144. Populous - Brian Mirakian

Board members and university administrators are spending an increasing amount of time on athletics.   Ryan McCarthy — Board of Visitors Member at Virginia Tech — joined our podcast with insight on the goals of a university and the role that athletics plays in serving its broader mission.   As the former U.S. Secretary of the Army, Ryan has a unique perspective on leadership and navigating a diverse group of stakeholders.   Timestamps: 1:10 - Board members spending more and more time on athletics  4:25 - Navigate's engagement with Virginia Tech 8:20 - What does VT athletics look like in 2030? 12:25 - Ryan's Background as Secretary of the Army 16:50 - Advice for other universities 22:40 - Rapid Fire Questions   Show Notes: Our interview with Virginia Tech Athletic Director Whit Babcock: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=ae8d2b98dc149a023be6909fd08d9af4 Book Rec: Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

With the NBA accepting bids for NBA Europe, they get a chance to vet new owners and create new media inventory.   AJ and Charles break down some of the unseen benefits of expanding the NBA internationally.   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=98f53bb4360c6b9e03e064694295d7c5   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Brian Mirakian - Senior Principal at Populous - discusses how architects and sports teams are designing multi-use stadiums with the future in mind.   Trends and interests evolve much faster than stadiums can be built, so flexibility is key.   Timestamps: 1:45 - Brian's role at Populous 6:00 - What owners are looking for in venue design 10:05 - Trends in development 13:55 - The Battery and Truist Park in Atlanta 18:25 - The rate of change in new venues 25:00 - AI in future planning 30:35 - Rapid Fire Questions     For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

From our annual predictions episode, AJ and Charles explore whether or not the NFL will have a new media rights deal by this time next year.   The league already demands $12B annually and they are looking for a 50%-100% increase in their next deal. Will new and existing partners be able to write a big enough check?   Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=f99b94e2b02b0387bb15267b517a2134   For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

The NBA is officially taking bids and vetting investors for NBA Europe.   AJ and Charles discuss the value proposition for investors, the upside and risk for the NBA, and what this means for the global basketball ecosystem.   They also explore which other leagues should be considering international expansion, and what that looks like in practice.   Timestamps: 1:15 - NBA Europe & the global basketball ecosystem 4:15 - The impact on EuroLeague & existing leagues 13:40 - Investor concerns 15:50 - Basketball Africa League 21:05 - Promotion & relegation in an open league model 23:20 - Winners & losers 26:20 - Which league is next? For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

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/.