Greg Sankey - Commissioner of the SEC - on balancing what’s best for his conference with the long-term goals of Division I at large.

He emphasizes the role of automatic March Madness bids as a key motivator for conferences wishing to maintain the current system.

His opinion is that the responsibility to guide college athletics into the next era doesn’t rest solely on the SEC and Big Ten.

Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=0412aa087274a120752cd355ef29f8ad

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Umar Hussain - Head of Media at Navigate - joins our second ever internal podcast. He shares stories from his previous roles at ESPN and the NBA, along with predictions for the next era of sports media.

He and Anne also discuss the biggest stories of the day including the NFL on Netflix and the NBA/WBD lawsuit.

Details:

1:50 - Umar’s background

11:35 - A new role at Navigate

14:35 - The value of live sports media rights

18:00 - Outlook on traditional broadcasters

20:40 - The biggest sports media stories

31:25 - Sports betting companies getting more involved in media rights?

34:10 - Rapid Fire Questions

Umar's Restaurant Rec: Le Great Outdoor

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

"We've always had to do things differently to be able to compete at the level that we want to compete, which is at the highest level."

Rob Mullens – Athletic Director at Oregon – on the move to the Big Ten and what it means for the Ducks' future.

Oregon athletics has become a global brand through years of creative planning and strategic investment. Still, they are an underdog in many ways compared to some of their new peers when it comes to resources. Mullens highlights the role of Phil Knight and Nike in authentically maximizing the incredible opportunity to join the Big Ten

Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=491790ced6fe9fa794178bc0ed7f7c47

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Alex Martins - CEO of the Orlando Magic - discusses what it's like to oversee both the business and basketball operations of the organization.

He started with the Magic at the inception of the franchise in 1989, and has worked on some of the biggest project types in sports business, like the development of the Kia Center. He shares how the Magic maintain a partnership with Disney World to train their staff on providing best-in-class experiences for all of their fans.

Details:

• 3:00 - The launch of a new NBA franchise
• 6:00 - Building the Kia Center
• 10:55 - The path to being a team CEO
• 20:20 - Overseeing both the business and basketball sides
• 24:45 - Rapid Fire Questions

Restaurants:

• • The Ravenous Pig
  • Kadence

Books:

• • 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
  • Atomic Habits

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

For our 100th episode, we invited back one of our very first guests for an update on the conversation that he and AJ had in 2020.

Greg Sankey - Commissioner of the SEC - discusses what it's been like to lead his conference through arguably the most unpredictable era of college athletics. He shares his vision for the future, and how he's setting out to tackle the challenges in front of him.

Details:

• 2:30 - The current reality of collegiate athletics
• 19:35 - Unique organizational strategies
• 24:50 - Greg's dirt track racing fandom
• 27:30 - Objectives for the future
• 37:25 - Rapid Fire Questions

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Andrea Hopelain – GM & SVP of Publishing at EA SPORTS – on the groundbreaking NIL deal that led to the return of EA's College Football title after more than a decade.

She explains their motivations behind bringing the game back, and how they were able to work with student-athletes to create the ultimate college football experience for fans.

Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=c5d3037493dd0c05effdafbae702d11a

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

Rob Mullens - Athletic Director at Oregon - discusses the move to the Big Ten, and the creative risks that have turned Oregon athletics into a national brand over the past 20+ years.

He also discusses the importance that Phil Knight has had to not just the program, but the university as a whole. If you missed our Phil Knight interview, you can listen to it here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=d0a972b133a5996e283c0bafed374775

Details:

• 2:20 - Pac-12 schools in the Big Ten
• 7:45 - How can others replicate Oregon’s success?
• 10:50 - The big duck and bold marketing
• 15:50 - The House settlement
• 22:25 - AJ’s predictions for the future of college sports
• 26:06 - Rapid Fire Questions

Links:

• Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
• The Oregon Duck in the river at Big Ten Media days
• Joey Harrington poster in NYC
• Rob’s favorite Oregon jerseys

For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.