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Sports Marketing Machine Podcast

Sports Marketing Machine Podcast

Written by: Jeremy Neisser
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If you're a sports executive or digital marketer working to fill seats, drive ticket sales, and grow your fan base, the Sports Marketing Machine Show is for you! Award-winning sports marketing veteran host, Jeremy Neisser brings with him over 21 years of experience in sports marketing and shares

We'll cover all aspects of marketing including digital advertising, social media strategy, branding, customer relationship management, and how to best use analytics to measure success.

With interviews from experts in digital marketing and sports industry veterans, you’ll be sure to find some helpful tips on how to engage more with your fans – all while having fun learning. Tune into Sports Marketing Machine for tips and advice on how to grow your fan base and sell more tickets.

© 2026 Sports Marketing Machine Podcast Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • 174 - Stop Treating Mini Plans Like an Offseason Product

    174 - Stop Treating Mini Plans Like an Offseason Product
    Jul 16 2026
    Send us Fan MailMost teams push mini plans hard from October through March, then go silent the moment the season starts — right when they're creating new fans at every home game. In Episode 174, Jeremy Neisser makes the case that your warmest mini plan prospect is the fan driving home from tonight's game, not a cold name from last winter. He breaks down the psychology of selling to fans while the experience is still fresh, why teams stop even when they know better, and five tactics you can run this week to turn single-game buyers into repeat fans.KEY TOPICS COVERED• Why the fan who just attended is a qualified buyer — not a cold prospect — and how that erases the hardest part of the sale• The simple math that proves every home game produces a fresh list of mini plan prospects• The real reason fans buy mini plans (hint: it's not the sport) and how to sell to fresh emotion instead of faded memory• The ladder that moves a casual fan to a lifer: single game = acquisition, mini plans = habit formation, season tickets = loyalty• How to build packages from the games left on your schedule instead of waiting for a full season of inventory• Why in-season prospects are already warm — you have their email, phone, and attendance data right now• How selling mini plans in July feeds next year's season ticket pipeline before renewals even start• The organizational trap that quietly kills mini plan sales during the season — and the one-person fix for it• The commission problem that pushes reps toward big groups and away from mini plans• The 24-hour thank-you email that hits fans at their highest-value moment• The "two games in 30 days" CRM trigger that flags your warmest in-season leads• The limited-time ticket-credit offer that lowers the barrier to commit• Using a QR code on the video board to catch fans at peak enthusiasm• The post-game text that turns a first visit into a second oneTIMESTAMPS[00:00] — Jeremy spots the pattern: teams promote fireworks, giveaways, and bobbleheads front and center, but stop selling the one product built to create repeat buyers[00:56] — Why quitting mini plan sales in-season means walking past new fans you're creating at every home game[02:05] — Prospect vs. qualified buyer: the fundamental thing most teams miss about in-season selling[03:11] — The hottest lead in your database is the fan driving home from tonight's game[03:45] — Run the math on one game: 3,500 fans, 700 first-timers, 300 who had a great time — and why they should be on tomorrow's outreach[04:35] — The real reason in-season selling works, and it's not about tickets — it's fresh emotion[05:30] — Selling the day after asks fans to repeat what they felt; selling in October asks them to remember it[06:20] — You're not selling tickets, you're selling habits: how repeat attendance becomes a behavior pattern[07:00] — Mini plans as the bridge: acquisition to habit formation to loyalty, and walking fans up the ladder[07:44] — Five reasons in-season mini plan selling works[08:14] — Reason #1: Every home game is a lead-generation event — treat attendance as a list, not a number[08:43] — Reason #2: The remaining schedule is your inventory — package fireworks, rivalries, and flex nights intentionally[09:12] — Reason #3: Fans understand the value better after attending (the Chick-fil-A analogy)[09:41] — How the post-game follow-up feels like a reminder, not a sales pitch[10:08] — Reason #4: You already have their contact info — email, phone, and which games they attended[10:29] — Reason #5: In-season mini plans build next year's season ticket pipeline right now[10:58] — Why teams stop selling mini plans — and why it's not really their fault[11:25] — How game-day execution mode crowds out sales mode across the whole organization[12:19] — Mini plans disappear because nobody owns them anymore — not because nobody cares[12:46] — The commission problem: why reps chase $2,500 groups over $150 mini plans, and how marketing can help[13:15] — The fix: assign one person to own in-season mini plan selling and automate the outreach[13:45] — Tactic #1: The 24-hour thank-you email with a simple mini plan offer[14:11] — Tactic #2: The "two games in 30 days" trigger — flag repeat attendees as warm leads[15:10] — Why multi-game buyers are the warmest in-season list you can build[15:40] — Tactic #3: The limited-time ticket-credit offer that lowers the barrier to commit[16:10] — Tactic #4: A QR code on the video board to catch fans at peak enthusiasm[16:36] — Tactic #5: The post-game text to recent buyers the morning after[17:05] — This week's challenge: audit your CRM for one-game buyers nobody has personally contacted[18:04] — The main takeaway: acquisition, habit formation, loyalty — and why mini plans are the bridge[18:58] — Final reminder: the best time to sell the next ticket is while the experience is still freshCALL TO ACTIONIf ...
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    20 mins
  • 173 - The Email Isn't Finished When You Hit Send

    173 - The Email Isn't Finished When You Hit Send
    Jul 10 2026
    Send us Fan MailMost sports teams know exactly who their fans are — the fireworks families, the premium buyers, the last-minute deal seekers — and still send every one of them the same email blast. In Episode 173, Jeremy Neisser uses a simple ice cream shop analogy to show why that quietly drives fans away, and why the fix isn't better copy or a new platform. It's a system that responds to fan behavior after the send. If you felt the pull of Episode 171 on lifecycle marketing but haven't built anything yet, this is the episode that explains what's actually stopping you.Register for the upcoming July 23 webinar: REGISTERKEY TOPICS COVERED- Why "we know we should be doing this" is the most common response from teams — and the real reason they never start- How to tell the difference between an email problem and a systems problem (and why it matters for your results)- The weekly email workflow that feels productive but keeps you stuck in the same loop all season- Why sending everyone the same blast wastes the fan data you already have on purchases, promo nights, and spend- The Bluey Night example: how generic messaging makes loyal fans feel unseen and stop paying attention- Why personalization stalls — it's not that teams don't believe in it, it's that it feels overwhelming- The critical distinction between campaigns and systems, and why great email marketing is built on systems- How fans actually experience your team (as a night out, not a campaign) and what that means for your marketing- What should happen after every open, click, purchase, attendance, and no-show- The one question to ask this week that reveals whether you have a system or just a send button- How teams are automating their way into more ticket revenue without adding nights and weekendsTIMESTAMPS[0:00] — The ice cream shop analogy: why knowing your customer means nothing if you market to everyone the same[2:05] — Connecting back to Episode 171 on lifecycle marketing and reframing the real issue as a systems problem[3:00] — The repetitive weekly email workflow that feels like progress but keeps teams stuck[3:53] — You already have the data: who buys premium, who brings kids, who waits until the last minute[4:50] — The Bluey Night example — what generic messaging feels like from the fan's side[5:41] — Why this is a systems issue, not a copywriting or creative one[7:02] — Campaigns vs. systems: the difference between good and great email marketing[8:27] — Why systems keep running while campaigns end and require someone to remember[9:26] — The central takeaway: the email isn't finished when you hit send[10:24] — Building follow-up experiences after every fan interaction[11:50] — The question to sit with this week: after someone buys a ticket, what happens next?[12:16] — The upcoming webinar on automating more ticket revenue with the tools you already have[13:13] — Closing: leave a rating or review to help other ticket sellers find the showCALL TO ACTIONIf this episode has you asking "where do I even start?" — register for the upcoming webinar. Jeremy walks through the framework for building automated journeys, triggers, and priorities using the tools your team already has, with examples from teams that built these systems without working nights and weekends. Link in the show notes.Links mentioned: Episode 171Episode WebpageQUOTE PULLS"It's not an email problem. It's a systems problem." — Jeremy Neisser"Most sports teams know exactly who their fans are and what they like. They just don't market like it." — Jeremy Neisser"Campaigns end. Systems keep running. Campaigns require someone to remember — systems remember for you." — Jeremy Neisser"The email isn't finished when you hit send. It's finished when it changes what your fan does next." — Jeremy Neisser"The best marketing organizations don't think about sending emails. They think about building experiences." — Jeremy NeisserRegister for the upcoming July 23 webinar: REGISTERRevelocity Sports Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine
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    14 mins
  • 172 - Why Your Promotions Page Might Be Costing You Ticket Sales

    172 - Why Your Promotions Page Might Be Costing You Ticket Sales
    Jun 30 2026
    Send us Fan MailYour promotions page is live, but half your nights are just names — "Taylor Swift Night," "Oil Field Appreciation Weekend" — with no details. A promotion with no details doesn't sell tickets, even when the night itself is great. In Episode 172, Jeremy Neisser breaks down the Minimum Viable Promo: the smallest concrete detail you can add today so a first-time visitor understands why a night is worth showing up for. You'll get the framework, real examples from across Minor League Baseball, and three fixes you can make this week.KEY TOPICS COVERED• Why reading your own promotions page like a first-time fan exposes the gap quietly costing you ticket sales• How teams end up with promo pages full of bare titles — and why it's a timing problem, not a competence one• The Minimum Viable Promo (MVP) framework: the lowest bar of detail that still gives fans a reason to buy• How a single descriptive sentence turns "Taylor Swift Night" into a night fans recognize as "for me"• What the Chattanooga Lookouts do differently — describing every promotion while leading MiLB in ticket sales growth• The Dueling Pianos lesson: how one line of copy can sell a night with no sponsor and no photo• A side-by-side from the Midland Rockhounds showing a detailed promo vs. a vague one on the same page• The three practical fixes: publish with whatever you know, schedule a recurring revisit, and focus on the next 2–3 games• Why the 72-hour buying window means your next few games matter more than the whole season• How to use a recurring 15-minute calendar block to keep details current without adding staff or budget• The clarity principle — "when you confuse people, you lose people" — and how it applies to every promo listing• A simple to-do you can run today on your next two or three gamesTIMESTAMPS[00:00] – Why your promotions page might be quietly costing you ticket sales[00:29] – The pattern across MiLB, the majors, hockey, and soccer: nights posted as names and never updated[01:06] – A live promo page with no details still doesn't sell — even when the night is phenomenal[01:22] – This is a timing problem, not a competence problem: why it happens to good teams[01:44] – Promotions get planned months out before giveaways, sponsors, and specials are locked in[02:11] – Introducing the Minimum Viable Promo (MVP): borrowing "minimum viable product" for your promo page[02:45] – The lowest bar: one concrete thing that tells a fan why this night is different[03:36] – "Taylor Swift Night" vs. a one-sentence description that creates a reason to come[04:03] – The single sentence that flips a fan from scrolling past to "that's for me"[04:33] – Case study: the Chattanooga Lookouts describe every promotion — and lead MiLB in ticket sales growth[05:02] – Effective copy in action: the Dueling Pianos "this ain't your mama's" example[05:58] – The gap illustrated: Midland Rockhounds' detailed Thirsty Thursday vs. vague Oil Field Appreciation Weekend[06:25] – Practical fix #1: publish with whatever you know — an incomplete description beats a bare title[07:21] – Practical fix #2: build a recurring 15-minute revisit to add confirmed details[08:19] – Practical fix #3: focus on the next 2–3 games and the 72-hour buying window[08:43] – Why this tiny website tweak actually moves ticket sales[09:12] – Clarity always wins: "when you confuse people, you lose people"[09:45] – Bringing it home: your promo page doesn't need to be perfect, it needs to be clear[10:10] – Your to-do this week and how to book a promo-calendar review callLinks mentioned:Chattanooga LookoutsBowling Green Hot RodsMidland RockhoundsEpisode Page on Revelocity SportsCALL TO ACTIONWant a second set of eyes on your promo calendar? Head to Sports Marketing Machine and book a 20-minute call — Jeremy will walk through your full promotions calendar (or just the month ahead) one promotion at a time and find the quick wins that help you sell more tickets.QUOTE PULLS"When you confuse people, you lose people. Clarity always wins." — Jeremy Neisser"A promotion with no details doesn't sell tickets — even if the actual night is phenomenal." — Jeremy Neisser"You don't need the giveaway photographed. You don't need the sponsor locked in. You just need one concrete thing that tells a fan why this night is different." — Jeremy Neisser"Don't try to fix the whole season at once. Look at your next two or three games — those are the ones driving ticket decisions right now." — Jeremy Neisser"Your promotion page doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to be clear." — Jeremy NeisserEpisode PageRegister for the upcoming July 23 webinar: REGISTERRevelocity Sports Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine
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    11 mins
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