Sports Business Secrets

Latest Episodes:

Episode 536: Yannie Chan, Iona University Women's Basketball Player Aug 30, 2024

Show notes

Today’s guest is Yannie Chan, Women's Basketball player at Iona University!

Yannie was was born and raised in Hong Kong, and was the first ever local girls basketball player in the history of Hong Kong to come the United States to play in the NCAA!

She started her college career at Emmanuel College where she won the Player of the Year in 2023. This year she made the transfer to Iona University will she will be gearing up for her first year in Division 1 basketball!

She was a member of the national team this year, representing her country with pride at the Asian Games. She is not only a remarkable player on the court, but she brings just as much passion and enthusiasm to projects off the court, like creating content & giving back to the community. And today we get to hear more about Yannie's extraordinary story!

Today we talked about:

Growing up in Hong Kong and how she fell in love with basketball
How different the youth basketball landscape is at home versus the USA
When she first knew she had the skill set to play at a high level
The process of reaching out to schools & getting her first opportunity
Some of the challenges she faced when first arriving at Emmanuel
Who she is OFF the court (content creation & community service)
Battling through her injury to make sure she's ready
The transition to Division 1 and expectations for the season
Her goal to play at the next level and future career aspirations
and much more

Appreciate you tuning in. Hope you enjoy!

https://www.kevintarca.com/blog

Episode 535: Dejan Kamenjašević, Co-Founder & GM of Dubai Basketball Club Aug 16, 2024

Show notes

Today’s guest is Dejan Kamenjaševic, Co-Founder & GM of Dubai Basketball Club!

Dejan's journey began in Bosnia, where a defining moment in his early years brought a sudden change to his life. When the war broke out, he and his family relocated to Spain, where he continued pursuing his passion for basketball -- a sport that became a cornerstone in his life and would shape his future for many years to come.

From playing professionally to coaching, and now leading teams from both the bench AND the boardroom, Dejan has made a significant impact across multiple countries.

As he embarks on this new chapter with Dubai Basketball Club, he's set to shape the future of basketball in the UAE and beyond. And today we get to hear all about this groundbreaking project!

Today we talked about:

Growing up in Bosnia & where his basketball love started
Fleeing with his family to Spain when the war broke out
The challenges of starting his life in a new environment
Making the decision to hang up his shoes
The challenges of finding a new identity
The sacrifices that went un-noticed behind the scenes
His mentors who gave him his first opportunities in coaching
The importance of relationships and how he builds trust
The move to the UAE even when most thought he was crazy
Building his new basketball academy from scratch
The constant misconceptions about living in Dubai
All about Dubai Basketball Club and his new role
How they built the roster & the players they signed
The opportunity to join the Adriatic League this season
The power sports has to eliminate borders + unite people
and much more

Appreciate you tuning in. Hope you enjoy!

https://www.kevintarca.com/

Episode 534: How Athletes Could Level Up w/ Technology - Part 2 Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

Part one covered how athletes could leverage tech to level up ON the court.

Today we dive into how athletes could leverage tech to level up OFF the court! Personal branding, networking, personal growth, etc.

https://www.kevintarca.com/

Episode 533: Cale Johnston, Founder & CEO of Roy Jul 31, 2024

Show notes

Today’s guest is Cale Johnston, Founder & CEO of Roy!

Cale grew up in Iowa, a state deeply embedded in Big Ten culture, which ignited his passion for college sports. He carried this enthusiasm into his own athletic career, eventually earning a scholarship to play football at the collegiate level. After graduation he transitioned seamlessly into the business world and hasn’t looked back.

During his early years in banking, Cale identified a significant market gap and launched a fintech firm that delivered innovative solutions to financial institutions. His company was acquired in 2021, and after a few years of transitioning out and contemplating his next move, Cale rediscovered his passion for college sports, which sparked the vision for his latest venture, Roy, Inc.

Today we talked about:

Growing up playing sports in Big 10 country
His journey of playing football at the collegiate level
Falling into the fintech industry right out of school
Starting, scaling and selling his own fintech firm
The search to find fulfillment after the acquisition
The current landscape of college sports & collectives
All about Roy and the problems we’re solving
How Roy changes the recruiting landscape
NIL projected value vs true market value
Why the current collective system is not sustainable
Go-To-Market strategy & working with collectives
What fans can expect from the exclusive content
The three different workflows in Roy
And much more!

https://www.kevintarca.com/blog

https://joinroy.com/

Episode 532: How Athletes Could Level Up With Technology Jul 30, 2024

Show notes

Sports + Technology. What a great combination.

Here are several ways that athletes could utilize technology to level up!

Episode 531: Michael Visenberg, Scout & Basketball Database Manager at ProInsight Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

Today’s guest is Michael Visenberg, Scout & Basketball Database Manager at ProInsight, a leading company in grassroots basketball scouting.

Michael grew up in Toronto, Canada where he began projecting future NBA All-Star lineups and participating in mock drafts from a young age. With his extensive knowledge and expertise in the field, he plays a crucial role in identifying and evaluating emerging basketball talent.

He has covered the top events around the world including the Nike Hoop Summit, Adidas Global Nations, the Nike Global Challenge, the Les Schwab Invitational, Border League and many others.

Michael is a basketball scout, a sports writer, a prospect analyzer, a draft guru and I'm sure we could come up with many more labels by the end of this episode!

Today we talked about:

When he first started falling in love with the NBA
His first NBA Draft analysis that opened the door for business
His scouting workflow and how he organizes his notes
Weighing analytics & measurements versus the eye test
How many games he watches before he has a good feel
Defining athleticism and what "being athletic" really means
What BAM Testing is & why they use it in pre-draft combines
How deep NBA teams really dive for player intel
Which stats & movements he uses to analyze defense
His reaction to the 2024 NBA Draft (some sleepers)
and much more

Thanks for tuning in!

https://www.kevintarca.com/blog

https://www.kreationtalent.com/

Episode 530: Exactly What I'm Doing on July 22, 2024 Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

It was a long 10 days on the road... Here's a little recap of NBA Summer League and what's on the agenda for the week...

Episode 529: Jared Grasso, National Post Grad Coach & Head of Development Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

Today’s guest is Jared Grasso, newly appointed National Post Grad Coach and Head of Development at the Knox School.

Coach Grasso grew up on the sidelines of basketball courts everywhere, watching his Father coach at the high school, collegiate and pro levels. He quickly outgrew the sidelines and developed into quite the player himself earning a McDonald’s All-American nomination when he was at St. Anthony’s HS. He chose Quinnipiac University to play his collegiate ball, where he was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2014.

After a brief opportunity at the next level in Italy, it was inevitable that he would return to the sidelines and get into coaching. He's had stops at Hofstra, Hartford, Quinnipiac, Fordham, Iona and Bryant before accepting the new role at the Knox School this spring.

Today we talked about:

Growing up living, eating and breathing basketball with his Father
The opportunity to play at the infamous ABCD Camp
His roles and responsibilities as a young assistant coach
How he learned to balance his job with his family
Questions he was asked during the coaching interview process
How he turned a struggling Division 1 program into an NCAA birth
How he adapted to NIL and how it's changed college forever
The mental side of coaching that the public doesn't see
Searching for purpose after being at "the top of the mountain"
All about the Knox School and his new role
The youth development landscape in the USA
The characteristics is takes to get to the next level and much more Appreciate you tuning in.

Hope you enjoy!

https://www.kevintarca.com/

Episode 528: Happy July! Here's What I'm Doing Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

Happy July... here's exactly what I've been up to and what's on the agenda this month.

https://www.kevintarca.com/

https://www.kreationtalent.com/

Episode 527: KTA Client Toyoshige Kano Signs with Shinshu Brave Warriors! Jun 28, 2024

Show notes

🚨🖋️ After a great rookie season in Tokushima, on to a new chapter in Nagano! Toyo will play his second season on loan to the Shinsu Brave Warriors! (via Sunrockers Shibuya)

https://www.b-warriors.net/news/detail/id=16378

https://www.sunrockers.jp/news/detail/id=17676

https://www.kreationtalent.com/toyoshigekano

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