141. Mike Dillon - Pittsburgh Penguins

Mike Dillon – CFO of the Pittsburgh Penguins – on the "triangle offense" of ticketing, marketing, & strategy that allows them to react to data models and test new initiatives throughout the season.   He cites the example of optimizing games with lower projected attendance by adding indoor fireworks shows - safely.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=af0e1988a4018fc3975cc40c75e865a2   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Katie Bynum Aznavorian — Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee — breaks down how Team USA built on the momentum of past Olympic Games at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.   That approach led to even greater growth in performance, fan sentiment, and engagement compared to the 2022 games.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=590521345cd7c04fc0d9ed1067b53532   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

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/.

How are teams and leagues approaching partnerships with prediction markets?   Jeff and Charles are having frequent conversations with property clients around how to handle this emerging category. For most, the priorities are to monetize the category while respecting existing sports better partners.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=88ebc0133d153220edab58c5877f6f83   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

What is the most common mistake athletic departments are going to make as private capital enters college sports?   AJ and Charles give their thoughts:   1) How are you spending the money? 2) Are you maintaining optionality for the future? 3) Are incentives properly aligned?   Private equity is looking for a return on investment, so schools are going to need to optimize their revenues, and not use the funds to cover up short-term gaps.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=0274a79bbace9aa1eff963137011a31e   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Katie Bynum Aznavorian - Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee - dives into the metrics behind a very successful Milan Cortina games, and how she's able to pivot quickly to planning for LA28.   The USOPC has a funding model that's different from how all other peer nations pay for the athletes to participate in the Olympic Games. Receiving no money at all from federal sources, they rely on sponsorship, media, and philanthropic donations. They are forced to operate as an intelligent, profitable business, and Katie and her team continue to prove that the model works.   Timestamps: 1:10 - The success of Milan Cortina 7:30 - Katie's time at the games 9:50 - The funding model for USOPC 18:30 - Venue naming rights in LA28 20:25 - If you were to create the Olympic brand from scratch 24:35 - Making Team USA 28:20 - Do NCAA changes threaten the Olympic pipeline? 31:10 - Rapid Fire Questions   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

David Dunn – Founder of Athletes First – worked with Leigh Steinberg before separating to start his own agency. He shares the story of the legal battle that followed.   Dunn and Athletes First ultimately won on appeal, but he still faced an 18-month NFLPA suspension from negotiating contracts.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=706ad15465bd624d2f547436740fa742   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

If your sponsorship budget was about to be cut, what data would you cite to defend it?   AJ & Charles share insights & ROI data from Navigate's 20+ years of sponsorship consulting to explore why sponsorship works, how it compares to other marketing channels, and how to spend strategically to see true ROI.   Will you be at NSF in St. Louis? Make sure to say hi to Charles while you're in town. Get in touch at [email protected]   Timestamps: 3:40 - Do sponsorships work? 7:00 - Brands that should steer clear of sponsorships 11:25 - Sponsorship is not purely a marketing investment 17:25 - Trends & growth 21:00 - Using sponsorship to reach a fragmented, global audience 22:30 - Predictions for the next 12-24 months   Revisit our podcast with T-Mobile's Amy Azzi: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=c2641669c5f08ef945885ff03fea24f1   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.