118. Nic Barlage - Cleveland Cavaliers & Rock Entertainment Group

Robert Davari - CEO and Founder of Tixr - on how they are disrupting an industry by focusing on optimization, design, and building a better ticketing and ecommerce product.   Tixr recently announced its partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes, the first "big 5" team on their roster.   Timestamps: 1:40 - Tixr’s origins 8:50 - Ticketing technology 12:05 - San Jose Earthquakes Partnership 15:35 - Patience when building a company 20:05 - Competing with legacy players 24:10 - Secondary Ticketing 28:30 - Tixr Brands 31:00 - Rapid Fire Questions   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Vince Kozar – President of the Phoenix Mercury – talks about how they have no trouble retaining fans who watch a game live or on TV. Whether those fans initially come to see Caitlin Clark, a rival team, or are just skipping channels, once they see what the Mercury have to offer, they stick around.   He also talks about the broader mission of the organization and the work they are doing to increase sports participation among girls.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=779772e3b0843d82ff3d8ec6893b292f   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Navigating Sports Media: Ahmed Darwish - CMO at NESN - leads marketing for one of the most well-known and successful RSNs in the country. As business models shift across media, they are finding ways to reach more fans, including their DTC platform, NESN 360.   He also shares trends and predictions for NESN, for baseball, and for sports media in general.   Timestamps: 4:00 - DTC and Distribution 14:00 - Having multiple teams on the platform 16:15 - Marketing tactics 22:05 - Baseball predictions 26:15 - Ahmed’s career path 37:30 - Rapid Fire Questions   Book Recommendation: The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

"I believe in my alma mater LSU more than anybody will ever know"   Scott Woodward – Athletics Director at LSU – on his approach to coach hiring, and swinging for the fences to secure the very best available. No matter how well an AD operates on the business side, they are still judged by noteworthy hires they make. That's why alignment with your institution and stakeholders is key.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=73ba4b4bc47497339d91f6283bee4e37   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Nic Barlage – CEO of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group – explains his strategy of pivoting more towards single-game tickets, despite most teams focusing on season ticket packages. Capping season tickets has helped the Cavs jump into the top third of the NBA in gate revenue.   He also discusses the Cavs Reward program and what makes it more effective than other loyalty programs in sports.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=72489191733141b7fb29046bc253b7f3   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Scott Woodward - Athletics Director at LSU - always seems to make the right coaching hire. He breaks down how finds the best candidates and shares other tips for succeeding as a high-level athletic department.   A man of many interests, he also discusses food, wine, literature, and advice for young people.   Timestamps: 2:15 - A lifelong LSU fan becoming AD 9:05 - Hiring the best coaches 19:20 - Livvy Dunne and building athlete brands 22:25 - Athletic departments creating commercial arms 26:15 - Crystal ball predictions 27:50 - Scott’s interests outside of athletics 35:20 - Rapid Fire Questions   Shownotes: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius War of Shadows Gino’s Restaurant   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Jahm Najafi – Chairman and Partner at MSP Sports Capital and Head of the Najafi Companies – shares his excitement for the new X Games League that will be to action sports what Formula 1 is to motorsports.   Najafi is an investor in X Games as well as McLaren Racing and other sports properties.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=28d3e011473bfd6caad5a7be5a48e682   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Vince Kozar - President of the Phoenix Mercury - joins us to discuss the evolving landscape of the WNBA, his career journey with the franchise, and what’s next for the team following Diana Taurasi’s retirement. From front office shifts to player acquisitions, Vince shares insights into how the Mercury are navigating a transformative era.   Timestamps: 1:55 – Inside the Mercury’s active offseason moves 5:00 – Reflecting on Diana Taurasi’s retirement 15:00 – Vince Kozar’s path to team president 20:00 – Impact of new Suns/Mercury ownership 26:50 – Hosting the 2026 Women’s Final Four 29:20 - Differentiators for the Mercury 33:50 – Rapid Fire Questions 🎧 Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at one of the WNBA’s most iconic franchises.   🔗 For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn or visit nvgt.com.

Jim Cochrane – Chief Business Officer at the Texas Rangers – and Jon Heidtke – Founder and Principal at Heidtke Sports Entertainment were featured on the very first episode of our Navigating Sports Media Series. In this highlight, Jon breaks down the unique distribution model that they created which combines regional distribution, OTA broadcast, and a direct-to-consumer option in order to reach as many Rangers fans as possible.   He shares how they were able to manage relationships with different partners throughout the process, and the hard work that went into creating Rangers Sports Network.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=94bf2e252950ffa46e031485ed9e76dc   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Nic Barlage - CEO of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group - on how their organization is maximizing a dominant season from the Cavs, all while managing a growing portfolio of other properties across sports and media.   He also breaks down their Cavs Rewards program, and what differentiates it from what other teams have tried before.   Details: 1:50 - What is Rock Entertainment Group? 10:05 - Dan Gilbert’s ISMs 16:35 - Other organizations to emulate  19:00 - Investing in new innovations 23:55 - The Cavs’ success 28:10 - Cavs Rewards 30:40 - Measuring business success in a 1-seed season 36:15 - Launching Rock Entertainment Sports Network 40:35 - Rapid Fire Questions Nic's Cleveland Restaurant Recommendations: Olivia Dante   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.