Welcome to episode 238 of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest is Dr. Alicia Naser, mental performance coach and founder of the Naser Institute for Behavioral Sport Psychology. She works with professional athletes, helping them optimize performance through behavioral science and mental training.

In this episode, we spoke about:

• How behavioral science helps athletes perform at their best
• The biggest mental roadblocks for professional athletes
• How players handle pressure, social media and performance slumps
• Why identity and life after sport is crucial for athletes

Timestamps

0:00 Mental Performance in Elite Sport 1:18 Dr. Alicia Naser Introduction 3:11 The Most Important Behavior for Athletes 5:21 Team vs Individual Sports Psychology 8:52 Control and Performance Mindset 10:11 Roger Federer & Performance Perspective 11:20 Djokovic on Emotional Recovery 12:56 Superstitions in Professional Sport 14:50 Henrik Lundqvist's Routine 16:15 Assessing Underperformance 17:51 Biggest Mental Roadblocks 20:05 Social Media Pressure on Athletes 23:30 Building a Personal Brand Online 28:34 How She Started Working in Hockey 34:04 From Autism Research to Elite Sport

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Welcome to episode 237of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest is Dawn Scott, one of the most influential high performance leaders in women's football. She has worked with England, led performance for the U.S. Women's National Team during two World Cup wins and an Olympic gold, and now supports global development through FIFA.

In this episode, we spoke about:

• What truly defines high performance and elite habits
• The female performance lens and why only 6% of research is female-specific
• Building world-class environments in women's football
• The future of women's sport and where the game is heading

Time stamps:

00:00 High Performance Defined 01:13 Motivation vs Consistency 03:10 Entering Women's Football in 2001 07:22 Then vs Now in Sports Science 09:28 Misinformation in Female Nutrition 13:00 The 6% Research Gap 14:33 Boots, ACL & Female Anatomy 16:43 Return to Play Postpartum 20:29 Building Performance Departments 23:21 England Highlights & Growth 26:09 Moving to the U.S. National Team 30:12 Olympic Gold & World Cup Wins 33:50 Investment & Staffing in Women's Sport 37:28 The Future of Women's Football 39:05 Advice for Young Professionals 40:00 Outro

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

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Welcome to episode 236 of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest is Mark Gottfried, former college basketball head coach, NBA scout, and keynote speaker. With more than three decades of experience leading teams in high-pressure environments, Mark shares powerful lessons on leadership, grit, and what it really takes to succeed in sports and in life.

In this episode, we spoke about:

• Building grit through resilience, consistency and courage
• Leadership lessons from 30+ years of coaching
• Talent evaluation beyond statistics
• Handling criticism and social media pressure in sports

Timestamps:

00:00 The Power of Small Improvements 02:11 Lessons from 30 Years of Coaching 03:01 Playing Career to Coaching 04:01 Leadership Can Be Lonely 05:45 Learning from Losses 06:55 What Creates Grit 09:27 The 1% Improvement Mindset 11:26 Self-Honesty and Growth 13:23 Building Your A-Team 15:24 Leading with Clarity 18:53 Handling Criticism 22:52 NBA Scouting Experience 25:01 Evaluating Character 32:40 Sports Betting Risks 38:27 Life After Coaching

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20.

All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

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Welcome to episode 235 of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest is Theo Dedes, a UEFA Pro License coach who recently led TSG Hoffenheim's women's team in Germany.

From growing up in Athens to coaching at the highest level in European football, Theo shares what modern leadership really looks like, why empathy beats authority in today's game, and what it takes to survive - and thrive - in one of the most pressure-filled industries in the world.

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

Time stamps:

00:00 Intro 00:40 The UEFA Pro License Explained 02:01 Eligible for Champions League 02:36 The Coach as Manager 04:33 The Loneliness of Leadership 05:49 Controlling the Uncontrollable 07:29 Managing Friction Inside the Squad 08:51 Handling Weekly Pressure 10:22 Being a Young Head Coach 12:31 Coaching as Brand & Identity 15:13 Greece vs Germany Leadership Styles 17:25 The Coaching Odyssey 19:50 Why Germany Felt Fair 21:17 Learning from Termination 31:15 Advice for Future Pro Coaches 33:00 Outro

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Welcome to episode 234 of Sports Management Podcast.

College sports has changed forever. NIL is here, brands are everywhere, and student athletes are now entrepreneurs whether they like it or not. But are they actually prepared?

Today I'm joined by Stephen Bienko, co-founder of 42U, former dual-sport athlete and life coach.

We dive into:

• NIL
• Athlete identity
• Branding
• Why passion alone won't prepare athletes for life after sport.

And much more!

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

00:00 Intro 00:28 What 42U Is Building in the NIL Era 02:03 Transferable Skills Beyond "Hardworking Athlete" 05:16 Athlete Identity & Overthinking Performance 08:45 NIL Should Have Existed Years Ago 10:35 Soft Skills vs Hard Skills in the AI Era 12:18 Why Identity Impacts Performance 14:21 Why Athletes Are Underprepared for NIL 17:37 Why Most NIL Partnerships Fail 20:33 Brand First, Deals Second 23:41 The Power of Athlete IP & Social Media 29:31 The Future of NIL and High School Athletes 32:59 Putting "Butts in Seats" Through Athlete Brands 39:44 The Decathlete Mindset in Business 49:18 Why Now Is the Best Time to Enter Sports 55:00 Outro

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Welcome to episode 233 of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest is Gloria Mariwa - a footballer, professional freestyler, digital creator known as 14thgunner and founder of Wecheza. At just 19, she's building the future of African women's football at the intersection of sports, tech, and community.

We spoke about:

• Why women's sports shouldn't copy the men's model
• How sports tech must evolve
• Why investing in African women's sports might be the smartest move you can make right now

And much more!

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

Time stamps:

00:00 Intro 01:00 Building 14thgunner 04:30 Growing Women's Football in Kenya 07:37 Why Women's Sports Must Build Their Own Model 08:30 The Future of Sports Tech & AI 09:41 Creators vs Traditional Media 12:03 Why YouTube Could Win Sports Streaming 14:31 Copying the West? Or Building Africa's Own Model 16:57 The Kenyan Sports Landscape 18:36 The Meaning Behind Wichesa 19:34 Grassroots Impact in Women's Football 24:46 University or Startup Life? 26:48 Monetizing as a Young Creator 27:53 Advice for Young Sports Professionals 30:29 Redefining Sports Tech 32:23 Invest in African Women's Sports

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Welcome to episode 232 of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest is JP Lutz - a former Philadelphia Eagles executive turned professor, entrepreneur, and cancer survivor.

We spoke about:

• Breaking into the sports industry
• Why 'luck' is actually positioning
• The power of always saying yes
• How building relationships can define your entire career.

And much more!

This one is packed with practical advice for anyone who wants to work in sports and a powerful life lesson you won't forget.

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

Time stamps:

00:00 From Working Elevators to the NFL 04:25 Why You Must Say Yes Early in Your Career 06:24 Creating Your Own Luck in Sports 08:10 How to Network the Right Way 12:53 Do You Need a Degree to Work in Sports? 17:11 The Magic of Game Day 19:52 $5 an Hour and Moving Back Home 22:34 Transitioning from Pro Sports to Higher Ed 23:56 Starting a Sports Business from a Basement 25:27 Soft Skills That Actually Matter 29:19 A Cancer Diagnosis at 46 32:39 The Power of Being Proactive About Health 34:30 AI, Analytics & The Future of Sports Jobs 36:55 Why You Should Consider Entrepreneurship 41:45 Career Advice: Follow Your Heart and Say Yes

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Welcome to episode 231 of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest is one of the most ambitious football investors in the world. Brett Johnson is the founder of Benevolent Capital, owner of multiple football clubs including Phoenix Rising, Rhode Island FC, and part of the Ipswich Town ownership group.

In this episode:

• Promotion and relegation in US soccer
• Why stadiums are the real asset
• How youth sports is the next big opportunity
• What it actually takes to build a sports empire from scratch.

And much more!

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

Time stamps:

00:00 From Analyst to Football Owner 00:20 Why Phoenix Needed a Team 01:17 The 1994 World Cup Thesis 02:06 Why the US Must Perform 03:39 Ipswich's Back-to-Back Promotions 04:43 How to Run a Club Properly 05:26 Why Multi-Club Ownership Wins 06:44 Promotion/Relegation in the U.S. 09:02 Building a $140M Stadium 11:20 Creating a Fan Base from Scratch 14:01 Inside Benevolent Capital 15:32 Why Youth Sports Is the Next Goldmine 22:39 Advice for Sports Entrepreneurs 26:25 The Dark Days in Phoenix 28:13 Almost Losing Rhode Island

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Welcome to episode 230 of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest has lived football from every angle - player, coach, owner, executive, and advisor. Matt Driver is the founder of Soccer Universities and Football Club Advisory Group, and he's worked across Europe and the U.S. helping clubs move from survival mode to scalable success.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why most soccer clubs struggle financially
• What American sports get right that football often ignores
• How fan engagement, data, and commercial thinking will define the future of the game

And much more! This is a masterclass in the business of football.

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

Time stamps:

00:00 Intro 01:38 Why College Soccer Doesn't Create Pros 03:18 The Wake-Up Call Playing La Liga Clubs 05:30 Creating Real Player Pathways 08:10 Why Most Clubs Are Structurally Broken 11:13 A Bulgarian Club Case Study 15:09 Why Vertical Silos Kill Clubs 16:41 What American Sports Get Right 18:30 Why Fans Jump Between Sports 20:08 Why "We've Always Done It This Way" Fails 26:21 Turning Fan Phones Into Revenue 30:23 Monetizing Club Assets 35:47 Why Fans Must Be Entertained 55:26 Career Advice for Sports Professionals 01:05:54 Why the USL Could Explode Next 01:10:00 Outro

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Welcome to episode 229 of Sports Management Podcast.

Today's guest has been at the center of that work for over a decade. Christian Klaue is Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at the International Olympic Committee.

In this episode, we go behind the scenes of how the Olympic Games are planned, positioned, communicated, and ultimately delivered - from Milano Cortina to LA28 and beyond.

If you've ever wondered how the biggest sporting event on earth actually comes together, this conversation is for you.

SPONSOR:

Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.

Time stamps:

00:00 Intro 01:31 Life Inside the IOC Right Before the Games 02:45 What Olympic Communications Really Do 04:47 Why Positioning Matters More Than Reacting 05:06 Working on Multiple Olympic Games at Once 06:55 Why Milano Cortina 2026 Is Different 07:52 Legacy Beats New Construction 09:13 Avoiding Olympic "White Elephants" 10:12 Designing the Athlete Experience 11:22 Why the Olympic Torch Changes Everything 13:32 How the Torch Relay Really Works 15:21 The Power of Opening Ceremonies 20:09 Christian Klaue's Career Journey 27:42 Leading Through Olympic Crises 41:51 Advice for a Career in Sports Communication 43:00 Outro

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