The Sports Business Leaders Podcast

Sports Business Leaders
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Sports Business Leaders (SBL) is a growth engine for companies selling into sports—connecting organizations with the relationships, market intelligence, and strategic guidance they need to win more business. We combine a trusted network, industry insights, executive introductions, media exposure, and curated events to accelerate revenue growth.

  1. 1d ago

    159 Unrivaled Basketball’s Taylor Lake on Partnerships, Fan Engagement & Growth

    Unrivaled is one of the most interesting new leagues in sports. Co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league was built around a player-first model, giving athletes another way to compete domestically while also sharing in the growth of the league. On this episode of the Sports Business Leaders Podcast, we’re joined by Taylor Lake, VP of Partnerships at Unrivaled, to talk about how the league is building its commercial strategy, creating partnerships around its players and fans, and approaching growth as it heads into its third season. We also discuss what brands should understand when trying to work with emerging sports properties and why the best partnerships start with understanding what the league actually needs.

  2. 4d ago

    158 Jersey Shore Wave Owner Dawn Sherman on Building the Future of Women’s Football

    Dawn Sherman has spent nearly 30 years building and leading global businesses. Now, she’s bringing that experience to professional women’s football. Dawn is the CEO and Board Chair of ProPharma, Owner of the Jersey Shore Wave, and an investor and board member in the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC). Her goal goes beyond building a successful team. She wants to help create a sustainable future for women’s football where athletes can build their brands, attract fans, and ultimately get paid to play. On this episode of the Sports Business Leaders Podcast, Dawn joins us to discuss why she invested in women’s football, what she’s building with the Jersey Shore Wave, and the opportunity she sees across women’s sports. We also talk about the importance of athlete visibility, building engaged fanbases, attracting the right sponsors, and what emerging sports properties need to do to create long-term commercial value.

  3. 4d ago

    157 Rival CEO Matt Virtue on Building for the Next Generation of Sports Fans

    Matt Virtue, Founder and CEO of Rival, joins the Sports Business Leaders Podcast to talk about how the way fans engage with sports is changing and what that means for teams, leagues, and brands. Rival works with organizations including the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Pistons, Aston Villa, USL, New Balance, and Coca-Cola to turn passive audiences into active communities through gaming, predictions, and interactive digital experiences. Matt shares why the “second screen” has become such an important part of the fan experience, how teams can build stronger direct relationships with younger fans, and why owning fan data and digital communities will become increasingly valuable. He also shares lessons from building and selling into professional sports, including a simple principle for sports technology companies: people buy outcomes.

  4. 5d ago

    156 Lessons from 8 Startups & Multiple Exits with Former NHL Executive Bryant McBride

    Bryant McBride joins us to talk about a career spent building at the intersection of sports, media, technology, and storytelling. Bryant began his career with the NHL, where he worked in business development and helped launch initiatives designed to grow the game and reach new audiences. He later turned to entrepreneurship, building and investing in multiple companies and achieving successful exits to organizations including ESPN and Sports Illustrated. In our conversation, Bryant shares lessons from his time at the NHL, including advice he learned early in his career about setting a high standard and "knowing what you don't know." We also dive into his approach to entrepreneurship, why he thinks of startups like raising a child, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people.Bryant also tells the story of helping build Football Scouts Inc., which went from a $2 million valuation to a $17.5 million acquisition by ESPN in just 18 months, and shares the lessons he's learned from both the wins and the difficult moments throughout his career. A great conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and finding the right people to go on the ride with you.

  5. 6d ago

    155 Turning Celebrity Influence Into Brand Growth with Jackie Fast

    Jackie Fast is the General Partner at Sandbox Studios. Before launching Sandbox Studios, Jackie founded Slingshot Sponsorship from her bedroom in London and grew it into a global agency working with brands and personalities including Red Bull, Formula One, Prince, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Richard Branson before selling the company in 2016. Today, Jackie brings that experience to Sandbox Studios, where she invests in highly selective early-stage consumer businesses and works with celebrity partners including Snoop Dogg, Kris Jenner, Ian Somerhalder, and Nikki Reed to accelerate growth. Jackie shares why most celebrity-backed brands fail, what makes celebrity involvement a true competitive advantage, how Sandbox evaluates hundreds of opportunities to find the few worth backing, and why being useful has been the foundation for building her network and career.

  6. Aug 11

    154 Philadelphia Eagles Executive Tanmay Patel on Data, Fan Engagement & the Future of Sports

    Tanmay Patel is the Vice President of Business Data & Analytics for the Philadelphia Eagles. Tanmay has been with the organization for over a decade, and contributed to both Super Bowl championships in 2017 and 2024 as a front office executive, helping turn millions of fan interactions into insights that drive the organization’s business. In this episode of the Sports Business Leaders Podcast, Tanmay joins us to talk about how the Eagles use data and technology across fan engagement, sponsorships, ticketing, and the overall business of the team. We also cover how the Eagles’ approach to understanding and serving their fan base, the growing international reach of the franchise, and how data is helping create more valuable partnerships for brands. Tanmay also shares advice for companies looking to do business with professional sports teams, including why understanding team resources, proving ROI, and starting with a proof of concept can go a long way.

  7. Aug 10

    153 University of North Texas’ Bob Heere on Breaking Into the U.S. Sports Market

    Bob Heere is the Executive Director of the Sports Innovation Space @ UNT and one of the leading voices in sport management and innovation. The Sports Innovation Space, located at The Star in Frisco, helps international sports technology companies enter and grow in the U.S. market by providing access to industry executives, networking, staffing, and hands-on support. On this episode of the Sports Business Leaders Podcast, Bob joins us to discuss what it takes for international sports companies to successfully break into the U.S., why product-market fit often changes when entering American sports, and the importance of clearly demonstrating ROI to teams and leagues. We also discuss why relationships, referrals, and simply being present in the market can make the difference between a great product and a successful sports business.Bob also shares how UNT is connecting entrepreneurs, students, and sports organizations across Dallas-Fort Worth and building an ecosystem designed to help the next generation of sports businesses grow.

  8. Aug 9

    152 SBL Philly Live Podcast featuring Sunderland A.F.C. CEO Tom Burwell & Baye Adofo-Wilson (New York Cosmos)

    On August 1, 2026, Sports Business Leaders hosted a live event in Philadelphia featuring a fireside chat with Tom Burwell, CEO of Sunderland AFC, and Baye Adofo-Wilson, Chairman and Majority Owner of the New York Cosmos. Sunderland is one of the biggest stories in world football. After spending eight seasons outside the Premier League, the club earned promotion and followed it with a seventh-place finish and qualification for the UEFA Europa League in its first season back. Meanwhile, Baye is leading the revival of the iconic New York Cosmos while using sport as a catalyst for community and economic development. On this live episode of the Sports Business Leaders Podcast, Tom and Baye discuss what it takes to build successful football clubs on both sides of the Atlantic. We cover Sunderland's remarkable return to the Premier League, the commercial opportunities that come with competing on the world's biggest stage, the revival of the Cosmos, investing in communities through sport, and the future of soccer in the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup legacy.

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About

Sports Business Leaders (SBL) is a growth engine for companies selling into sports—connecting organizations with the relationships, market intelligence, and strategic guidance they need to win more business. We combine a trusted network, industry insights, executive introductions, media exposure, and curated events to accelerate revenue growth.

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