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.

Few sports venues get a second shot at hosting a championship, but Homestead-Miami Speedway just did. President Guillermo Santa Cruz sits down with Dave to discuss what it takes to win back NASCAR’s biggest weekend, and how Miami’s global market, fan base, and drivers themselves shaped the decision.

Drawing on his experience across media and motorsports, Guillermo unpacks why Homestead’s racing quality and driver sentiment carry as much weight as market dynamics. He also shares how Miami’s role as a minority-majority, international hub is influencing NASCAR’s approach to engaging Hispanic and global audiences.

Guillermo also shares his thoughts around using AI in daily workflows, streaming fragmentation, and evolving media rights. He closes with the industry storylines he’s watching most closely as NASCAR and South Florida gear up for a packed 2026 sports calendar.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How artificial intelligence, streaming fragmentation, and shifting media rights are shaping the way sports organizations capture and serve fans
• Why Guillermo sees Miami as a proving ground for NASCAR’s global expansion
• How Homestead-Miami Speedway won back NASCAR’s Championship Weekend by leaning on driver feedback and track quality
• How a STEM partnership with Miami-Dade schools is cultivating future fans and building a talent pipeline for motorsports
• What Guillermo carried from his Emmy-winning years in TV production into leading a world-class motorsports venue

Resources and Links:

Connect with Guillermo Santa Cruz on LinkedIn.

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

Big brands aren’t buying “spots & dots” anymore. In this conversation, Nicole Jeter West traces a path from the Knicks and US Open to Legends and LA28 to show how partnerships actually create value now, beyond stacking impressions. She explains why a primetime NWSL championship mattered, what it takes to design “assets beyond the rings,” and how to frame outcomes so both the property and the partner win.

Nicole is also diving into her operator’s playbook: packaging the road to LA28, sequencing categories, and aligning a complex web of stakeholders, including IOC, IFs, NGBs, and the USOPC — so activation feels seamless to fans. 

Finally, she breaks down why she launched Vanguard Maven Group, her board work in women’s sports, and how a multi-generational team helps her build for where attention is going next. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why real partnership beats “spots & dots,” and how aligning brand–property objectives leads to better fan and athlete experiences
• How LA28 built “assets beyond the rings” and packaged the road to 2028 so partners commit earlier 
• Why the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic model’s reliance on private dollars changes category strategy, rights management, and governance across IOC/USOPC/NGBs
• How legacy properties turn cost centers into P&L growth, with lessons from standing up digital partnerships and modernizing go-to-market
• Vanguard Maven Group’s three-pillar model of Strategy, Storytelling, and IP Creation and how they reach Gen Z without losing core fans

Resources and Links:

Connect with Nicole Jeter West on LinkedIn and learn more about Vanguard Maven Group on their website.

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

Shripal Shah is back on the show to map the maturity spectrum of AI in sports and how data governance must come first to avoid ugly surprises. Most importantly, Shripal explains why AI won’t be the great equalizer – it will be the great divider.

You’ll hear a plain-English take on MCP (Model Context Protocol) as the “air traffic control” for AI across vendors, plus how AI agents can bridge legacy systems, stretch capex cycles, and free teams from grunt work so staff can focus on strategy.

Finally, Shripal previews his new book Unlocking Fan Loyalty, making the case that emotionally loyal fans are worth 300% more, and a modern, card-linked, 365-day program could conservatively add ~$30M/year for an NFL team. 

He also lays out the KPI shift from signups to incremental revenue per member and a phased path to move from points-for-merch to true lifetime value.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why real differentiation comes when teams apply AI to high-value areas like sponsor recaps, churn prediction, and personalized offers.
• How organizations risk exposing sensitive files when staff gain AI-powered search across company systems.
• The emerging Model Context Protocol that can help IT teams manage data permissions across multiple AI models without chaos. 
• How AI agents can turn 45–60 minutes of manual work into background automation. 
• How card-linked earning, “money-can’t-buy” experiences, and incremental revenue per member become the KPIs sponsors will pay for.

Resources and Links:

Connect with Shripal Shah on LinkedIn and check out his new book, Unlocking Fan Loyalty: From Frequent Flyers to Fanatics in the Age of AI.

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

Women’s sports are surging. Participation is climbing, purses are growing, arenas are selling out, and today, we’re spotlighting the people and ideas powering that momentum: from the LPGA and USGA, fast-rising leagues like the PWHL, tech-forward formats like TGL, and iconic brands like the Harlem Globetrotters. 

You’ll hear from the following guests:

• (0:40) Danette Leighton, Women’s Sports Foundation
• (5:52) Liz Moore, LPGA
• (13:19) Mollie Marcoux Samaan, former LPGA Commissioner
• (20:06) Jon Podany, USGA
• (24:05) Amy Scheer, PWHL
• (27:18) Jon Kropp, TGL
• (30:44) Jayne Bussman-Wise, PWHL
• (35:06) Keith Dawkins, Harlem Globetrotters

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why the current boom in women’s sports is decades in the making: “five generations” of Title IX turning access into audience and investment
• How the U.S. Women’s Open doubled its purse to $12M in just three years and landed prime-time coverage at Pebble Beach
• PWHL’s breakout with sold-out arenas (including a rapid 19,000 seat sellout), single-entity agility, and expansion to eight teams
• How TGL’s tech format lets men and women compete side by side, and why expansion to new venues is next
• The Globetrotters’ co-ed future, from Lynette Woodard’s trailblazing role to today’s strategy that treats inclusion as smart audience growth

Resources and Links:

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

The Cleveland Cavaliers EVP & CIO Mike Conley turned the Cavs’ digital channels from a cost center into a multimillion-dollar revenue engine. And that shift laid the groundwork for their boldest move yet: standing up a 24/7 sports network inside the organization.

With RSN economics wobbling, Mike explains how the Cavs built optionality and formed a joint venture with Gray Media to launch Rock Entertainment Sports Network after a six-week sprint—so the club could produce live events, original programming, and distribute across both linear and streaming footprints. That mix already reaches ~2.4M Ohio households!

You’ll also hear Mike’s tactical thoughts around why every team needs media DNA, what a club-side broadcast stack looks like now, where in-house production makes sense (and where it doesn’t!) and how governance and culture drive execution.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How the Cavs and Gray Media stood up Rock Entertainment Sports Network before the ’24-’25 season to protect against RSN volatility
• The omnichannel footprint behind 2.4M households: OTA (22.1 NE Ohio), Spectrum/Charter, NCTC, plus new signals in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton
• Why broadcast now sits with IT/BI under the CIO, moving to IP video and Dante audio, and what that unlocks
• The early Cavs mandate to shift web from PR to revenue, from $900K to $6.7M in two years
• Mike’s honest view on going in-house, and lessons from peers like the Pelicans, Suns, Jazz, Rangers, and Stars

Resources and Links:

Connect with Mike Conley 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 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.