"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/.

"It's a matter of when, not if."

Ryan Engle – Founder and CEO of GOLF+ – explains why he's still bullish on VR, once headsets are able to make the critical shift from toy to tool.

Improvements in battery life and comfortability will play a role, along with additional use-cases and applications like GOLF+.

Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=98f56b6dd6dca41729f186d12a4d1251&ppepisode=bba2a2f59b34907eaa37b167a6d14a3e

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

Jeehae Lee - Founder & CEO of Sportsbox AI - talks about her background as an LGPA professional, and how Sportsbox is using the largest database of golf swing data ever collected, to revolutionize how players like Bryson Dechambeau are able to train.

Details:

• 4:30 - Jeehae’s career as a collegiate and LPGA golfer
• 10:15 - The evolution of golf training tech
• 11:45 - TopGolf
• 12:50 - Sportsbox AI
• 29:15 - Rapid Fire Questions

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