7. FEB 21

    152 - Why More Reach Didn’t Mean More Ticket Sales (And What Actually Fixes It)

    Send us Fan Mail One team grew social reach from 7 million to 12+ million impressions.  Engagement exploded. Video views were up. ROAS? 7–8x. And yet… single-game ticket sales stayed flat. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down why awareness alone doesn’t create growth, the difference between monetizing demand vs. multiplying it, and how to structure your funnel so reach actually turns into repeat buyers. Key Topics Why a strong ROAS can still hide a growth ceilingMonetizing demand vs. multiplying demandThe 3 Ad Buckets every sports team must useWhy frequency problems get mistaken for awareness problemsThe overlooked “Game 2 Strategy”Database growth as a revenue multiplierWhy timing sales ads to 24–48 hour buying windows mattersThe Core Lesson This team didn’t hit a wall.  They hit a ceiling. Their ads worked.  Demand exists. But their funnel wasn’t engineered to move fans from awareness → intent → repeat behavior. The 3 Ad Buckets Framework Every ad must live in one of three buckets: 1. Audience Building - Build familiarity and retargeting pools. 2. Buyer Warming - Reduce friction and drive traffic. 3. Buyer Ready - Sell tickets. If every ad says “Buy Now,” none of them function like true sales ads. Platforms optimize for engagement — not wallet behavior. They’ll find people who: WatchLikeCommentShareThey are not automatically optimizing for: Selecting a dateBringing a familyBuying multiple gamesThat behavior must be engineered. This team likely: Re-activated past buyersSold to an existing poolImproved efficiencyBut didn’t expand the buyer base. That’s a frequency problem — not an awareness problem. 5 Layers That Unlock Growth Capture Before Conversion – Own the relationship early.Retargeting Discipline – Structured audience building.Separate Content Tracks – Entertain and sell.Game 2 Strategy – Opening Day is marketing. The rest is sales.Group Data Capture – 50 tickets sold ≠ 1 contact captured.Database growth = revenue growth. The Timing Insight Most Teams Miss Most single-game tickets are purchased within 24–48 hours of the game. If your conversion ads aren’t strongest during that window, you’re fighting buying behavior. Align your ads with when fans are ready to act. Timestamps 00:00 – Massive reach, flat sales  01:16 – The 7–8x ROAS breakdown  03:30 – Monetize vs. multiply demand  05:14 – The 3 Ad Buckets  08:16 – Engagement vs. buyer behavior  12:57 – 5 growth unlocks  19:43 – Ceiling vs. wall  20:20 – Timing matters  21:52 – Self-audit questions Episodes mentioned: Episode 125 - “I Saw Your Ad—But Didn’t Buy”: Fixing the Fan Follow-Up Funnel Episode 111 - Building Your Marketing Budget Like a Funnel: Awareness to Action Episode 132 - The 35,000 Visitor Problem: Why More Traffic Can Tank Your Profits Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    23 min

  8. FEB 15

    151 - Why Your Meta Ad Creative Isn’t Built to Scale (And What to Fix)

    Send us Fan Mail If you're still running one “hero ad” and hoping it scales, you're already behind. In this episode, Jeremy breaks down why Meta’s evolving algorithm has made single-creative campaigns obsolete—and why sports teams must shift from building one good ad to building a creative system. You’ll learn how to structure multiple angles around one game, how to think in buyer motivations (not demographics), and how to create a “creative menu” that actually drives ticket sales. Key Topics Covered Why “What’s the best ad format?” is the wrong questionThe myth of the one perfect ticket-selling adHow Meta’s reduced targeting options change everythingThe “menu problem” most teams don’t realize they have5 psychological ticket-buyer motivations for the same eventWhy frequency spikes and CPM increases aren’t budget problemsHow to build 8–10 creative variations from one gameUsing ChatGPT to generate angles, hooks, and copy fasterWhy warming ads matter (AIDA framework explained)The difference between boosting posts and building strategyTimestamps 00:00 – The myth of the “one killer ad” 02:40 – Why buyers aren’t all motivated by the same thing 05:50 – The ice cream shop analogy (creative variety explained) 06:11 – 5 angles for the same Saturday Night Fireworks game 08:30 – Why Meta won’t scale one message anymore 10:44 – How to practically build multiple creative angles 11:51 – The AIDA framework and warming ads 13:00 – Simple 4-step creative system for teams 15:19 – Stop boosting. Start building a creative menu. The Big Idea: You Don’t Have a Targeting Problem. You Have a Creative Problem. Most teams run: One graphicOne hype videoOne captionOne boosted postThat’s vanilla ice cream. But your fans don’t all buy tickets for the same reason. Some buy for: Family memoriesSocial nights outDate nightsCorporate hostingWhen you run only one angle, Meta finds one pocket of people, frequency climbs, CPM increases, and performance plateaus. It’s not a budget issue. You ran out of angles. The Creative Menu Framework For one game: Write down 5 reasons someone would attend (motivations, not demographics).Create 2 angles per motivation.Make sure visuals are different (faces, scenes, tone, format).Let Meta run long enough to optimize (not 48 hours).That’s 8–10 ads from one event. That’s scale. Jeremy references the classic AIDA model: AttentionInterestDesireActionNot every ad converts immediately. Some warm. Some build trust. Some create demand. If you shut off non-converting ads too quickly, you kill the top of your funnel. Call to Action If this episode helped shift your thinking, share it with someone on your marketing or ticket sales team. Because the teams that move from one creative to a creative system are the teams that will scale ticket sales in 2026 and beyond. Links mentioned:  Sports Marketing Machine powered by Revelocity Sports  AIDA Framework via Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    17 min
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5
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About

If you're a sports executive or digital marketer working to fill seats, drive ticket sales, and grow your fan base, the Sports Marketing Machine Show is for you! Award-winning sports marketing veteran host, Jeremy Neisser brings with him over 21 years of experience in sports marketing and shares We'll cover all aspects of marketing including digital advertising, social media strategy, branding, customer relationship management, and how to best use analytics to measure success. With interviews from experts in digital marketing and sports industry veterans, you’ll be sure to find some helpful tips on how to engage more with your fans – all while having fun learning. Tune into Sports Marketing Machine for tips and advice on how to grow your fan base and sell more tickets. 

Information

  • Creator
    Jeremy Neisser
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    158
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sports Marketing Machine Podcast
  • Show Website
    Sports Marketing Machine Podcast

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