Sports Business Conversations

ADC Partners

Winner of Sports Podcast Awards' Best Sports Business Podcast Award! In this podcast series, ADC Partners co-founder Dave Almy hosts conversations with sports business professionals who are shaping the future of the industry. With interviews featuring brand representatives, team presidents, sports marketers, and even mascots, the 1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations podcast has insights for everyone involved in the sports industry. ADC Partners is a San Francisco Bay Area based agency specializing in sports business, sports marketing and partnerships. More information is at www.adcpartners.com

  1. Creating Unreasonable Hospitality: Paul Caine, President of On Location

    OCT 28

    Creating Unreasonable Hospitality: Paul Caine, President of On Location

    If you were in charge of the world’s most innovative sports experiences and hospitality company, and you were responsible for major global sports events, how would you spend your time at those events? Walking the sidelines like a boss? Maybe catching the action from the comfort of your luxury suite? Well, if you’re Paul Caine, the President of On Location, you spend it wiping down tables, making sure everyone has a drink, and almost never catching the end of a game. On Location is the gold standard for sports hospitality. Think of a major global event, and they’re responsible for creating the out-of-this-world experiences for fans and sponsors. Olympics? Yup. FIFA World Cup. Also Yup. NFL Super Bowl? Look, we really don’t need to keep doing this, do we? If you want to go to it, they’re handling premium experiences. Paul has been leading On Location since 2020. After some initial COVID related turbulence, the company has taken full advantage of the growing appetite for high end sports experiences. But that didn’t just happen organically. In our conversation, Paul dives deep into the strategic decisions that produced On Location’s leadership position. He also reviews his decision to leave a successful career in traditional media to take the helm at On Location, the leadership style that keeps him cleaning those tables, and what’s left to do to prepare for the upcoming 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Sports Business Conversations podcast is a production of ADC Partners, a sports marketing agency that specializes in creating, managing, and evaluating effective partnerships between brands and sports. All rights reserved. YOUR HOST Dave Almy brings over 30 years of sports marketing and sports business experience to his role as host of the "1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations" podcast. Dave is the co-Founder of ADC Partners. FOLLOW US Here's where you can find us: LinkedIn: adc-partnersInstagram: adc_partners_podcastThreads: adc_partners_podcastYoutube: @adcpartnersHomepage: adcpartners.com/podcast

    47 min
  2. Padel is Your New Racquet Sport Obsession: Pablo Carro, co-Founder of Playtomic

    OCT 14

    Padel is Your New Racquet Sport Obsession: Pablo Carro, co-Founder of Playtomic

    I don’t know if you’ve heard about this new racquet sport that’s growing like crazy. Let’s see if you can guess what it is. It’s easy to learn, super fun to play, and begins with a “P”. Yup, you guessed it. It’s padel. Now, if you live outside North America, you probably guessed right and were unsurprised at the answer. Padel after all has been exploding all over Europe, Latin America, South America and elsewhere. But if you live in North America, you’ll be forgiven for thinking of pickleball. Perhaps you’ve even never heard of padel. Well, that is about to change. And Pablo Carro, the co-founder of Playtomic and a padel evangelist, is the one behind it. A competitive tennis player, Carro fell in love with padel the first time he played it and has been on a mission to grow the sport around the world. In our conversation, we talk about the explosive growth of padel worldwide, and why the US is primed to follow. We go into the role of Playtomic in the sport’s upward trajectory, the support of tennis legend Rafael Nadal, the findings of the latest Global Padel Report and much more. ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Sports Business Conversations podcast is a production of ADC Partners, a sports marketing agency that specializes in creating, managing, and evaluating effective partnerships between brands and sports. All rights reserved. YOUR HOST Dave Almy brings over 30 years of sports marketing and sports business experience to his role as host of the "1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations" podcast. Dave is the co-Founder of ADC Partners. FOLLOW US Here's where you can find us: LinkedIn: adc-partnersInstagram: adc_partners_podcastThreads: adc_partners_podcastYoutube: @adcpartnersHomepage: adcpartners.com/podcast

    36 min
  3. Let Robots Do the Scheduling: John Stewart, co-Founder and CEO of Fastbreak.ai

    SEP 30

    Let Robots Do the Scheduling: John Stewart, co-Founder and CEO of Fastbreak.ai

    I’m sure you’ll be excited to know that my guest is John Stewart (no, not that Jon Stewart, and yes, he gets that a lot), the co-founder and CEO of Fastbreak.ai. And in many ways, this John Stewart has had as much of an impact as the other one. In 2019, John sold his logistics optimization start up to Salesforce. Looking for a new challenge, he harnessed his expertise and growing AI capabilities to tackle a truly daunting task: streamlining sports scheduling. In just a couple of years, John and Fastbreak.ai are managing league wide schedules for the more than half of the world’s top pro sports leagues, including the NBA, NHL, MLS, Premiership Rugby, the Australian National Rugby League, and more. And with the pro leagues more or less conquered, John and his team are casting their gaze toward a truly challenging, but potential lucrative, target: the $60 billion youth sports industry. In our chat, John and I review his entrepreneurial journey and discuss what drew him to sports scheduling for his next challenge. We also dig into bringing Fastbreak.ai to market, the decision to pursue a top down strategy with the pros to open up youth sports, and his essential insights into using AI to work faster and pivot quicker. ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Sports Business Conversations podcast is a production of ADC Partners, a sports marketing agency that specializes in creating, managing, and evaluating effective partnerships between brands and sports. All rights reserved. YOUR HOST Dave Almy brings over 30 years of sports marketing and sports business experience to his role as host of the "1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations" podcast. Dave is the co-Founder of ADC Partners. FOLLOW US Here's where you can find us: LinkedIn: adc-partnersInstagram: adc_partners_podcastThreads: adc_partners_podcastYoutube: @adcpartnersHomepage: adcpartners.com/podcast

    47 min
  4. X-ing Out Thirst: Brian Ansah, co-Founder of X Hydration

    SEP 16

    X-ing Out Thirst: Brian Ansah, co-Founder of X Hydration

    Brian Ansah is a former University of Minnesota track athlete whose journey into entrepreneurship began not on the podium—but in recovery. After tearing his ACL, Brian suddenly found himself with time on his hands, and a lot of uncertainty about what came next. But instead of sitting still, he teamed up with his best friend, who, at the time, was recovering from an accident, to figure out their business futures. The result was X Hydration. X Hydration isn’t your typical sports drink. In fact, it’s not a sports drink at all—it’s wellness water with aloe as its secret weapon. In this episode, Brian shares how they went from a $3,000 check from his brother to developing a product in professional labs, surviving a few taste-test disasters, and eventually landing on something that actually works—and tastes good. We’ll also talk about the brand’s very intentional marketing strategy. Forget follower counts—Brian and his team are seeking authentic athlete partnerships and word-of-mouth from people who really believe in what they’re drinking. Brian also delves into the mental challenge of leaving athletics behind and stepping into a whole new identity as a founder. There’s a lot of honesty, a lot of hustle—and maybe even a little talk about diamonds, believe it or not. ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Sports Business Conversations podcast is a production of ADC Partners, a sports marketing agency that specializes in creating, managing, and evaluating effective partnerships between brands and sports. All rights reserved. YOUR HOST Dave Almy brings over 30 years of sports marketing and sports business experience to his role as host of the "1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations" podcast. Dave is the co-Founder of ADC Partners. FOLLOW US Here's where you can find us: LinkedIn: adc-partnersInstagram: adc_partners_podcastThreads: adc_partners_podcastYoutube: @adcpartnersHomepage: adcpartners.com/podcast

    28 min
  5. Getting the Gist of Sports Media: Ellen Hyslop, Co-Founder of The Gist

    SEP 2

    Getting the Gist of Sports Media: Ellen Hyslop, Co-Founder of The Gist

    If you would, think back to the last time you got together with some friends after work to hang out for a bit. Maybe you grab some dinner, probably have a drink or two, shoot the breeze for a while. Do remember what you talked about? Was it anything, say, productive? If you’re Ellen Hyslop, co-Founder of The Gist, that dinner out with friends in 2017 led to the creation of one of the fastest growing and most intriguing sports media brands around. Ellen and her co-Founders, all life long sports fans, felt the market wasn’t serving their style of fandom. And probably no surprise there, right? Sports media was heavily male dominated, both in terms of production and consumption. So the content was clearly oriented that. With the Gist, Ellen set out to recalibrate sports media by becoming, in her own words, the equivalent of your witty, sports obsessed best friend. By balancing coverage of men’s and women’s sports, applying a digital first mindset, and relentlessly listening to their over 1 million fans and followers, the Gist is a clearly on the rise. In our conversation, we go into launching the Gist, growing a new media brand from scratch, the smart moves and missteps along the way, and thoughts on how she and the Gist team might celebrate their next million followers. ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Sports Business Conversations podcast is a production of ADC Partners, a sports marketing agency that specializes in creating, managing, and evaluating effective partnerships between brands and sports. All rights reserved. YOUR HOST Dave Almy brings over 30 years of sports marketing and sports business experience to his role as host of the "1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations" podcast. Dave is the co-Founder of ADC Partners. FOLLOW US Here's where you can find us: LinkedIn: adc-partnersInstagram: adc_partners_podcastThreads: adc_partners_podcastYoutube: @adcpartnersHomepage: adcpartners.com/podcast

    41 min
  6. Building a High Speed Night Out: Jon Gardner, President of F1 Arcade

    AUG 19

    Building a High Speed Night Out: Jon Gardner, President of F1 Arcade

    I’m wondering what you think of when you hear that sound? What goes through your mind? I’ll bet it’s something to do with F1 racing. Cars that look more like fighter jets than automobiles. Global destinations at exquisite racetracks. Things moving at such high speed that they’re more blurs than physical objects. But what Jon Gardner hopes you’ll start thinking about is dinner and drinks. That’s because Gardner is the President of F1 Arcade, that latest in a line of highly successful sports-entertainment properties that include Top Golf, PuttShack, and Flight Club. By combining the glitz and glamor of F1, entertainment in the form of cutting edge racing simulators, and high end cocktails and cuisine, Gardner and his team are creating one memorable night out. Jon took some time out after opening his latest location in Philadelphia to talk about the growth of both the sport and F1 Arcade, working with an established global brand, and what it’s going to take to grow from 5 locations to their ultimate goal of 30. The former basketball center will also fill us in on what it’s like folding his 6’7” frame into an F1 car. ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Sports Business Conversations podcast is a production of ADC Partners, a sports marketing agency that specializes in creating, managing, and evaluating effective partnerships between brands and sports. All rights reserved. YOUR HOST Dave Almy brings over 30 years of sports marketing and sports business experience to his role as host of the "1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations" podcast. Dave is the co-Founder of ADC Partners. FOLLOW US Here's where you can find us: LinkedIn: adc-partnersInstagram: adc_partners_podcastThreads: adc_partners_podcastYoutube: @adcpartnersHomepage: adcpartners.com/podcast

    30 min
  7. Selling Sports in the Multiscreen Age: Natasha Sinagoga, SVP Market Sales for Ampersand

    AUG 5

    Selling Sports in the Multiscreen Age: Natasha Sinagoga, SVP Market Sales for Ampersand

    “The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”. It’s a quote that’s attributed to Mark Twain, who was the subject of one of the first ever celebrity death hoxes. It was basically his way of saying “Slow your roll, people. I’m still around and producing great work”. It’s a sentiment that Natasha Sinagoga, Senior Vice President Market Sales at Ampersand, can empathize with. Sinagoga and Ampersand are on a mission to dispel the exaggerated rumors about the demise of cable tv. The future of sports television, as they see it, is a multiscreen environment, with cable TV providers like Comcast, Cox, and Spectrum resting at the center. And for sports marketers, that produces a unique ability to reach fans wherever they are, no matter how they’re watching. In our conversation, we dive into Natasha’s diverse career journey that began with aspirations for sportscasting before finding her niche in advertising sales. We review her experience at Ampersand, and the company's role in simplifying media buying and targeting audiences in the dynamic landscape of sports viewership. We also touch on common misconceptions about cord cutting, and where the overall consumption of television currently sits. The baseball junkie will also fill you in on which hot dogs are the best in all of MLB. ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Sports Business Conversations podcast is a production of ADC Partners, a sports marketing agency that specializes in creating, managing, and evaluating effective partnerships between brands and sports. All rights reserved. YOUR HOST Dave Almy brings over 30 years of sports marketing and sports business experience to his role as host of the "1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations" podcast. Dave is the co-Founder of ADC Partners. FOLLOW US Here's where you can find us: LinkedIn: adc-partnersInstagram: adc_partners_podcastThreads: adc_partners_podcastYoutube: @adcpartnersHomepage: adcpartners.com/podcast

    34 min
  8. Investing in College Sports: Jonathan Marks, Chief Business Officer College and Global Marketplace for Elevate

    JUL 22

    Investing in College Sports: Jonathan Marks, Chief Business Officer College and Global Marketplace for Elevate

    You may have heard that it’s the dawn of a new age in college sports. Actually, that’s underselling it. Let’s put it this way: college sports as you know it is over. Finito. Kaput. In it’s place is… well, I think we’re still figuring out what that is. But with all the conference realignment, changes to the college football playoff, NIL and direct payments to players, there’s one thing we know with 100% certainty: the need for new revenue, and lots of it, is absolutely vital to college athletic departments. And that is what Jonathan Marks, the Chief Business Officer of College and Global Marketplace for Elevate, is working on and thinking about every day. Marks brings his entrepreneurs mindset to Elevate, which acquired his start up Dynamic Pricing Partners in 2021. It’s a perspective that’s in hot demand right now, because the old way of doing things clearly isn’t going to cut it anymore. We go into that his start up’s acquisition, and his approach to this new college marketplace. We dive deeply into Elevate’s College Investment Initiative, a $500 million fund packed by private equity, which represents one of the first forays of that type of capital into college sports. And he provides some recommendations and insight into what athletic department administrators should be thinking about as they look to navigate the new financial market of college sports. ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Sports Business Conversations podcast is a production of ADC Partners, a sports marketing agency that specializes in creating, managing, and evaluating effective partnerships between brands and sports. All rights reserved. YOUR HOST Dave Almy brings over 30 years of sports marketing and sports business experience to his role as host of the "1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations" podcast. Dave is the co-Founder of ADC Partners. FOLLOW US Here's where you can find us: LinkedIn: adc-partnersInstagram: adc_partners_podcastThreads: adc_partners_podcastYoutube: @adcpartnersHomepage: adcpartners.com/podcast Mentioned in this episode: ADC Partners: Your trusted college sports business partner ADC Partners

    36 min
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5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Winner of Sports Podcast Awards' Best Sports Business Podcast Award! In this podcast series, ADC Partners co-founder Dave Almy hosts conversations with sports business professionals who are shaping the future of the industry. With interviews featuring brand representatives, team presidents, sports marketers, and even mascots, the 1-on-1: Sports Business Conversations podcast has insights for everyone involved in the sports industry. ADC Partners is a San Francisco Bay Area based agency specializing in sports business, sports marketing and partnerships. More information is at www.adcpartners.com

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