Navigating Sports Business

Hosted by AJ Maestas

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Episodes

310

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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About the show

Gain exclusive insight into the professional and personal worlds of high-level executives in sports and entertainment as we host top decision-makers in the industry to discuss emerging topics, their business, careers, and personal life stories. From collegiate conference commissioners to professional sports team executives and owners, to CMOs and leading marketers at global brands, Navigating Sports Business takes listeners inside the lives of key people making a major impact on the sports and entertainment industry.

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60 recent

November 11, 20262 min

Highlight: It Rutgers a Sleeping Giant?

Is Rutgers a sleeping giant? Keli Zinn – Director of Athletics at Rutgers University – explains the factors that could propel Rutgers to massive success in college athletics, including the corporate sponsorship base in New Jersey and New York, the successful alumni network, and buy-in from the leadership. Listen to the full episode to hear what she and her team are doing to unlock that potential. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=1c39412803dcdf78a0e75e670d78f70e For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

November 4, 2026Episode 15545 min

155. Keli Zinn - Rutgers

What does it take for Rutgers to compete in the Big Ten? Keli Zinn - Director of Athletics at Rutgers University - took over a program that sat near the bottom of the conference in NIL and revenue share investment. Sixteen months in, she breaks down how she rebuilt her leadership team, launched an eight-figure push for roster investment, and created Scarlet Knight Enterprises to pursue revenue more aggressively. She explains how her team defines and measures success, her compliance background shapes her leadership, and the role of the modern AD. Timestamps: 1:20 - Keli's 25-year path in college athletics 3:55 - What a compliance background teaches an AD 7:55 - Policing bad actors and the Protect College Sports Act 11:15 - Staying connected with 704 student-athletes 14:50 - Why she took the Rutgers job 16:55 - The first 90 days and the eight-figure NIL push 21:15 - Benchmarking coaches against the Big Ten 23:00 - Is Rutgers a sleeping giant? 25:45 - Inside Scarlet Knight Enterprises 31:55 - What the SKE model could unlock next 34:45 - Rapid Fire Questions Shownotes: Rutgers Launches Scarlet Knight Enterprises Episode 1: Oliver Luck Commander's Palace For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

October 28, 20263 min

Highlight: The Real Math Behind a $30B Lakers Valuation

How can a team that just sold for $12.5 billion be projected to hit $30 billion in 10 years? According to Navigate founder AJ Maestas, the math is more realistic than it looks, because these sales were never really about fundamentals. In this highlight, AJ explains why doubling revenue in a decade only requires about 7.2% annual growth, and why buying a franchise like the Lakers is closer to buying a Picasso than a business. He breaks down the scarcity argument, why the ultra-wealthy prize wealth preservation over upside, the 15-year depreciation tax shield, and how revenue multiples have climbed from roughly 3x to 9x to nearly 20x. The real question is whether that multiple keeps expanding, and that's where AJ starts to get skeptical about the proposed $62 billion bull case. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=e3d135a7572b37994c97094dd04675a9 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

October 21, 20262 min

Highlight: Who Won the Sports Side of the Warner Bros. Deal?

Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is officially closed, and the combined company, Skydance, now holds one of the deepest sports rights portfolios outside of ESPN. But did Netflix, the runner-up in the WBD bidding war, actually get the best deal? Netflix walked away with a nearly $3 billion breakup fee and the freedom to keep cherry-picking marquee events and postseason packages. In this highlight, AJ and Charles make the case for Skydance still being the biggest winner, explaining how pairing CBS's broadcast reach with two streaming services gives it a distribution edge matched only by ESPN. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=e3d135a7572b37994c97094dd04675a9 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

October 14, 20262 min

Highlight: Why the Lakers Think They'll Be Worth $30 Billion in 10 Years

The Lakers sold for a record $12.5 billion, 25% more than their previous record-setting sale just a year earlier. Still, the bigger story might be what's in the investor pitch deck. In this highlight, AJ Maestas breaks down the deck's projection that the Lakers will be worth $30 billion by 2037, with an optimistic case of $62 billion. He walks through the assumptions behind those numbers, from NBA media rights doubling to a plan to reclaim 6,000 broker-held season ticket plans worth roughly $35 million a season. AJ and Charles also discuss the Navigate franchise intelligence model that correctly projected the Lakers most recent sale price. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=e3d135a7572b37994c97094dd04675a9 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

October 8, 2026Episode 15426 min

154. The $30B Lakers Pitch & the Birth of Skydance

The Lakers just sold for a record $12.5 billion. Their new owners are already telling investors the team will be worth $30 billion by 2037. AJ & Charles debut a new episode format: each brings one major sports business story to the table for their discussion. AJ breaks down the Lakers' sale, the investor pitch behind the $30B target, and how Navigate's Franchise Intelligence Tool valued the team within 1% of the final price. Charles covers Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, now officially Skydance and what it means for CBS Sports and TNT Sports. For more, you can revisit how our predictions held up from when Netflix was the buyer, in an episode we published in December of 2025. Timestamps: 0:25- Story #1 - The Lakers' $30B price projection 12:35 - Story #2 - Paramount-WBD deal closes For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

September 30, 20265 min

Highlight: 3 Lessons from Negro Leagues History

"There is always a cost to progress" Bob Kendrick – President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum – on three vital lessons we can all learn from the story of the Negro Leagues. He also points out how progress comes at a price. With integration into Major League Baseball, many Black-owned businesses suffered. Bob explains why it's important to remember the team managers, owners, and other employees who made the Negro Leagues possible, not just the players who were heroes on the field. Their stories are an essential part of sports business history, and we urge everyone to listen to Bob's full episode for many more stories from the rich history of Negro Leagues baseball. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=094dbf0f9b0124c594740b88d443a64a For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

September 23, 20262 min

Highlight: Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Bob Kendrick

Bob Kendrick – President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum – on the profound story of baseball and American history that was intentionally ignored by historians, and the museums's mission to make that story known. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=094dbf0f9b0124c594740b88d443a64a For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

September 16, 2026Episode 15344 min

153. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Bob Kendrick

Bob Kendrick - President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - has spent decades educating people about one of the most important chapters in American history. He and Jeff Nelson discuss the fascinating history of the Negro Leagues and the star players that have been far-too-often overlooked by sports fans across the country. They also discuss the museum's 55-million-dollar fundraising campaign and the expansion to a new renovated district which will include a 30,000 square foot museum building. Bob has been with the museum since it was still a collection of stories and memorabilia in one room in Kansas City. The NLBM was recently featured in an episode of Ted Lesso and that attention has meant great things for the museum's publicity. Bob tells of how he was offered a cameo role and why he turned it down. He is, however, prominently featured in the MLB The Show video game. Timestamps: 2:15 - Touring Henry Aaron 8:35 - Expanding from one room 13:55 - Coexisting with Cooperstown 18:20 - Negro Leagues stats added to MLB record books 22:00 - Ted Lasso visits the NLBM and the business impact 26:15 - Three key lessons from the Negro Leagues 31:25 - The museum's role in representation in baseball For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

September 9, 20262 min

Highlight: The NFL's International Growth

Should the NFL put a team in Europe? AJ and Charles discuss paths to international expansion in Europe or Africa as the NFL looks to expand its global presence beyond the United States. The NBA already gets around 10% of its media dollars from international rights, and that could be the goal for the NFL in its next wave of negotiations. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=3d71db41f8d7a394d6b587a7f171f363 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ .

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