Tao of Sports Ep. 191 – Charles Lucas (Director of Ticket Operations, Reno Aces)

Kathy Burrows has been a guest and friend of the podcast for over a decade. So its fitting that she be the first guest since 2019, when the podcast was last updated. Things have changed in the industry, for the better, as the phone crusher model seems to be dead or dying. Kathy talks about what she has learned, especially by asking those buyers what is being done right or wrong to sell them, and how she has incorporated critical thinking leadership training into her sales model for upper management.

Stagefront's Mike Guiffre co-hosts this podcast with Troy, discussing various components of searching for the hidden fan. In this episode, data is discussed, along with what that data actually means, in a constructive conversation toward driving revenue in different ways. Including the Don Cherry firing.

Sarah Uhran has taken the concept of personal branding for athletes and turned it on its head. Uhran represents a new type of dynamic that showcases not only the athlete brand from what the public sees, but also the consistent advisor role of ensuring athlete success in their personal or professional interactions with others. Uhran discusses how she has helped guide athletes toward the best decisions possible throughout her involvement with her clients. Twitter: @SarahUhran

Chris Spano ties various components of the primary and secondary ticket markets together, working for MLB, NFL and NHL teams, along with working at StubHub. Now, at the American Hockey League, Spano discusses some of the ways that the secondary ticket market can even help minor league hockey survive and thrive in a constant push for new inventory sales to the open market. Spano also talks about ways to train staff, along with the understanding that group sales, not season tickets, tend to be the main focus of every AHL team moving forward. @CSpano1980

Graham Oliphant has helped the growth of rugby in the United States and the United Kingdom, creating a strategic planning effort that other sport organizations have begun to follow. Oliphant talks about the impact of Major League Rugby in America, which has launched successfully with the Seattle Seawolves beginning a sellout streak and developing a winning format for other MLR teams to follow as expansion of the league nears. Oliphant also runs the London 9 Festival due for July 2018. Twitter: @Jumbo230

Jim Sweeney is just getting started in a period when most people are looking at retirement. Sweeny serves as an international board member and the head of FIMBA USA (Federation of International Masters Basketball Association). The International Olympic Committee calls FIMBA the best senior sports federation in the world. Sweeney talks about how FIMBA hosted its 15th world championship in 2017 in Italy, with over 367 teams, and almost 6,000 players from around the world. Twitter: @FIMBA

The BMW Championship represents a unique challenge for Jeff Lapsansky, since he has to sell tickets to a PGA Tour event that moves every other year to a different city. Lapsansky discusses some of the ways that he drives ticket sales and marketing for the event, as well as ensures that pricing maximizes the possibility of a return for the non-profit organization running the BMW Championship. Twitter: @JeffLaps

The weather doesn't stop a great ticket sales staff from selling. John Markiewicz shares his knowledge about selling in cold weather for baseball and hot weather for hockey. Markiewicz talks about his strategy in driving group ticket sales for Chicago White Sox games in April where the temperature is a high of 8 degrees, and selling hockey in Florida, where it is always hot out, and yet, the goal is to get everyone inside a building to watch a winter sport. Markiewicz covers some of the details of selling third party tickets for Purdue. Twitter: @johnm_whitesox

As if it couldn't get confusing enough, Troy King comes on the podcast to share a funny episode at the 2018 National Sports Forum regarding Troy Kirby, Troy Tutt and Troy Kirby and one confused gentleman who said "Hi Troy" when all three turned around at once. King talks about his time at Churchill Downs, selling over 70 events beyond the Oaks & Derby. King shares his experiences in selling horse racing, as well as major and minor league baseball.

Zach Dayton returns to the podcast after nearly four years since his original one (Ep. 328). Dayton talks about his transition from Pace University, a D2 school, to Fairfield University, which is Division 1. Dayton shares his insight into bringing not only fresh ideas, but also ways to help implement those ideas beyond the presentation stage with traditionalists in a group. Twitter: @Zach_Dayton