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Next League
  • 5.0 (6)
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Want to learn more about the most talked about topics and trends in the sports business industry from the sports business executives who run it? Join Next League’s CEO David Nugent, a sports technology industry veteran and thought leader with over 20 years experience in the ever-changing technology services business. Tune in every week for insightful and engaging discussions on everything from artificial intelligence and fan engagement to the changing media landscape and the growth of women’s sports with the sports industry’s leading executives.   For more on Next League, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

  1. 1D AGO

    How Flywheel Economics Are Reshaping Sports Businesses with Steve Mitzenmacher

    Steve Mitzenmacher spent 25 years inside Apple, Oracle, Google, and Salesforce. Now he's helping sports organizations stop thinking like event businesses and start operating like platforms. Steve and Dave get into the Disney flywheel, and why it’s the most useful mental model for sports executives right now, the “buy vs. build” trap, why "greenfield development" is basically a myth, and what it means to own the critical control points between fans, sponsors, and partners. Steve also explains why leadership styles are changing inside technology companies, why Scott Galloway's "don't follow your passion" advice is underrated, and how he thinks about the increasingly chaotic fight over AI governance. In this episode, you’ll hear: What Steve learned from Disney, Salesforce, and the platform era about building recurring engagementWhy the next generation of sports businesses will be built around flywheel economicsWhy today’s ownership groups are reshaping how teams think about monetization and infrastructureThe career advice Steve wishes he'd heard earlier, and why he's glad he ignored his own instincts for 25 yearsWhy Steve compares the future of AI to a choice between Star Trek and TerminatorResources and Links: Connect with Steve Mitzenmacher on LinkedIn and learn more about Zumaya Advisors. Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future. Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.

    36 min

  2. MAY 19

    Why the NFL and PGA Tour Are Betting on TMRW Sports to Build New Fandom

    The NFL didn't build the next professional flag football league. The PGA Tour didn't build TGL. They handed those assignments to a startup called TMRW Sports - a signal of how leagues are rethinking fan engagement, media, and product development. Chief Marketing Officer Pete Jung is on the show to share what changes when leagues stop treating technology as a layer on top of the product and start building the experience around data, immersion, team identity, and modern media behavior from day one.  In this conversation, Pete draws on his 11 years at NASCAR to explain what building fandom requires when you're starting from zero, and why he sees WTGL as one of the most underrated storytelling opportunities in women's sports right now. In this episode, you’ll hear: What Pete noticed when his 18-year-old son and his friends discovered TGL for the first timeHow TMRW Sports is preparing to launch the NFL’s new professional flag football leagueWhy TGL sponsors are integrated directly into gameplay, broadcast technology, and the fan experience itselfWhat NASCAR taught Pete about changing perceptions around who a sport is “for”Why Pete believes media rights fragmentation will reshape sports economics and distribution Resources and Links: Connect with Pete Jung on LinkedIn and learn more about TMRW Sports on their website. Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future. Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.

    34 min

  3. MAY 12

    500 Live Events a Month: What Jon Slusser Has Learned About AI, Mixed Reality, & Sports Tech

    When The Famous Group was getting started, arenas were buying million-dollar video boards with nothing meaningful to put on them. That gap became a business — and 25 years later, that business now powers more than 500 live sports events a month across nearly every major team in the country. In this conversation, Jon shares how The Famous Group evolved from a creative production shop into mixed reality, virtual fan experiences, and Vixi, and how they built a scalable platform without taking on outside investment. He also offers a grounded take on where AI genuinely helps in live production workflows and where it still breaks down. In this episode, you’ll hear: What Jon learned moving between startup culture and large media organizations like MTV and ViacomHow Vixi transformed “getting on the video board” into a scalable sponsorship and engagement productWhat The Famous Group learned building virtual fan experiences for the NFL Draft and WWEWhy Jon believes AI is still a creative tool and not a replacement for production workflowsWhat mixed reality enables for personalized viewing experiences and dynamic sponsorship inventoryResources and Links: Connect with Jon Slusser on LinkedIn and learn more about The Famous Group on their website. Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future. Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.

    47 min

  4. MAY 5

    What It Takes to Turn a Women's Soccer Club Around with Ryan Dillon of Gotham FC

    When Ryan Dillon joined Gotham FC as Chief Business Officer 2.5 years ago, he walked into what he describes as a distressed asset. A fully remote workforce, a league starved of investment, and a club with no real product discipline to speak of.  What followed was 2 championships in 3 years and triple the revenue, all built on a framework Ryan carried over from 6 years at Peloton: obsess over the product, track NPS, and make winning the foundation everything else sits on. In this episode, Ryan breaks down how they use first-party data and tentpole moments like the Queens Classic at Citi Field to punch above their weight, and why matching players to partners by genuine interest has changed the way they build sponsorships. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Ryan’s experience scaling Peloton informs his approach to building demand in a low-awareness sports marketHow Gotham FC uses Net Promoter Score as an operating metric to improve the fan experienceWhat it takes to operate a turnaround while rebuilding staffing models, processes, and in-market presenceWhat goes into executing a championship rematch at Citi Field that could set a New York City women’s attendance recordResources and Links: Connect with Ryan Dillon on LinkedIn. Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future. Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.

    36 min

  5. APR 28

    How CAA Sports Navigates Talent Value, Creators, and Streaming Platforms with Matt Kramer

    Sports media is becoming defined by the people who keep fans engaged between games: the insiders breaking news, athletes building their own platforms, and creators turning digital audiences into real media businesses. Matt Kramer, Co-Head of Sports Media Group at CAA Sports, shares how an unexpected call from Adrian Wojnarowski helped launch his career as a sports media agent, why he sees representation as a relationship-driven service business, and how CAA evaluates talent across broadcasters, athletes, streamers, and creators like Dude Perfect.  He also explains why the next wave of NFL media rights could reshape opportunities across the broader sports media ecosystem. In this episode, you’ll hear: What the day-to-day operating model of a sports media agent looks likeHow athletes and creators like Dude Perfect are entering the same talent market as traditional broadcastersWhy the same on-air talent can be valued at $4M, $12M, or $18M depending on the network’s rights portfolioWhy a 3 year rights deal vs. a 7 year deal can change how talent chooses between competing offersHow Netflix and Amazon are reshaping talent demand Resources and Links: Connect with Matt Kramer on LinkedIn. Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future. Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.

    45 min

  6. APR 21

    How the USGA Delivers Championships and Fan Experiences with Amanda Weiner

    The USGA operates one of the most complex models in sports, delivering global championships, media, and fan experiences without a fixed venue. Amanda Weiner, Managing Director of Global Media and Ticketing at the USGA, oversees a broad portfolio spanning championships, media rights, digital products, and ticketing.  She explains how these functions are coordinated to deliver consistent fan experiences across changing venues, including their new partnership with SeatGeek, while also sharing her perspective on leadership and the growth of women’s golf. In this episode, you’ll hear: The leadership philosophy Amanda applies across a multi-function roleHow the USGA builds and operates temporary “stadiums” each yearWhat it takes to create a consistent fan experience across 10-hour event daysHow the USGA’s SeatGeek partnership is shaping ticketing innovationWhy investment in women’s golf is accelerating through equal purses, expanded coverage, and ShotCastResources and Links: Connect with Amanda Weiner on LinkedIn. Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future. Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.

    39 min

  7. APR 14

    Best Of: The Business of Sports Technology

    This compilation episode brings together perspectives from senior leaders across leagues, teams, media, and technology, including the NBA, NASCAR, MLB, the USOPC, and emerging platforms like Cosm.  Plus, Dave’s book is out today. Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology for a practical guide to making smarter, ROI-driven technology decisions. This episode features the following guests: Shripal Shah, Next LeagueScott Gutterman, Next League (formerly PGA TOUR)Doug Perlman, Sports Media AdvisorsSarah Hirshland, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic CommitteeDevin Poolman, CosmTim Clark, NASCARChris Benyarko, NBAChris Marinak, Playfly Sports (formerly MLB)John Martin, NASCARJeff Price, PGA of AmericaPerkins Miller, PlayON! (formerly Fandom)Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future. Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.

    48 min

  8. APR 7

    The Next Chapter of the New York City Marathon with Juliette Morris

    The New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world, drawing more than 50,000 runners and millions of spectators annually. As the race approaches its 50th anniversary, it’s evolving into a year-round platform spanning digital engagement, community programming, and global scale. Juliette Morris, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at New York Road Runners, talks with Dave about how the organization is aligning brand, technology, and content to support runners and spectators across the full lifecycle. She outlines the integration of digital products, the role of personalization and AI, and how media and storytelling are extending the reach of the marathon. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why the marathon’s charity engine has become a $700M fundraising platform and strategic leverHow oversubscription and capacity limits force new thinking on access, virtual participation, and growthHow brand identity and logo design reflect governance priorities around inclusion and communityWhat it takes to build an in-house content studio that functions as both media and mission infrastructureHow Gen Z behavior is reshaping participation models, with run clubs emerging as a new social layerResources and Links: Connect with Juliette Morris on LinkedIn and learn more about New York Road Runners on their website. Watch the 26.2 documentary on YouTube. Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future. Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.

    39 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Want to learn more about the most talked about topics and trends in the sports business industry from the sports business executives who run it? Join Next League’s CEO David Nugent, a sports technology industry veteran and thought leader with over 20 years experience in the ever-changing technology services business. Tune in every week for insightful and engaging discussions on everything from artificial intelligence and fan engagement to the changing media landscape and the growth of women’s sports with the sports industry’s leading executives.   For more on Next League, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

Information

  • Creator
    Next League
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 © Dave Nugent
  • Show Website
    Know What Is Next

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