Jim Smith

Monumental Sports & Entertainment select three best-in-class agencies to support new Capital One Arena Monumental Sports & Entertainment has announced three industry-leaders to help lead the execution of a brand-new Capital One Arena. Renowned partner companies KLUTCH SPORTS GROUP, LLC and United Talent Agency will help guide MSE’s commercial partnership strategy, global premium experiences company Legends will support MSE’s premium sales efforts, and full-service strategy, design and execution agency Elevate Creative will offer expertise on brand messaging, team activation and sponsorship integration. The announcement comes as MSE formally begins construction on the new Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C., having received unanimous approval on the development and finance agreements from the D.C. Council last month for the three-year, $800+ million arena transformation. MSE is taking a 360-degree approach to planning a high-tech, high-touch building that will serve millions of annual visitors for the next 25 years and set a new standard for fan experience and technological innovation. James Van Stone, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at MSE, said: “As we embark on the creation of a brand-new Capital One Arena, we are proud to partner with KLUTCH Sports Group, Legends, and Elevate—three of the most respected and innovative agencies in the industry. Their expertise will be instrumental in shaping the future of our arena, ensuring we not only meet but exceed the expectations of our fans, partners, and community. With their support, we are poised to create a world-class venue that will redefine the fan experience for years to come and set a new standard for sports and entertainment in the D.C. region and across the country.” In addition to the agency partners unveiled, MSE announced back in October that Clark Construction Group, Gensler and CAA ICON would serve as partners in the delivery of the transformation of Capital One Arena. For the full story, visit: https://lnkd.in/ea2az7pg Capital One Arena Suites #fanexperience #hospitalitybusiness #arenas #SportsVenueBusiness #SVBLIVE Sports Venue Business SVB LIVE The Sports Networker

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The Sports Facilities Companies just quietly in the background gobbling up the youth/amateur/community sports facility landscape. SFC has added 13 rinks to its 90-venue portfolio through a new partnership with Rink Management Services Corporation: https://lnkd.in/eUtbV2GH

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Hire Up Recruiting, a recruiting agency that specializes in the identification and recruitment of Soccer Shots coaches, has announced a new partnership with Soccer Shots Franchising to become a Preferred Vendor offering recruitment support for Franchisees nationwide.

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How many cities are USL in talks with about building new soccer stadiums? The league's Deputy CEO and Chief Real Estate Officer Justin Papadakis told this week's The Soccer Business the number was over 70. These cities range in size and location. From small capacity venues for lower division clubs up to the 15,000 venue being built by Detroit City FC it is clear that the growth of the game is now taking the form of 'four wall' projects for future clubs. Justin went into detail on why cities are showing such interest, even before clubs have been formed. He talked of 'stadium districts' where the venue is part of a broader real-estate project involving residences, retail, entertainment and community facilities. Getting existing teams out of unsuitable, rented venues and into their own soccer stadiums is also, Justin argues, the key to growth and has a knock-on effect in so many areas - including broadcast. It is clear to anyone who follows that there is a lot of work going on in the soccer stadium space, but I was still taken aback by the volume of discussions going on between USL and cities. The full podcast is well worth a listen and is out now on all audio platforms - you can find the link to your's here: https://lnkd.in/e6GmwyNW And it's Friday so our weekly Soccer Business newsletter is out later today. You can subscribe for free here: https://lnkd.in/esQVtfCH

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🌸 The Sports Industry was in peak bloom in Washington DC at the 20th Annual The Sports Events Marketing Experience (SEME) Conference. It featured 75+ experts from 40+ organizations, across 15 diverse sports career fields. Attendees were treated to keynotes, fireside chats, panels, and an off-site visit to Audi Field to meet with Washington Spirit CEO, Kim Stone, M.B.A.. My favorite insights: Shripal Shah - Chief Digital Officer, Next League - on the importance of embracing AI now: “Where we are today reminds me of 2010 (Google bought YouTube in 2009). Teams just started having their own Facebook pages. Now, social media isn’t a “nice have” it’s needed. People also have the same worries about AI today that they did about social media back then - copyright, side effects, policies and governance, and privacy. But look at those who embraced social media early in 2010 and 2011, they are now in the c-suite.” (Make sure you add AI to your toolkit!) Andy Feffer — Board of Directors, USA Pickleball - on how pickleball has grown and increased revenue by 10x in just 5 years: “Brands see the value in getting in front of pickleballers because its demo is ages 8-88. Private equity is coming to the sport as well with pickleball facilities. Not many sports besides pickleball have a demographic that covers almost an entire lifespan. The opportunities are there." Katherine Aversano — Co-Founder and Vice-President, Women's Elite Rugby — on the road ahead for women's sports: “Venture capital money in sports is 98% going to men’s sports. Within 5 years, 85% of decisions around household expenditures will come from women. ‘Shrink it and pink it’ didn’t work before to engage the female consumer, so there needs to be another way.” Bram Weinstein - Play By Play Announcer- Washington Commanders - how to break into media: “The barrier for entry in sports media is gone because you can have a podcast, a vlog, a blog, social media, etc. It will just come down to quality control and your determination to stick with it.” Rick Perko - Vice President, Program Development, The Brandr Group (TBG) - the upcoming house settlement will impact college sports: “It costs a school about $3M to get a team into March Madness and compete at a high-level. It’s going to quadruple next year with the revenue share. NIL deals will have to fill the gap to get a school from $3M to the $12M it will take. That is why revenue generation is going to be vitally important.” (There is Increased need for ticket and sponsorships sellers.) Michael Kamerman - Director of Communications, US Men’s National Team, on the importance of the 2026 World Cup: “A good performance by the men could change the trajectory of soccer in this country. It can create stars and heroes. Just look at what happened to the women in 1999”. (More Soccer openings are coming. TeamWork markets all 2026 FIFA World Cup, MLS, NWSL, and USL jobs) Were you at SEME? What were your favorite highlights?

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Great article from Abe Madkour at Sports Business Journal this week regarding "Attributes of a Successful Team Owner" in sports.  That said, most people working in sports do not get to choose their ownership 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹/𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲/𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱.  Here are six quick steps to building a great culture 👇 1. Create a team first mindset; it is "𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗘, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗪𝗘".  2. Transparency throughout the organization; "𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧." 3. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹; get to know what motivates them, how they prefer to be lead, what their personal and career goals are, etc.  4. Create a Learning and Development environment; "𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘆; 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘." 5. 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦; it is a lot easier to get there when everyone clearly understands the vision, plan, and direction.  5. Have clear KPI's/Goals that are tracked, discussed, and preferably visible; "𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧." In an honest assessment of your current organization, how are you faring on these key culture components? If you need assistance in these areas, please message me and we can work on a plan for you and your organization. #leadership #culture #learning #sportsbusiness https://lnkd.in/eHCBNf7E

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Media Release: Announcement of CGS College Scouting Introducing CGS College Scouting: Expanding Opportunities in Football Talent Evaluation Fort Worth, TX — July 11, 2025 — The College Gridiron Showcase (CGS) is proud to announce the launch of its new subsidiary, CGS College Scouting (CGSCS). With a mission to revolutionize football scouting, CGSCS is dedicated to providing concise and high-quality scouting reports for prospects from the Football Championship Series (FCS) Division, Division II, Division III, and NAIA levels. These divisions have long been underserved, and CGSCS aims to bridge the gap by bringing their talents into the spotlight. Tracking Football is partnering with The College Gridiron Showcase and is excited to partner with CGS College Scouting. Tracking Football will be supplying the platform powering The CGS College Scouting team. A Vision for Inclusivity in Scouting The football landscape is expansive, but certain divisions have remained underrepresented due to the sheer number of players and limited scouting resources. CGS College Scouting was born from the recognition that incredible talent exists across all levels of the sport, often hidden in plain sight. By focusing on FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA players, CGSCS strives to widen the talent pool for both college and professional football teams. Supporting College Teams and the NFL The Transfer Portal has become an essential tool for college teams seeking to bolster their rosters, yet it often overlooks players from smaller divisions. Similarly, NFL teams in search of camp and practice squad players face challenges when evaluating prospects from these levels. CGS College Scouting seeks to address these issues by providing detailed, expertly crafted scouting reports that illuminate the potential of players who might otherwise be overlooked. Empowering Players and Teams “At CGS College Scouting, our mission is to create a level playing field for all athletes,” said Jose Jefferson, Executive Director. “We believe that talent knows no division, and by highlighting these players, we’re not only expanding opportunities for athletes but also empowering teams to discover hidden gems that can make a significant impact.” About CGS College Scouting CGS College Scouting (CGSCS) operates as a DBA (doing business as) of The College Gridiron Showcase, a leader in showcasing some of the best college football talent in the country. Leveraging years of expertise and an extensive network, CGSCS offers a solution to the challenges of scouting at non-FBS levels. Through an innovative approach and a passion for the game, CGSCS is paving the way for a more inclusive and comprehensive scouting process. Tracking Football will be a premier partner in this endeavor. Contact Information For more information about CGS College Scouting and how it is reshaping football scouting, please contact: info@cgsallstar.com – Please put CGSCS in the title. Thank you!

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Regardless of how many millions or billions of dollars flow into youth sports, there is no path to sustainable growth without better support and resources for volunteer coaches. Too often, a young athlete’s first sports experience is led by someone who simply doesn’t know what they’re doing���and that’s not their fault. To keep costs down, organizations rely on volunteers, and given the age of most youth participants, that volunteer is almost always a well-meaning parent. But good intentions aren’t enough. If we want to create positive, lasting experiences in sports, we need to equip these parents with the tools, training, and guidance to lead effectively. We can’t just invest in facilities, technology, and gear…we need to invest in our coaches and volunteers. #YouthSports

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