Jesse Cole, Owner of the Savannah Bananas - SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Dylan Robbins and Michael Madding, CEO and COO of Lucra. Our SeventySix Capital portfolio company, Lucra, is the leading technology provider of gamification services. Their B2B technology facilitates cash, e-commerce, or cashless contests on partner platforms. Lucra's white-label Software Development Kit (SDK) provides partners with a comprehensive, turnkey solution to embed gamification technology directly into their platforms. This innovation offers features previously unavailable to enterprise Partners, including real-money, peer-to-peer contests within their platforms. Madding is currently the COO of Lucra. Prior to Lucra, he spent six years at Goldman Sachs, working across its Investment Banking and Executive Office divisions in San Francisco, Madrid, and New York. He is a graduate of Stanford Business School and Williams College (where he played Varsity Soccer) and currently lives in London, England. Robbins is currently Founder & CEO of Lucra Sports. Prior to Lucra - Robbins founded and sold Lifetime Vintage, a wine e-commerce platform focused on making wine more approachable. Before diving into entrepreneurship, Robbins started his career at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Division. He is a graduate of Stanford Business School and Duke University, and currently lives in New York City. Lucra: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucra-sports/ X: https://twitter.com/LucraSports Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucrasports/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucrasports YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMKf_D_n80bE9OjegIcPRJA Dylan Robbins: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-robbins-56338b63/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drobzingis/ Michael Madding: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-madding-13ba9522/ X: https://twitter.com/MichaelMadding Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelgmadding/

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Matt Holt, CEO of IC360, and Eric Frank, President of IC360. SeventySix Capital portfolio companies, U.S. Integrity and Odds On Compliance announced the completion of their merger and the launch of the combined entity’s new name, Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360). The merger cements IC360 as the unequivocal global leader in delivering best-in-class integrity and compliance regtech products and services for the sports betting and gaming sector.  IC360 will leverage the combined expertise, resources, and industry knowledge of U.S. Integrity and Odds On Compliance to continue delivering innovative solutions that empower organizations to achieve and maintain the highest standards of integrity and compliance.  Holt has decades of experience in the sports wagering and integrity markets, most recently as the COO of CG Analytics, a Cantor Gaming affiliate. CGA set the gold standard for differentiated and successful fraud prevention and game integrity services. Holt developed and implemented a suite of algorithms and proprietary tools to detect game manipulation that leveraged more than just line movement. Prior to CGA, Mr. Holt was the VP of Business Development at Cantor Gaming. Originally from New Hampshire, Holt attended Morehead State University, obtaining a sports marketing degree before taking up residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. Eric served as global Group Compliance Officer for The Stars Group Inc., one of the world’s largest online gaming operators. Eric has unique expertise in navigating complex compliance and regulatory matters throughout the world. He has managed global compliance teams with responsibilities in 20+ licensed markets worldwide and served as the principal legal advisor for regulatory, licensing and compliance matters in the United States, Latin American and Asia at TSG. He also has over a decade of experience in private practice at one of the world’s largest law firms, advising gaming clients on a full range of regulatory and licensing matters, and in government at all levels - federal, state and international - drafting statutes and regulations and advising on policy. Matt Holt: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-holt-a3b72b50/ X: https://twitter.com/MatthewHoltUSI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewholtvp77/ Eric Frank: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdfrank/ X: https://twitter.com/ericdanielfrank IC360: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/integritycompliance360/ X: https://twitter.com/_IC360 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/IC_360 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClKSrovsKnMMFXsNUCnGdjg

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Jesse Cole, Owner of the Savannah Bananas. Cole, also known as “the guy in the yellow tuxedo” is the founder of Fans First Entertainment and the owner of the world-famous Savannah Bananas as well as the Party Animals and Firefighters. The Bananas have welcomed more than 1 million fans to their ballpark and have been featured on MSNBC, CBS Sunday Morning, Access Hollywood, HBO Real Sports, CNN, and ESPN. With the mantra “Fans First. Entertain Always”, the Bananas are on a mission to Make Baseball Fun by creating the Greatest Show in Sports. The team has sold out every game since their inaugural season in Savannah and has since grown a ticket waitlist of more than 2 million fans from all over the world. With more than 15 million social media followers and features on such outlets as The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, HBO Real Sports and Access Hollywood in addition to  Bananaland, a five-part documentary original series on ESPN+, the Savannah Bananas are just getting started Cole believes to be successful you need to Stand Out and Be Different. He releases blogs and videos regularly on LinkedIn. He is passionate about creating attention, loving your customers more than your product and loving your employees more than your customers. Cole's mantra is "Whatever's normal, do the exact opposite." Cole is the not-so-proud promoter of the Grandma Beauty Pageant, the Human Horse Race, the Living Pinata, and Flatulence Fun Night. In addition to the wildly successful Banana Ball, Cole continues to create raving fans all over the world as a best-selling author of “Fans First, Find Your Yellow Tux”, and as a highly sought-after international keynote speaker for some of the world’s largest and most respected organizations. Most of all, Cole is a raving fan of his wife, Emily, his 3 kids, and peerless promoters like Walt Disney and PT Barnum. Jesse Cole: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yellowtuxjesse/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yellowtuxjesse/ X: https://twitter.com/YellowTuxJesse Savannah Bananas: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savannah-bananas/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesavbananas/ X: https://twitter.com/TheSavBananas TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesavbananas YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSavannahBananas

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed C.J. Handron, CEO of Diamond Kinetics and Ben Jun, Founder of sidelineHD. Diamond Kinetics X sidelineHD: Diamond Kinetics, a SeventySix Capital portfolio company, has acquired sidelineHD, a youth sports media platform specializing in live streaming and video highlights. The acquisition aims to enhance player experiences in youth baseball and softball by integrating live streaming and video highlight capabilities. With the strategic move, Diamond Kinetics reaffirms its commitment to innovation and providing personalized experiences for athletes and families in youth sports. The acquisition aligns with DK’s vision of providing a unified and complete experience for youth baseball and softball athletes and families. The integration of sidelineHD’s capabilities will offer more personalized training, instruction, and development opportunities for DK users. DK aims to deliver increased value to its users by incorporating sidelineHD’s features, including guided hitting sessions, MLB content, and interactive training content and games. SidelineHD will remain a stand-alone live streaming application, with DK continuing to enhance its product and add more value to existing streaming capabilities. Handron is the Co-Founder and CEO of Diamond Kinetics. He is responsible for leading commercialization efforts of all products and applications, as well as guiding the overall vision and strategy for the company.  Prior to Diamond Kinetics, Handron served as director of an early stage technology commercialization program at the University of Pittsburgh. Handron serves on the advisory boards of several Pittsburgh start up companies and is actively involved with several local non-profit organizations. A native of Greenville, NC, Handron holds a B.S. from North Carolina State University and a MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. Jun was CEO and co-founder of sidelineHD, a youth sports streaming and highlights company. He is now the VP of Livestreaming and Video at Diamond Kinetics.  A passionate technologist, product builder, and youth sports advocate, Ben has created companies with a net value of over $2B. Jun was formerly CEO and Chief Builder at HVF Labs (hard / valuable / fun), which is Max Levchin’s investment and startup incubation laboratory.  Prior to that he was the co-founder of Cryptography Research and an early engineer at Audible (now Amazon). C.J. Handron Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-handron-7859159/ X: https://twitter.com/CJ_Handron Diamond Kinetics Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diamond-kinetics/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diamondkinetics/ X: https://twitter.com/DiamondKinetics Ben Jun Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjun/ sidelineHD Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sidelinehd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidelinehd/ X: https://twitter.com/sidelinehd

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed 2X Stanley Cup Champion and author of Thundermouth: Memoirs of a Broad Street Bully and NHL Lifer, Joe Watson. Watson was one of the first hockey players drafted during the NHL expansion draft in 1967 for the newly created Philadelphia Flyers. Little did he know when he left the Boston Bruins that this unexpected career change would lead him to play on a two-time Stanley Cup champion team, eventually becoming known as the iconic Broad Street Bullies.  Watson soon earned the nickname “Thundermouth” by Flyers teammate Ed Van Impe, for his strong voice that carried from one end of the ice to the other. Growing up in the remote town of Smithers, British Columbia, hockey was a way of life so Watson was lacing up skates as soon as he could walk, and never looked back. It was during these formative years that Watson, a left-handed defenseman, was inspired and encouraged by coaches to follow his dream of becoming a professional hockey player, and that’s all he needed. His desire, discipline, and dedication paved the way from there. By age 16, Watson was on his way to Estevan, Saskatchewan where he was selected out of 104 players for the Junior A Estevan Bruins team. After three years with Estevan, Watson turned pro with the Minneapolis Bruins, a farm team for the  Boston Bruins. From there, the franchise moved to Oklahoma City where Watson and his team won the championship and he was selected for the the All-Star team. The following year, he moved up to the Boston Bruins where he became good friends with his teammate Bobby Orr who, according to Watson, is one of the best hockey players of all time. In 1972, Watson welcomed his younger brother Jim to the Flyers team, and the Watson brothers captivated fans with their signature defense skills. They went on to play together in both the 1974 and 1975 Stanley Cup Championships, winning two Stanley Cups. At the time, Watson and Jim were only the fourth “brother” combination in the league to win, and the first from Smithers, British Columbia. Joe Watson Social Media: Website: https://www.joewatsonofficial.com/ X: https://twitter.com/JoeWatsonHockey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joewatsonhockey/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joewatsonhockey

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Brian Litvack, CEO of LeagueApps. Litvack is an entrepreneur who has dedicated his career to empowering communities to create exceptional sports experiences for all. Before founding LeagueApps in 2010, Litvack was part of the founding team at Sportsvite, where he gained insights into the needs of youth sports communities. Litvack started his career at College Sports Television and CBS College Sports. Litvack is committed to making a positive impact on youth sports and has served on the NYC Chapter board of Positive Coaches Alliance and is a Board Member of the FundPlay Foundation. Litvack is a proud alumnus of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business (Go Blue!). His most important role is as a husband and dad to three boys. When he’s not leading LeagueApps, Litvack can be found on the sidelines coaching youth sports activities or cheering on his kids. Brian Litvack Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianlitvack/ X: https://twitter.com/twittyhoops LeagueApps Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leagueapps/ X: https://twitter.com/leagueapps Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leagueapps/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LeagueAppsVideos Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeagueApps/

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Bryce Hollweg, COO of the Florida Panthers. Hollweg was named the Chief Operating Officer of the Florida Panthers in July 2022 after serving as the organization's Executive Vice President since April 2021. Hollweg oversees the organization's arena operations, food & beverage services, live entertainment, technology and the Panthers IceDen practice/recreational facility. He also oversees the War Memorial Auditorium revitalization in Fort Lauderdale. Prior to joining the Panthers, Hollweg worked for the Aquilini Investment Group, serving as the Director of Information Technology for the Vancouver Canucks, and later, the Vice President & Managing Director for PH Restaurants LP, operating 55 Pizza Hut and 12 Dairy Queen franchise locations in British Columbia, Canada. Following his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and Captained the Army West Point NCAA D1 Hockey Team, Hollweg served 10 years as a US Army Officer. His military career included assignments in Belgium, Germany, Afghanistan and South Korea, and culminated as a Professor of Military Science and Leadership at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He received his Master of Arts in Information Technology Management from Webster University and Executive Leadership Certificate from Cornell University. Hollweg currently resides in Fort Lauderdale with his wife, Margaret. Bryce Hollweg Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryce-hollweg-0180a852/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brycehollweg/ Florida Panthers Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/florida-panthers/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flapanthers/ X: https://twitter.com/FlaPanthers

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Sam Bakhshandehpour, President of the José Andrés Group. Bakhshandehpour is the President and Board Member of José Andrés Group (JAG), a restaurant and media company.  Driven by the mission of “Changing the world through the power of food," JAG's platform spans 38+ restaurants across 9 markets globally and multiple cuisines, including the 2-Michelin starred minibar by José Andrés, and numerous Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants. Bakhshandehpour also runs José Andrés Media division (JAM) which produces food-related cultural content across scripted, unscripted - film and television, books, podcasts, and digital content.  JAG also houses numerous global partnerships and a consumer products platform.  Through his hospitality investment platform, The Silverstone Companies, Bakhshandehpour has made numerous investments including The Electric Jane (live music lounge / restaurant), Cultivate Hospitality (F&B programming), Bazaar by José Andrés, and select other hotel, restaurant and lifestyle properties. Named one of the “Most Important People in Hospitality” on the Observer’s 2023 Dining and Nightlife Power List, Bakhshandehpour previously served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of sbe Entertainment, a private-equity backed hotel, restaurant and nightlife company with over 80 properties globally. Bakhshandehpour started his career on Wall Street with J.P. Morgan Securities running the Global Casino and West Coast Real Estate & Lodging Investment Banking practice focused on mergers & acquisitions and capital raising.  Bakhshandehpour holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. He serves on the board of Shift4 (NYSE: FOUR) and as a member of Fiserv Inc’s (NYSE: FI) Restaurant Advisory Board, including the Audit and Compensation Committees for both companies. Previously, Bakhshandehpour served on the boards of The New Home Company (NYSE: NWHM), including the Audit and Compensation Committees, and Georgetown University McDonough School of Business’ Board of Advisors as a Board Member and Capital Campaigns Committee Member. He is a trustee of Federal City Council (FC2), a founding member of the Georgetown Wall Street Alliance West, and a Senior Advisor to Montminy & Co., FINRA-registered (series 7, 24, 63). Bakhshandehpour is also an active member and former Chair of the Bel Air Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization. Bakhshandehpour Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sambakhshandehpour/ José Andrés Group Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joseandresgroup/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joseandresgroup/ X: https://twitter.com/joseandresgroup

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Jason Martinez, an Anchor at FOX 29 Philadelphia. Martinez joined the FOX 29 News team in June 2019, as co-anchor of The FOX 29 News broadcasts weeknights at Five, Six, Ten and 11 p.m. An Emmy Award-winning anchor/reporter, Martinez moved to Philly from San Diego, where he was the morning anchor at KGTV the prior four years. His experience there includes anchoring non-stop coverage of the devastating Lilac Fire, which destroyed more than 200 homes, the international border conflict, immigration issues and California’s cost of living crisis. Prior to San Diego, Martinez spent five years as an anchor at WPLG in Miami, covering some of the wildest "only in Florida" stories of his career. He covered Presidential elections in the swing state, US-Cuba relations, fake plastic surgeons, a violent face-eating incident and two Miami Heat NBA championships. Martinez's experience reporting in the field has taken him through floods, crime scenes, presidential elections, plane crashes, tornadoes, and hurricanes. In Fresno, CA, Martinez won an Emmy Award providing coverage for a devastating freeze that destroyed Central California's citrus crops. He also worked in Los Angeles, where he earned his fourth Emmy Award for team coverage of Michael Jackson's shocking death. After graduating from Chapman University in Orange, California, Martinez began his career as a reporter at WTVG in Toledo, Ohio. There, he covered several major stories including the November 2002 outbreak of tornadoes, "The Big Blackout," and he interviewed a young high school kid named LeBron James, who was good at basketball. Being a "Daddy" is Martinez's true love and he is the proud father of four children: Jagger, Carson, Angelina and John-Michael. He and his wife Lissette are involved in the "Live Like Bella Foundation," which benefits research to fight childhood cancer. Just days after he was born, Martinez's son Carson nearly died after contracting a blood infection. His remarkable recovery motivated Martinez to get involved with causes that benefit Children's Hospitals across the country. He lost his grandfather to Alzheimer's disease, which is another cause near and dear to his heart. He has been a partner with the Alzheimer's Association for many years. Martinez's other love is music. He has been a drummer since the age of four and has shared the stage with great musicians covering a variety of genres such as funk, country, jazz, Latin, R&B, soul and rock. A former college baseball player, he is a sports fanatic who, as a kid, played travel baseball with former Phillies great Chase Utley. He is also an avid golfer who cannot seem to find the fairway. Jason Martinez Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-martinez-8402604a/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonmartineztv/ X:https://twitter.com/JasonFox29 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jasonmartineztv?lang=en FOX 29 Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fox-television/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fox29philly/ X: https://twitter.com/FOX29philly

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Bill Thomas, the President of Mid-Atlantic Strategic Solutions. Thomas is a seasoned government relations and political affairs professional, with significant experience influencing public policy at the state and local level. As president of MASS, Thomas utilizes his government affairs experience, and vast understanding of the legislative and political processes, to advocate for issues important to clients. And through his wide range of contacts, Thomas engages elected officials, stakeholders and grassroots partners to deliver effective results. Prior to joining MASS, Thomas was a key staff person within the Pennsylvania legislature. He is the former Leadership Executive Director of the Office of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus Secretary, serving as a reliable member of the House Democratic Caucus leadership staff team. Prior to joining the leadership ranks, Thomas served as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania House Gaming Oversight Committee from 2010 until 2014, where he gained significant experience in gaming policy, which he continued to influence up until he left the House in 2017. Thomas also served as the Deputy Communications Director for the House Majority Leader from 2008 to 2010. Before arriving in Pennsylvania and working for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Thomas served as the Assistant Director of the West Virginia Legislative Reference and Information Center, a nonpartisan, apolitical office of the West Virginia Legislature. A native of Long Island, New York, Thomas is a graduate of the University of Charleston in Charleston, West Virginia. He currently lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with his wife Shelly and two children. Bill Thomas Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-thomas-89a03225/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billkdr/ X: https://twitter.com/billkdr Mid-Atlantic Strategic Solutions: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/midatlanticss/ X: https://twitter.com/MidAtlanticSS