What does it take to modernize a legacy sport, inspire global fans, and build commercial engines that stand the test of time?

In Episode 26, Linnea Jungnelius sits down with Jeff Price, Chief Commercial & Philanthropy Officer at the PGA of America, and one of the most influential architects behind golf’s modern growth story.

From transforming brand partnerships at Gatorade and MasterCard to reshaping how millions experience the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup, Jeff has built a career at the intersection of sport, business, and innovation.

His lessons apply far beyond the fairway: they’re about building trust, culture, and commercial momentum in any business facing disruption.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to turn sponsorships into lasting, growth-driving partnerships

• The leadership shift from instructing teams to empowering them

• Why understanding your “dual-habit” consumers drives sustainable engagement

• How to extend experiences beyond the venue and into culture

• Why focus and the smart use of AI defines the next wave of sports innovation

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro

00:26 Guest Introduction: Jeff Price

1:09 Early Career & Lessons from Rejection

02:45 Career Journey: NBA, Gatorade, MasterCard

06:31 Startup Experience & Learning from Failure

08:43 Leadership Evolution: Empowerment vs. Instruction

10:16 Decision-Making & Strategic Frameworks

11:37 Joining PGA of America: Strategic Gaps & First Moves

13:15 Partnership Economics & PGA’s Commercial Strategy

17:10 Ryder Cup: Brand Unification & Global Growth

20:36 Commercial Innovation: Events, Experiences, and Media

22:51 Media Strategy: ESPN+ Streaming Deal

25:42 The Future: AI, Data, and Personalization in Golf

30:05 Building High-Performing Teams: The “We” Mentality

32:51 Commercial Leadership: Data, Social Media, and Revenue

34:01 Advice for CEOs & Commercial Teams

35:00 Personal Routines & Sustaining Performance

36:41 Sources of Inspiration & Industry Trends

38:01 Trends in Sports Business & Media

49:00 Lightning Round: Personal Reflections

Resources:

Jeff Price:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-price-24481318/

Linnea Jungnelius:

LinkedIn: https://⁠www.linkedin.com/in/linneajungnelius ⁠

X: ⁠https://x.com/itslinnea⁠

Explore the Podcast:

Spotify: ⁠https://acertitu.de/jeff-price-spotify-podcast

Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://acertitu.de/jeff-price-apple-podcast⁠

Blog: ⁠https://acertitu.de/jeff-price-blog⁠

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