How Flywheel Economics Are Reshaping Sports Businesses with Steve Mitzenmacher

Steve Mitzenmacher spent 25 years inside Apple, Oracle, Google, and Salesforce. Now he's helping sports organizations stop thinking like event businesses and start operating like platforms.Steve and Dave get into the Disney flywheel, and why it’s the most useful mental model for sports executives right now, the “buy vs. build” trap, why "greenfield development" is basically a myth, and what it means to own the critical control points between fans, sponsors, and partners.Steve also explains why leadership styles are changing inside technology companies, why Scott Galloway's "don't follow your passion" advice is underrated, and how he thinks about the increasingly chaotic fight over AI governance.In this episode, you’ll hear:What Steve learned from Disney, Salesforce, and the platform era about building recurring engagementWhy the next generation of sports businesses will be built around flywheel economicsWhy today’s ownership groups are reshaping how teams think about monetization and infrastructureThe career advice Steve wishes he'd heard earlier, and why he's glad he ignored his own instincts for 25 yearsWhy Steve compares the future of AI to a choice between Star Trek and TerminatorResources and Links:Connect with Steve Mitzenmacher on LinkedIn and learn more about Zumaya Advisors.Learn more about Next League on our website and LinkedIn. We are leading sports organizations into the digital future.Dave’s book is available now! Get your copy of The Business of Sports Technology: How To Make Smart Decisions That Drive Your Organization Forward.