Sports Marketing Machine Podcast

Jeremy Neisser

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. 6d ago

    167 - The Real Value of Outsourcing Your Marketing (The Hidden Cost of Doing Everything In-House)

    Send us Fan Mail In Episode 167 of the Sports Marketing Machine Podcast, Jeremy Neisser breaks down the strategic value of outsourcing marketing functions inside a sports organization. Instead of anchoring the conversation on agency fees, Jeremy reframes it around leverage — how external support frees internal capacity so your best people can focus on the relationships, sponsorships, and revenue activities that actually move the business. A must-listen for any lean front office trying to do more with the staff they have. KEY TOPICS COVERED • The true cost of doing everything in-house versus outsourcing • How busy staff often spend time on low-value, operational tasks • The revenue impact of strategic activities like sponsorships, community engagement, and partnerships • The importance of focusing internal talent on relationship-building and revenue growth • When certain marketing functions should stay internal versus outsourced • The role of external agencies in providing expertise, systems, and breathing room • Common chaos in sports organizations and how outsourcing can bring consistency and discipline • The four levers every lean team should be pulling: own, systematize, automate, delegate • Why the best sports organizations win on leverage, not headcount • Main takeaways: opportunity cost, leverage, and strategic focus for lean teams TIMESTAMPS [00:00] – Introduction: rethinking outsourcing in sports marketing [00:27] – The core question: what's the best use of your staff's time? [00:57] – Low-value tasks overwhelming talented sports staff [01:26] – The concept of leverage through outsourcing [02:05] – Hidden costs of in-house work and revenue opportunities missed [02:33] – Evaluating agency costs versus opportunity costs [03:02] – Tasks that distract from revenue growth (graphics, ads, lists) [03:29] – Strategic activities like sponsorships, community relations, and retention [03:54] – The value of long-term partnerships and event experiences [04:24] – The toll of execution work on talented staff [04:53] – Differentiating between operational and strategic work [05:23] – How operational tasks limit growth potential [05:47] – Focusing on relationship-driven, revenue-generating activities [06:13] – The importance of leaders spending time on high-impact tasks [06:43] – Talented sports marketing pros are often overwhelmed [07:11] – The chaos inherent in sports organizations [07:40] – The constant reactive nature of sports marketing [08:07] – The need for strategic focus amidst chaos [08:33] – External support creates stability and systems [09:00] – Expertise versus capacity: the real value of outside support [09:28] – The value of outside partners in trend spotting and learning [09:55] – Outsourcing decisions should maximize internal talent [10:25] – Tasks suitable for external support (ads, reporting, automation) [10:54] – The evolving nature of platform algorithms and AI [11:23] – The key takeaway: maximizing internal talent through outsourcing [11:53] – The importance of leverage: systems, automation, delegation [12:22] – Main takeaways summary: opportunity cost, revenue impact, strategic focus, leverage [12:52] – Reflect on where your team spends time and elevate high-impact activities [13:20] – How to get help: scheduling a call for sports marketing insights [13:45] – Preview of upcoming episodes on group sales strategies [14:15] – Call to action: rate, review, and share to help others grow their fan base CALL TO ACTION If this episode made you rethink where your team spends its time, take a hard look at what your best people actually do all day. Two people on our staff have 20+ years in sports — one is a former team president. We'll spend 30 minutes walking through your marketing structure, automation opportunities, and outsourcing decisions with you. Schedule a call using the link in the show notes. RESOURCES & LINKS Sports Marketing Machine on Apple PodcastsSports Marketing Machine Podcast on SpotifyEpisode page: LINKRevelocity Sports QUOTE PULLS "The best outsourcing decisions aren't about replacing your people. They're about maximizing your people." — Jeremy Neisser "A GM putting together meta ads is using your cleanup hitter to drag the field. Sure they could do it, but should they?" — Jeremy Neisser "The real cost of outsourcing isn't the fee. It's the opportunity cost of what your staff can't focus on internally." — Jeremy Neisser "The best organizations aren't the ones with the biggest staffs. They're the ones that understand leverage." — Jeremy Neisser "Sometimes the value isn't they're better than us. Sometimes the value is they allow us to focus on the highest value work." — Jeremy Neisser Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    15 min
  2. May 29

    166 - How Do You Know If Your Agency Is Actually Good?

    Send us Fan Mail Most sports teams hire an agency to sell more tickets — then evaluate them on impressions, clicks, and CPM. In Episode 166, Jeremy Neisser breaks down why those vanity metrics are misleading, what an outside marketing partner can and can't control, and the conversion-focused metrics that actually tell you whether your agency is earning its fee. A practical episode for any marketing director, ticket sales leader, or revenue officer evaluating an outside partner this season. KEY TOPICS COVERED - Why most sports teams are scoring their agency on the wrong scoreboard — and what to use instead - The difference between vanity metrics (impressions, clicks, CPM, reach) and revenue-driving metrics (conversions, cost per buyer, attributed revenue) - Why huge website traffic with no buyers means the campaign didn't work - What marketing can fix — and what it can't (pricing, schedule, fan experience, ticketing UX) - "Marketing is multiplication, not magic": how a weak offer or broken product gets amplified, not solved - How to spot the silent killer of agency partnerships: chaos creation vs. chaos reduction - The exact KPIs to hold your agency accountable to: conversions, conversion rate, cost per purchase, cost per lead, repeat buyers, AOV, retargeting growth, attributed revenue - Why pattern recognition and platform speed are the real product you're paying for - How a great agency lets a marketing director get out of the "0-2 count" mindset and operate proactively - What separates a transactional vendor from a true strategic partner - The right questions to ask when reviewing your current agency's performance TIMESTAMPS [00:00] – Why evaluating a sports marketing agency is harder than it looks [00:25] – The vanity-metric trap: why impressions and clicks mislead leadership [00:53] – Why heavy website traffic still produces flat ticket sales [01:22] – The metrics that actually drive growth and ROI [01:45] – What marketing can't fix: pricing, schedule, and operational issues [02:14] – Red flags: agencies that create chaos instead of reducing it [02:43] – Tactical work vs. strategic impact in agency evaluation [03:07] – Why attribution and proactive reporting separate good agencies from bad [03:35] – Building collaborative relationships, not vendor relationships [04:04] – Using your agency to actually understand fan behavior [04:32] – Where marketing hits a wall against broken business systems [05:01] – How the right agency brings clarity and reduces internal chaos [05:30] – Reactive vs. proactive communication: how to tell the difference [06:00] – Holding agencies accountable on sales and revenue, not activity [06:29] – Why strategic insight beats surface-level metrics every time [07:00] – How agency partnerships evolve from transactional to strategic [07:26] – Measuring agency success through conversions and audience growth [07:55] – The role of attribution and clear, honest reporting [08:16] – The daily firefight in sports marketing — and how an agency should ease it [08:46] – Pattern recognition, trend identification, and creative testing speed [09:13] – When an agency challenges assumptions and sparks new ideas [09:40] – Building a strategic partnership focused on tickets and fan growth [10:09] – The real value of proactive trend analysis and outside perspective [10:37] – Main takeaways: business impact over vanity metrics [11:04] – Why marketing amplifies — but doesn't solve — operational issues [11:33] – Clarity and strategic collaboration as the new standard [11:59] – How to honestly assess your current agency's reporting [12:21] – Free 30-minute consult: get a second opinion on your agency reports [12:48] – Final thoughts and how to share this with your team CALL TO ACTION If you're working with an outside marketing partner and you're not sure whether the reporting you're getting actually proves they're moving the needle, Jeremy is offering a free 30-minute conversation to walk through it with you. No pitch, no strings — just clarity. Grab a slot at sportsmarketingmachine.com. RESOURCES & LINKS Revelocity Sports: https://revelocitysports.com/ Jeremy Neisser on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jeremyneisser Free 30-Minute Marketing Consultation: https://sportsmarketingmachine.com/ QUOTE PULLS Jeremy Neisser: "Clicks don't pay the bills. Impressions don't pay the bills. Conversions do." Jeremy Neisser: "Traffic without conversion is just noise." Jeremy Neisser: "Marketing is multiplication, not magic. If the underlying experience is broken, marketing just amplifies the problem." Jeremy Neisser: "A good agency should reduce chaos, not create it. If your agency creates more fires than they put out, that's a problem." Jeremy Neisser: "The best agencies don't just run ads and send reports. They become strategic partners — they challenge assumptions, bring ideas, and connect your marketing to revenue." Episode page - LINK Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    13 min
  3. May 23

    165 - You’re Behind Pace — Now What?

    Send us Fan Mail You're halfway through the season and the pacing report says you're behind — maybe way behind. This episode breaks down the three levels of being behind pace, how to diagnose the actual problem instead of panic-marketing your way into a deeper hole, and the strategic paths forward depending on how far off target you really are. Jeremy shares a daily pacing tracker template and explains why protecting future value sometimes matters more than saving today. KEY TOPICS COVERED - Why being 5% behind pace and 25% behind pace require completely different responses — and why most teams treat them the same - How to build and use a daily pacing tracker so you evaluate with data, not emotion - Why schedule context matters: weather, remaining inventory, weekend vs. weekday balance, and premium dates still ahead - The "diagnose before you prescribe" principle and why reacting before understanding the problem leads to wasted budget - Four root causes of falling behind: low awareness, weak positioning, struggling game types, or failed pre-season assumptions - Why clicks and website traffic don't pay bills — only ticket sales do - The 82% stat: most single-game buyers in MiLB don't return the following season, so there's no hidden reserve waiting to save you - Three strategic paths when you're behind: optimize the machine, get aggressive with concentrated impact, or protect the rest of the season - Why over-discounting trains fans to wait, destroys pricing power, and creates long-term problems - How growing your database and improving the fan experience can set up a stronger next season even when this one is tough - The difference between quitting and being strategic about what you can realistically recover TIMESTAMPS [00:00] - Introduction: the uncomfortable moment when you realize you're behind pace [02:11] - Three buckets of behind pace: slightly behind, moderately behind, and the danger zone [04:22] - Why hoping isn't a strategy and the danger zone reality check (20-30%+ behind) [06:45] - Daily pacing trackers: how to build and use a spreadsheet that tells the truth [09:03] - Why daily tracking beats emotional or promo-by-promo evaluation [11:28] - Evaluating remaining inventory: schedule context, premium dates, and what's still ahead [13:50] - "You can't prescribe until you diagnose" — David Hass, Hickory NC, 2001 [16:10] - Problem: positioning is weak — when you're getting clicks but not selling tickets [18:33] - Problem: your pre-season assumptions were wrong and the market responded differently [20:53] - The 82% stat on single-game buyer non-return and why you can't manufacture demand overnight [23:11] - Three strategic paths: optimize, get aggressive, or protect the season [25:26] - Why protecting margins and growing your database isn't quitting — it's leadership [27:47] - Main takeaways recap: pacing daily, diagnosing before reacting, concentrated impact [30:10] - Don't let panic destroy future value — the Chick-fil-A lesson on discounting [32:27] - Steve Robinson (Chick-fil-A CMO) interview reference, free pacing template offer, and close CALL TO ACTION - Download the free daily pacing tracker template (link in show notes — no email required) - Listen to Jeremy's interview with Steve Robinson, the first CMO of Chick-fil-A: Episode 84 — Improving the Fan Experience the Chick-Fil-A Way with Steve Robinson Daily Packer Tracker Download - Share the episode with someone in sports who's trying to sell more tickets and grow their fan base - Leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    34 min
  4. May 14

    164 - The “Always / Never” Customer Service Starter List

    Send us Fan Mail In this tactical follow-up episode, Jeremy Neisser breaks down how sports teams can create a more consistent fan experience by building a simple “Always Do” and “Never Do” customer service framework. Instead of chasing perfection, teams should focus on clarity, repeatability, and organization-wide adoption so every fan interaction feels easier, smoother, and more intentional. Key Topics Covered Why most teams do not have a customer service problem — they have a consistency problem How inconsistency across departments quietly hurts ticket sales and fan growth Why your list should be simple: 5–7 “Always Do” items and 5–7 “Never Do” items The importance of same-day responses and clear next steps Why teams should assume fan confusion is the organization’s responsibility to fix How “Know Before You Go” communication improves the fan experience before fans arrive Common mistakes like making fans search for information, overcomplicating offers, or disappearing after the sale How to embed the framework into staff training, meetings, game-day operations, and daily habits Timestamps 00:00 – Why consistency matters in the fan experience 01:25 – Most teams have a consistency problem, not a service problem 02:25 – Keep your Always/Never list simple and memorable 03:52 – Always respond the same day 04:51 – Always make it easier to do business with you 06:17 – Always assume confusion is your fault 08:35 – Always prepare fans before they arrive 09:35 – Never make fans search for information 10:32 – Never overcomplicate your offers 11:00 – Never treat every fan the same 12:27 – Never pass fans around or disappear after the sale 13:20 – How to actually use the list with your team 15:31 – The 30-minute challenge to build your own framework Call to Action Take 30 minutes with your staff this week and build your own list: 5–7 things your team should always do, and 5–7 things your team should never do. If you need help creating your framework, schedule a free 30-minute call with Jeremy at Revelocity Sports. Episodes mentioned: 154 - How to Make Your Groups Sales Page Easier to Buy From: LINK Episode page - LINK Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    17 min
  5. May 7

    163 - Why Your Fan Experience Fails Without Consistency (And How to Fix It)

    Send us Fan Mail Your customer service problem isn't actually a people problem—it's a consistency problem. When fans get different experiences depending on who they interact with, they blame the organization, not the employee. This episode introduces the non-negotiables framework: simple "always do" and "never do" rules that eliminate guesswork and scale great service across your entire operation. KEY TOPICS COVERED • How inconsistency in fan interactions destroys ticket sales and repeat business • Why your best employee doesn't define your customer experience—your most inconsistent one does • The Cleveland Insight: John DeJulius's non-negotiables framework for scaling service without burnout • Why "always do" and "never do" rules work better than motivation, pizza parties, or lengthy policy manuals • Death by a thousand moments: how one bad interaction overrides five good ones • Why customer service isn't a department—it's an organization-wide responsibility • The direct connection between consistency and revenue: fans return when the experience feels smooth and effortless • Building your organization's always do and never do list: start with 5–7 rules, not 20 • Specific always do rules for ticket sales teams: same-day responses, clear pricing, preparing fans before arrival • Specific never do rules: don't make fans search, don't overcomplicate offers, don't treat all fans identically • How to implement consistency at every touchpoint: parking, ticketing, concessions, guest services, sales calls • Testing your consistency: Does your fan experience change depending on who they talk to? TIMESTAMPS [00:00] – Episode introduction and topic preview [01:18] – The real problem: consistency vs. customer service [02:50] – Introduction to the Cleveland Insight and John DeJulius's framework [03:47] – What are non-negotiables? Always do and never do rules explained [04:30] – Why simple rules scale better than motivation or lengthy manuals [05:15] – How consistency shows up in staff speed and confidence [06:07] – Death by a thousand moments: fan experience as a series of touchpoints [06:35] – Why one bad moment overrides five good ones [07:00] – Customer service isn't a department—it's organization-wide [07:40] – The friction created when marketing, sales, and operations send different messages [08:00] – How consistency directly impacts repeat purchases and ticket sales [08:23] – The challenge: Is your experience dependent on who the fan talks to? [09:00] – Building your framework: start with 5–7 rules, not 50 pages [09:30] – Specific always do rules for ticket sales teams [10:10] – Specific never do rules across all departments [10:43] – Implementing always do and never do lists across ticketing, parking, concessions [11:30] – Preview of next episode with deeper examples and implementation guidance LINKS Mentioned: John DiJulius Always Do/Never Do - Youtube Episode Link - https://revelocitysports.com/podcast/episode-163/ Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    12 min
  6. Apr 30

    162 - How the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Increased Ticket Sales by 22% by Making It Easier to Buy

    Send us Fan Mail Most teams think they have a traffic problem… but it’s actually a buying experience problem. In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Brian Coe of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to break down how simplifying the ticket purchase process led to a 22% increase in sales and a 111% jump in conversions through FEVO. If you want more fans to actually complete their purchase, this is a must-listen. Key Topics Covered  Why simplifying your buying process can outperform any marketing campaign  How the Penguins increased ticket sales 22% overall and 111% through FEVO The power of keeping fans on your website instead of sending them off-platform  Why fans care more about ease of purchase than platform or price How to use FEVO links across email, text, ads, and QR codes for better conversions  Turning your website into a data hub (not just an information hub)  How submission forms generated 120+ sales averaging $1,000+ each Why most teams lose sales by assuming fans “know where to go”  Mobile-first buying behavior (75–80% of purchases happening on mobile)  Where ticketing is heading: AI, frictionless checkout, and Amazon-style simplicity Timestamps 00:00 – Why rethink the traditional ticket buying process 02:05 – How FEVO simplified group sales (and scaled it) 03:02 – Keeping fans on your website vs. sending them off-platform 05:08 – The hidden power of better data and customer tracking 07:42 – Before vs. after: the real impact on ticket sales 09:04 – 111% growth in FEVO purchases explained 09:58 – Do fans actually care where they buy tickets? 12:25 – Fees vs. convenience: what really matters 14:05 – Using FEVO links in ads and campaigns (7–8x ROI) 16:38 – Mobile optimization and tracking with UTMs 17:26 – Lead capture strategy: forms on every page 19:30 – Speed-to-lead: closing deals in real time 22:04 – Biggest mistakes teams make in their funnel 24:05 – What’s next: AI, Apple Pay, and frictionless checkout 26:21 – The future of group sales (self-serve experiences) 28:31 – Where teams should start today 30:19 – The future of ticketing: fast, seamless, integrated Call to Action If you want to sell more tickets without spending more on ads, start by auditing your buying experience. Then ask yourself: How many clicks does it take to buy? Links Mentioned Wilkes/Barres Scranton Penguins - LINKBrian Coe - LinkedInFEVO - LINKRevelocity Sports - LINKLink to episode: LINK Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    47 min
  7. Apr 23

    161 - Connected Marketing: What It Actually Looks Like with Tom Rupp

    Send us Fan Mail What does “connected marketing” actually mean for a sports team? In this episode, Jeremy Neisser is joined by Tom Rupp, co-founder of Revelocity Sports, to break down why so many teams feel stuck even when they’re doing good marketing—and how better integration between ticketing, email, paid media, and analytics can unlock smarter decisions and stronger revenue results. Together, they unpack what connected marketing looks like in the real world, where most teams are falling short, and what to fix first.  Call to Action Free mini digital audit designed to directionally show what’s working, what isn’t, and what to fix next - sign up HERE Key Topics Covered  Why most teams hit a marketing ceiling even when they’re creating strong content and running solid campaigns  What “connected marketing” really means: integration, automation, and visibility across your tools  Why attribution is broken for many teams—and why multi-touch thinking matters more than ever  How siloed reporting from Meta, Google, and other platforms leads teams to overestimate what’s working  The crawl, walk, run framework for building a more connected marketing system  Why pixel placement on your ticketing site is one of the simplest and highest-impact fixes a team can make  How audience exclusions, segmentation, and personalized messaging can dramatically improve performance  Why UTM tagging, synced ticketing data, and a unified reporting view are essential if you want to make smarter budget decisions  What a digital audit can reveal about gaps, friction points, and missed revenue opportunities in your current setup Timestamps 00:00 – Jeremy introduces Tom Rupp and the idea of connected marketing 02:17 – Why teams struggle to see what’s actually driving ROI 03:49 – The technical challenge of accurate tracking and attribution 05:44 – What it means to truly connect your marketing systems 06:52 – Why siloed attribution creates misleading performance data 08:07 – Why impressions and clicks are not enough 09:33 – The role of audience segmentation and personalized messaging 11:12 – How AI is helping teams create more tailored marketing content 13:22 – What Meta’s creative evolution means for sports marketers 15:00 – Crawl, walk, run: a practical framework for marketing maturity 16:51 – Why pixel placement and cross-domain tracking matter so much 18:58 – How automation and retargeting can improve campaign performance 20:19 – Using ticketing data to build smarter audiences 22:48 – Moving from marketing doer to marketing director 24:16 – What connected marketing makes possible in the future 29:02 – Why fan value and better visibility change how you spend 30:19 – The case for measurable personalization 33:45 – What a digital audit actually looks at 37:20 – The free mini audit and what teams can expect 41:04 – The first things teams should check right away 42:11 – How to evaluate vendor partners based on business impact Links mentioned:  Revelocity Sports - LINK Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    47 min
  8. Apr 16

    160 - Exciting News: Sports Marketing Machine Has Merged with Revelocity (And What It Means for Your Marketing)

    Send us Fan Mail Big news—Sports Marketing Machine has officially joined forces with Revelocity Sports. But this episode isn’t just about the merger… it’s about what it unlocks for you. Jeremy breaks down why the best teams aren’t just running promotions and ads—they’re building connected marketing systems that drive more ticket sales, better decisions, and stronger fan engagement. Key Topics Covered  The big announcement: why Sports Marketing Machine joined Revelocity Sports  Why most sports teams are running disconnected marketing tactics The difference between “busy marketing” and revenue-driving systems How connecting your ads, email, data, and CRM unlocks better results  Why automation creates space for strategy instead of constant execution The role of personalization and fan data in driving engagement and sales  How top teams are building systems that generate momentum over time  What this partnership means for future insights, strategies, and case studies Timestamps 00:00 — Big announcement: SMM joins Revelocity Sports 01:24 — The mission: helping teams sell more tickets and grow their fan base 02:48 — Why traditional strategies still work (but aren’t enough alone) 03:46 — The shift: from tactics to connected marketing systems 05:12 — Disconnected vs. system-driven teams 06:08 — How automation changes the role of marketing leaders 07:33 — Creating space for strategy and long-term planning 08:02 — What stood out about Revelocity Sports 08:24 — Shared mission: helping teams and communities thrive 09:21 — Data, personalization, and smarter fan communication 10:48 — What this means for the future of the podcast 12:13 — Developing staff and reducing turnover through education 13:08 — Closing thoughts and what’s ahead Call to Action If you’ve been focused on improving individual tactics—your ads, your emails, your promotions—this episode will challenge you to think bigger. Start looking at how everything connects. Because that’s where the real growth happens. And if you’ve been listening to the podcast, get ready—this next chapter is all about bringing you deeper insights, smarter strategies, and real-world examples you can apply immediately. Links mentioned:  Revelocity Sports - LINK Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedIn Sports Marketing Machine on Instagram Book a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

    13 min
5
out of 5
9 Ratings

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. 

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