Sports Management Podcast

Welcome to episode 267 of Sports Management Podcast.
Can you build an entirely new sport from scratch?
In this episode of Sports Management Podcast, Marcus Filipsson speaks with Greg Roe, former Team Canada trampoline athlete and Co-Founder of the Freestyle Trampoline Association.
Freestyle trampoline started as an athlete-led movement fueled by backyard videos, social media and a generation that wanted to experience trampoline differently from the traditional Olympic system.
Today, the association operates events around the world—but getting there meant creating everything from judging systems and equipment standards to insurance, sponsorship models, international events and an entirely new sporting culture.
Greg shares what it really takes to build a sport from zero, why freestyle trampoline has been described as a sport "born on Instagram," whether Olympic recognition actually matters, and why brands are becoming less interested in follower counts and more interested in direct access to customers.
We also discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, protecting a sport from investors too early, the future of action sports and Greg's remarkable journey from a Russian orphanage to Team Canada and eventually building a global sports organization.
In this episode:
• How a new sport gets created from scratch • Why freestyle trampoline was born through social media • Athlete-led sports vs traditional federations • Can an Instagram-born sport reach the Olympics? • What sponsors actually want in 2026 • Why follower counts are losing commercial value • Building events, rules and infrastructure from zero • Protecting the culture of a young sport • The reality of 12 years of entrepreneurship • Greg's journey from Russia to Team Canada • The future of freestyle and action sports
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 Introduction 00:14 What Is Freestyle Trampoline? 01:29 Building an Athlete-Led Sport 03:20 How Do You Create a Sport From Scratch? 05:18 Why Athletes Wanted Something Different 07:19 Breaking Away From Traditional Trampoline 09:07 The Viral Video That Changed Everything 10:18 Finding the Right Co-Founder 10:49 Building the Sport Without Advertising 12:43 Can a Sport Born on Instagram Reach the Olympics? 14:20 The Rise of the "Flipping" Sports Industry 15:35 Competition Between New Action Sports 18:06 Building a World Championship 21:15 The Business Behind a New Sports League 24:38 Why Some Sports Never Grow 26:26 Why Taking Investors Too Early Can Be Dangerous 27:13 Working With the X Games 28:41 Why Follower Counts Matter Less to Sponsors 30:50 What Brands Actually Want 33:55 Does Freestyle Trampoline Need the Olympics? 35:29 Building a Business Beyond Competition 39:16 The Reality of Being a Sports Entrepreneur 42:46 Fighting an Established Industry 44:23 Greg's Journey From a Russian Orphanage 45:23 Becoming an Elite Trampoline Athlete 47:46 Team Canada, World Records & America's Got Talent 51:24 From Athlete to Entrepreneur 51:37 Where to Find Freestyle Trampoline
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What can sport accomplish beyond competition?
In this episode of Sports Management Podcast, Marcus Filipsson speaks with Rita Finkel, Co-President of the Armory Foundation and Director of Armory College Prep in New York City.
The Armory may be known as one of the fastest and busiest indoor tracks in the world, but its impact stretches far beyond athletics.
Rita explains how the organization uses sport as a gateway to education, opportunity and community—helping underserved young people prepare for college, placing students into meaningful paid internships, creating programs for seniors and bringing together one of New York City's most diverse communities.
We also discuss whether college degrees still matter in the age of AI, why internships are so important, what sports can teach us about life, Rita's career in fencing and track & field, and the leadership lessons she's learned over more than two decades at the Armory.
In this episode:
• How the Armory combines sport and education • 11 years of 100% college admission for Armory College Prep seniors • Why college still matters in the age of AI • The importance of internships and career exposure • How sport can support underserved communities • Tackling isolation and inactivity among older adults • Leadership lessons from Dr. Norbert Sander • Rita's advice for building a meaningful career • The history and future of the Millrose Games
Time stamps:
00:00 Introduction 00:19 Inside the Armory Foundation 01:47 Using Sports to Support Education 02:36 100% College Admission for 11 Years 03:04 How Armory College Prep Works 04:56 Finding Scholarships and Financial Aid 06:05 Do College Degrees Still Matter in the Age of AI? 08:31 Why College Fit Matters 09:22 The Power of Paid Internships 11:31 Why Critical Thinking Still Matters 12:27 From Fencing to Track & Field 14:43 Why Track & Field Is Different in the United States 16:59 The 2026 World Cup in New York 17:40 Rita's Journey Into Sports 18:45 Helping Seniors Through Sport 21:07 Why Community Matters 23:25 Rita's Career Advice 25:31 The Leadership Lesson That Changed Her Thinking 26:48 Why Great Leaders Change Their Minds 26:54 Career Setbacks and Resilience 30:09 The Armory's Community Impact 31:33 Inside the Millrose Games
 
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Welcome to episode 265 of Sports Management Podcast.
Women's sports are growing rapidly, but should they be built using the same playbook as men's sports?
In this episode of Sports Management Podcast, Marcus Filipsson speaks with Sascha Malas, Head of OT Select and Director of Content Operations at Overtime, about the future of women's sports, Gen Z fandom, NIL, sponsorship and athlete branding.
Sascha explains why Overtime deliberately chose not to copy its men's basketball model when creating OT Select, how listening to young athletes shaped the product, and why she believes women's basketball is still only at the beginning of its commercial growth.
We also discuss how Overtime became one of the most influential sports brands for Gen Z, why brands like Adidas, Google, Gatorade, Target and State Farm are investing in young female athletes, how NIL is turning teenagers into businesspeople, and why women's sports need more specialized investment rather than being treated as one single category.
In this episode:
Why women's sports need their own business models
How Overtime built an audience with Gen Z
The rise of OT Select
Why women's basketball is still early in its growth
How NIL is changing athlete branding
Why major brands are investing in teenage athletes
The commercial opportunity in women's sports
How Sascha built her career in sports
The importance of networking, mentors and communication
If you enjoy the episode, subscribe to Sports Management Podcast and share it with someone working in the business of sport.
 
Time stamps:
00:00 Introduction 00:21 Sascha's Role at Overtime 01:26 How Overtime Built a Gen Z Sports Brand 03:39 Why Overtime Beat Legacy Media on TikTok 05:04 Building OT Select 05:35 Why Women's Sports Need a Different Model 06:48 What Elite Female Athletes Actually Wanted 07:55 Why "Women's Sports" Is Too Broad a Category 08:50 The Caitlin Clark Effect and Athlete Fandom 09:36 Is Women's Basketball Still Just Getting Started? 11:37 How NIL Is Changing Young Athletes 13:15 Are Female Athletes Better at Personal Branding? 14:15 Why Major Brands Are Investing in Women's Basketball 16:34 The Purchasing Power of Young Female Fans 17:28 The Future of Overtime Women's Sports 18:14 Overtime's UConn Partnership 19:29 Sascha's Career Journey 21:56 How She Became "The Women's Sports Person" at Overtime 23:32 Creating Your Own Luck in Sports 26:04 Career Challenges and Building OT Select 29:05 Advice for Women Entering Sports 31:20 Why Communication Skills Matter More Than Ever 32:13 Final Thoughts
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Welcome to episode 264 of Sports Management Podcast.
The world's biggest sport is still powered by volunteers - but why are they still relying on spreadsheets, WhatsApp groups and endless emails?
In this episode of Sports Management Podcast, Marcus Filipsson sits down with Rohan Anand, Co-Founder and CEO of Center Circle, a technology platform transforming how grassroots football is organized.
After experiencing the challenges firsthand as a player, coach, referee and volunteer, Rohan set out to solve one of football's biggest hidden problems: giving volunteers the tools they need to spend less time on administration and more time developing the next generation of players.
We discuss why grassroots football is still built on outdated systems, how technology can reduce barriers to participation, why Center Circle has chosen a completely different business model than most sports technology companies, and the personal sacrifices required to build a startup from the ground up.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why grassroots football still relies on WhatsApp and spreadsheets
The hidden challenges volunteers face every weekend
How technology can simplify grassroots sports
Building a sports tech startup with zero marketing budget
Why Center Circle refuses to charge grassroots football
Lessons from seven years of entrepreneurship
Advice for anyone wanting to build a business in sport
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone passionate about the business of sport.
 
Time stamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:16 What Center Circle Does
01:14 Why Grassroots Football Still Runs on Multiple Platforms
02:11 From Referee to Tech Entrepreneur
03:12 Building Center Circle From Scratch
04:42 Convincing a Non-Football Co-Founder
06:53 Can AI Improve Grassroots Football?
08:17 Building Partnerships With Football Associations
09:47 Why Center Circle Is Completely Free
11:15 Why Grassroots Football Should Never Be Monetized
12:18 What Grassroots Football Needs Next
14:50 Growing 5x Without Marketing
16:14 Building the Team
17:21 Why They Never Spent Money on Advertising
20:42 The Sacrifices of Entrepreneurship
22:29 The Vision for the Future
24:44 Rohan's Journey Into Football
26:39 Studying Business Instead of Sport
28:05 Advice for Future Sports Entrepreneurs
29:28 Where to Find Center Circle
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Welcome to episode 263 of SPorts Management Podcast.
Why do so many talented athletes make the wrong career decisions?
In this episode of Sports Management Podcast, veteran NFL agent and sports attorney Craig Domann shares what he's learned from negotiating more than $1 billion in professional sports contracts and advising athletes for over 35 years.
We discuss why chasing the biggest NIL offer isn't always the smartest move, what separates great negotiators from average ones, the hidden clauses that can make or break a contract, and why the best career decisions aren't always the most lucrative ones.
Whether you're an athlete, agent, coach, parent, or sports business professional, this conversation offers practical lessons on negotiation, leadership, decision-making, and building a long-term career in sport.
In this episode, we discuss:
• Why money can lead athletes to make poor career decisions
• The long-term impact of NIL on player development
• The hidden details that matter more than contract value
• What makes a great sports agent and negotiator
• Common misconceptions about athlete representation
• Advice for athletes, parents, and aspiring sports professionals
If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone passionate about the business of sport.
Time stamps: 
00:00 Introduction
00:26 How Craig Domann Became an NFL Agent
01:51 How NIL Works for Most College Athletes
02:49 Why Chasing the Biggest NIL Deal Can Hurt Your Career
04:05 The Non-Financial Factors Athletes Ignore
05:04 Has NIL Changed College Sports Forever?
06:37 The Problem With Money-Driven Advisors
07:52 Choosing the Right School vs. the Biggest Paycheck
08:58 Why Every Athlete Needs the Right Mentor
10:03 Being a Father, Coach & Agent at the Same Time
11:52 Negotiating Over $1 Billion in Sports Contracts
12:14 What Makes a Great Sports Negotiator?
15:22 The Hidden Clauses Inside Million-Dollar Contracts
17:23 The Biggest Misconceptions About Sports Agents
20:20 Why Relationships Matter More Than Aggressive Negotiation
21:55 The Pro Mindset That Separates Great Athletes
23:37 Daily Habits of Elite Performers
29:50 How Craig Developed the Pro Mindset Framework
31:40 Career Lessons From 35 Years in Sports
32:52 Craig's Advice to Anyone Wanting a Career in Sports
 
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