The Inches: A Podcast About Sports Sponsorship

Hosted by Nick Lawson & Rich Franklin

Business

Website RSS feed

Episodes

284

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Welcome to The Inches, a podcast that looks at how digital is changing the sports sponsorship & marketing game. Each week we dive into the struggles and issues we face in the sports and event sponsorship space.Hosted by Nick Lawson & Rich Franklin.Nick is the co-founder of SQWAD, a digital sponsorship activation company that works with some of the biggest sports teams in the world to help them bring ROI & engagement to their in-stadium activations.Rich is the Sr. Director of corporate partnerships for the Oakview Group, Acrisure Arena, and AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds. He has over 30 years of sponsorship sales experience in the sports and radio broadcast industry.Jump in and take a listen as we navigate through some of the toughest and most challenging aspects of the sponsorship business!

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 10, 202650 min

Rookie & The Vet: The Value of Impressions VS. Results in Sponsorships

Let's face it, historically the sponsorship world has been primarily built on impressions. The opportunity to BE a part of game day, usually with a logo or on field/court/ice activation. BUT the rest of the advertising world has shifted to a performance model. Results are everything in building your budget. So where do we go from here in the sponsorship world. How do we adapt? On this episode, we dive into the value of impressions vs. results and how the sponsorship industry can shift to drive more value & revenue. To download the College Sports Sponsorship Activation Benchmark Report referenced in the episode, Click HERE. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds & Coachella Valley Lakers and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

September 7, 202643 min

Rookie & The Vet: Chatting Challenger Sponsorship Sales with Phil Andrews of US Fencing

Sponsorship sales is hard enough. In a challenger sport, the deck is stacked against you, usually smaller audiences, less brand recognition, tighter budgets. So how do the best in the game still win? Today, Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Fencing, hands us the blueprint. We break down how to build a rock-solid foundation in challenger-sport sponsorships, the strategies that actually move deals forward, and the ways his organization punches above its weight to stand out in a crowded market. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds & Coachella Valley Lakers and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

August 27, 202643 min

Rookie & The Vet: A Sponsorship World Cup Postmortem

The World Cup hit the US (and world). It is said to be the most successful financial World Cup of all time. But who won the sponsorships battle? And how did teams and sponsors keep up with the momentum after the confetti fell? On this Episode, we dive into our thoughts on the sponsorships side and momentum of the World Cup for brands and sports teams. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds & Coachella Valley Lakers and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

July 2, 202636 min

Rookie & The Vet: How Timing Affects Every Part of your Sponsorships

Timing is everything in sales. Making sure that you are there when the customer needs you the most. Finding the right timing for recaps. All the way to giving your promotion enough time to work. On this episode of The Inches, we dive into specifically how you can infuse timing into your sponsorship strategy and playbook for success. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds & Coachella Valley Lakers and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

June 4, 202639 min

Rookie & The Vet: Less is More in Sponsorships

More inventory. More reach. More sponsors....more revenue? Not always. In this episode, we dive into why less can be more in sponsorships, and how you can drive the same revenue with less...but make it more meaningful for sponsors. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds & Coachella Valley Lakers and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

May 21, 202636 min

Rookie & The Vet: Selling Sponsorship when you don't own your Stadium

Many times, we don't own the building we play games in. For sponsorship, that means it can limit how we activate and sell. So how can we get past that to maximize our value and sales for sponsors. On this episode, we dive into ways you can creatively still create value in venue, even when you don't own the building. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds & Coachella Valley Lakers and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

May 13, 202645 min

Rookie & The Vet: What NASCAR can teach us about Sponsorships

We've talked about it a ton on this podcast. Sometimes the best inspiration comes from seeing sponsorships outside of your own sport. Sometimes, it involves jumping out of your whole sporting event structure. On this episode, we dive into NASCAR and what we can learn for how the sport and organization activates brand sponsors on race day. ----- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds & Lakers and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

April 28, 202649 min

Rookie & The Vet: The Pricing Gap in Sponsorships

The price of sports sponsorships have gone up dramatically over the last 10 years. Which makes sense. Sports have never been more popular and viewed. But what does this mean for the whole ecosystem? And how might smaller teams take advantage of this? In this episode of The Inches, we dive into conversation around how high prices means a fragmented market, and how your brand or team can navigate it. -- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

April 14, 202649 min

Rookie & The Vet: Notes from Coachella Activations for Sponsorships

Coachella & Stagecoach, 2 concerts that consume the city of Indio in the Coachella Valley. The city almost doubles in size across 2 weekends. Brands notice...and they put their creative hats on to stand out and activate. So what can we learn in sponsorships from these activations? Luckily we have boots on the ground with Rich Franklin, and on this episode of the Inches we dive into what he's noticing around the event and how it can help you rethink your sponsorships. -- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .

April 7, 202643 min

Rookie & The Vet: The Slow Death of Passive Sponsorships

The sponsorship model is shifting. Brands want engagement, data, and proof - not logo placements. Not passive inventory. So why do most of what we sell in sponsorships consist of logo placement? In this episode, we dig into why passive sponsorship assets are dying, what's replacing them, and how your team can get ahead of the curve before your next renewal conversation. -- The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin , VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson , Co-founder of SQWAD .