Highlight: Virginia Tech - Ryan McCarthy

148. Navigate's SBJ BIS Workshop - A Study in Fan Friction

For this year's brands-only workshop at SBJ BIS - Navigate's custom insights team conducted a robust study of sports fans and where they perceive friction points in the fan experience. Ally Corbin presented the findings along with Navigate's recommendations for brands looking to build relevance and affinity through sponsorship. She joins AJ Maestas to discuss her presentation and other key learnings from the workshop. We've created an interactive dashboard based on the study's data. You can filter by question or demographics, or use the AI-feature to chat directly with the data. You can view the dashboard, here: https://navigate-fan-friction-research.manus.space/ [https://navigate-fan-friction-research.manus.space/] Timestamps: * 0:30 - Navigate's Workshop at the SBJ Brand Innovation Summit * 2:55 - Friction points in fandom * 5:55 - Strategies for brands - relevance over impressions * 9:15 - Session #2 - The Rising Cost of Sponsorship * 12:40 - Tracking & attributing sponsorship * 17:10 - Sponsorship growth rates * 19:35 - Takeaway points from Ally's presentation For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/company/2409032] or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ [https://nvgt.com/].

Highlight: Radhika Duggal - MLS

"Our primary brand value, the thing that people choose us for...is about fun and entertainment." Radhika Duggal – CMO of Major League Soccer – on how MLS used consumer research, stakeholder feedback, and competitive analysis to define its brand. She explains why creating a fun, inclusive experience is at the heart of the league's identity. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=0485ea629690be3624d73b7eee3a7873 [https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=0485ea629690be3624d73b7eee3a7873] For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/company/2409032] or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ [https://nvgt.com/].

147. Eddie Lewis - TOCA Soccer

Eddie Lewis - Two-time World Cup player for the U.S. and founder of TOCA Soccer - is changing the way that young soccer players train, while simultaneously building soccer's answer to Topgolf. He shares how he balances both objectives domestically and his plans for international expansion. Timestamps: 1:50 - TOCA's Elevator Pitch 5:55 - TOCA Soccer vs. TOCA Social 8:15 - Youth sports 12:55 - The infrastructure of American soccer 16:50 - MLS Partnership 18:40 - International expansion 22:00 - Lessons from playing soccer 28:55 - Rapid Fire Questions For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/company/2409032] or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ [https://nvgt.com/].

Highlight: Virginia Tech - Ryan McCarthy

Ryan McCarthy — Board of Visitors Member at Virginia Tech — explains the power of athletics to bring positive global exposure to a university. Smart investments in athletics have the potential for as much as $1B in ROI, and universities like Virginia Tech are wisely making those investments for the future. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=344ead289d120de9f56f07165421bb56 [https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=344ead289d120de9f56f07165421bb56] For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/company/2409032] or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ [https://nvgt.com/].

146. Radhika Duggal - MLS

Radhika Duggal - CMO of Major League Soccer - has an opportunity to ride the wave of soccer fandom in U.S. that is building around the FIFA World Cup. She explains how she works with marketers from all 30 MLS clubs to ensure they capitalize on this historic moment. For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/company/2409032] or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/ [https://nvgt.com/].