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What do you get when you launch a brand new women’s hockey league, sell out 19,000 seats mid-flight, and redefine how sports content is created and consumed, all in year 1?Jayne Bussman-Wise, VP of Growth Strategy and New Ventures at the PWHL, is here to discuss what’s driving the PWHL’s explosive growth in its first two seasons.Jayne unpacks the league’s unconventional startup structure and how that nimbleness allows them to test bold ideas, like a 9 city Takeover Tour and live podcast programming. She also discusses the PWHL Media House, the league’s in-house content engine designed to spotlight the sport's biggest stars and reach younger, diverse audiences.Jayne and Dave also share insights on building fan bases from scratch, aligning players and operations, and seizing global moments like the upcoming 2026 Olympics. In this episode, you’ll hear:The PWHL sold out 19,000 seats at the Scotiabank Arena in just 45 minutes - what does this reveal about fan demand for women’s hockey?How single-entity ownership is helping the PWHL innovate faster than traditional leagues, with initiatives like the Takeover TourHow to create generational fandom in non-home markets, from open practices, one-off games, to youth clinics and community eventsWhy the league acquired the Jocks in Jills podcast, brought on Olympians Tessa Bonhomme and Julia Tocheri, and are investing in multilingual contentJayne’s experience at Amazon and across the NHL, MLS, and NBA - and how her career prepared her to operate in “gray space” rolesResources and Links:Connect with Jayne Bussman-Wise on LinkedIn and learn more about the PWHL on their website. You can also tune in to the Jocks in Jills podcast here.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

When you’re producing more live golf coverage than anyone in the world, the technology behind the scenes better be world-class. Enter Luis Goicouria, SVP of Media at the PGA TOUR, who reveals how the league has transformed into a media powerhouse.Think drone-mapped golf courses, patented ball-tracking AI, and a brand-new 165,000-square-foot production hub that rivals any in pro sports.Seven live feeds are produced weekly, including ESPN+’s PGA TOUR LIVE and newly launched global “world feeds” tailored for international audiences. Luis explains how the TOUR now handles both “above the line” and “below the line” production across key events, and why investing in infrastructure has opened the door to deeper fan personalization.You’ll also hear how Netflix’s Full Swing, the rise of international players, and the high-tech TGL league are all shifting how and who the sport reaches.Resources and Links:Connect with Luis Goicouria on LinkedIn and learn more about the PGA TOUR on their website.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

What do you do when Amazon wants your media rights, but not your production headaches? If you’re NASCAR, you build a $60 MILLION dollar, 58,000-square-foot facility from scratch to solve the problem.This week, Brian Herbst, EVP and Chief Media & Revenue Officer at NASCAR is here to share the bold moves behind NASCAR’s $7.7 billion media rights strategy. He shares the inside story of how NASCAR landed Amazon, TNT/Max, and The CW as new media partners, even while simultaneously producing every second of the NASCAR XFINITY Series in-house. You’ll hear how the team anticipated streaming’s rise as early as 2018, why they created in-car camera feeds for all 40 Cup Series cars, and what went into launching the Max-exclusive “driver cams” experience with synced team audio.Plus, why did the Netflix series Full Speed reach the global top 5, despite 90% of its viewers never watching a NASCAR race?In this episode, you’ll hear:Why NASCAR built a $60M in-house production facility – and how it helped secure The CW and Amazon as new rights partnersWhy more NASCAR fans subscribe to Prime over cable, and how that shaped a strategic streaming bet90% of Full Speed viewers didn’t watch a single playoff race! What does that mean for fan growth?NASCAR’s in-car experience on Max, and why it offers something fans have never seen beforeHow NASCAR is localizing content for 190+ countries while maintaining production control in North CarolinaResources and Links:Connect with Brian Herbst on LinkedIn and check out the NASCAR Full Speed series on Netflix and the Dale Earnhardt documentary on Amazon Prime.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

Perkins Miller, CEO of Fandom, is sharing his playbook on digital transformation inside some of the world’s most iconic media and sports organizations: NBC, the NFL, WWE, and now Fandom.Perkins opens up about the balance between speed, scale, and accuracy when delivering enterprise-grade digital experiences. From broadcasting 10,000 hours of Olympic video to building the WWE Network from scratch, he shares why strategic planning and risk tolerance shape organizational success in tech. AND, he doesn’t shy away from addressing how large media brands are losing touch with today’s consumer behaviors - especially in the age of TikTok and YouTube.Plus, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how Fandom leverages machine learning, builds predictive fan graphs, and empowers 300 million monthly users with smarter content discovery. This is a conversation packed with real-world tension between legacy business models and next-gen fan expectations.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why large media brands are losing ground to TikTok and YouTube, and how they can catch upThe root cause of a major Olympic tech failure and how a simple UX fix reversed the trendHow Perkins transformed Fandom into a data-driven powerhouse with 45M+ pages and 300M usersInside the contrasting tech cultures of WWE, NBC, and the NFL and what they reveal about riskHow Fandom is using AI and predictive analytics to reshape content discovery and fan targetingResources and Links:Connect with Perkins Miller on LinkedIn and learn more about Fanatical on their website.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

It’s a pivotal time in women’s sports, and today we’re having a wide-ranging conversation about the future of women’s golf, and what it means to lead one of the longest-standing professional women’s sports organizations in the world. Interim Commissioner Liz Moore brings over a decade of experience in legal, tech, and international operations to her role, and offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at steering the LPGA through its 75th anniversary and beyond.From the Tour’s expansion across 14 countries to its mission to empower the next generation of women and girls, Liz shares what makes the LPGA a uniquely global and values-driven organization. Liz also talks openly about their strategic tech investments and why mixed-format competitions like the TGL could be a breakthrough moment for the women's game.This episode is packed with insights on growth, innovation, and legacy building.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why the LPGA's organizational structure is unlike ANY other league and how Liz manages touring pros to amateurs under one umbrellaWhat it really takes to run global events for the LPGA and build a loyal, international fan baseWhat technology means for modern golf and how the LPGA elevates gameplay moments that casual viewers might missHow the LPGA is fueling the fastest-growing segments in golf, including a 40% rise in junior girl participationResources and Links:Connect with Liz Moore on LinkedIn and learn more about LPGA on their website.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games are evolving, and so are the strategies behind them.Katie Bynum Aznavorian, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee shares how the USOPC is evolving from a four-year event cycle to a year-round engagement model, fueled by digital personalization, athlete storytelling, and initiatives like Making Team USA. She breaks down the intentional strategies behind the success of the Paris Games, the unique challenges of Milan Cortina's distributed setup, and how LA28 presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unite all 50 states in a nationwide celebration of sport.Beyond the logistics, Katie offers a behind-the-scenes look at the geopolitical nuances of global sport, the growing influence of women in leadership, and how investment trends in collegiate and professional sports will shape the pipeline for Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the next decade.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why LA28 is being positioned as “America’s Games” with a focus on community engagement across all 50 statesHow the USOPC’s female-led executive team is driving innovation and why representation at all levels matters more than everWhy changes in the college sports landscape and private investment could have massive implications for Team USA’s athlete pipelineHow the “Follow the Team” platform tracks athlete qualifications and curates personalized fan journeysResources and Links:Connect with Katie Bynum Aznavorian on LinkedIn.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

What does the future of golf look like, and who’s making it happen? In this episode, Jon Podany, Chief Commercial Officer of the USGA, joins Dave to explore the bold investments and innovations reshaping the sport. You’ll hear how they’ve built a pipeline of young talent with the U.S. National Development Program, AND how they’ve transformed the fan experience. The USGA is elevating women's golf through landmark prize purses and broadcast deals, creating global momentum with the Adaptive Open, and driving engagement with off-course formats like TGL.Together, these initiatives reflect the USGA’s broader mission: not just to host championships, but to build an inclusive, tech-forward ecosystem where the game thrives for the next generation of players, fans, and communities.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why the USGA’s new National Development Program could become golf’s version of AAU basketballHow adaptive golf is setting the stage to become a Paralympic sportThe role technology plays in expanding golf’s reach, from real-time fan apps to gamification on the courseHow the USGA doubled the U.S. Women’s Open purse and landed a historic NBC primetime slotWhat Jon thinks about TGL, off-course golf, and the sports media shakeup affecting leagues everywhereResources and Links:Connect with Jon Podany on LinkedIn and learn more about USGA on their website.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

How did NASCAR reclaim its digital media rights and bring its tech capabilities in-house? CTO John Martin says it wasn’t just a business move - it was a cultural shift requiring executive buy-in, a long-term strategic plan, and the courage to say no to licensing checks in favor of direct fan relationships.John walks us through the early hurdles of going independent, the learning curves of live sports tech, and the unexpected wins that followed. He also shares insights on the changing dynamics of fan engagement, the rise of international drivers, and the role of simulators in shaping the next generation of talent. If you're in the sports industry wondering when (or how) to invest in owning your tech stack, this conversation is essential listening.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why NASCAR made the bold decision to stop accepting multi-million-dollar licensing checks The real reason NASCAR chose to build an in-house digital team, and how frustration over slow content updates became the tipping pointThe surprising story of William Byron, a top NASCAR driver who learned the sport on a simulatorHow NASCAR’s massive, mismatched venues created unexpected chaosWhat John sees as the next big shift: repurposing roles in response to AI and data automationResources and Links:Connect with John Martin on LinkedIn.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

What if athlete intelligence became the real competitive edge in college sports?Former NFL player, entrepreneur, and Next League leader Kenyon Rasheed is here to share his journey from the football field to the forefront of sports innovation. Drawing from his experience at Oklahoma and beyond, Kenyon reveals how he built Edge3, a groundbreaking platform helping athletes and organizations use intelligence, data, and human insight to drive better outcomes.As the landscape of college sports is shifting with the rise of the transfer portal, NIL deals, and roster volatility, Kenyon breaks down why traditional recruiting methods are no longer enough. You’ll hear his real-world lessons from advising top draft picks to partnering with college programs on player development. Plus, the traits that have fueled his own success.In this episode, you’ll hear:How Kenyon's "athlete intelligence" concept bridges gaps between player experience, tech innovation, and business strategyRoster retention is the next battleground in college sports and how Edge3’s data-driven approach tackles itBehind the scenes of recruiting today and how business partnerships are shaping athlete choicesKenyon’s early bets on technology, NIL, and how real-time data transformed his post-NFL careerWhy curiosity, self-awareness, and the "why not me?" mindset are critical traits for success both on and off the fieldResources and Links:Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.Connect with Kenyon Rasheed on LinkedIn and learn more about Edge3 on their website.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.

What does it REALLY take to fuel the explosive growth of women’s sports and ensure it lasts? From grassroots grants to elite athlete support, Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation, shares how her organization is tackling inequality and building a healthier, more inclusive future for sports.Danette and Dave explore how legislation like Title IX set the foundation for today’s momentum, and why it’s still just the beginning. With stats to back it up, she explains the direct links between sports participation and leadership, mental health, academic performance, and economic advancement, especially for young women.Whether you're a brand, executive, or athlete, this episode offers a powerful reminder: investing in women’s sports isn’t charity: it’s smart business. Tune in to learn why the ecosystem matters, what needs fixing in college athletics, and how every level of the pyramid contributes to long-term success.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why 71% of women attribute their leadership skills to youth sports participationThe biggest opportunities (and threats) facing women’s sports, including elite leagues and college athleticsWhat every policymaker needs to understand about the real value of sports for girlsHow the Sports for Life and Travel & Training grant programs are filling critical funding gapsWhy brands are finally recognizing women’s sports as a smart business move, and how that’s impacting media deals, salaries, and fan growthResources and Links:Connect with Danette Leighton on LinkedIn and learn more about the Women’s Sports Foundation. Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.