In this episode of On Stage, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell joins Neil Reynolds, presenter of the NFL on Sky Sports, for an in-depth conversation about the league’s global ambitions and evolving strategy. Recorded on October 2, 2025, at Leaders Week London—hosted by SBJ’s sister company Leaders in Sport at Allianz Stadium—Goodell shares his perspective on expanding the NFL’s international footprint, fostering fan engagement, and the evolving business of football. 

Key discussion points include: 

• Global Growth Strategy: How the NFL is deepening its roots in Europe through international games, partnerships, and local fandom. 
• Media & Technology: The league’s evolving broadcast and digital strategy to reach the next generation of fans worldwide. 
• Player Health & Safety: Continued efforts to innovate equipment, protocols, and education to protect players at every level. 
• Leadership & Legacy: Goodell’s reflections on leading through change and building an enduring, global brand for the future. 

It’s a candid, forward-looking conversation with one of the most influential executives in world sport—offering lessons in leadership, growth, and global vision. 

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In this episode of On Stage, BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman joins Sports Business Journal’s Publisher and Executive Editor, Abraham Madkour for an inspiring and candid conversation that took place on September 25, 2025, at SBJ’s Game Changers conference in New York City.

Ackerman — a pioneer in sports leadership and one of the most respected voices in college athletics — reflects on a career defined by innovation, advocacy, and resilience. From helping launch the WNBA as its first president to guiding the BIG EAST through a time of rapid change, Ackerman’s insights illuminate how leadership evolves in moments of transition.

Key themes include:

• College Sports in Flux: Ackerman’s perspective on the future of NCAA governance, revenue sharing, and why she believes Congress must help bring order to college athletics.
• Leadership Lessons: How she approaches decision-making, mentorship, and the challenge of staying grounded while leading through uncertainty.
• Women in Leadership: Reflections on her pioneering role at the WNBA and what progress still looks like for women across sports business and administration.
• The BIG EAST’s Future: How the conference is positioning itself in an era of consolidation, commercial pressure, and new opportunity.
• A Life in Sports: What drives her after decades of service to the game — and what legacy she hopes to leave behind.

It’s a thoughtful, forward-looking conversation that captures both the wisdom and candor of one of the most influential figures in modern sports.

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In this episode of On Stage, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Properties CEO John Slusher joins Sports Business Journal Editor-at-Large Terry Lefton for an insightful conversation about the business engine powering the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Recorded on September 17, 2025, at SBJ’s AXS DRIVE conference in Los Angeles, this discussion explores how Slusher — a longtime Nike executive who helped architect some of the brand’s biggest global partnerships — is now applying that experience to redefine how the Olympics engage fans, brands, and communities.

Key themes include: 

• Commercial Innovation: How LA28 is building a dynamic, data-driven sponsorship model for a new era of global sports marketing.
• Partnership Ecosystem: The vision for connecting brands to the Olympic and Paralympic movements through creativity, purpose, and long-term value.
• From Nike to LA28: Lessons Slusher brings from decades at Nike, and how those insights shape his approach to leadership and brand storytelling.
• Fan Engagement & Cultural Relevance: Why LA28 aims to make the Games as culturally connected as they are competitive.
• Legacy & Growth: What success looks like beyond 2028 — for Los Angeles, Team USA, and the broader Olympic ecosystem. 

It’s a fascinating look inside the commercial blueprint of one of the most anticipated events in global sports — and what it takes to translate the world’s biggest stage into lasting impact. 

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In this episode of On Stage, we take you inside the L.A. Dodgers with CEO & President Stan Kasten and Executive Vice President & CMO Lon Rosen. This conversation, recorded September 17, 2025 at SBJ’s AXS DRIVE event in Los Angeles, explores how one of the most iconic franchises in sports continues to set the standard on and off the field. Kasten and Rosen—two of the most respected leaders in professional sports—share candid insights on how the Dodgers combine tradition with innovation to grow their global brand. The conversation covers: 

• Championship Business Model: How the Dodgers approach team building, fan engagement, and operations with a long-term vision. 
• Marketing & Partnerships: Rosen’s strategy for brand collaborations and keeping the Dodgers at the forefront of sports marketing. 
• Ballpark & Fan Experience: From stadium innovation to community initiatives, how Dodger Stadium continues to evolve as a world-class venue. 
• Global Reach: Expanding the Dodgers’ presence beyond Los Angeles and into international markets. 
• Leadership & Legacy: Reflections from Kasten and Rosen on what it takes to sustain success in one of the most competitive markets in sports. 

It’s an exclusive, wide-ranging look at how the Dodgers are building a championship brand for today and tomorrow. 

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In this episode of On Stage, Steve Ballmer—Chairman of the L.A. Clippers, Intuit Dome, and former CEO of Microsoft—joins Sports Business Journal’s Publisher and Executive Editor Abe Madkour for a wide-ranging conversation that took place on September 16, 2025, at SBJ’s AXS DRIVE conference in Los Angeles.

With his trademark enthusiasm, Ballmer shares how he’s redefining what it means to be a sports owner, builder, and leader. The conversation explores:

• Intuit Dome Vision: How Ballmer is creating a state-of-the-art arena designed to transform the fan experience.
• Leadership Lessons: Insights from his years at Microsoft and how they influencerunning an NBA franchise.
• Innovation & Infrastructure: Why building new venues is about more than basketball—it’s about community, technology, and culture.
• The Power of Energy: Ballmer’s personal philosophy and how it drives his approach to business, sports, and life.

It’s a dynamic and insightful discussion with one of the most energetic and influential leaders in sports and business.

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In this episode of On Stage, two visionary leaders—Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, and Ted Leonsis, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment—share the stage at SBJ’s Dealmakers Conference in Washington, D.C., on November 30, 2023. 

Hobson, a nationally recognized financial executive and advocate for financial literacy, speaks candidly about how Ariel Investments approaches long-term value creation, why patience is critical in both markets and leadership, and how she’s worked to open doors for underrepresented groups in business. She also reflects on lessons from serving on the boards of major companies like JPMorgan Chase and Starbucks, and the importance of making investment decisions that align with values as well as returns. 

Leonsis, a longtime entrepreneur, sports owner, and investor, brings the perspective of a dealmaker who has navigated growth across technology, media, and sports. Together, their conversation touches on what makes partnerships endure, the responsibility of leaders to connect business with community impact, and how innovation is reshaping both finance and sports. 

This dialogue is both practical and inspiring—grounded in real-world lessons while offering a vision for how business and sports leaders can drive growth with purpose. 

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In this episode of On Stage, Michael Rubin, CEO and Chairman of Fanatics, joins SBJ’s Publisher and Executive Editor Abe Madkour for a lively conversation at the CAA World Congress of Sports on April 16, 2024. 

Rubin pulls back the curtain on the unprecedented growth of Fanatics, which now spans licensed merchandise, trading cards, collectibles, and sports betting. Along the way, he shares the mindset behind building what he describes as “the world’s leading digital sports platform,” and what it takes to keep scaling a business that has reshaped how fans interact with their teams and athletes. 

The conversation touches on business metrics, the baseball uniform rollout controversy that made headlines in spring 2024, and lessons learned along the way about leadership, customer trust, and bold decision-making. 

For anyone interested in what it takes to grow a global sports business—and the human stories behind the headlines—this is a must-listen. 

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Description:

This episode of On Stage takes us deeper into the SBJ archives than ever before, revisiting a keynote interview from the 2016 Intercollegiate Athletics Forum with Paul Tagliabue, the longtime former commissioner of the National Football League. 

Tagliabue, who led the NFL from 1989 to 2006, oversaw one of the league’s most transformative eras: four expansion franchises, high-profile franchise relocations, and landmark decisions that reflected the NFL’s influence on culture and society—from postponing games after 9/11 to moving a Super Bowl over Arizona’s refusal to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, his impact continues to shape the sports landscape today. 

In conversation with SBJ’s Publisher and Executive Editor Abe Madkour, Tagliabue reflects on leadership, governance, social responsibility, and the business of sports during his time at the helm. Listening now, nearly a decade later, provides unique perspective: a reminder of how far the industry has come and how timeless lessons in integrity, vision, and adaptability remain. 

This is the beauty of On Stage: giving important conversations from SBJ’s archives new life, showing how they continue to inform the issues and debates of today. 

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In this episode of On Stage, Laura Ricketts—co-owner of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Sky—sits down with Abe Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor of Sports Business Journal. Recorded on October 30, 2024, at SBJ’s Dealmakers Conference in Washington, D.C., the conversation highlights Ricketts’ unique position as one of the few women to hold a majority stake in a U.S. professional sports team.  Ricketts reflects on her journey across MLB, WNBA, and NWSL ownership, and how her philanthropic and activist commitments shape the way she approaches sports as a business and cultural platform.

Key themes include: 

• Trailblazing Ownership: What it means to be a female majority owner in a male-dominated space.
• Investing in Women’s Sports: Lessons from her time with the Red Stars and her ongoing role with the Chicago Sky.
• Philanthropy & Activism: How values-driven leadership influences business decisions and community engagement.
• Building Sustainable Franchises: Insights into long-term vision, governance, and fan connection across teams.

It’s a candid, wide-ranging conversation from a leader redefining what it means to win on and off the field. 

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In this special episode of On Stage, actor, comedian, and LAFC co-owner Will Ferrell joins Larry Freedman, the club’s co-president, for a fireside chat moderated by SBJ’s Abe Madkour.

Recorded on February 27, 2023, at the National Sports Forum in Los Angeles, this session offers a rare glimpse into how one of Hollywood’s most recognizable figures became a driving force behind one of Major League Soccer’s most dynamic franchises.

Ferrell shares his origin story with LAFC—from being recruited as an owner to embracing the culture of the club—while Freedman pulls back the curtain on how the team has built one of the most passionate fan bases in American sports. Together, they discuss:

• Why Will joined the ownership group and what he’s learned about sports business.
• The rise of LAFC as both a soccer powerhouse and a cultural brand.
• The mix of humor and humility that Ferrell brings to the boardroom and the locker room.
• What other franchises can learn from LAFC’s community-driven growth model.

As Abe Madkour later noted in his SBJ column, the session blended humor with real insight—a conversation that was equal parts entertaining and illuminating.

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