Sports Management Podcast

Welcome to episode 248 of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Kevin Bradbury, veteran NBA agent and Head of Basketball at Lyft Sports Management, with over two decades of experience and more than a billion dollars in contracts negotiated.
In this episode, we spoke about:
What it really means to be an NBA agent beyond contract negotiations
How NIL has changed the landscape of athlete representation
The importance of trust and relationships in building successful careers
How agents support players both on and off the court
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome & Role Overview 00:17 Life as an NBA Agent 01:25 NIL & Industry Evolution 02:38 What Agents Actually Do 04:08 Importance of Trust 05:45 Contract Negotiation Insights 08:27 Relationships in the NBA 08:57 Misconceptions About Agents 10:03 How Player Value Is Determined 12:11 Supporting Players Off the Court 13:48 Working with International Players 15:15 Global Talent & Recruitment 16:49 NIL & Player Branding 19:20 Power Shift in College Sports 33:00 Advice for Aspiring Agents
SPONSOR: Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.
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Welcome to episode 247 of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Geoff Wilson, sports consultant, former Irish FA executive, and author of the new book Leading a Grassroots Sports Club.
In this episode, we spoke about:
Why grassroots sport is the foundation of the entire sports ecosystem
The biggest mistakes clubs make when building their structure
How to create a strong culture and environment for young athletes
Practical strategies for funding, growth and long-term sustainability
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome Back & Background 01:06 Journey Across 104 Countries 02:51 Learning from Global Sports Cultures 05:03 Why Some Countries Excel 06:17 Why Geoff Wrote the Book 08:12 Biggest Grassroots Mistakes 10:03 Importance of Coaching 11:14 Parent Coaches & Development 13:29 Building Club Culture 16:03 Creating Long-Term Culture 17:51 Why Grassroots Matters 21:05 Funding & Revenue Strategies 25:07 Community & Fan Engagement 30:37 Writing the Book Process 38:41 Advice for Young Professionals
SPONSOR: Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.
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Welcome to episode 246 of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Emiliano Abramzon, founder and CEO of Racket360, a company building a full ecosystem around racket sports in the US - including clubs, leagues, events, and e-commerce platforms.
In this episode, we spoke about:
Building a sports ecosystem from scratch in a new market
Why padel is growing rapidly in the US
The challenges of infrastructure, real estate and scaling sports facilities
Entrepreneurship, fundraising and lessons from building multiple companies
Timestamps:
00:00 Building Racket360 Explained 00:20 The Four Companies Strategy 01:28 Racket X Growth Story 02:19 E-Commerce Scaling Fast 03:27 Why Everything Is Growing 04:49 Funding & Capital Strategy 05:58 Why Padel Is Growing Fast 07:23 Challenges of Building a New Sport 08:22 Why Padel Is Addictive 10:05 Competition from Other Sports 11:36 Infrastructure Challenges 13:40 Building an Ecosystem Strategy 14:46 Future of Padel in the US 16:39 Career Journey & Background 25:04 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
SPONSOR: Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.
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Welcome to episode 245 of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Claire Nelson, Managing Director of the Netball Super League. Claire is leading one of the most ambitious transformations in women's sport - building a fully professional league, growing fandom, and redefining what a modern sports product looks like.
In this episode, we spoke about:
Building a women's sport league without a men's structure
Turning participation into fandom
Commercial partnerships and growing revenue
Leadership, resilience, and driving change in sport
Timestamps:
00:00 What Is the Netball Super League 00:16 Building Women's Sport Without a Men's Model 01:53 Turning Participation into Fandom 03:29 The Relaunch Strategy 06:19 Transforming the League Structure 07:44 New Clubs & Innovation 08:32 Creating a Fan Experience 10:52 Competing for Attention (Not Just Sports) 12:25 Digital Storytelling Strategy 13:22 Broadcast Strategy Explained 14:44 Commercial Partnerships Strategy 16:20 Aligning Brands with Purpose 18:42 Leadership Style & Vision 21:45 Biggest Challenges Behind the Scenes 26:54 Vision for the Next 5–10 Years
Photo: Ben Lumley.
SPONSOR: Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.
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Welcome to episode 244 of Sports Management Podcast.
Today's guest is Bryn Drescher, a mental performance coach, speaker, and host of the Mental Advantage Podcast. Bryn works with elite athletes across multiple sports, helping them master the mental side of performance, handle pressure on game day, and build identities that extend beyond sport.
In this episode, we spoke about:
How athletes can perform under pressure on game day
Building a strong identity beyond sport
The role of visualization and routines in performance
Mental performance coaching for individuals vs teams
And more! 
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:12 Why Competition Is Mental
2:18 Handling Life Outside Sport
4:30 Working Across Different Sports
6:39 Learning New Sports as a Coach 
10:09 Mastering the Inner Game
12:11 Flow State Explained
13:38 Game Day Preparation
15:42 Pre-Game Routines
17:05 Visualization Techniques
18:22 Individual vs Team Coaching
23:13 Trust and Mental Coaching
26:20 Burnout in Athletes
34:29 Identity Beyond Sport
48:53 Measuring Mental Performance Results
SPONSOR: Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.
 
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www.sportsmanagementpodcast.com