The Playeasy Warmup

Playeasy

Welcome to "The Playeasy Warmup," your go-to podcast for all things sports tourism! In each episode, we'll dive into how sports are shaping individuals, organizations, and communities while showcasing the cutting-edge ideas that are driving the future of this industry. Whether you’re a destination, event organizer, industry partner, or just a passionate sports fan, "The Playeasy Warmup" has the insights and news to keep you ahead of the game. Tune in and stay connected with the pulse of sports tourism.

  1. Oct 22

    Tech Talk: AI-Powered Prep for TEAMS 2026

    Introducing Tech Talk, a new series from The Playeasy Warmup dedicated to exploring the technology, product updates, and AI innovations shaping the future of sports tourism. For our first episode, host Kerri Shields sits down with Playeasy Co-Founder Sean Flaherty to break down Compass Advisor and Playbooks — two tools designed to help destinations turn their data into actionable insights, streamline workflows, and make more informed decisions. Sean explains how Advisor connects destination data with Playeasy's broader network, why trustworthy AI matters, and how Playbooks simplify everything from prospecting and reporting to event organizer research. Plus, get a live demonstration of the TEAMS Conference Research Playbook, built to help destinations prepare for meetings, evaluate opportunities, and make the most of their time at TEAMS 2026 in Birmingham. Whether you're preparing for TEAMS or looking for smarter ways to put your destination data to work, this episode offers a look at what's possible with AI-powered tools built for sports tourism. 00:00 Introducing Tech Talk: Playeasy's New Series 01:37 What Is Compass Advisor? 03:55 Building Trust in AI-Powered Insights 06:20 Why Grounded Data Matters 08:15 Introducing Playbooks: AI-Powered Workflows 11:25 Exploring the Four Playbook Categories 13:13 Preparing for TEAMS 2026 with AI 15:04 Live Demo: TEAMS Conference Research Playbook 19:10 Researching Event Organizers in Under a Minute 19:42 Identifying the Right Opportunities 21:10 Why Accurate Destination Data Matters 22:10 Using Advisor at TEAMS 2026 22:58 What's Next for Playbooks? 23:53 Wrapping Up the First Tech Talk

  2. Oct 20

    Inside TEAMS 2026 + The Women Moving Sports Tourism Forward

    What does the future of sports tourism look like, and who's helping shape it? In this special two-part episode of The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields is joined by Playeasy co-founder Sean Flaherty and Jason Gewirtz, Senior Vice President of Content, Meetings, and Sports at Northstar Meetings Group, for an inside look at TEAMS 2026 in Birmingham. From the evolution of TEAMS to the growing partnership with Playeasy, they explore how technology, industry data, and in-person relationships are creating new opportunities for destinations and event organizers. Plus, hear how Compass Advisor and AI Playbooks are helping attendees prepare for more productive meetings. Then, Kerri sits down with Women in Sports Tourism Collective (WIST) co-founders Alysha Carse, Millie Osguthorpe, and Rachel Dailey to discuss building a stronger community for women in sports tourism. They share the story behind WIST, the importance of mentorship and allyship, and why creating accessible opportunities and safer industry spaces matters. Two conversations, one shared mission: moving sports tourism forward through stronger connections. 00:00 Introduction: TEAMS 2026 & Women in Sports Tourism 01:04 Meet Jason Gewirtz of Northstar Meetings Group 03:45 The History and Evolution of TEAMS 07:25 Playeasy's Journey with TEAMS 08:42 The Growth and Global Expansion of TEAMS 12:44 The Playeasy & TEAMS Partnership 16:56 Measuring Opportunities and Economic Impact 19:56 TEAMS 2026: Event Organizers and RFP Opportunities 22:23 Preparing for TEAMS with Compass AI Playbooks 23:58 Making the Most of TEAMS in Birmingham 26:20 Women in Sports Tourism at TEAMS 2026 28:02 What to Expect in Birmingham 30:32 Sponsor Spotlight: Compass Advisor & AI Playbooks 32:31 Meet the Women in Sports Tourism Collective 33:45 The Story Behind WIST 35:35 Making Sports Tourism More Accessible 38:49 The Four Core Pillars of WIST 42:11 Building Community and Meaningful Connections 47:14 Leadership Lessons and Supporting Other Women 50:27 Progress and Challenges for Women in Sports Tourism 53:45 What Meaningful Allyship Looks Like 58:42 The Power of Mentorship 1:03:08 Career Advice for Women in Sports Tourism 1:07:13 Creating Better Opportunities for Women 1:10:29 What's Next for WIST 1:12:00 Inspiring the Next Generation 1:14:43 Getting Involved with WIST

  3. Oct 15

    From Niche to Mainstream: Emily Frazer on Building the World Nineball Tour

    What does it take to turn a niche sport into a global entertainment experience? This week on The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down with Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Multisport, to discuss her journey from intern to CEO, the growth of the World Nineball Tour, and the strategy behind bringing major sporting events to new markets. Emily shares behind-the-scenes insights from the US Open in Frisco, Texas, what she looks for in a host destination, and how local partnerships help create memorable experiences beyond the competition. Plus, Kerri, Sarah, and Alexa highlight new event opportunities, destination success stories, unique sports, and upcoming bid deadlines across the Playeasy network. 00:00 – Welcome to The Playeasy Warmup 01:13 – Sports Tourism in Action: A Weekend in Boston 03:29 – Destination Win: Auburn-Opelika's Compass Engagement 04:24 – New Event Opportunities: Lacrosse, Volleyball & More 06:01 – Unique Events Seeking Host Destinations 09:03 – Facility Spotlights: Utah Valley & Wichita 10:50 – Playeasy Network Wins & Destination Shoutouts 13:17 – Upcoming Bid Deadlines & TEAMS Conference 14:26 – Introducing Emily Frazer of Matchroom Multisport 16:21 – Sponsored Segment: Compass Advisor & AI Playbooks 18:20 – Emily Frazer's Journey from Intern to CEO 24:35 – Turning Niche Sports into Mainstream Entertainment 28:15 – Building the World Nineball Tour 35:54 – Why the U.S. Is Key to Nineball's Growth 42:13 – Behind the US Open in Frisco, Texas 47:12 – What Matchroom Looks for in a Host City 52:49 – The Future of Nineball & Global Expansion 56:08 – Where to Follow the World Nineball Tour

  4. Oct 7

    World Darts Masters, Media & What Makes a Great Host City

    The Playeasy Warmup is back with a new format, kicking off each episode with a quick roundup of what’s happening across Playeasy and the sports tourism industry. In this episode, Kerri sits down with Matt Jeschelnik, Founder of Boulder Creek International, to talk about what makes a destination stand out to an event organizer - and why the opportunity around an event can extend far beyond the venue. From launching the World Darts Masters in Las Vegas to building media and distribution into events from day one, Matt shares what he looks for in a host destination, why relationships matter, and how storytelling, fan experience and media can help create lasting value. They also look at the growth of unconventional sports, the power of multi-year partnerships and what’s next for the events Matt is building around the world. Chapters:00:00 Welcome to the new Playeasy Warmup03:02 Meet your co-hosts04:03 How the weekly roundup works04:31 Weekly wins: Compass Advisor's first customers05:53 Weekly wins: Decatur Morgan County and Rock the South07:33 Weekly wins: Biltmore Championship in Asheville09:28 Event organizers: new organizers join Playeasy10:10 Event organizers: national bids from USA Track and Field, Triton and NJCAA10:56 Unique events on the platform and the first shoutout12:26 Shoutouts: Visit Salt Lake and World Climbing13:10 Shoutouts: Snohomish County and the new SS2 complex14:19 On your radar: NJCAA's 18 championship RFPs14:59 On your radar: Advisor playbooks16:26 On your radar: Innovators Summit 2027 and TEAMS18:24 Co-host takeaways from the conversation19:52 Introducing Matt Jeschelnik20:33 Today's episode is presented by Compass Advisor and AI Playbooks22:33 Conversation with Matt Jeschelnik of Boulder Creek International22:50 From law to National Geographic to sports rights24:48 What Boulder Creek International does26:19 What makes an event opportunity worth building27:30 What he looks for in a host destination29:27 What translates across every sport32:21 Launching the World Darts Masters in Las Vegas34:03 Lessons from the first event37:10 What great destination partners do differently40:32 Using Playeasy to grow events42:17 Where events, media and tourism meet44:22 Telling a destination's story beyond the sport47:26 Building media and distribution into an event from day one49:01 Where sports still thinks too traditionally51:37 What the US can learn from other markets54:03 What he's most excited about next55:51 A year from now57:46 How to connect with Matt

  5. Oct 6

    World Darts Masters, Media & What Makes a Great Host City

    The Playeasy Warmup is back with a new format, kicking off each episode with a quick roundup of what’s happening across Playeasy and the sports tourism industry. In this episode, Kerri sits down with Matt Jeschelnik, Founder of Boulder Creek International, to talk about what makes a destination stand out to an event organizer - and why the opportunity around an event can extend far beyond the venue. From launching the World Darts Masters in Las Vegas to building media and distribution into events from day one, Matt shares what he looks for in a host destination, why relationships matter, and how storytelling, fan experience and media can help create lasting value. They also look at the growth of unconventional sports, the power of multi-year partnerships and what’s next for the events Matt is building around the world. Chapters:00:00 Welcome to the new Playeasy Warmup03:02 Meet your co-hosts04:03 How the weekly roundup works04:31 Weekly wins: Compass Advisor's first customers05:53 Weekly wins: Decatur Morgan County and Rock the South07:33 Weekly wins: Biltmore Championship in Asheville09:28 Event organizers: new organizers join Playeasy10:10 Event organizers: national bids from USA Track and Field, Triton and NJCAA10:56 Unique events on the platform and the first shoutout12:26 Shoutouts: Visit Salt Lake and World Climbing13:10 Shoutouts: Snohomish County and the new SS2 complex14:19 On your radar: NJCAA's 18 championship RFPs14:59 On your radar: Advisor playbooks16:26 On your radar: Innovators Summit 2027 and TEAMS18:24 Co-host takeaways from the conversation19:52 Introducing Matt Jeschelnik20:33 Today's episode is presented by Compass Advisor and AI Playbooks22:33 Conversation with Matt Jeschelnik of Boulder Creek International22:50 From law to National Geographic to sports rights24:48 What Boulder Creek International does26:19 What makes an event opportunity worth building27:30 What he looks for in a host destination29:27 What translates across every sport32:21 Launching the World Darts Masters in Las Vegas34:03 Lessons from the first event37:10 What great destination partners do differently40:32 Using Playeasy to grow events42:17 Where events, media and tourism meet44:22 Telling a destination's story beyond the sport47:26 Building media and distribution into an event from day one49:01 Where sports still thinks too traditionally51:37 What the US can learn from other markets54:03 What he's most excited about next55:51 A year from now57:46 How to connect with Matt

  6. Sep 17

    The Next Era of Curling with Nic Sulsky

    In this episode presented by Sports Salt Lake, curling has an interesting problem: every four years, the world can't stop watching it. Nic Sulsky saw an opportunity in what happens next.After years of building businesses across sports, gaming and entertainment, Nic saw that curling already had something most emerging sports spend years trying to find - a global audience. The opportunity was finding new ways to keep those fans engaged year-round. In 2024, The Curling Group acquired the Grand Slam of Curling. Since then, the team has expanded the sport's reach, launched Rock League and started rethinking how fans experience, follow and connect with curling. On The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down with Nic, CEO of The Curling Group, to talk about that vision and what it takes to grow an established sport while bringing a new generation of fans along with it.They get into athlete storytelling, expanded broadcast distribution and a live experience built around more personality, entertainment and access. Nic also breaks down what The Curling Group looks for in its host markets - and why they're less interested in finding a destination than finding the right partner. With Rock League's newly announced 2027 Championship headed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, Nic shares what's next for The Curling Group, where he sees the biggest opportunities for continued growth across the U.S. and around the world, and the vision behind the next era of the sport.

  7. Aug 26

    The Memory-Making Business: Innovation & the Fan Experience with the Frisco RoughRiders

    From a Lazy River in the outfield to Banana Ball and Cosmic Baseball, the Frisco RoughRiders have built a fan experience that’s anything but traditional. In this episode of The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down with Scott Burchett of the Frisco RoughRiders to talk about the creativity and innovation behind what he calls the “memory-making business.” Scott shares the story behind the famous Lazy River, how the RoughRiders approach promotions and fan engagement, and how Riders Field has evolved beyond its 69-game home schedule into a year-round entertainment venue. Today, nearly as many people visit the ballpark for non-game-day events as they do for RoughRiders games. The conversation also explores the role partnerships play in that growth, from working with Visit Frisco and leaders across the city to bringing new events and audiences to the ballpark. Scott shares why that collaboration makes Frisco unique and why Minor League teams can be valuable assets for destinations looking to expand their sports tourism strategy. Tune in for a look at how the Frisco RoughRiders are thinking beyond the game and continuing to find new ways to create experiences fans remember.

  8. Aug 19

    Inside PGA Frisco: The Road to the 2027 PGA Championship | Jason Mengel, PGA Frisco

    In May 2027, the PGA Championship returns to Texas for the first time in more than 60 years - and it's coming to PGA Frisco. In this episode of The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down on-site with Jason Mengel, PGA Championship Director at the PGA of America, the first person in PGA history to oversee all four of the organization's Spectator Championships: the Ryder Cup, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship, and the PGA Championship. Jason takes us inside his path into the game, what it takes to build a major championship from the ground up, and the partnership between the PGA of America and Visit Frisco that made this moment possible. The conversation also touches on the PGA's broader mission to grow the game - from PGA Reach to the rise of women's golf - before closing with a look at what the 2027 Championship will mean for Frisco, for golf, and for the state of Texas.

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About

Welcome to "The Playeasy Warmup," your go-to podcast for all things sports tourism! In each episode, we'll dive into how sports are shaping individuals, organizations, and communities while showcasing the cutting-edge ideas that are driving the future of this industry. Whether you’re a destination, event organizer, industry partner, or just a passionate sports fan, "The Playeasy Warmup" has the insights and news to keep you ahead of the game. Tune in and stay connected with the pulse of sports tourism.

Information

  • Creator
    Playeasy
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Playeasy
  • Show Website
    The Playeasy Warmup