Making the Fan

This episode features industry legend Scott O’Neil.  In his most recent role, Scott was the CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, overseeing the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia 76ers.  Prior to that, he held positions of Senior Vice President of the NBA’s Team Marketing and Business Operations division and President of Madison Square Garden Sports.  

Throughout the podcast, Scott charmed us with stories as he and David dive into a number of insights that influenced his career and became the foundation for his new book, “Be Where Your Feet Are: Seven Principles to Keep You Present, Grounded and Thriving.”  

Show Notes

3:23  Putting Life in Perspective from Mozambique

7:31  Scott’s Favorite Insight - “Assume Positive Intent”

10:11  Instilling Positive Intent into Your Culture

17:06  Balancing Accountability and “The Best Work Environment”  

18:58  How to Fire Someone Gracefully

21:28  Millennials’ Social Contract

24:25  Creating a Hybrid Work Environment

26:19  Building Culture and Connections in a Hybrid Work Environment

29:01  Defining the “Greatest Place to Work”

30:14  The Thin Line Between Work and Home

34:38  Developing Staff Personally and Professionally

39:01  You Can’t Manage for the Masses

40:25  Maintaining An Attitude of Gratitude When the Team Isn’t Winning

48:54  Parting Advice

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For More on Topics Referenced in This Episode:

For more insights on being present, passionate and intentional, grab Scott's book: Be Where Your Feet Are

Ted Lasso | Leadership Lessons from Ted Lasso 

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Connect with Scott on LinkedIn or Twitter

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This week we're joined by Jamie Pollard, Director of Athletics at Iowa State University.  Since his arrival in 2005, he has re-imagined almost every facet of the department, leading the Cyclones to records in attendance and ticket sales and academic scores and some of their highest finishes in the Learfield Directors' Cup.  His leadership extends throughout the industry as he was recently named NACDA President of the Year for 2021-22.  In this episode, Jamie and David break down how Iowa State approaches its fan experience by "speaking the fans' love language" and Jamie's entrepreneur-like leadership mentality.

Show Notes

2:31   Breaking the Football Season Ticket Record

3:53   Building a “Fans First” Experience at Jack Trice Stadium

7:13    Identifying What Fits Your Fan Base

15:53    The Role of NACDA and NACDA President

24:20   Opportunities for the new Big 12

28:50    Leaders Who’ve Impacted Jamie

32:03    Managing Work / Life Priorities

36:17    High Points and Low Points as a Leader

39:03    Learning from an Apparent Failure

42:18    Thinking Like an Entrepreneur

45:42    Creating Impactful Meetings

47:56    Empowering Your Staff - 50/50 Decision Making

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Connect with Jamie via email or follow him on Twitter

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
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This week, we sat down with Rhett Hobart, Associate AD for Fan Experience and Brand Development at Wake Forest University.  Since he joined the Demon Deacons in April 2020, Rhett and his team have launched their “Welcome to Deactown” brand campaign, introduced new in-game experiences for the greater college football fan and debuted a co-branded beer, Deacon Brew, all to create the “Best Fan Experience in North Carolina.”  In this episode, we go deep into strategies and tactics for engaging your fan base and building a true community.

Show Notes

2:31   Crafting Deacon Brew

3:19    Behind the Partnership with R&D Brewing

5:51    The Tough Conversations 

7:42     Capitalizing on Your Biggest Sampling Opportunity

11:51  New Branded Revenue Streams

16:03  Welcome to “Deactown”

20:21  The Financial Buy-in to a Branding Campaign

23:44   Takeaways from a Long-Term Branding Campaign

27:30   Creating an Experience for Any College Sports Fan

31:15   Wake’s Digital Student Engagement Strategy

34:25   Transforming the Student Tailgate Experience

38:15   Wake’s New Football and Basketball Ticket Model

42:54   From “Season Ticket Holder” to “Season Ticket Member”

45:42   The Deacon Virtual Season Ticket

53:02   Book Recommendations

54:08   “Bumping the Lamp”

57:57   Parting Advice

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For more info on topics covered in this episode:

Deacon Brew 

Wake Forest Football Ticket Plans 

FanMaker app 

Rhett’s Book Recommendations

Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise by Horst Schulze 

Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service by the Disney Institute

Connect with Rhett via email or Twitter

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Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Delivering training digitally to better equip your staff for game day.

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/
Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/
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This week, we welcome Kentucky’s Mitch Barnhart to the show. After 20 years as UK's Athletic Director, Mitch has produced one of the largest leadership trees with more than six former associates now holding Division 1 athletic director positions. In this episode, Mitch shares his passion for equipping people to launch people and guiding his organization with a true servant heart and integrity. 

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Show Notes

3:25   Countering Today’s Labor Staffing Challenges - The Kentucky “Blue Coats” 

7:41   Right-Sizing Your Venues

10:03   Diversifying Your Fan Base

11:41   Navigating the Changing College Landscape

17:00   Find the Balance

19:10   Most Impactful Leader & Leadership Styles

22:11   Creating a Growth Mindset Culture

26:49   Equip People to Launch People

31:19   Foundational Leadership Moments

39:21   Generational Leadership

43:18   Challenges of Reactionary Decision Making

46:59   Importance of Family First

52:34   Show Appreciation for Your Staff 

54:25   Mitch’s Billboard

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Connect with Mitch via email or follow him on Twitter

Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Delivering training digitally to better equip your staff for game day.

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/
Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/
Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

This episode of Flip the Switch features Customer Experience Coach, Keynote Speaker and Author Dan Gingiss.  Dan's latest book, "The Experience Maker," comes out today, featuring his "WISE" framework and stories from 20 years of experience working with brands, including McDonald's, Discover and Humana.  Throughout the episode, Dan and David discuss simple, yet remarkable ways to enhance your engagement with your customers.

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Show Notes

2:26  The Experiences Customers Want to Talk About

4:20  The Framework for Becoming "WISE"

6:45  Be “Witty”

12:05  Genuine Social Media Interactions - The Green Skittles Story 

14:29  The Leaky Bucket - Pay Attention to Your Existing Customers

17:35  Applying Fan Concepts to Other Industries

21:41  It’s All About the Little Fixes

23:44  Be “Immersive”

25:50  What Do You Own and What Can You Influence?

29:32  Be “Shareable”

33:50  Meeting Customer Expectations Consistently 

39:08  Be “Extraordinary”

45:13  Dan’s Billboard

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For more great stories on delivering a spectacular customer experience, check out Dan’s new book: The Experience Maker: How To Create Remarkable Experiences That Your Customers Can’t Wait To Share

Connect with Dan to share your feedback on the book or ask any customer experience questions: 

Email |  Twitter |  LinkedIn  | DanGingiss.com

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Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Delivering training digitally to better equip your staff for game day.

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/
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Joining us on today's episode is Eric Nichols, the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Marketing and Branding/Chief Marketing Officer at the University of South Carolina. Nichols oversees Marketing, Digital and Social Media, and the University band and spirit programs as well as serving as the primary liaison for Licensing, merchandise sales, and outsourced entities including Learfield for multimedia rights and Learfield Ticket Solutions for outbound sales.

Eric and David discuss innovation around customer and employee experience within college athletics. From some of the changes South Carolina has been working on over the pandemic and are now launching this year at their football stadium,  to renovated club areas and utilizing data and KPIs for your staff, Eric breaks down all the way in which he looks to innovate the college athletics space for his team. 

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Show Notes

3:07      New Club Spaces at Gamecock Football Games

10:08   The South Carolina Tailgate Experience

13:04    Beer Caves and Convenient Store Concession Stands

17:17   How to Scale Empathy

19:22   Using Data to Increase Staffing and Resources

26:21   Setting KPIs and a Vision for Your Staff 

31:43   Lessons from South Carolina Culture Surveys

35:10   Facilitating Teamwork and Rewarding Your Employees

37:12   Deepening Connections with Gamecock Fans

41:53   Bridging the Ticketing and Licensing Spending Gap

44:56   Eric’s Billboard

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For more information on topics covered in this episode:

Connect with Eric on Twitter or LinkedIn

South Carolina's Tailgating Experience
The "Cockabooses"
The 2001 Club
The Cockaboose Club
The Horseshoe Club
The Traditions Club

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Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Delivering training digitally to better equip your staff for game day.

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/
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Today’s episode is all about appealing to the emotional side of fandom with Peter Sorckoff.  What started as a career in a therapeutic environment has evolved into 20 plus years of understanding the human subconscious impact on fandom.  Peter leveraged those insights to create immersive marketing and branding experiences for major brands in the NBA, the MLB and NHL, most notably as the Chief Creative Officer and EVP of Brand for the Atlanta Hawks.  Now, Peter is applying similar concepts to other industries, including aviation and retail, through his company, Seer.

This podcast goes in-depth on building experiences based on the instinctual - and sometimes irrational - aspects of fandom.

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Show Notes

6:28   Change Management and Inspiring Cultural Transformation

9:55   Appealing to the Millennial Audience - the Birth of “Swipe Right” Night

15:07   The Story Behind the Kiss Cam and Teddy Bear Toss

15:51   Deliberate Decision Making through Strategy not Tactics

19:10   Challenging “Transactional” Marketing

21:18   Being “Kind” to the Customer

23:41   The Elephant and the Rider

27:55   The Three Fundamentals of Fandom

33:26   Applying the Social Psycho Structure of Fandom to Other Industries

35:34   Segmenting People by Instinctual Orientation

38:08   Customer Personas and Emotional Segmentation in Aviation

43:11   The Next Big Metamorphosis Coming in Transportation

46:50  Peter’s Learning Journey

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For more information on topics covered in this episode:

Connect with Peter via email or Twitter 

Check out SEER to learn more about fandoms

If you want more from Peter, reach out and let David know.

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Peter’s Learning Journey
The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler
Stealing Fire by Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal
Bold by Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis
The Future is Faster Than You Think by Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis

The Story of the Kiss Cam and Teddy Bear Toss
Episode 260 - Peter Sorckoff on fans and brands in sports  | Sports Geek with Sean Callanan

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Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Delivering training digitally to better equip your staff for game day.

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
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Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/
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Michael Thompson joins David for this week’s College Leaders podcast.  After nine years at Ole Miss, Michael reunited with Ross Bjork at Texas A&M in October of 2019 as the Deputy Athletics Director for External Relations and Business Development.  His innovative leadership has led to appointments as the 2020-21 NACMA President and membership in the SEC’s fan experience working group.  His team also won the 2019 NACDA Technology Innovation Award.   

Counting down the days to football at Kyle Field, Michael shares his framework for keeping the 12th Man traditions sacred while employing data and new technology to evolve and innovate game day and carrying that through to other sports.

Show Notes

6:06   What’s new for 2021 Texas A&M Football?

8:57    Creative Planning for Staffing Challenges

13:54   Celebrating The 100th Season of the 12th Man

19:18   Balancing Traditions with New Innovations

23:55    If Money Was No Object...Investments to Enhance Customer Experience

27:03    Defined Social Spaces in Stadiums

30:27   Diving into NFTs and the Blockchain 

33:43   Cracking the Code on Season Ticket Usage

38:43   The Flexible ‘Gig ‘Em Pass’

39:33   Understanding Your Different Customers

43:30   The “FOMO” Factor

46:48   On Michael’s Bookshelf

50:56   When “No” Presents a Better Opportunity

56:36   Best Investment Under $100

57:59   Practicing Intermittent Fasting

1:01:53   Michael’s Billboard

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For more information on topics discussed in today’s episode:

Flexible Gig ‘em Pass

On Michael’s Bookshelf

Pappy Land by Wright Thompson

Endurance | Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition by Dennis Perkins

Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta by Richard Grant

On David's Bookshelf

Forged in Crisis: The Power of Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times by Nancy Koehn

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn or Twitter

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Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Delivering training digitally to better equip your staff for game day.

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/
Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/
Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

In our latest College Leaders podcast, we are joined by Troy Dannen, Ben Weiner Director of Athletics at Tulane University, to discuss leadership and guiding Tulane through turbulent times.  Five years into his tenure, he’s revamped his senior management, increased fundraising and enhanced the student-athlete and fan experiences.  He’s a recognized leader in college athletics, recently named to the newly established NCAA Constitution Committee, representing all Group of 5 schools.  

Less than 24 hours before we recorded the podcast, Tulane announced its mask and vaccination policy in conjunction with the City of New Orleans.  Throughout the episode, Troy shares his framework for scenario planning and decision making. 

Show Notes

6:09     Managing Through Tulane’s 2021 COVID-19 Vaccine policy 

11:12   Serving on the NCAA Constitution Committee

16:36  Greatest Investments under $100

18:35  Learning from Failure

22:59  The Importance of Empathy

27:17  The “Sound of Silence” and Scenario Planning

30:23  You Don’t Lead Everyone the Same

35:16  The Art of a Graceful “No” and Delegation

38:02  Incorporating Other Impactful Leadership Styles

41:14  Making a Convincing Argument - Takeaways as a Referee

49:37  What is your edge?

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For more information on topics covered in this episode:

Bite Away mosquito repellent

Connect with Troy on Twitter

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Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Delivering training digitally to better equip your staff for game day.

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
Connect w/ David Millay on LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmillay/
Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/
Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay

In this episode, David is joined by Greg Turner to dive in to the differences in fandoms and live events between China and the West.  What started as a summer internship for Greg has evolved into a 20-year career in China, moving from agencies to live events and venue management, before establishing his own company, Shenzhen High Performance Event Management.  

Compared to most of our fan bases that have existed for decades, live events have only been a regular part of the Chinese culture for the last 20 years.  Throughout this podcast, Greg shares a number of applicable lessons on educating and engaging fans and bringing new audiences in to sporting events. 

Show Notes

5:38      From Canada to China - Greg’s Path to Shenzhen High Performance Event Management

9:46     The Introduction of Live Events in China

12:14  “How to Be a Fan”

15:35  Integrating into Chinese Markets - Case Studies from the NBA and UFC

22:14  “Authentically Disney, Distinctly Chinese” 

24:31  The Evolution of Chinese Fandom and Fan Experiences

27:17  Community First, Commercialization Second

30:46  Digital Strategies Driving Engagement - Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Influence

40:04   Professionalizing the Chinese Soccer League and Chinese Basketball Association

43:04  Opportunities for Growth in Both Markets

46:30  “Buying a Ticket 101”

47:59  Understanding Your Fan

For more information on the topics covered in this episode:
Key Terms Referenced - Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs)
Other Flip the Switch podcasts on Fandom - How Fandom is Evolving with Zoe Scaman

Connect with Greg via email or LinkedIn

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Today’s episode was sponsored by CheckdIn.  Delivering training digitally to better equip your staff for game day.

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Connect with Host, David Millay:
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Follow David on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/david.millay/
Follow David Millay on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DavidMillay