Billion-dollar track upgrades and next-generation wagering are re-shaping the horse racing industry. But what does it look like when a legacy sport leans hard into tech, data, and global expansion all at once? Justin McDonald, EVP and CMO at the Breeders’ Cup, is here to break down where the money is flowing and why the sport is growing.

He shares how digital ticketing with SeatGeek is creating unified fan data, why AI is becoming central to decision-making, and how new equine and jockey performance tracking initiatives are reshaping their training and storytelling. The Breeders’ Cup was able to move from initial conversation to a full WHOOP partnership in less than 3 weeks! And this rapid turnaround resulted in real-time biometric data from jockeys, owners, and trainers being integrated into NBC’s coverage.

You’ll also hear how the Breeders’ Cup navigates rotating venues, massive event logistics, weather contingencies, and an increasingly competitive wagering landscape. Justin’s perspective offers a sharp, inside look at a historic sport that’s reinventing itself through innovation, investment, and global fandom.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How nearly $1 billion in racetrack reinvestment is changing what fans can expect at major racing venues
• Why shared wallets inside sports betting apps (and FanDuel’s role) are a gateway for introducing new audiences to horse racing
• How equine-rich datasets from Equibase and Daily Racing Form are starting to fuel “light” AI tools
• What it really takes to rotate a major championship to a different venue each year, and why they are already planning host sites through 2030
• How the growing popularity of women’s sports and emerging pro leagues is shaping how leaders like Justin think about the next decade of sports fandom

Resources and Links:

Connect with Justin McDonald on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

The sports industry is entering one of its most volatile eras. Media models are breaking, new global buyers are emerging, and traditional league structures are under pressure.

Few people have a clearer read on these shifts than Leaders in Sport editorial director James Emmett and content director David Cushnan, who spend their days in conversation with the executives shaping what happens next. 

James and David unpack why the market’s top properties continue to surge while everyone else fights for attention in a fragmented, algorithm-driven landscape. They explore how fan behavior, discovery challenges, and shifting consumption habits are now forcing rights holders to think far beyond “distribution” and start thinking like long-term customer-acquisition businesses. They also dive into why European structures resist change, and how ownership models are colliding culturally as U.S. investors take deeper stakes in global sport.

From Saudi Arabia’s acceleration strategy to relocation battles, media disruptions, and the race to build talent pipelines, James and David offer a clear, unfiltered view of the forces that will define the next decade.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why the middle tier of global sports is at a crossroads, and what James and David think will separate the properties that break through
• The unexpected ripple effects of Saudi Arabia’s investment strategy and why its influence will reshape multiple sports far faster
• How the rise of American owners in European football is changing club culture, commercial strategy, and even fan expectations
• What the U.S. sports world is getting shockingly right about building spectacle and fan engagement
• The leadership traits and skill sets James and David see in the most future-ready sports executives 

Resources and Links:

Connect with James Emmett on LinkedIn and connect with David Cushnan on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Leaders In Sport on their website.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

Sports organizations are under pressure to deliver MORE. Deeper insights, smarter production, and personalized fan experiences. In this episode, AWS Global Head of Sports Julie Souza takes David through 3 high-impact case studies across the NFL, PGA TOUR, and NHL, revealing how each league is tackling its most pressing technology challenges. 

You’ll hear about the NFL’s use of data modeling and optical tracking, which has contributed to the lowest concussion rate on record and a 79% spike in kickoff returns. Julie shares how the PGA TOUR captures every single tournament shot using AI, and on the production front, how the NHL executed its first fully cloud-delivered broadcast.

Julie and David also get into the realities of rights fragmentation, the demand for personalized primary-screen experiences, the future role of AI in officiating, and the pressure to scale production without ballooning costs. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How the NFL used data from 500M+ optical tracking points per week to model rule changes that reduced injuries 
• Why the PGA TOUR built “Every Shot Live,” turning only ~15% of televised shots into 100% cloud-captured coverage that localizes broadcasts for global audiences
• How cloud production enabled the NHL to avoid ~2.05 metric tons of CO₂ on a single game and spin up data-driven alternate feeds
• A pragmatic vision for streaming where fantasy, betting, merch, food delivery, polls, and custom stat overlays live inside the primary feed
• How AWS and the NFL navigate one quadrillion schedule permutations across 26,000+ constraints to produce a balanced slate every season

Resources and Links:

Connect with Julie Souza on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

What does it take to engineer an entirely new sport that fuses live gameplay and virtual environments into a single seamless experience? That’s the challenge Andrew Macauley and the team at TMRW Sports tackled with TGL, the groundbreaking indoor golf league.

In this episode, Andrew takes us behind the scenes of building one of the most technologically complex venues in the world: a 5-story, 64’x-53’ impact screen stitched together by 9 projectors, and a 500,000-pound rotating green that transforms in real time. He shares how they solved everything from absorbing 200+ mph drives without ricochet, to making a virtual course feel physically real for the athletes hitting the shots.

From his early work at Topgolf, Andrew breaks down the process, testing, and iteration that brought this sport to life. He also previews what’s next for Season Two: larger greens, higher resolution visuals, expanded hitting areas, and a tech stack built to push the limits of “sports entertainment”.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The behind-the-scenes experimentation and late nights that turned the bold idea of “what if golf was reimagined for TV?”
• How Andrew’s background at Topgolf shaped the systems thinking and precision engineering that underpin TGL’s entire tech stack
• Why the league’s design team intentionally built failure into early prototypes
• What surprised players most when they first hit into the 5-story screen, and how athlete feedback continues to drive innovation between seasons
• How TMRW Sports is pushing the boundaries of fan experience and redefining what “live” means when digital and physical worlds converge

Resources and Links:

Connect with Andrew Macauley 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.

What does it take to turn the world’s most famous marathon into a year-round digital platform?

Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners, is leading the charge, launching an app with 210K+ downloads in its first few months, building an in-house content studio, and forging global partnerships that could redefine what it means to be a “major.”

Drawing on a career that’s spanned ESPN’s control rooms to NBC’s direct-to-consumer pivots, Rob shares how those lessons are shaping NYRR’s tech roadmap and growth strategy. He also pulls back the curtain on serving 200,000+ youth, managing 40 races a year, and navigating unprecedented demand for NYC Marathon spots, all while keeping community impact at the core.

Plus, you’ll hear how storytelling through projects like Final Finishers is helping NYRR capture the emotional heart of the sport.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Rob’s front-row view of ESPN’s evolution, and what today’s rights holders should copy (and avoid) as direct-to-consumer finally goes all-in.
• How NYRR turned a race-day utility into a year-round product with 210,000+ downloads since March
• NYRR’s approach to redesigning registration, adding Strava-powered virtuals, and expanding member value
• Why NYRR invested in an in-house studio (East 89th Street Productions) to own its narrative, create sponsor-friendly assets, and showcase runners’ most emotional moments
• Sydney’s addition, Cape Town and Shanghai on track, and why a nine-star medal might be coming (plus what that means for runners and host cities)

Resources and Links:

Connect with Rob Simmeljkaer on LinkedIn.

Learn more about the New York Road Runners on their website and tune in to their podcast, Set the Pace, co-hosted by Rob.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

Next League is partnering with Sports Business Journal for the Rising Woman of the Year Award. Nominations are now open! Learn more here.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

Fan attention is fragmented across platforms, and the race to measure it accurately has never been tougher. Nielsen Sports VP Jessica Forrest joins David to share how the industry’s most trusted data company is redefining what (and who) gets counted in the next generation of sports measurement.

Jessica breaks down Nielsen’s hybrid approach to ratings and why person-level panel data still matters in a streaming world. She also explains how Nielsen’s AI technology tracks EVERY on-screen logo to determine true sponsorship value, helping brands and properties compare performance across sports, events, and placements.

The conversation widens to live exclusive streams that require streamer-enabled measurement, the trade-off between short-term discoverability and long-term audience rejuvenation, and how fan profiling across 50 global markets informs expansion strategies. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Nielsen blends panel data with big data from tens of millions of devices to paint a true picture of who’s actually watching sports
• All about AI-powered logo detection, and how quality indexes reveal the real media value behind sponsorships
• How Nielsen captures streaming audiences for live-exclusive events like Thursday Night Football when traditional ratings can’t
• Why nearly 40% of viewers who watched NASCAR’s Netflix docuseries Full Speed later tuned into a live race.
• Global fan profiling across 50 markets, for helping rights holders and leagues tailor content and sponsorship strategies for growth

Resources and Links:

Connect with Jessica Forrest on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

Something big is happening in Oklahoma City. Court Jeske, President of Echo Soccer, is redefining what expansion looks like in modern sports, applying lessons from launching Nashville SC to design a new franchise model built on data-driven fan growth.

Echo Soccer is developing a 50-acre stadium district with a 10–11K seat Populous-designed venue, backed by an ownership group that includes Russell Westbrook. The goal? Create the busiest outdoor stadium in the U.S., host 80–90 events a year and anchor downtown OKC’s next wave of growth.

And because Echo will field women’s and men’s teams from day one, Court shares how language, community, and data play into building fan trust. Zooming out, we talk 2026: why the World Cup’s success will hinge on engaging non-host markets, how international club tours help, and why U.S. soccer is only 20% into its overall potential. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The 5 non-negotiables of a successful franchise and why Oklahoma City is positioned to nail every one
• Why Russell Westbrook’s investment matters far beyond the check, signaling a new era of OKC growth and alignment
• From ~100K followers / ~20K leads to Nashville’s 6,200 first-year ST holders, and the ONE avoidable tech mistake Court refuses to repeat
• How Echo Soccer is building women’s and men’s teams from day one, and training staff to use language that reflects equal footing

Resources and Links:

Connect with Court Jeske on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

How is technology reshaping where the money flows in sports? Private equity and institutional investors are rewriting the playbook, and Greg Bedrosian, Managing Partner and CEO at Drake Star, joins Dave to break down what that shift means for operations, innovation, and long-term value creation. 

Today’s most sophisticated investors are building value beyond media rights by strengthening data strategy, rethinking fan monetization, and turning venues into year-round revenue engines. As the market evolves, new opportunities are emerging across categories like youth sports, where technology, payments, and facility innovation are driving a surge of interest.

The conversation also explores the rise of sovereign capital with long-term horizons to the evolving expectations around tech diligence and organizational maturity. Greg’s perspective offers a rare, dealmaker’s view into where the smart money is going and what’s next for the business of sports.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How PE owners are modernizing data systems, improving fan payment experiences, and turning venues into year-round revenue engines
• Why fragmented markets + parent spend + tech platforms (ops + fintech) = hundreds of millions in investment momentum
• The different risk/reward profiles of net-new sports (pickleball, snowboard) vs. new formats leveraging existing star power 
• How sovereign wealth funds’ evergreen horizons change the math on stadiums, timelines, and emerging leagues.
• Why tech and organizational maturity (not just financials) now make or break sports deals, and how buyers are testing it

Resources and Links:

Connect with Greg Bedrosian on LinkedIn and learn more about Drake Star on their website.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

Demonstrable, addressable fanbases are now the foundation of media value, sponsorships, and sustainable revenue.

Sean Foley and Italo Zanzi are here from Hellas Verona FC to outline their competitive DNA in player development and culture designed to be “the club everyone wants to play for.” They highlight a fervent regional base and the importance of aligning the club with civic leaders and a city renowned for its arena, opera season, and visibility tied to the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies. 

From being early guinea pigs for social platforms at AS Roma to today’s experiments with sponsors and fintech integration, facility upgrades, and a pragmatic view of media economics, Sean and Italo also share how streamers like Netflix, ESPN, and Paramount+ are shaping rights strategies for leagues.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why Verona sees provable, permission-based fan data as the key to unlocking media rights value and attracting serious sponsorships
• How the club’s identity is shaping player development and off-field culture
• Verona’s deep integration with Croatian fintech Aircash to co-create stadium and ticketing solutions
• The unique ways Verona is turning their city’s assets into global growth opportunities
• Why Netflix’s approach matters for rights holders, and how Verona positions itself amid shifting economics

Resources and Links:

Connect with Sean Foley on LinkedIn

Connect with Italo Zanzi on LinkedIn

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

What does it take to grow golf from 26 million to 45 million players in just a few years while adapting to shifting fan expectations? 

Jeff Price, Chief Commercial Officer at the PGA of America, chats with David to explore the evolving role of technology, media, and partnerships in shaping the future of this 2 billion dollar industry.

Jeff shares insights into the PGA’s massive Frisco, Texas campus and how it’s transforming player development, industry collaboration, and fan engagement. He also dives into the explosive growth of women’s golf, the significance of the hybrid golfer, and how AI and technology are enhancing coaching and course management. 

Plus, hear his take on the upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage and what makes it one of the most electric events in all of sports.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How the PGA of America is fueling industry growth while supporting 31,000+ golf professionals.
• Why women’s golf is growing faster than ever since the pandemic — and what it means for the industry.
• How technology, AI, and data are reshaping golf coaching and fan experiences, from ball tracing to swing analytics.
• Hybrid golfers and how off-course play is exploding in popularity, especially in the last 10 years.
• What makes the 2025 Ryder Cup different, how it’s set to break records, and why the first tee shot on Friday morning is one of the most nerve-wracking moments in sports.

Resources and Links:

Connect with Jeff Price on LinkedIn and check out the PGA of America website.

Learn more about the Ryder Cup, TGL, and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. 

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.