Sponsorship budgets often compete with digital and social advertising that offer clear, measurable conversion rates.

Rather than treating sponsorships like a pure media buy, experienced marketers understand the downstream impact on sales, employee morale, brand perception, and reach across markets.

Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=762f59b100fb41de395e620e77eea263

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Special predictions episode: AJ and Charles give their thoughts on the next 12-months in sports business.

What will be the price tag for Seattle Seahawks? Will the NBA expand? Will the NFL add an 18th game? How many private capital deals reach college athletics? We'll revisit these predictions next year to see what we got right and what surprised us.

Timestamps:

• 0:45 - The next NFL media deal & an 18th game
• 4:40 - Netflix's sports portfolio
• 7:40 - Will a tech company buy a team?
• 11:40 - World Cup
• 16:35 - Collegiate Athletics
• 21:30 - Private Capital
• 27:15 - NCAA Tournament Expansion
• 31:45 - Franchise sales
• 44:20 - MLB lockout
• 51:05 - NBA expansion

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Mike Dillon - CFO of the Pittsburgh Penguins - leads a duel role overseeing both finance and strategy for one of the most iconic franchises in the NHL. He and his team work closely with Navigate on advanced fan segmentation and custom research.

He discusses the things NHL teams do well from a revenue standpoint and where there is room for increased sophistication and growth. He also talks about maintaining positive momentum from major moments like the winter Olympics and the success of Heated Rivalry.

Timestamps:

1:15 - Mike's Background

6:30 - Achieving positive outcomes regardless of team success

12:30 - The Penguins outperforming expectations

15:35 - Hockey taking over the conversations

20:30 - Mike's dual role as CFO and head of strategy

23:20 - What hockey gets right

25:30 - Advanced fan segmentation

31:05 - NHL growth in the next decade

36:20 - Rapid Fire Questions

Mike's Pittsburgh Restaurant Recommendations:

• DiAnoia's Eatery
• Alla Famiglia

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.