Digital and Social Media Sports
A business-minded look at digital and social media in sports
Watch or listen to episode 323 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast, in which Neil breaks down some of the key themes, insights, and notes from the 2026 Gondola Sports Summit 2026.
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48 minute duration. Also, find the podcast on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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Watch or listen to episode 322 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast, in which Neil chatted with Founder of Sponcon Sports and Partnership Marketing and about the recent NFL schedule release, 2026 NFL schedule release, discussing the ins and outs of schedule release, which ones stood out and why, the business considerations around schedule release content, and more.
Be sure to check out the Sponcon Sports newsletter for Alex Kopilow’s full analysis, including data behind top performers and trends!
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50 minute duration. Also, find the podcast on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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Watch or listen to episode 321 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast, in which Neil chatted with Elijah Burke, Head of Social at Dirty Mo Media, and previously social media management and strategy at Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing (RFK) and Chip Ganassi Racing.
Elijah discusses what makes NASCAR social a unique corner of the sports space, including the driver vs. team brand dynamic, what makes content go viral on a race team account, sponsor activation, fan development in NASCAR, and more.
110 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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Watch or listen to episode 320 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast, in which Neil chatted with Kevin Richardson, Vice President of Content, Clemson Ventures.
Kevin discusses how Clemson Athletics is operating as a full-scale production house — building ownable IP, distributing original content across ESPN, Fox, Amazon Prime, and streaming platforms, and pushing the boundaries of what college athletics content can look like. Kevin breaks down the shift from fan affinity to content as a revenue driver, the vision for non-endemic storytelling that goes well beyond wins and losses, and how data is informing every content decision they make. He also shares his career path from Louisiana Tech and Rice to Texas and ultimately Clemson, the business case behind every piece of content Clemson Ventures produces, and why he believes college athletics hasn’t come close to scratching the surface of what’s possible.
87 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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Watch or listen to episode 319 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast, in which Neil chatted with Alex Magleby, Co-President of Major League Rugby.
Alex discusses his journey from US national team rugby player and early sports analytics entrepreneur to co-founding the New England Free Jacks and now serving as Co-President of Strategy & Communications at Major League Rugby — and what it’s genuinely taken to build the sport in America from the ground up. He breaks down MLR’s entertainment-first model (live music, post-game field access, family of four for under $100), how the league thinks about fan development one block at a time, and why the 2031 Rugby World Cup is the north star for everything they’re building right now.
66 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTub
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Watch or listen to episode 318 of the Digital and Social Media Sports podcast in which Neil chatted with Alex Silverman, Reporter for Sports Business Journal covering hockey and soccer business.
Alex discusses why 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for both hockey and soccer in the US — from the NHL’s push to develop its next generation of stars and the excitement around the World Cup this summer to MLS navigating its calendar to align more with the global football calendar. He also shares his perspective on where each league stands in the broader American sports media landscape, and what it will take for both to capitalize on the moment.
85 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTub
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Watch or listen to episode 317 of the Digital and Social Media Sports podcast in which Neil chatted with Jaelyn Arndt, Associate Director of Communications – Social Media for the NCAA.
Jaelyn discusses the NCAA’s social media strategy and how she and her team are building and evolving the brand across platforms. She breaks down the NCAA’s brand voice, the challenge and opportunity of storytelling across all three divisions, what she looks for when hiring for social media roles, how she approaches measuring success beyond the traditional metrics, and what goes into covering marquee moments like March Madness.
74 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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Watch or listen to episode 316 of the Digital and Social Media Sports podcast in which Neil chatted with Geoff Wilson, sports consultant and author of the book Leading a Grassroots Sports Club: A Practical Guide to Managing and Developing Your Club.
Geoff discusses the strategic blueprint for building a lasting sports organization, sharing insights from his work across 104 countries around the world, including consulting work with FIFA, UEFA, FIBA, Sport England, Irish Football, and more. He breaks down the “Fans vs. Guests” philosophy, the importance of a team’s values and brand, the critical role of grassroots development, and why the most successful teams prioritize product and community.
98 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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Watch or listen to episode 315 of the Digital and Social Media Sports podcast, in which Neil chatted with Paige Price, Social Media Creator for the Washington Spirit NWSL Club.
Paige discusses building her career in sports and content, her role with the Washington Spirit, getting to know the players and creating content with them, being the fans’ lens into the team, behind the scenes of the Trinity Rodman re-signing, and more.
106 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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Watch or listen to episode 314 of the Digital and Social Media Sports podcast, in which Neil chatted with Paul Stafford, CEO of Further, a global branding and creative agency.
Paul discusses his work building DesignStudio before its expansion and reformation into Further, rebranding Airbnb and the Premier League, what goes into brand building, what the ‘commitment curve’ means in developing customers and fans, and more.
81 minute duration. Listen on Apple, Spotify and YouTube
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