The Learning Lever

By Ryan Richardson, Rise Sports Collective

The best in Sports Business join us to talk about their experiences in the industry - and how learning contributed to their success story.... more

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FAQs about The Learning Lever:

How many episodes does The Learning Lever have?

The podcast currently has 9 episodes available.

The Learning Lever episodes:

April 15, 2026Hospitality, Data & the Future of Fan Experience w/ Sandeep Satish: The Learning Lever | Ep 8
Episode highlights / what you'll learn:
How Levy built E15 and turned food & beverage analytics into a competitive advantage.

The embedded partner model: why the best hospitality is invisible to the fan.

Multi-generational fan strategy: serving seven generations in one building.

Balancing tradition vs. innovation in premium and concession experiences.

The future of hospitality: AI-driven personalization at scale without losing the human touch.
About the Guest: Sandeep Satish
Sandeep is the Chief Commercial Officer at Levy, the leading hospitality company in sports and entertainment. Over an 11-year career at Levy — starting as an intern with the company's in-house analytics group E15 — he has risen to oversee the company's commercial strategy across every major professional sports league. A Northwestern University and Kellogg School of Management graduate, Sandeep began his career in investment banking before pivoting to sports through internships with Major League Baseball and the Chicago Bears. His approach blends financial rigor and data analytics with a deep passion for hospitality, driving fan experiences across hundreds of venues nationwide. He is an operating expert for Rise Sports Collective.
Timestamps & Chapters:
0:00 – Intro: Sandeep's background, from investment banking to Levy CCO
3:41 – Levy's hospitality culture: hiring nice and passionate people
6:21 – The invisible partner: operating as a B2B2C in sports venues
8:52 – Handling mistakes: turning service failures into memorable recoveries
10:58 – Data evolution: how E15 brought Moneyball to food & beverage
13:47 – Biggest opportunity: scaling data across venues and business lines
14:43 – Career advice: why the partner/vendor ecosystem is a great entry point
17:19 – Multi-generational fan engagement: seven generations in one building
20:09 – Balancing tradition and innovation in premium experiences
21:49 – The future: AI personalization vs. the human touch in hospitality
25:13 – Final thoughts: take a step back and keep it fun
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum: https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals
...more
25min
March 04, 2026Building a Sports Business Skill Set w/ Ryan Richardson and JD Abbott: The Learning Lever | Ep 7
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
JD’s career path: investment banking and hedge funds → New York Jets finance → VP of Finance at the Baltimore Orioles.

How he reframed skills like modeling, business analysis, and executive communication so they made sense to team leaders hiring for sports roles.

NFL vs. MLB: 10 games vs. 81 games, what that means for experimentation, in‑season changes, and reps for early‑career staff.

Why he thinks you don’t have to start in sports—if you’re building strong, flexible skills in finance, analytics, or operations, you can create real optionality later.

JD’s approach to joining a new front office in Baltimore: communication, clarity on priorities, and building relationships quickly during organizational change.

Practical advice on networking with intention, preparing for informational calls, and treating every role as a “learning lab” for your next move.
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum: https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals
...more
28min
February 03, 2026Future Proofing Your Venue w/ Ryan Richardson and Josh Barney: The Learning Lever | Ep 6
Tune in to hear
How Ryan first experienced SEAT as a uniquely community-driven conference, where the person running the event is as loved as the programming itself.
Josh’s career arc: early interest in sports marketing, a detour into tech and network engineering, a pivotal jump to the Utah Jazz as a network engineer, and eventually leading arena technology strategy.
Lessons from renovating the Delta Center: designing “venues of the future,” building infrastructure that can support rapidly shortening tech life cycles, and staying nimble as tools change every 6–9 months.
Why internal alignment across IT, marketing, partnerships, and operations is non‑negotiable when you’re choosing and deploying new technology.
The shrinking budgets versus growing expectations paradox: 99% of fan interactions in‑venue run through technology, yet tech is often the first line item cut.
How AI and modern tools can actually improve both fan experience and employee experience when organizations use them intentionally, not just because they’re “cool.”
Career advice: become a utilitarian “translator” who understands technology and can clearly connect it to business needs, decisions, and outcomes across multiple verticals.
Josh’s learning journey: moving from traditional university to more hands-on environments, leveraging vendor workshops, and then embracing always‑on learning via platforms like YouTube.
Why mentoring in sports is talked about more than it’s structurally supported, and how SEAT is building matchmaking and membership models (roundtables, webinars, year‑round community) to close that gap.
A personal story from SEAT Nashville
About Our Guest: Josh Barney, CEO, SEAT
Josh Barney is the CEO of SEAT – Sports & Entertainment Alliance in Technology, the leading peer community and annual forum for sports and entertainment technology, data, and operations leaders. Before acquiring and rebooting SEAT, he spent more than a decade with the Utah Jazz, where he rose from network manager to Director of Technology & Innovation, overseeing consumer-facing systems and guiding the 2017 Delta Center renovation, including Wi‑Fi, digital signage, and the team app. A former director of esports and technology who launched Jazz Gaming in the NBA 2K League, Josh blends deep infrastructure expertise with a passion for fan experience, community-building, and helping peers translate technology into real business value. Today he leads SEAT’s evolution from a once‑a‑year conference to a year‑round membership platform of roundtables, webinars, and curated connections, all grounded in his personal philosophy to “give more than I take.”
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum: https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals
...more
32min
January 20, 2026 The Non-Linear Path to Sports Business w/ Ryan Richardson and Bryan Lodigiani: The Learning Lever | Ep 5
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.
Resources & links:
RISE Sports Collective membership & courses: risesportscollective.com/membership
Business Strategy & Analytics Technical Skills Certification: https://www.risesportscollective.com/bsa

About the Guest: Bryan Lodigiani
Bryan Lodigiani is a senior sports business executive who serves as Vice President of Business Strategy & Operations at Tepper Sports & Entertainment, helping lead the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC on the business side. His career blends high-level strategy, finance, and analytics across investment banking, consulting, global apparel, and now major-league sports.
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum: https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals

...more
34min
January 07, 2026 Building BSA from Zero w/ Ryan Richardson and Steve Chan: The Learning Lever | Ep 4
In this episode, Ryan sits down with Steve Chan — Rise Sports Collective co-founder and former 49ers Business Strategy & Analytics leader — to break down how modern teams use data (and storytelling) to level up revenue, operations, and the fan experience.
Together, they cover:
The advantage of coming into sports from “outside industries” — and how it brings fresh best practices into teams
How the 49ers helped pioneer what’s now a standard BSA function across pro sports
Why the real job isn’t just building models — it’s getting stakeholders to understand, trust, and adopt the insights
The “Executive Huddle” at Levi’s Stadium: a real-time analytics room tracking entry scans, F&B/retail, and fan satisfaction to fix issues during the event
What great on-the-job training looks like (and how RISE courses replicate the “playbook + context” effect)
A fun learning takeaway from Breaking Bad: skills + context = real impact (and momentum)
If you work on the business side of sports — analytics, ticketing, marketing, premium, or operations — this episode is a practical look at how teams actually turn data into action. About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to
revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with
our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to
impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in
the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum:
https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals
...more
30min
December 18, 2025 The Future of Sports Partnerships w/ Ryan Richardson and Armaan Ahluwalia: The Learning Lever | Ep 3
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.
Resources & links:
RISE Sports Collective membership & courses: risesportscollective.com/membership
Business Strategy & Analytics Technical Skills Certification: https://www.risesportscollective.com/bsa

About the Guest: Armaan Ahluwalia
Armaan Ahluwalia is the Head of Strategy at Super-Sub and former Head of Strategic Commercial Solutions at the BWT Alpine Formula One Team, recognized as an innovator in sports partnerships and data-driven strategy. With 10+ years across professional sports spanning the NFL, NBA, and F1, Armaan rose from unpaid intern to Manager of Business Analytics at the Kansas City Chiefs in just three years and was a Super Bowl LIV champion. Known for authentic relationship building, strategic networking, and ROI-driven partnership development, he brings analytical rigor and forward-thinking vision to sports business innovation.
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum: https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals

...more
34min
December 04, 2025 Blueprinting Fan Journey w/ Ryan Richardson and Stacy McGranor: The Learning Lever | Ep 2
About the Guest: Stacy McGranor
Stacy McGranor is the founder and Chief Experience Officer of Blueprints & Playbooks, a customer experience consulting agency, with over 15 seasons driving fan engagement and revenue growth across MLB, NBA, MLS, and NHL organizations. During her decade with the San Jose Sharks, she created the first-ever formal Customer Experience function in professional sports and pioneered strategies that sparked joy for nearly 10 million fans.
An Ohio State University graduate with an MBA and Master of Science in Business Psychology, McGranor is a recognized industry thought leader, educator for Rise Sports Collective, and advisory board member for Ohio State's Sports & Society Initiative. Her approach combines analytical rigor with creative empathy to build experiences that transform customers into loyal advocates.
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Timestamps & Chapters:
0:00 - Intro: Stacy’s background across NBA, MLS, MLB, NHL
6:55 - The North Star: personalization and turning CX into revenue
9:46 - Personalization quicksand: common pitfalls and how to avoid them
13:00 - Foundational learning moments: first-job training that mattered
17:50 - Career advice: read job descriptions; don’t say “foot in the door”
22:24 - The future: venues, partnerships, and jobs-to-be-done thinking
25:23 - Course reflection: teaching, structure, and learner takeaways
28:09 - Wrap: A nod to Ted Lasso, belief, and closing thoughts
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum: https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals

...more
31min
November 24, 2025 Rise Sports Origins w/ Ryan Richardson and Moon Javaid: The Learning Lever | Ep 1 Part 2
About RISE: Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.
Resources & Links: RISE Sports Collective membership & courses: risesportscollective.com/membership
About the Guest: Moon Javaid Moon Javaid is the Chief Growth & Innovation Officer of the Baltimore Ravens, recognized as a visionary leader in professional sports for over 12 years. He is a two-time Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree and a Silicon Valley 40 Under 40 recipient, reflecting his broad industry influence. As Chief Strategy Officer of the San Francisco 49ers, Javaid engineered innovative initiatives like the SAP Executive Huddle and Member Inclusive Menu, driving record-setting revenues and transforming fan experience. He also co-founded Elevate Sports Ventures, where he expanded strategic business leadership globally. Javaid’s groundbreaking work in analytics, business intelligence, and growth operations has set new standards for innovation across the sports industry.
About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum: https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals

...more
28min
November 11, 2025 Rise Sports Origins with Ryan Richardson and Moon Javaid: The Learning Lever | Ep 1 Part 1
About our Guest: Moon Javaid
Moon Javaid is the Chief Growth & Innovation Officer of the Baltimore Ravens, recognized as a visionary leader in professional sports for over 12 years.

He is a two-time Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree and a Silicon Valley 40 Under 40 recipient, reflecting his broad industry influence. As Chief Strategy Officer of the San Francisco 49ers, Moon engineered innovative initiatives like the SAP Executive Huddle and Member Inclusive Menu, driving record-setting revenues and transforming fan experience. He also co-founded Elevate Sports Ventures, where he expanded strategic business leadership globally.

Moon's groundbreaking work in analytics, business intelligence, and growth operations has set new standards for innovation across the sports industry.
Connect with Moon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moon-javaid-5143b111/
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Video Contents & Chapters:
00:01 Intro: welcome to The Learning Lever
00:31 Why this episode: origin story & what to expect
01:37 Moon’s background: Cleveland, Northwestern, consulting, 49ers
04:27 When learning became more than a job interest
06:46 Late-night ideas: rising costs of education & focused programs
08:24 What makes training stick: practical, applied learning
11:54 The moment the Rise idea crystallized (writing it down & sharing)
12:51 Pitching the idea internally: conversations with Al (49ers)
15:01 How Ryan & Moon met: the Levi Stadium tailgate & early rapport
18:00 Why the partnership worked: complementary skills and trust
20:24 The sports learning problem: small teams, diverse roles, motivated people
23:59 First steps for Rise: finding the right people, knowledge, and context
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About RISE:
Rise Sports Collective is an innovative EdTech startup dedicated to revolutionizing the Business of Sports. We empower professionals with our cutting edge curriculum, built by operating experts, designed to impart the essential skills, knowledge, and context needed to excel in the dynamic world of the Business of Sports.

Resources & Helpful Links:
Check Out Our Curriculum: https://www.risesportscollective.com/professionals

...more
25min

FAQs about The Learning Lever:

How many episodes does The Learning Lever have?

The podcast currently has 9 episodes available.