Jeff Shaffer

When people hear “private equity in sports,” they think player contracts. The value, though, is in operations such as vendor deals, services, and stadium costs, like food & beverage. Strengthening the business behind the game improves profitability and funds a better fan experience.

The Super Bowl, one of the most complex live productions in the world, proves that success comes from clear ownership, rehearsed contingencies, and teams empowered to act fast. Visibility is the ultimate stress test — systems and clarity, not talent alone, drive repeatable high-stakes success.

The Super Bowl, one of the most complex live productions in the world, proves that success comes from clear ownership, rehearsed contingencies, and teams empowered to act fast. Visibility is the ultimate stress test — systems and clarity, not talent alone, drive repeatable high-stakes success.

Organizations can design for it, but leadership capacity is often the constraint. When that capacity erodes, judgment and execution are the first to go.

Watching the conversations coming out of Davos this year, one thing stood out: operating under constant pressure is becoming the norm. That makes resilience a structural requirement.

Inside NBA House, the league's big bet on wooing European fans The NBA built a living lab in London to test how much Europeans love the sport.

As media shifts to streaming, the NBA is redesigning how fans engage: new media deals and NBA House experiences. As NBA Europe takes shape, the challenge is blending closed-league stability with Europe’s tradition-heavy model. Done right, it deepens reach. Done loosely, it creates friction.

Data alone can’t tell you what matters. The best decisions happen where insight meets instinct—testing gut feelings like hypotheses, pairing experience with evidence, and letting both guide action. It’s not logic or intuition; it’s logic AND intuition.

Dr. King’s words feel practical, not poetic. Holding onto anger only weighs you down and clouds judgment. Choosing love is about how you show up when things are hard. It’s not soft. It’s what actually moves things forward.

Dr. King’s words feel practical, not poetic. Holding onto anger only weighs you down and clouds judgment. Choosing love is about how you show up when things are hard. It’s not soft. It’s what actually moves things forward.

Creating a controlled, verified space for sports conversation could give fans a more engaged community while opening new revenue streams for leagues and media companies. The challenge will be keeping it authentic—too much control risks losing the energy that makes sports chatter so compelling.

Grateful for the amazing team at A&M! Your dedication and collaboration turn challenges into wins. Wishing everyone a restful, joyful holiday season. Proud to work alongside such talented colleagues. Here’s to an even bigger 2026!

Grateful for the amazing team at A&M! Your dedication and collaboration turn challenges into wins. Wishing everyone a restful, joyful holiday season. Proud to work alongside such talented colleagues. Here’s to an even bigger 2026!

Why Bid for Sports Media Rights When You Can Buy Them? If David Ellison's hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery is successful, he could combine TNT Sports and CBS Sports into a new powerhouse rivaling ESPN.  

David Ellison’s $108B WBD bid shows a new way to acquire sports rights: buy a competitor and inherit their portfolio. With CBS/TNT/Warner Bros. combined, most major leagues are covered. Will acquisitions become the new standard, or will bidding wars persist?

Absolutely—there’s something about scale, accountability, and editorial standards that’s hard to replicate. Influencers can bring reach and personality, but the structures that support verification, context, and fairness in established media are tough to replace.

This is always always when a media brand comes under new ownership. You want to make it your own, but you also don't want to alienate people by losing what made the brand unique.

WNBA reportedly seeks earlier season, conflicting with NCAA, "Project B" The WNBA is reportedly looking to move up the start of its season as part of its collective bargaining negotiations.

Women's basketball has seen a surge of growth in recent years, with the WNBA now seeing a great deal of interest from sports media. So it's no surprise that they might be seeking an earlier season to compete with the NCAA and the anticipated “Project B”.

CW calling out Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel rollout shows just how much metrics matter. If measurement isn’t transparent or reliable, it risks trust, strategy, and ad confidence, especially as streaming and hybrid viewing reshape how audiences are counted.

On #GivingTuesday, I’m grateful for A&M’s commitment to our communities. Our teams volunteer, lend expertise, and support causes from youth and education to veterans and crisis relief—showing up and making an impact every day.

On #GivingTuesday, I’m grateful for A&M’s commitment to our communities. Our teams volunteer, lend expertise, and support causes from youth and education to veterans and crisis relief—showing up and making an impact every day.

Heartbreaker at Kinnick. But watching the composure both on the field and in the locker room reminded me how much mental toughness matters in every high-pressure moment, not just in sports. Hats off to both teams for a gritty, hard-fought game! I am hardcore Iowa stayed until the bitter end!

Today, sports is a $2.3T+ ecosystem. Smart investors align capital with rights cycles, monetize adjacencies, integrate tech, take a long view, and manage reputational risk: https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thought-leadership/winning-strategies-5-moves-for-private-equity-to-unlock-value-in-sports

Today, sports is a $2.3T+ ecosystem. Smart investors align capital with rights cycles, monetize adjacencies, integrate tech, take a long view, and manage reputational risk: https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thought-leadership/winning-strategies-5-moves-for-private-equity-to-unlock-value-in-sports

Change is constant, but transformation is a choice. At A&M, we help leaders turn disruption into momentum, aligning execution with ambition and turning potential into performance through clarity, conviction, and collaboration.

Spot on, Adam. Feedback isn’t inherently useful; its value depends on context and application. I’ve found the most powerful growth comes when we separate the emotional reaction from the actionable insight, then deliberately experiment and iterate based on what actually helps us improve.

A hidden block for leaders: assuming “If I can do it, so can you.” Meeting people where they are—not expecting them to mirror your path—is what drives real growth and engagement. https://hbr.org/2025/10/when-setting-the-standard-for-your-team-avoid-this-common-mistake

A hidden block for leaders: assuming “If I can do it, so can you.” Meeting people where they are—not expecting them to mirror your path—is what drives real growth and engagement.

https://hbr.org/2025/10/when-setting-the-standard-for-your-team-avoid-this-common-mistake

The next sports media revolution won’t start at the top Emerging sports leagues are reinventing how fans watch, engage and pay for live games, creating new opportunities to boost media rights value Heading to Blockbuster and renting a film used to be the highlight of the

Innovation in sports isn’t just in the big leagues. Smaller leagues like PVF, MLV, and the Savannah Bananas are proving that flexible distribution, D2C apps, FAST channels, and fan-focused content can grow audiences and create long-term value without massive budgets.

Different year, same heart. Iowa always finds a way to grind it out when it counts. Proud to be a Hawkeye! #GoHawks. Time to bring home Floyd!!

Happy National Mentoring Day. I’ve had great mentors who made space for me to step up. My approach now: facts first, zero ego, and give people real reps when it counts. That’s how teams grow—by trusting capable people to rise when the pressure’s on.

Happy National Mentoring Day. I’ve had great mentors who made space for me to step up. My approach now: facts first, zero ego, and give people real reps when it counts. That’s how teams grow—by trusting capable people to rise when the pressure’s on.

Technological change in media is relentless. Rising costs, complex operations, and evolving audience expectations challenge creators and distributors alike. At A&M, we help turn disruption into opportunity—optimizing tech, streamlining operations, and enhancing fan engagement.

The Media & Entertainment industry is booming—projected to reach $5.28T by 2032—but growth brings pressure. At A&M, we help PE-backed M&E companies optimize operations, deliver high-quality experiences, and unlock value for sustainable, long-term growth.

NBCU is smartly positioning itself as a year-round sports home—NFL, NBA, and now MLB—anchored on Sunday nights. Securing “Sunday Night Baseball” and Wild Card games now sets them up as an incumbent for bigger MLB rights in 2028. Strategic patience could pay off big.

Spinning off a company can be costly if you duplicate services the parent handled. An SMO ensures Day 1 runs smoothly, finding efficiencies without disrupting content, talent, or audience experience. At A&M, we help M&E companies unlock value while preserving what makes them special.

Spinning off a company can be costly if you duplicate services the parent handled. An SMO ensures Day 1 runs smoothly, finding efficiencies without disrupting content, talent, or audience experience. At A&M, we help M&E companies unlock value while preserving what makes them special.

I’ve learned the best decisions come from facts, not ego. Asking tough questions, listening to diverse perspectives, and following the data leads to clarity, stronger teams, and outcomes everyone can rally behind.

The Media & Entertainment sector is booming, but cost control without hurting quality is key. Optimizing tech—streamlining CRMs, ERPs, tools, and licenses—cuts costs, boosts productivity, and accelerates innovation. In M&E, smart tech is the real differentiating advantage.

The Media & Entertainment sector is booming, but cost control without hurting quality is key. Optimizing tech—streamlining CRMs, ERPs, tools, and licenses—cuts costs, boosts productivity, and accelerates innovation. In M&E, smart tech is the real differentiating advantage.

Optimizing real estate in M&E is about strategy. Consolidate facilities, centralize services, and leverage nearshoring to cut costs, boost efficiency, and scale effectively: https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thought-leadership/media-buzz-6-moves-to-add-value-for-private-equity

Optimizing real estate in M&E is about strategy. Consolidate facilities, centralize services, and leverage nearshoring to cut costs, boost efficiency, and scale effectively: https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thought-leadership/media-buzz-6-moves-to-add-value-for-private-equity