Sports Management Podcast

Welcome to episode 262 of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Mike Carney, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of On Deck Partners. Before building one of the most innovative ownership groups in Minor League Baseball, Mike worked as an engineer at NASA before leading business strategy for the Washington Nationals. In this episode, he shares why great sports organizations start with solving problems for fans.
In this episode, we spoke about:
Transitioning from NASA to professional sports
Building community-first sports organizations
Why fan experience drives long-term value
The future of private equity in sports
Episode Time Stamps
00:00 From NASA to Sports
00:17 Why Engineers Fit Sports
02:22 Joining the Washington Nationals
03:28 Business Strategy Explained
04:37 Solving Fan Problems
06:13 The Future of Fan Engagement
08:31 Building On Deck Partners
10:45 Creating Community Value
14:58 Private Equity in Sports
16:18 The Modern Fan Experience
18:33 Lessons from Sports Leadership
22:05 Why Transparency Matters
23:32 Advice for Future Sports Professionals
25:45 Inside On Deck Partners
 
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Welcome to episode 261 of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Brando Babini, founder of Youth4Youth FC, a player-led development program that is challenging traditional youth soccer in the United States. Starting the company at just 16 years old, Brando has built a thriving community, partnered with Nike, and is proving that mentorship, social media, and player-first development can transform the game.
In this episode, we spoke about:
Why the pay-to-play model needs to evolve
Building a football company at just 16 years old
Using social media to grow a sports business
Why mentorship matters as much as coaching
Episode Time Stamps
00:00 Meet Brando Babini
00:13 Why Youth4Youth Exists
01:15 A Gen Z-Led Football Revolution
02:25 Fixing Pay-to-Play
05:12 Building a Sustainable Model
07:49 Player-First Development
10:01 What Success Really Means
12:20 Growing Through Social Media
14:48 Partnering with Nike
16:49 Building a Startup Team
18:10 Parents & Player Motivation
19:51 Starting a Company at 16
22:41 Learning to Let Go
25:56 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
 
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Welcome to episode 260 of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Evan Dabby, CEO of New Jersey Youth Soccer, one of the largest youth soccer organizations in the United States. With over 120,000 players, Evan shares how youth soccer is evolving, why player development should come before winning, and how the FIFA World Cup is creating a once-in-a-generation opportunity to grow the game across America.
In this episode, we spoke about:
How the FIFA World Cup is inspiring the next generation
Why player development should come before winning
The challenges of youth sports, parents and coaching
Growing participation while making soccer more accessible
Episode Time Stamps
00:00 Welcome Evan Dabby
00:29 The World Cup Impact in New Jersey
03:20 Growing 120,000 Youth Players
05:50 Technology & Participation
08:20 Player-Centered Development
10:09 Advice from Tab Ramos
11:08 Parents on the Sidelines
15:12 Girls' Soccer Growth
18:52 Should Kids Specialize?
20:41 Coaching Better Players
21:35 Evan's Career Journey
23:23 The Power of Networking
26:45 Advice for Students
30:19 The Future of Youth Soccer
 
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Welcome to episode 259of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Santiago Halty, Founder and CEO of Senda Athletics, one of the world's leading Fair Trade-certified football brands. From launching ethically manufactured footballs to seeing Senda products on football's biggest stage, Santiago shares the remarkable journey of building a purpose-driven sports brand while competing against industry giants.
In this episode, we spoke about:
Building a Fair Trade football brand from scratch
Competing against Nike and adidas through niche innovation
How Senda reached the FIFA World Cup
Why purpose and performance can coexist in sports business
The Vózinha story
Time Stamps
00:00 Welcome Santiago Halty
00:19 The Vision Behind Senda
01:45 Why Fair Trade Matters
02:27 Competing Against Nike & adidas
03:42 Winning Through Futsal
04:45 Building a FIFA-Quality Ball
06:14 World Cup Success Story
08:02 Becoming the Official Match Ball
09:39 The Innovation Behind Senda Boots
12:21 The Story of Vózinha
18:14 Raising Investment for Growth
19:42 The Future of Senda
21:07 Becoming a Top 10 Football Brand
22:11 Messi's Last World Cup?
23:26 What's Next for Senda?
 
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Welcome to episode 258of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Sam Houlding, Managing Director of B2B at Spotlight Sports Group. Sam has spent more than 16 years helping transform one of the world's leading sports media businesses while working at the intersection of sports media, technology, data, fan engagement and betting. In this episode, he explains why horse racing doesn't have an audience problem - it has an accessibility problem and how the sport can unlock millions of new fans.
In this episode, we spoke about:
Why horse racing has a potential audience of 200 million new fans
How Formula One's growth offers lessons for every sport
Why sports should prioritize fans before betting
The importance of storytelling, data and digital experiences
Time Stamps
00:00 Welcome Sam Houlding
00:15 Spotlight Sports Group Explained
01:55 The 200 Million Fan Opportunity
05:00 Why Racing Struggles to Grow
07:01 Accessibility Beats Awareness
10:24 Formula One's Winning Playbook
12:04 Betting vs Growing the Sport
14:03 Turning Data Into Fan Experiences
17:08 The Five Growth Priorities
19:07 Why Digital Comes First
21:21 The Future of Horse Racing
22:39 Sam's Career Journey
24:15 Lessons From Career Setbacks
26:06 Advice for Young Sports Professionals
27:36 Networking That Actually Works
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