The Sponsor Pod

What lasts after four decades in sports marketing? The relationships you build and the people you help grow.Lee Rosenthal, retired sports marketing executive and former agency owner, shares lessons from his career: earning a university’s trust starts with understanding its traditions, and building a strong team means hiring for where people can go next.In this episode of The Sponsor Pod, Lee joins host Jason Smith to discuss developing future leaders, keeping client relationships strong through transparency, and balancing new sponsorship opportunities with the traditions of college athletics. He also shares practical advice for anyone building a career in marketing and partnerships.The Sponsor Pod is for the sponsorship professional who wants to regularly sharpen their skills and learn from industry leaders across every corner of the business, from sports and entertainment to nonprofits, agencies, and brands.Connect with Lee Rosenthal Connect with Jason SmithFollow The Sponsor PodNew conversations every other week. Follow along so you don't miss one.Brought to you by SponsorCX, the modern sponsorship platform that combines the ease of a spreadsheet with the power of automation.Learn more about SponsorCX

Fans remember the brands that make their experience better.Peter Lubell, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Barrett-Jackson, on fan-first sponsorship: even a law firm can connect with collector car fans by improving part of their day.In this episode of The Sponsor Pod, Peter joins host Jason Smith to talk about building sponsorships around the fan journey, helping brands measure success, and the small details that keep partnerships strong.The Sponsor Pod is for the sponsorship professional who wants to regularly sharpen their skills and learn from industry leaders across every corner of the business, from sports and entertainment to nonprofits, agencies, and brands.Connect with Peter Lubell Connect with JasonFollow The Sponsor PodNew conversations every other week. Follow along so you don't miss one.Brought to you by SponsorCX, the modern sponsorship platform that combines the ease of a spreadsheet with the power of automation.Learn more about SponsorCX

Avish and Jason break down a special announcement about the The Sponsor Pod & Sponsor Talk podcasts.

Greg Tanner, VP of Corporate Partnerships & Business Development for the Utah Jazz joins us as part of the Fall Sports Conference with Brigham Young University – Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho. Students joined this live edition of The Sponsor Pod to learn about Greg’s journey and asked questions via chat. Greg is a great story teller, and shares some amazing sponsorship nuggets throughout the podcast. Enjoy the show!

Ryan Holloway, President & Founder of Peak Sports Management shares his amazing story of taking a leap of faith to start his company assisting athletic departments across the country managing their sponsorship programs. He makes some bold moves in his career that you’ll want to hear. He also talks about how COVID has affected his business in many ways, but has maintained a positive attitude throughout these challenges. Enjoy the show!

Bob Lynch, President and Founder of SponsorUnited, discusses his years in media sales and how he created a sponsorship data platform that provides insights into both properties and brands. There are lots of learning experiences he shares along the way that helped him get where he is today. Enjoy the show!

Ken Unger, President & Founder of CHARGE helps brands and properties unlock the power of sponsorships. Prior to starting his agency, he worked as a marketer, league representative, event promoter and business leader at the highest levels of professional sports. In this episode, he talks about why he started the agency, how to pull results out of sponsorships, and the importance of strategy. Enjoy the show!

Kris McCarthy, Co-Founder and COO at FanSaves shares his journey from playing professional hockey to creating a digital sponsorship app to engage fans with brands. He discusses how the current pandemic is forcing more digital content and what he feels the most important metrics are for sponsorship engagement. There are some fun stories he shares from his hockey playing days. Enjoy the Show!

Avish Sood, Brand Manager with The Clorox Company and Founder of The Sponsorship Space, shares with us some amazing insights about how properties should approach brands when pitching sponsorship opportunities, how he cold called the CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays, and outlines why it may not always be in your best interest to work for a big sports organization at the start of your career. If you’re an aspiring marketer, this is a must listen. He has also been recognized by Marketing Magazine and Sports Launch Magazine’s 30-under-30 lists. Enjoy the Show!

Nick Lawson, Founder & CEO of SQWAD, shares with us his journey of how he created his own sponsorship engagement software. He outlines his career path and shares some amazing insights into sponsorships as brands transition to a new way to engage with fans because of COVID. You'll find lots of great content to apply to your own sponsorship efforts in this podcast. Enjoy the show!