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In this episode of The Sports Marketing Machine, Jeremy Neisser breaks down a simple, data-driven way to build — and defend — your marketing budget. Forget complicated spreadsheets and vague “awareness goals.” Jeremy shows how using your single game ROI as your north star can turn every budget request into a business case. Learn how to project spend, justify investment, and track your performance with a system built specifically for sports teams.

Key Topics Covered

• The easiest way to calculate single game ROI (and why it’s your strongest budget tool)
• How to project next year’s budget using last year’s data
• Proving efficiency gains to leadership with small, measurable improvements
• The 70-30 rule for smart budget allocation (sales vs. awareness)
• Why simplicity sells: how to make your budget “bulletproof” in one conversation
• Tracking ROI month-by-month like an investor — not a guesser
• Turning your marketing budget into an investment plan

Chapters

00:00 – Building a Marketing Budget Framework
01:01 – Understanding Single Game ROI
04:05 – Projecting Future Budgets with Historical Data
07:53 – Improving Marketing Efficiency
10:10 – The 70-30 Rule for Budget Allocation
12:35 – Tracking ROI and Adjusting Strategies
14:54 – Key Takeaways for Marketing Directors

Call to Action

Want help connecting your ad data to your ticketing results so your next budget meeting is a breeze? Head to SportsMarketingMachine.com
to grab time with Jeremy and build your marketing ROI dashboard.

View Episode age with details

Episodes mentioned:

Episode 67 – Why Your Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) is WRONG – Case Study

Episode 111 – Building Your Marketing Budget Like a Funnel: Awareness to Action

Episode 125 – “I Saw Your Ad—But Didn’t Buy”: Fixing the Fan Follow-Up Funnel

Episode 121 – How Video Content Makes Paid Traffic Easier (and Cheaper)

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Season ticket holders give you stability; single-game buyers fuel reach and growth. In this episode, Jeremy maps a practical “ticket plan ladder” to convert first-timers into multi-game, mini, half-season, and ultimately full season ticket holders. You’ll get concrete plays—post-game bouncebacks, perk-led nurturing, and data-driven upsells—plus how marketing and sales should operate in lockstep to make it happen.

Key Topics Covered

• Why season ticket holders still matter: bankable revenue, sky-high LTV, and culture/word-of-mouth impact
• Single-game buyers as your largest conversion pipeline (and why flexibility-first offers win)
• Rethinking budget mix: stop spending 70–80% only on single-game ads; invest in mid/long-term plan growth
• Building the ticket plan ladder: single → multi-game → mini/flex → half → full season
• The post-game “bounceback” play: targeted email/text offers that turn 1 game into 2–3
• Perk-led nurturing: exclusive experiences that sample season-ticket value (create FOMO)
• In-season, data-driven upsells: flag 3–4 game attendees as warm leads (don’t wait till year-end)
• Using STH testimonials as “Yelp reviews” in ads, email, and on-site to add trust + urgency
• Marketing x Sales alignment: shared intel, warm lead routing, timing, and messaging

Timestamps

• 00:00 Introduction & NSF Fall Summit preview (Oct 9, 2025)
• 02:08 Why season ticket holders matter (stability, LTV, culture)
• 06:23 Single-game buyers as a growth market (flexibility, data capture)
• 10:41 Budget allocation pitfalls and fixes
• 12:29 The Ticket Plan Ladder explained
• 17:57 Walking fans up the ladder: bouncebacks, nurture, perks
• 20:24 Marketing + Sales must operate as one
• 22:42 Key takeaways & next steps

Call to Action

• Tune in: National Sports Forum Virtual Fall Summit on October 9, 2025—Jeremy joins the “Hot Takes in Marketing” panel (link in show notes).
• This week’s play: Run a post-game bounceback to opening night/next promo buyers and test a 2-for-1 or “prime + value” two-game bundle.
• Upgrade engine: Add STH testimonials to your mini/flex upgrade emails and landing pages, then route multi-game attendees to sales as warm leads.

Quote Pulls / Social Teasers

• “Season tickets are stability; single-game is your conversion pipeline.”
• “Fans crave choice and digital-first options—meet them there.”
• “Stop ending the sale at the first sale. The ladder starts after Game 1.”
• “Use your season ticket holders as your Yelp reviewers.”
• “Sales and marketing must work hand-in-hand—or the ladder collapses.”

Keywords

sports marketing, season tickets, single game tickets, fan engagement, marketing strategies, ticket sales, audience conversion, marketing budget, sports teams, sports business

NSF Event - LINK

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All You Can Eat ticket plans sound like a fan’s dream—one ticket, unlimited food—but are they really a win for your team? In this episode of The Sports Marketing Machine, Jeremy Neisser breaks down the pros and cons of these packages, from predictable revenue and marketing appeal to margin risks and operational headaches. You’ll learn how to structure these plans strategically so they elevate the fan experience while still protecting your bottom line.

Key Topics Covered

• Why fans love the simplicity and value of All You Can Eat plans
• How bundling food into tickets creates predictable, upfront revenue
• The operational efficiencies (and pitfalls) of prepaid concessions
• Margin risks and how heavy eaters can wipe out profits
• Menu design, alcohol clarity, and the importance of perceived value
• Structuring plans using per caps, pricing buffers, and sponsorship offsets
• Positioning All You Can Eat as an entry-level ticket plan without cannibalizing premium options
• Long-term strategy: renewals, upsells, and loyalty building

Chapters

• 00:00 – Introduction to All You Can Eat Ticket Plans
• 01:00 – Pros of All You Can Eat Packages
• 05:38 – Cons and Risks of All You Can Eat Packages
• 08:53 – Structuring All You Can Eat Plans Smartly
• 12:14 – Long-Term Strategy for All You Can Eat Packages
• 16:02 – Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Sound Bites / Social Teasers

• “One ticket, unlimited food.”
• “It elevates the experience.”
• “Define the package clearly—or risk an all you can lose plan.”

Call to Action
Tried an All You Can Eat ticket plan before? Jeremy wants to hear how it worked for your team—DM him or reach out through Sports Marketing Machine. If this episode gave you some food for thought (pun intended), share it with a colleague and leave a review on Apple or Spotify so more sports pros can sell smarter and build their fan base.

Links mentioned:

David Salyers - Chick-Fil-A "Creating A Value-Inbalance"

Loss Leaders - Episode 117

Episode page - Episode 133

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More traffic doesn’t always mean more profit. In this episode, Jeremy Neisser unpacks a real case study from a minor league baseball team that saw website visitors surge from 27,000 to 35,000—but lost $15,000 in profit along the way. He explains why chasing vanity metrics like clicks, impressions, and raw attendance can mask deeper problems in profitability. From understanding diminishing returns to prioritizing average order value (AOV) and smarter budget allocation, Jeremy gives sports teams a playbook for turning data into dollars.

Key Topics Covered

• Why more traffic can actually hurt your bottom line
• Case study: 35,000 visitors that led to declining ROAS
• The difference between quality vs. quantity traffic
• Diminishing returns: when extra spend stops paying off
• The role of average order value (AOV) in real growth
• How to use the 60-40 rule for smarter budget allocation
• Avoiding the vanity metric trap (traffic, impressions, and “sellouts”)
• Why profitability > popularity in sports marketing

Chapters

• 00:00 – Understanding Marketing Data for Minor League Baseball
• 01:29 – The Impact of Traffic on Profitability
• 04:43 – Quality vs. Quantity in Traffic
• 09:26 – Diminishing Returns and the 60-40 Rule
• 12:21 – The Importance of Average Order Value
• 16:37 – Key Takeaways and Action Plan

Call to Action
Before you chase big traffic numbers, dig into your AOV and ROAS data. If you need help unpacking what actually happened with your team’s marketing this season, reach out to Jeremy for a free 30-minute breakdown.

Episode Page: Episode 132

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In this episode of the Sports Marketing Machine podcast, Jeremy Neisser unpacks Meta Advantage Plus—Meta’s automated ad system for Facebook and Instagram. While it promises simplicity, Advantage Plus often hurts sports teams by prioritizing clicks over actual ticket sales, lumping all fans into one generic audience, and masking true performance with misleading metrics.

Jeremy explains why manual ad setup, audience segmentation, and conversion tracking are essential to avoid wasted spend. He also highlights when Advantage Plus can be useful, such as for merchandise sales, but makes it clear: selling tickets requires a more hands-on, strategic approach.

Takeaways

• Advantage Plus is Meta’s autopilot for ads.
• It often works against sports teams trying to sell tickets.
• Personalization in ads is critical for success.
• Manual setup helps you better understand your fans.
• Conversion tracking is essential for measuring real results.
• Wasted impressions and high frequency are red flags.
• Build warm and hot audiences for targeted marketing.
• Advantage Plus works better for broad merch campaigns.
• Don’t rely solely on Meta’s “easy button.”
• A manual, hands-on approach makes you a stronger marketer.

Chapters
00:00 – Introduction and context
02:15 – What Advantage Plus really is
04:32 – Why Advantage Plus fails for ticket sales
07:10 – How to tell if Advantage Plus is wasting your money
09:30 – Smarter alternatives: warm audiences and creative testing
11:30 – When Advantage Plus can help (merchandise sales)
13:45 – Final takeaways and call to action

Episodes mentioned:

• Episode 128 – 3 Changes with Meta That Affect Your Ads (and How to Sell More Tickets Anyway)
• Episode 125 – “I Saw Your Ad—But Didn’t Buy”: Fixing the Fan Follow-Up Funnel
• Episode 111 – Building Your Marketing Budget Like a Funnel: Awareness to Action
• Episode 110 – Meta Ads 101 – The Smart Way to Retarget: Website Visitors, Social Engagers & Timing That Converts (Part 4 of 4)
• Episode 109 – Meta Ads 101 – The Hidden Power of Lookalike Audiences in Meta Ads (Part 3 of 4)
• Episode 108 – Meta Ads 101 – How to Use Exclusion Lists in Meta Ads to Boost ROI (Part 2 of 4)
• Episode 107 – Meta Ads 101 – Link Clicks vs. Landing Page Views (Part 1 of 4)
• Episode 21 – The 3 Audiences You Should Have In Your Meta Business Suite

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AI isn’t just about writing better emails anymore—it’s about creating visuals that sell. In this episode, Jeremy introduces Nano Banana, Google’s new AI image-generation tool, and breaks down exactly how sports teams can use it to move more merchandise, sell more tickets, and close bigger sponsorships. If you’ve ever wished you could create pro-level visuals in minutes instead of weeks, this episode shows you how.

See all of the mock-ups and designs Jeremy made here: Episode 130

Key Topics Covered

• What Nano Banana is and why it’s like “Canva on steroids”
• How to use AI visuals to test merchandise concepts and launch pre-order campaigns risk-free
• Quick-win strategies to boost ticket sales with AI-generated graphics and personalized fan content
• Bounce-back offers: using visuals to re-engage fans right after games
• Sponsorship mock-ups that turn “maybe” into “heck yes” during pitches
• Time-saving workflows for marketing teams without huge budgets or staff
• The three-step approach to testing Nano Banana in your operation (pick one bucket, run a 30-day test, track results)
• Why early adopters of AI visuals will outpace their competition

Timestamps

• (00:00) Intro: The revenue power of AI visuals
• (01:06) What is Nano Banana?
• (03:26) Three big reasons it matters: time, money, and new possibilities
• (03:54) Revenue bucket #1: Merchandise mockups & pre-order testing
• (05:39) Revenue bucket #2: Ticket sales promotions, bounce-back offers, and personalization
• (10:15) Revenue bucket #3: Sponsorship mockups, player content, and mascot marketing
• (12:37) Why better visuals sell better
• (14:59) Where to start: a simple 4-step process
• (17:21) Main takeaways

Main Takeaways

1. Nano Banana isn’t a gimmick—it’s a real revenue driver for sports teams.
2. Start small with merchandise mockups for quick wins.
3. Expand into ticket sales and sponsorships once you see results.
4. Early adopters who build repeatable AI workflows will win big.

Call to Action
Share this episode with a colleague stuck in Photoshop or Canva who needs faster, smarter ways to create visuals.
Want help mapping AI into your team’s revenue strategy? DM Jeremy or schedule a call at SportsMarketingMachine.com

Links mentioned:

Google Gemini

Episode: 122 - 9 ways to use ChatGPT to help you sell more tickets

Episode 117 - Good Deal or Bad Strategy? The Right Way to Use Loss Leaders

Episode 115 - “We Miss You”: The Email That Brings Fans Back

Episode 103 - Personalize It - Why it Works (Part 1)

Episode 101 - 6 Fan Experience Lessons Learned from Going to Disneyland

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How does a minor league hockey team add nearly 1,500 fans per game in just four seasons? In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Adam Winslow, Chief Marketing Officer for the Florida Everblades, to break down the strategies that fueled a 27% attendance jump.

From surviving COVID challenges to building a data-driven marketing machine, Adam shares how his team turned small experiments into major wins. If you’re looking for a roadmap to sustainable ticket growth, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for sports marketers at every level.

Key Topics Covered:

• Navigating the uncertainty of COVID as a newly hired marketing director
• How technology upgrades like Dash, Podium, and StellarAlgo changed their approach
• Turning email and text platforms into real revenue drivers
• The role of personalization in ticket marketing—“don’t sell fish to steak eaters”
• Why small, methodical tests (like $20 ad spends) can snowball into big wins
• Marketing’s evolution from a “support” function to a true revenue generator
• Continuous investment in the fan experience to keep things fresh and engaging
• Staying adaptable to tech changes, from social media shifts to AI integration

Timestamps:

• 00:57 – Starting in the middle of COVID – Adam’s move to Florida, uncertainty during shutdowns, and building from scratch.
• 02:24 – Growing attendance by 27% – From 5,327 to 6,758 fans per game and the factors that drove it.
• 04:39 – Leveraging technology – From digital jersey auctions with Dash to email, text, and Meta ads.
• 06:49 – Data-driven marketing – How StellarAlgo transformed personalization, targeting, and ROI tracking.
• 12:22 – Marketing as a revenue driver – Moving beyond “sales support” and proving measurable impact.
• 18:16 – Testing, ROI, and scaling – Small ad spends, benchmarks, and learning from what works.
• 23:43 – Fan experience and community connection – Theme nights, charity auctions, and reinvesting in the arena.
• 27:17 – Looking ahead – Investing in AI, TikTok/Reels, LinkedIn ads, and building team culture.

Quote Pulls / Social Teasers:

• “Marketing isn’t just sales support anymore—it’s a revenue generator.”
• “Don’t try to target steak eaters with fish. Know your audience and deliver exactly what they want.”
• “AI is not going away.”
• “Just take one step forward.”
• “You don’t need to fill the tank—start with $20 on an ad and see what happens.”

Call to Action:
If you’d like to connect with Adam, you can find him on LinkedIn or by email - adamw@floridaeverblades.com.

Links:

Episode 119: Fan Activation, Revenue Growth, and Digital Engagement with Dash’s Jonathan Hufnagel

Keywords / Tags:
COVID-19, sports marketing strategies, attendance growth, fan engagement, technology in sports, data-driven marketing, personalization, minor league sports, AI in marketing, sports management, ticket marketing, revenue generation, ticket sales

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Meta keeps moving the goalposts—and if you’re still running ads like it’s last season, you’re wasting money. In this episode of Sports Marketing Machine, Jeremy Neisser breaks down the three biggest changes Meta has rolled out—weaker targeting, new placements, and the launch of its AI engine Andromeda—and shows you how to stay ahead so your ads actually sell tickets instead of just burning budget.

Sports marketers who adapt will get cheaper ads and more conversions while their competitors are left scratching their heads.

Key Topics Covered

• Why Meta stripped out many interest categories (and how to replace them with custom audiences)
• The power of local radius targeting paired with AI expansion
• How to use new ad placements on Threads and WhatsApp to follow fans across platforms
• Why Meta’s endgame is no longer being the “biggest social network” but the world’s most powerful AI ad engine
• How creative—not targeting—is now the #1 driver of ad performance
• What the “fishbone effect” means for testing and scaling multiple ad formats
• Tactical tips for building the right funnel with top, middle, and bottom audiences
• Practical examples of creative that sells (e.g., reels of fireworks night vs. static graphics)

Timestamps

00:00 – Why Meta keeps changing the rules
01:30 – Change #1: Targeting got weaker (and what to do about it)
05:40 – Building custom audiences and giving AI guardrails
08:15 – Change #2: New ad placements on Threads & WhatsApp
10:30 – Meta’s real endgame: AI-first ad engine
15:20 – Change #3: Creative is king thanks to Andromeda
17:45 – How Advantage+ campaigns scale the right creative
20:00 – Main takeaways & what to adjust first

Relevant episodes:

• Episode 111 - Building Your Marketing Budget Like A Funnel
• Episode 80 - First Party Data vs Third Party Data
• Episode 37 - Cold Audiences & Warm Audience - The Differences for Your Marketing
• Episode 21 - 3 Audiences You Should Have in Your Meta Business Suite

Call to Action

If your ads feel more expensive or less effective than last year, it’s not you—it’s Meta. Adjust your funnel, upload fresh creative, and let AI work for you.

Share this episode with a teammate running ads, and leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts if you found it helpful.

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