Tom Veit is one of the largest turn-around artists in sports business. He's worked in MLS, XFL, college athletics, WWE and motor sports, creating revenue generation solutions for operations that were failing to deliver. Veit shares his experiences working in different environments, including some of the misnomers about scheduling/booking for World Wrestling Entertainment, as well as what hurt the XFL overall. Veit has a driving passion to building long-term revenue for an operation, but doesn't always see the employees as the problem, sometimes its the system that isn't in place properly.
"Mr. Premium" Jason Gonella talks about one of the highest revenue portions of sports sales; luxury suites and seats, as well as how to build a clientele for that space long term. Gonella returns to the podcast to share his wisdom on what actually makes a luxury space viable, as well as the issue of whether there may be too much premium inventory going on sale at once, and whether that can burst the bubble of luxury seating sales. As suites transition into loge boxes or club seating, Gonella discusses the issues around those types of philosophical and real world changes to the entire sports sales space. Twitter: @JasonGonella
Chloe Jeffers has worked in the international media for several years, and brings her knowledge to the podcast. Jeffers has worked primarily in Australian radio, with stints overseas in the United States and Caribbean. Jeffers talks about some of the differences of communication, as well as how it relates to building up a connection with the audience. A die-hard Australian Rules Football fan of the Hawthorne FC, Jeffers also brings examples of why fan membership is so important to Oceania's population, and how far they are willing to go in order to showcase their loyalty to one sports brand. Twitter: @ChloeHill44
Brett Zalaski has a wealth of sports sales knowledge that extends beyond just one team or one league, and crosses the threshold into creating a new selling acumen. Zalaski explains his methods on building a great sales team, whether it is at the NBA, MLS, or MLL. Zalaski talks about starting the MLS Sales Center in New York, and the pride he takes in seeing its current growth, along with what the lacrosse game has to do in order to become a true major league product to be reckoned with on the national scene. @BZalaski
Daniel Pinne has worked in Australian sports for over a decade, helping build communication and social platforms for teams as well as organizations. Pinne shares his knowledge of the Australian sports scene, what they react to, as well as some of the best ways to interact with fans via social media. Twitter: @DanPinne
One of the most qualified industry leaders in premium sales is Christian Molnar, who is directly responsible for the unprecedented growth that The Philadelphia Eagles had moving from Veterans Stadium to Lincoln Financial Field. Molnar talks about his legacy at building up the premium seating retention program during his initial tenure at the Eagles, then deciding to challenge himself in Los Angeles with AEG at the Staples Center during one of the worst periods for premium sales during the 2008 economic crash. Now, returning to the Eagles after three years away, Molnar has helped retain and develop some of the best fans in the business. Molnar shares some of his insights into what makes premium sales work, as well as what too many other sales departments do wrong while assuming the sale. Twitter: @Mole72
An interview that was original setup to record in North America, was instead recorded in Melbourne, Australia. A.J. Maestas discusses his analytics business model for sports, where fan engagement isn’t just about how much a fan enjoys the in-stadium experience, but also whether they interact with the corporate signage and other sponsorship activities to create activation. All of this comes down to measurements and numbers, and Maestas has quite a few, including some alarming statistics for Major League Baseball with its young audience members. Twitter: @Navigate_Res
Matt Hill comes into the sports business world from the unique perspective as a former athlete. A devout hockey fan, Hill now sells the product that he loves, but understands the business of premium and suite sales a lot better than he did as a player. Hill expands on some of his misconceptions prior to selling premium seat inventory, and what the Tampa Bay Lightning have done in order to innovate their suites, as well as cause fans to want to renew annually.
Ben Flavel represents one of the most interesting start-ups happening in sports business software, Checkinline, which allows fans to digitally find ways to mark their territory for tickets through an online queuing app. Flavel discusses how the Australian software company has grown to the point of expansion in the United States marketplace, helping Arizona State University determine queuing statuses for students looking to access athletic events. Flavel also covers some of the issues that may stem from the secondary market, and whether brokers can access and corrupt the entire process. Twitter: @NeoCogs
The New Zealand Rugby Union “All Blacks” are one of the most historical teams in all of sport. Known internationally for their high winning percentage, ambassadorship of New Zealand national pride, and “The Haka” war dance prior to each match, the All Blacks are a powerhouse sports brand that are just starting to emerge in the United States scene. David Barton-Ginger handles the All Blacks’ digital channels, and sits down to explain the historical rise of the club, as well as its bright, broad future on the international sports scene. Barton-Ginger also defines “The Haka,” and invites those curious to learn more to go to New Zealand Rugby Union’s official website: www.allblacks.com Twitter: @DBGTweets