Business Of Social

NFL teams generated over $1.5B in social value last season. But most teams still are not capitalizing on the content that actually drives engagement, reach, and sponsorship revenue. In this episode, David Brickley sits down with Dan LaTorraca, Head of Marketing at Zoomph and former NFL and NHL team executive, to break down the biggest trends from the 2025 NFL Social Media Report. You'll learn: • Why YouTube Shorts generated the most social value in the NFL • Why Instagram still dominates total engagement • Why mic'd up moments consistently outperform highlight clips • Why teams are leaving sponsorship revenue on the table • How social data is now influencing team valuations and ownership investments If you work in sports, sponsorship, or digital media, this episode shows exactly where the next wave of social growth is coming from. Download the full 2025 NFL Social Media Report: https://zoomph.com/2025-nfl-social-media-performance-report-stn-digital-x-zoomph/

Recorded live at the SPORT BEACH Clubhouse content studio during Super Bowl week in San Francisco — a destination where sport, culture, and innovation collide — David Brickley sits down with Kati Fernandez, Chief Content Officer at TOGETHXR, for a candid and strategic conversation on content, community, and the meteoric rise of women's sports. Kati breaks down her career path — from the NFL to Hulu, ESPN, and now leading content at TOGETHXR — and why authenticity is her superpower. She shares how real relationships drive growth, how TOGETHXR built community-first momentum before the spotlight hit, and what brands and sponsors need to understand about showing up correctly in women's sports today. This episode covers: • Why authenticity beats "code‑switching" in content and leadership • How TOGETHXR scaled without traditional paid marketing • The modern economics of women's sports and fan growth • What brands get wrong when they try to "hijack" culture • Why storytelling and community matter more than follower

A lot of people have "marketing" in their title—but what they're doing is actually just low-funnel performance tracking. In this episode, David Brickley breaks down the real reason most marketing strategies fall flat: skipping the top of the funnel entirely. He dives into why awareness still matters, how to build real community and trust, and what it actually means to be additive to culture. If you've ever had to explain the value of upper-funnel content to someone who only wants clicks and conversions, this one's for you.

Everyone's talking about AI—but is anyone talking about what's not working? In this episode, David Brickley breaks down why AI adoption isn't moving as fast as the hype, and why marketers need to approach it with more patience than panic. He covers: The Ben Affleck quote that reframed his thinking Why 95% of AI pilots are failing, according to MIT The $1.5B lawsuit that could shape copyright law for AI What the .com bubble can teach us about overhype Why AI content generation still isn't ready for prime time If you're overwhelmed by the pressure to overhaul your brand with AI overnight, this one's for you.

This WNBA season was historic…and the data proves it. STN teamed up with Zoomph to analyze 20,000+ posts from every WNBA team, tracking engagement, growth, and earned media value. David Brickley is joined by Zoomph's James Ho to reveal the biggest takeaways from the 2025 WNBA Social Rankings, including the teams, formats, and content types driving massive impact. This episode covers: • How the Fever delivered $55M+ in social value • Why the Wings saw a 5x spike in engagement • The NBA crossover content outperforming everything else • What Facebook is still getting right • Where brands and sponsors can actually stand out Download the full  WNBA 2025 Season Social Ranking Data: https://www.stndigital.com/wnba-social-media-rankings/

Sabrina Zohar, host of The Sabrina Zohar Show (7M+ downloads, top 0.1% globally), joins David Brickley for a raw, honest conversation about mental health, dating, relationships, and childhood trauma—and how all of it ties into the patterns we carry as adults. They unpack the psychology behind anxious vs avoidant attachments, the neuroscience of texting anxiety, the truth about boundaries (hint: it's not about telling people what to do), and how to actually rewire old beliefs instead of projecting them onto your partner. From real talk about her own healing journey to the patterns she sees in thousands of clients, this episode is packed with insight, self-awareness, and the kind of honesty that makes you feel seen.  

Caity Bransby, Head of Global Social - Growth, Strategy, Analytics at StubHub, joins David Brickley to break down how her team built a content engine that taps into real-time trends, drives massive earned reach, and keeps StubHub top-of-mind across sports and entertainment. They walk through the exact moments that broke the internet—from the Kendrick Lamar tower edit to Coldplay's HR scandal to the Jalen voodoo doll—and break down the real strategy, approvals, and creative instincts behind them.

Too many brands still try to hijack the culture instead of creating with it. In this episode, David Brickley breaks down seven sports sponsorships that actually worked—each one built trust, earned credibility, and showed how to add to the conversation instead of interrupting it. From LeBron's viral Prime Day tease to Nike's emotional Asia Wilson campaign, these are the moments that didn't just check the brand box—they created real fan connection. David walks through each one, explains why it worked, and gives you the playbook to create campaigns that sports fans actually want to share.

It’s official: TikTok is getting a U.S.-based spinoff. Trump signed an executive order valuing the U.S. portion at $14 billion, shifting control of the algorithm, data, and oversight into U.S. hands—likely via Oracle. But here’s what’s still unclear: Will you still be able to search for global content? Will your For You Page feel like a walled garden? Will brands and sports teams need regional accounts to stay visible? In this episode, David Brickley breaks down what’s actually changing, what remains unknown, and what it means for creators, marketers, and sports orgs that rely on TikTok for discovery and reach. READ: SBJ Article: https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/10/15/tiktoks-us-only-split-could-shake-up-sports-and-entertainment-marketing/

In this episode, David Brickley sits down with Casey Hurbis, Chief Marketing Officer at BetMGM, to talk about brand-building in crowded markets, the evolution of betting, and how smart marketers earn attention. They cover: - Why a great customer experience still beats a great offer - The biggest challenge in regulated markets—and how BetMGM navigates 29 states - The power of loyalty programs in a world of app-switching bettors - How Casey approached rebranding BetMGM (and why Jon Hamm was the right call) - The biggest mistake marketers make when jumping into new spaces Casey also opens up about what he looks for in brand ambassadors, the tools that help him do his job, and what advice he gives to rising marketers trying to make it to the CMO seat. #BetMGM #SportsMarketing #DigitalMarketing #CMO #BusinessOfSocial #BrandStrategy #SportsBetting #MarketingLeadership

Who’s really winning on social media in sports? David Brickley and Jason Samuelsen break down the most comprehensive sports social media report to date—ranking all 124 teams across the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB by engagement per post, total engagements, and year-over-year growth.

Everyone’s talking about AI tools. But no one’s talking about the lawsuits. In this episode, David Brickley breaks down why using AI-generated content—especially images, video, and audio—might be putting your brand at serious legal risk. ⚖️ This episode covers: Why the first AI copyright court case just set a major precedent How Getty, The New York Times, and Sarah Silverman are fighting back What the Sam Altman TED interview reveals about OpenAI’s stance on fair use The risky parallels between AI content and the music copyright lawsuits of the past What marketers and social teams need to consider before hitting “post” on AI-generated assets