The Profluence Pod 🌐

Rufus Hack has spent his career inside some of sport’s most influential institutions, from leadership roles connected to the Ryder Cup and the European Tour to now shaping the future of sport within Sony. As CEO of Sony Sports, Hack is focused on a new challenge: using data, technology, and entertainment platforms to redefine how global audiences engage with sport. His work centers on building a unified ecosystem that connects tracking, officiating, and fan experiences through companies like Hawk-Eye and Beyond Sports.

In the conversation, Hack outlines Sony’s ambition to position sports alongside divisions such as Sony Pictures, Sony Music, and PlayStation as a core pillar of its global entertainment strategy. He explains how advances in optical tracking, biomechanical data, and immersive digital environments are already reshaping officiating, athlete performance, and operations across leagues including the NBA and the NFL.

Hack also reflects on the broader transformation of sport — from always-on content and shifting fan expectations to the role technology plays in emerging leagues and grassroots participation. His perspective highlights how the convergence of data, gaming, and media could define the next era of sports consumption, making sport more interactive, accessible, and globally connected than ever before.

Podcast chapters: 

02:44 Sony Sports and Its Vision

05:28 Acquisitions and Growth Strategy

08:17 Integration and Post-Acquisition Strategy

11:05 Leveraging PlayStation for Sports Engagement

13:42 Emerging Sports and Technology Integration

16:38 Future of Sports Data and Youth Engagement

19:30 Fragmentation in Sports Consumption

22:17 Conclusion and Future Outlook

Rem de Rohan serves as a key growth driver for Aggregate Sports, bringing more than 15 years of senior-level experience in sports marketing and revenue strategy. As Chief Revenue Officer, he leads multiplatform partnership sales, new business development, and integrated partner marketing efforts, helping sports properties maximize value across sponsorship, media, and commercial platforms.Widely recognized for his expertise in building and monetizing the assets of U.S. Olympic National Governing Bodies, Rem de Rohan has delivered consistent double-digit annual revenue growth for his clients. His work spans property sales, media rights strategy, and global event commercialization, with a focus on unlocking untapped partnership opportunities and creating long-term enterprise value.Before joining Aggregate Sports in 2020, Rem de Rohan was a Vice President, equity partner, and head of media and property representation at Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment, where he worked with premier organizations including U.S. Ski & Snowboard, U.S. Figure Skating, and the Mexican National Soccer Team. He began his career at ESPN and ABC and is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.Podcast Chapters:02:49 Understanding the Olympic Movement and NGBs05:25 The Role of Brands in Olympic Sports08:29 Storylines for the Upcoming Winter Olympics10:52 The Structure of the Olympic Ecosystem13:48 Funding Challenges in U.S. Olympic Sports16:28 The Impact of Government Funding on Sports19:29 Successful Brand Campaigns in Olympic Sports22:11 Trends in Sports and the Future of Athlete Branding

Mitch Heath is a founding member of Teamworks and one of the key operators behind its growth into the leading operating system for elite sports organizations. Joining the company in 2010 while finishing his undergraduate degree at Duke, Mitch spent the 2010s helping scale Teamworks at the intersection of technology and sports, serving as both Chief Operating Officer and Chief Growth Officer as the company expanded across collegiate athletics, professional leagues, Olympic teams, and into the tactical sector.

In 2020, Mitch moved to Europe to help lead Teamworks’ global expansion. After navigating the challenges of the pandemic, he helped establish the platform across major international markets, making Madrid and London home while launching Teamworks with organizations in LaLiga and the Premier League. His experience building across cultures, leagues, and operating environments shaped Teamworks’ disciplined approach to adoption, product-market fit, and long-term partnerships.

Today, Mitch is back in the U.S., continuing to support Teamworks by coaching executives, advising clients globally, and leading the company’s Advisory Board. Outside of Teamworks, he works closely with founders and leadership teams as an advisor and board member, supporting high-growth companies, non-profits, and impact-driven organizations. His mission is simple: help high-potential leaders bring ambitious visions to life—while building companies the right way and taking care of the people behind them.

Podcast Chapters: 

01:08 Mitch Heath's Origin Story and Teamworks' Foundation

06:16 Navigating Product Market Fit and Expansion Strategy

09:48 Building vs. Buying: Strategic Decisions in Growth

15:59 Driving Adoption and User Engagement

23:54 Optimism in the Evolving Sports Industry

28:16 Future Trends and Opportunities in Sports

Jose Diaz is the Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Communications at SMAC Entertainment, where he leads talent management, brand partnerships, content development, and media strategy. With more than a decade of experience across entertainment, sports, and consumer culture, Diaz plays a central role in shaping how modern athletes and personalities build enduring brands beyond the field.

At SMAC, Diaz works closely with high-profile talent to develop multi-platform initiatives spanning television, digital media, and branded ventures. His work sits at the intersection of storytelling, commerce, and culture—helping translate talent vision into scalable businesses and long-term partnerships while navigating an increasingly complex media landscape.

In this episode, Diaz shares insights into building athlete-driven IP, managing talent at the highest level, and how SMAC approaches content, partnerships, and growth in today’s sports and entertainment economy. A University of Southern California graduate, Diaz brings a strategic, operator’s perspective on what it takes to create relevance, longevity, and impact in modern sports media.

Podcast Chapters:

00:56 Jose's Journey: From Intern to EVP

03:33 The Evolution of Smack: Talent Management to Content Creation

07:58 Identifying Athletes Worth Investing In

11:25 Protecting the Athlete's Core Responsibilities

14:30 Navigating Brand Partnerships and Authenticity

19:32 The Rise of Flag Football and Deanna Flores

23:43 Leveraging Major Events for Talent Exposure

26:17 Building Community Around Athlete Brands

28:18 Memorable Projects and Impactful Moments

29:45 Staying Relevant in a Rapidly Changing Industry

Jose Diaz:

🏠 Website: https://www.smac-ent.com/

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jdiaz021

Scott Garber:

🏠 Website: https://profluence.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgarber40/

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Jill Brabec is the President of Nordic Combined USA and one of the leading voices shaping the future of one of the Olympics’ oldest — and most misunderstood — winter sports. Based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Jill brings a unique perspective as both a sports leader and a parent deeply embedded in the Nordic combined community, advocating for the long-term growth and survival of the discipline.

In this conversation, Jill breaks down what Nordic Combined truly is — a demanding blend of ski jumping and cross-country racing — and why it remains the only Winter Olympic sport without a women’s event. She shares how the sport has evolved globally, the rise of elite women competitors, and the high-stakes decision facing the IOC as the Olympic movement approaches the 2026 and 2030 Games.

Jill also reflects on leadership, funding challenges, athlete development, and what’s at risk if women’s Nordic Combined is not added to the Olympic program. From grassroots youth pipelines to global viewership and media strategy, this episode explores why the future of Nordic Combined — and its place in the Olympics — is at a critical turning point.

Podcast Chapters:

• 03:51 The Role of Nordic Combined USA

• 07:45 Challenges for Women's Nordic Combined

• 11:31 The Competitive Landscape of Nordic Combined

• 15:50 Youth Development and Future of the Sport

• 19:42 Personal Stories and Community Impact

Jill Brabec: 

🏠 Website: https://www.nordiccombinedusa.org/about/mission

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-brabec-1b4b3241/

Andrew Petcash:

🏠 Website: https://profluence.com

💼 LinkedIn:  andrewpetcash  

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Dov Penzik is a category-defining operator in competitive socializing and sports entertainment, best known for helping build and scale iconic concepts including Bounce, Flight Club Darts, and Puttshack. In this conversation, Dov shares how years of experience blending technology, hospitality, and play led him to his latest venture: No Strings, a next-generation padel platform designed to unlock frequency, accessibility, and engagement through real-time, in-game technology.

Joined by Michael Madding, COO and Co-Founder of Lucra, the discussion explores how data, gamification, and digital competition are transforming recreational sports. Michael breaks down Lucra’s mission to digitize friendly competition and explains why padel is uniquely positioned to benefit from tech-enabled formats, tournaments, and pricing models that increase loyalty and lifetime value for operators and players alike.

Together, Dov and Michael unpack the rapid growth of padel in the U.S. and globally, the challenges of court supply, pricing pressure, and commoditization, and why differentiation through technology and experience design is critical. The conversation offers a rare look at how sports, entertainment, and data are converging to build scalable, modern platforms that turn participation into community, and venues into ecosystems.

Podcast Chapters:

• 00:57 Dov Penzik's Background in Competitive Socializing
• 09:30 The Growth of the Padel Market
• 14:40 Integrating Technology in Recreational Sports
• 20:43 Differentiation in the Padel Space
• 24:26 The Future of No Strings and Upcoming Innovations

Dov Penzik:

🏠 Website: https://no-strings.co/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dov-penzik-0aba8061/

Andrew Petcash:

🏠 Website: https://profluence.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpetcash/

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Steve Kuhn is a sports entrepreneur and investor best known for helping build Major League Pickleball and for his conviction that sports remain one of the last great forces for human connection. After years in finance and investing, Steve turned his focus to sports as a cultural, economic, and social platform — drawn by its ability to bring people together across borders, beliefs, and generations. From pickleball’s rapid rise in Asia to the global expansion of participation sports, Steve’s career reflects a belief that sports are both a powerful asset class and a deeply human one.

Today, Steve is building SportsPredict, a free-to-play platform designed to measure and elevate the skill of sports prediction itself. Inspired by rating systems in chess and the success of Fantasy Premier League, SportsPredict introduces a global “SMART rating” that allows users to prove how accurate they are at forecasting sports outcomes — without gambling or financial risk. His vision is to create the world’s largest prediction game, helping millions (and eventually billions) of people develop better decision-making skills under uncertainty.

In this conversation, Steve shares how sports, data, psychology, and technology intersect — and why prediction literacy may become one of the most important skills of the next generation. From the growth of pickleball across Asia to the rise of prediction markets, and from storytelling in modern sports leagues to building new forms of interactive competition, Steve outlines a future where sports are not just watched, but understood, predicted, and experienced in entirely new ways.

Podcast Chapters:

03:55 The Global Rise of Pickleball

08:17 Sports Ecosystem in Asia

12:25 Innovations in Sports Technology

16:30 The Future of Sports Prediction

18:41 The Rise of Fantasy Sports

20:18 Understanding Prediction Markets

23:09 Innovative Business Models in Sports

27:35 The Future of Sports Prediction

31:18 Storytelling in Sports

Chris Weil is the Co-Founder and CEO of Horizon Sports & Experiences and one of the most influential executives in modern sports marketing. Prior to launching Horizon, Chris spent more than two decades as Chairman and CEO of Momentum Worldwide, leading the global agency through massive growth and helping redefine how brands connect with fans through live sports, entertainment, and experiential marketing.

At Horizon, Chris has returned to the private sector to build a next-generation sports and experiences platform designed for a post-COVID world. The firm operates across owned and represented IP, media rights, sponsorships, and brand strategy—anchored by a belief that live sports remain the most powerful driver of engaged audiences. From pickleball and women’s basketball to emerging leagues and global events, Chris shares how Horizon evaluates risk, invests capital, and builds scalable sports properties.

In this conversation, Chris offers a candid look at the evolution of live sports, the accelerating role of data and AI in decision-making, and the changing dynamics of college athletics, women’s sports, and global mega-events. His perspective reflects decades of leadership at the highest level—and a clear-eyed view of where sports, media, and brand partnerships are headed next.

Podcast Chapters:

01:48 The Evolution of Live Sports Post-COVID

04:53 Building IP in the Live Sports Space

07:26 The Rise of Women's Sports and Brand Engagement

09:33 Navigating the Changing Landscape of Collegiate Sports

15:25 The Future of Sports Marketing and AI Integration

21:53 Consumer Habits and the New Generation of Sports Fans

26:51 Capitalizing on Major Sporting Events

29:26 Balancing Growth and Opportunity in a Busy Market

Ryan Petkoff has spent more than two decades operating at the highest levels of professional sports,  helping build an NFL dynasty, shaping one of the most influential brands in global sport, and advising ownership groups navigating the modern sports landscape. His career spans deep operational leadership, strategic growth planning, and long-term brand building inside one of the most sophisticated organizations in the NFL.

Today, he partners with sports teams, startups, and legacy businesses to solve complex challenges spanning fan engagement, commercialization, and go-to-market execution. Petkoff works with only a select group of clients, allowing him to dive deeply into problems, build alongside founders, and operate as a hands-on strategic partner. His vantage point also includes meaningful time working with the Hunt Family — offering him rare insight into family office dynamics, sports investing, and multi-generational decision-making.

In this conversation, he breaks down the evolution of the sports marketplace, the rise of alternative investments, where youth sports and fan development are heading, and how he evaluates opportunities and relationships. His experience offers a unique blend of front-office expertise, investment perspective, and builder mentality — shaped by two decades inside one of the most respected operations in professional sports.

Podcast Chapters

01:13 Ryan Petkoff's Journey in Professional Sports

03:30 Market Evolution and Insights from the Hunt Family

05:54 Navigating Family Offices and Investment Strategies

09:28 The Rise of Alternative Investments in Sports

12:27 Opportunities in Youth Sports and Fan Engagement

15:21 Evaluating Projects and Building Relationships

18:06 Building Relationships for Future Success

Ryan Petkoff: 🏠 Website: https://www.petkoffstrategies.com/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-petkoff-5b0b397/

Scott Garber:

🏠 Website: https://profluence.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgarber40/

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Ben Von Willer and Alberto Chaia, partners at McKinsey & Company and co-authors of McKinsey’s latest report on Latino sports fans, outline how one of the fastest-growing and most influential fan segments is reshaping the U.S. sports landscape. Their research highlights how Latino audiences are driving disproportionate growth across leagues, properties, and participation, while still being underserved in how teams and organizations engage them.They break down the distinct cultural, behavioral, and generational factors that differentiate Latino sports fandom — from youth participation trends and women’s sports momentum across LATAM to digital consumption patterns, purchasing power, and family-centered fan habits. Their insights reveal where major opportunities exist for rights holders, brands, and operators to build more authentic, long-term relationships with this expanding demographic.Von Willer and Chaia also explore broader industry implications, including the role of community-based programming, future fan pipelines, and the commercial upside as North America prepares for global events such as the 2026 World Cup. Their findings provide a data-backed blueprint for the next phase of growth in the sports industry.

Chapters:

• 01:00 Background on McKinsey’s Report
• 02:22 Growth of Latino Fan Segments
• 04:39 Cultural Drivers of Fandom
• 08:19 Youth Participation Trends
• 10:51 Women’s Sports Across LATAM
• 13:22 Digital Consumption Behaviors
• 15:22 Purchasing Power & Market Influence
• 17:24 Opportunities for Rights Holders
• 19:22 Community Engagement & Fan Pipelines
• 21:00 Future Industry Outlook
• 22:06 Impact of Global Events on North America