#234 The NIL Revolution: Why Athlete Branding & Identity Will Define the Future of College Sports | Stephen Bienko
Release Date: 02/23/2026
#248 Inside the Life of an NBA Agent | Kevin Bradbury on Contracts, NIL & Player Management
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 248 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Kevin Bradbury, veteran NBA agent and Head of Basketball at Lyft Sports Management, with over two decades of experience and more than a billion dollars in contracts negotiated. In this episode, we spoke about: What it really means to be an NBA agent beyond contract negotiations How NIL has changed the landscape of athlete representation The importance of trust and relationships in building successful careers How agents support players both on and off the court Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome & Role Overview 00:17 Life as...
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#247 The Secret to Building Successful Grassroots Sports Clubs | Geoff Wilson
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 247 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Geoff Wilson, sports consultant, former Irish FA executive, and author of the new book Leading a Grassroots Sports Club. In this episode, we spoke about: Why grassroots sport is the foundation of the entire sports ecosystem The biggest mistakes clubs make when building their structure How to create a strong culture and environment for young athletes Practical strategies for funding, growth and long-term sustainability Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome Back & Background 01:06 Journey Across 104 Countries 02:51 Learning from...
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#246 The Business of Padel: Building an Ecosystem from Scratch | Emiliano Abramzon
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 246 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Emiliano Abramzon, founder and CEO of Racket360, a company building a full ecosystem around racket sports in the US - including clubs, leagues, events, and e-commerce platforms. In this episode, we spoke about: Building a sports ecosystem from scratch in a new market Why padel is growing rapidly in the US The challenges of infrastructure, real estate and scaling sports facilities Entrepreneurship, fundraising and lessons from building multiple companies Timestamps: 00:00 Building Racket360 Explained 00:20 The Four...
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#245 Building Women’s Sport from Scratch: How Netball Is Creating the Future of Fandom | Claire Nelson
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 245 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Claire Nelson, Managing Director of the Netball Super League. Claire is leading one of the most ambitious transformations in women’s sport - building a fully professional league, growing fandom, and redefining what a modern sports product looks like. In this episode, we spoke about: Building a women’s sport league without a men’s structure Turning participation into fandom Commercial partnerships and growing revenue Leadership, resilience, and driving change in sport Timestamps: 00:00 What Is the Netball Super...
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#244 How Elite Athletes Train Their Minds | Bryn Drescher
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 244 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Bryn Drescher, a mental performance coach, speaker, and host of the Mental Advantage Podcast. Bryn works with elite athletes across multiple sports, helping them master the mental side of performance, handle pressure on game day, and build identities that extend beyond sport. In this episode, we spoke about: How athletes can perform under pressure on game day Building a strong identity beyond sport The role of visualization and routines in performance Mental performance coaching for individuals vs teams And more! ...
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#243 The Future of Sports Investing: How Fans Can Own a Piece of the Game | Parker Graham
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 243 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Parker Graham, founder and CEO of Vestible, a platform aiming to open up sports investing to everyone - not just private equity and billionaires. From investing in athletes to unlocking opportunities in clubs and college sports, Parker is building what could become the “stock market of sports.” In this episode, we spoke about: The rise of sports as an investment asset class How fans can invest in teams and athletes The impact of NIL on college sports economics Why the future of sports ownership is changing ...
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#242 How Padel Exploded in Pakistan: Building a 500-Court Sports Empire in 2 Years | Talal Shah
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 242 of Sports Management Podcast. Today we dive into one of the fastest-growing sports stories in the world — how padel went from unknown to obsession in Pakistan in just a few years. Talal Shah, Co-Founder & CEO of Total Sports and Legends Arena, shares how he scaled from one facility to a nationwide movement transforming sports participation. In this episode, we spoke about: Building a sports facility empire from scratch Why padel exploded faster than cricket in Pakistan The business model behind pay-as-you-play sports Scaling from 1 to 11 venues in under 3 years ...
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#241 The $2.3 Trillion Question: Can Purpose Save the Future of Sport? | Andrew Wisniewski
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 241 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Andrew Wisniewski, Partner and Head of Activation at 17 Sport, the world’s purpose-first sports marketing agency. We explore how purpose is moving beyond CSR and becoming a commercial necessity in sport. In this episode, we spoke about: Why purpose is now a commercial risk factor in sport The untapped $5B Paralympic market How Adidas and Nike approach impact differently The future of women’s sport and LA28 legacy Time Stamps: 00:00 Intro 00:04 What “Purpose-First” Really Means 01:40 Athlete Representation &...
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#240 World Cup 2026 & The Future of US Soccer | Erik Stover on Promotion, Identity & Building the New York Cosmos
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 240 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Erik Stover, CEO of the New York Cosmos and a leader with over 25 years of experience in U.S. soccer, including roles with the New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Arena. With World Cup 2026 approaching and promotion and relegation entering American professional soccer, the sport is at a historic turning point. In this episode, we spoke about: The impact of World Cup 2026 on U.S. soccer Why club identity matters more than ever Promotion and relegation in American sport Building the New York Cosmos as a true community club ...
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#239 The $100M Sports Investment Thesis | Kyle Israel, Momentous Sports
Sports Management Podcast
Welcome to episode 239 of Sports Management Podcast. Today’s guest is Kyle Israel, co-founder of , a $100M fund investing at the intersection of sports and real estate. Kyle shares why his firm is focusing on middle-market teams instead of billion-dollar franchises, how mixed-use developments are reshaping club economics, and why women’s sports and secondary markets represent the next wave of growth. In this episode, we spoke about: The rise of middle-market sports valuations Blending team ownership with real estate development The growth of women’s sports investments The neuroscience...
info_outlineWelcome to episode 234 of Sports Management Podcast.
College sports has changed forever. NIL is here, brands are everywhere, and student athletes are now entrepreneurs whether they like it or not. But are they actually prepared?
Today I’m joined by Stephen Bienko, co-founder of 42U, former dual-sport athlete and life coach.
We dive into:
- NIL
- Athlete identity
- Branding
- Why passion alone won’t prepare athletes for life after sport.
And much more!
SPONSOR:
Listeners of the Sports Management Podcast get an exclusive 20% off on SportsPro+ with the code SMPOD20. All you need to do is head to sportspro.com/membership and start exploring today.
00:00 Intro
00:28 What 42U Is Building in the NIL Era
02:03 Transferable Skills Beyond “Hardworking Athlete”
05:16 Athlete Identity & Overthinking Performance
08:45 NIL Should Have Existed Years Ago
10:35 Soft Skills vs Hard Skills in the AI Era
12:18 Why Identity Impacts Performance
14:21 Why Athletes Are Underprepared for NIL
17:37 Why Most NIL Partnerships Fail
20:33 Brand First, Deals Second
23:41 The Power of Athlete IP & Social Media
29:31 The Future of NIL and High School Athletes
32:59 Putting “Butts in Seats” Through Athlete Brands
39:44 The Decathlete Mindset in Business
49:18 Why Now Is the Best Time to Enter Sports
55:00 Outro
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