In this special episode of The Rundown, the table is turned as host Don Costante takes the hot seat to share the story behind his new book, Beyond the Scoreboard: The Ultimate Guide to Sports Event Presentation. Hear how three decades of experience turned into Sports Business Journal Publishing’s first book, and why it’s a game-changer in the sports industry.

Season 3 kicks off with Jason Lodato joining Don for a conversation on the strategy and creativity behind unforgettable fan experiences. From his early days in the industry to leading game presentation for top teams and iconic venues, Jason shares how his journey shaped his event presentation philosophy and approach to gamedays. The episode takes a deep dive into one of the most climactic moments in sports—the team introduction. Hear how Jason brings this high-energy moment to life to ignite the crowd, set the tone for the game, and elevate the overall fan experience.

In this episode, Don interviews Sharon delPilar who shares her path to becoming the Production Stage Manager for Magic Mike Live.  Listen as Sharon illustrates the differences between stage management and production stage management and provides a behind-the-scenes look at what she does for the show.  Also, she identifies the skillset required to be successful in this field, outlines her self-development strategy, offers some resources for anyone looking to become more marketable, and much more!

In this episode, Don has a conversation with Chad Folkestad who shares his career path, event presentation philosophy, and talks candidly about storytelling and the creative process he utilizes to generate award-winning content.  Listen as Chad illustrates his methods for creating an organic environment that relies heavily on spontaneity.  They touch on a variety of topics including… keys to great storytelling, getting players to “buy in” to projects, tactics for generating content ideas, facilitating meaningful ideation sessions, getting ideas approved through leadership, and much more!

In this episode, Don interviews Andrew Johnson who shares his path to becoming the mascot performer for the Houston Texans.  Listen as Andrew breaks down the three areas every great mascot should focus on.  Also, he provides advice to those who manage mascots, identifies the ideal skillset for performers, points out some of the biggest mistakes made by mascots today and much more!  If you’re a mascot, someone who oversees a mascot program, or you enjoy a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the sports industry… you’re going to love this discussion!

In this episode, Don has a conversation with 16-year NBA in-arena host veteran, Ahmaad Crump.  Listen as Ahmaad shares his experience and talks openly about his path to becoming an emcee for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  During their conversation, they touch on several topics including communication between Game Director and Emcee, handling situations with multiple hosts, advice on becoming a successful emcee, common mistakes, and much more!

In this episode, Don has a conversation with Tim Tubito who shares his event presentation philosophy and takes listeners “behind-the-shield” revealing the NFL’s methodology in facilitating two of their large-scale events… the NFL Draft and the Super Bowl. During their discussion, Tim uncovers logistical details that illustrate exactly why the NFL is considered a leader in the sports and entertainment industry. Listen as Tim provides insight into his role as Club Liaison, the pandemic’s impact on the NFL Draft and Super Bowl, how technology was utilized to deliver enhanced experiences, and much more!

In this episode, Don interviews Michelle McComas who shares her career path, event presentation philosophy, and reveals entertainment best practices that have helped position the Chicago Bulls as a leader in the NBA.  Listen as Michelle speaks passionately about her strategy for utilizing and incorporating entertainment resources, development and recruitment of talent, the creative process for performances, importance of branding, how she measures success and much more!

There’s one sporting event that goes beyond traditional fan engagement and totally immerses its spectators into the fabric of their brand like none other… The Daytona 500.  In this episode, Don interviews Sean Belgrade, Managing Director of Consumer Experience for NASCAR, who shares his event presentation philosophy and takes listeners behind-the-scenes of the Daytona 500, uncovering logistical details that have elevated the fan experience to mirror the prestige of the race itself.  During their conversation they cover preparation, immersive experiences, sponsor activation, driver introductions, and much more!

In this episode, Don and Brian talk candidly about the job search process.  Listen as they discuss several job seeking tactics that may get you thinking differently about the way you approach the sports industry’s job market.  During their conversation they touch on important topics including the first step you should take before starting a job search, construction of a resume, impact of a cover letter, effective strategy for building a professional network, differentiating yourself in an interview, if an advanced degree gives you an advantage, helpful resources, and much more!