CRO.ticker - 2x/week email newsletter designed for CROs, CMOs & External leaders

Edition #34

January 27, 2026

Playfly Sports, the sports industry’s leading revenue maximization company, drives growth for its partners across the sports ecosystem – including 2,000+ brands, 100+ professional teams and 65+ college athletic departments. Playfly operates an expansive portfolio of services with a data-driven and fan-focused approach to maximize revenue yield in key growth areas, such as media, sponsorship, ticketing, premium experiences and fan engagement offerings. Learn more.

Good morning. It's Tuesday, January 27, and here are three ideas to consider as you read today's CRO.ticker:

➤ Lessons from the C-Suite: With the average corporate CRO tenure now under two years, the mandate has shifted from managing sales to architecting innovation. A "permission to fail" culture highlights that long-term survival for revenue leaders depends on their ability to pilot new ideas and pivot quickly.

➤ Partnerships & Brand Deals: Revenue growth in 2026 is increasingly found in the "gaps" between traditional game days. Tottenham’s strategy of carving out inventory from non-football dates and WWE’s massive growth in collegiate-branded merchandise suggest that the most valuable assets are no longer scoreboard logos, but the ability to embed partners into the year-round, cultural lifestyle of the brand.

➤ Pricing & Segmentation Strategy: The "premium carry" continues to drive the bottom line, but the emerging "middle market" for modular experiences still presents long-term upside. As entertainment giants pivot to smaller-scale, "faster-build" projects to counter flat attendance, these high-impact social moments serve as a critical engine to build brand affinity with younger or casual fans who are increasingly opting out of traditional, high-cost habits.

➤ Lots more!

One question: How valuable are you finding CRO.ticker on a scale of 1-5? We’d love your feedback as we strive to make this an essential read. Share your opinion HERE!

- Matt

LESSONS FROM THE C-SUITE

Revenue Brew’s Layla Ilchi examines the intense pressure facing the modern CRO, a role with an average tenure of just 1.8 years and in which executives must deliver rapid results amid internal and external volatility. A survey of readers identified the top priority for CROs as ensuring every department feels ownership of revenue (58%), followed by future-proofing the tech stack (25%) and aligning executives around a unified mission (16%). Seismic CRO Hayden Stafford emphasizes creating a "Rosetta Stone of metrics" to align teams around customer value, while Gong CRO Shane Evans argues successful CROs must be willing to pivot quickly or risk becoming obsolete: "It’s a really small window where you have to jump in and show impact." Meanwhile, Clari and Salesloft CRO Mark Niemiec comments on tech deployment, arguing that "we can’t just put more tools in front of [employees]. We’ve got to think about: What’s the workflow, what’s the context, and how do we drive consistency?" (link)

“From a leadership point of view, I tell the team to come and ask for forgiveness, not permission. The approach is: Just go for it. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, we’ll just make some adjustments and give it a go again." That’s Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley on his mandate to "reinvent 50%" of the Australian Open annually. Fast Company’s Paul Mueller details how the strategy includes an in-house R&D lab, a startup accelerator (AO Startups) that has piloted 40 companies with a 70% conversion rate to official partners, and a $30M venture fund (AO Ventures) to capitalize them. Notable successes include Bolt6, a cloud-based line-calling system developed by former Hawk-Eye engineers that now powers all 17 tournament courts and drives the viral "AO Animated" broadcast, and Raven Controls, an incident management platform that secured a contract with Legends Global after its successful pilot. Tennis Australia Director of Innovation Machar Reid notes the “50% innovation challenge creates something most large organizations struggle to cultivate: permission to fail. ... Rather than trying to be really narrow with a problem statement, we stay purposefully broad. There are occasions where we don’t know what we don’t know." (link)

Genpact CTO Sanjeev Vohra notes that successful AI adopters typically have a dedicated C-suite executive focused on AI investment and stronger change management frameworks, warning that without these, companies risk getting "stuck between ambition and execution." Vohra adds that it won’t be long before more companies conquer the challenges standing in their way of becoming AI leaders: “It’s going to move fast in terms of speed, maybe double the speed that happened last year, I think that is for sure.” (link)

The W Profile
Dana Walden: Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment

Widely considered the most powerful woman in Hollywood. Dana Walden stands as a top contender to succeed Bob Iger as CEO of The Walt Disney Company, meaning Walden would not only lead the creative and theme park empire but would ultimately oversee ESPN during its most pivotal transition toward a direct-to-consumer future.

The W Profile is a new twice-weekly publication featuring the women leading at the intersection of sports, media, and global business. As our industry adopts professional structures and evolves into a mainstream corporate enterprise, the lines between the campus and the boardroom have blurred. To thrive in this new era, it is instructive to look to the visionaries who have already mastered the complexities of the corporate world. The W Profile exists to bridge that gap, bringing the lessons of global business to the athletics community and ensuring that as our industry expands, our leaders have the insights necessary to build a lasting legacy.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE W PROFILE: DANA WALDEN >>

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PUBLICATION >>

PARTNERSHIPS & BRAND DEALS

MLS has become the second major U.S. pro league to embrace prediction markets, signing an exclusive partnership with Polymarket which covers the All-Star Game, MLS Cup, and Leagues Cup. While the NFL, NBA, and MLB remain on the sidelines, MLS will leverage the deal to implement strict integrity oversight via IC360 and Sportradar, specifically vetting and removing markets prone to manipulation, such as yellow cards, missed penalty kicks, or under totals on shots. The agreement includes LED signage and digital content integration displaying real-time probabilities, though league policy strictly prohibits players and staff from trading on outcomes. MLS SVP of Emerging Ventures Chris Schlosser frames the partnership as a proactive defensive measure rather than just a commercial play: "Our desire really started from an integrity standpoint. ... It became clear that the best way to do that was to lean in and partner with these guys to create an integrity framework that we felt was really needed." Regarding the removal of specific micro-markets, Schlosser emphasized the league will eliminate "anything where you could see one player being able to control it on their own." (link)

SportsPro details Tottenham Hotspur's launch of "The Collective," a stadium-specific sponsorship program designed to monetize the venue's extensive non-football calendar (NFL, F1 karting, concerts) by embedding partners into individual stands with tailored activations. CRO Ryan Norys explains that unlike U.S. venues built with sponsorship integration in mind, Spurs had to "carve out new inventory" post-construction, leading to deals like Sports Illustrated Tickets sponsoring the East Stand and rebranding a premium bar. Despite this new tier, Norys insists a naming rights deal remains "very much on the table" and could be worth more now than five years ago, given the stadium's proven multi-use viability. So far, Tottenham's strategy is working, as commercial revenue hit £244.7M ($320.8M) in 2024, surpassing media rights income, with Norys claiming the club has achieved the highest commercial growth percentage in the Premier League over the last three years. Norys adds: “Three years ago, less than 10% of our partnerships had digital inventory or digital assets. We’re now over 20-25%, and we have carved out and brought back a lot more LED into the ecosystem, which is almost integral to any football club partnership. I don’t want to say we have it in abundance, but we’re very strategic in how many minutes we deliver for what value, and that’s allowed us the flexibility to grow. So there’s not anything that we need to do in the next two to three years except for just execute the strategy. We have the assets, we have the tools, and we have the resources.” (link)

SBJ's Na'Andre Emerson explores the explosive growth of custom WWE championship belts as a licensed merchandise staple. Leveraging its 2022 partnership with Fanatics, WWE now produces $599 custom belts for nearly every major licensed partner in the Fanatics ecosystem, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and 48 colleges – in fact, sales of collegiate belts have quadrupled since 2023. Emerson notes NFL-branded belts consistently rank first in sales—the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX version sold out instantly—while recent expansions include 11 European soccer clubs and potential IP tie-ins with Netflix and Marvel. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque noted the belts have become a "symbol that you’ve made it," and Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark explained that the partnership with WWE “highlights our alignment with key brands to ensure the Big 12 is the most culturally relevant conference in America. … We connect with fans and student athletes through innovative and forward-thinking ideas, and our work with WWE has increased our brand visibility and created value for our conference and its 16 members.” (link)

PRICING & SEGMENTATION STRATEGY

Premium continues to carry for airlines, as United Airlines is forecasting a robust 2026, projecting adjusted earnings of $12-14 per share (up from $10.62 in 2025) fueled by a 9% growth in premium seat revenue and a 10% jump in loyalty program income during Q4. Despite a $250M hit from the government shutdown, United posted a Q4 profit topping $1B ($3.19/share) and noted that the first full week of January set a record for weekly ticketing. The results underscore an industry-wide pivot toward high-margin premium offerings, with even budget carriers like Southwest and bankrupt Spirit Airlines now introducing extra-legroom and first-class options to chase wealthier travelers. (link)

Dave’s Hot Chicken CMO Brandon Rhoten sits down with Marketing Dive’s Chris Kelly and emphasizes a "bang for buck" strategy over discounts, rejecting the value menu playbook of competitors like Shake Shack or Chipotle to protect brand perception. “Having said that, we’re watching it very closely. We have a huge loyalty program, like a lot of folks do, with millions of members, so that gives us an opportunity to experiment with things that allow [consumers] to trial us, come more often and provide some incentives.” Rhoten, who previously led creative at Wendy’s, also explains: “Wendy’s was the first brand ever to go on television and call out other brands for the quality of their product. Fighting with other brands on Twitter and other social platforms was in the brand’s DNA. We saw growth, along with a lot of other work that was done. It wasn’t just the social stuff, but it was a lot of stuff that was done to make that brand grow. I’m a big believer that you start with what’s core to the brand.” Rhoten also comments on the role of marketing writ large: “Marketing is art in the service of commerce. That’s not my quote, I stole that from somebody, but that’s what it is. Our job is to get people to show up, so it’s essential to have attribution to your media. It’s essential to understand what each medium does. It gets complicated as the mix becomes bigger and as the spend becomes bigger, but there are great tools out there to do it now.” More. (link)

The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Fritz observes that entertainment giants like Netflix, Comcast, and Lionsgate are aggressively targeting the "underserved" middle market for immersive experiences, aiming to capture consumers willing to spend hundreds for an afternoon rather than thousands for a week-long Disney trip. This trend is exemplified by Area15 in Las Vegas—anchored by Meow Wolf and soon featuring Universal Horror Unleashed and the John Wick Experience—and the new Netflix House venues near Philadelphia and Dallas, which use modular designs to swap attractions as demand for shows like Squid Game or Wednesday wanes. With U.S. theme park attendance flat, companies view these lower-capital, faster-build projects as a critical growth engine to counter declining TV viewership, with Universal even launching a small-scale, child-focused park near Dallas to build early brand affinity. Gensler Global Immersive and Entertainment Leader Ann Morrow Johnson: “Movies and shopping malls are getting less popular, so there’s this opportunity for new things that aren’t a full-day destination at the same moment there’s a growing desire for experiences out in the world with other people.” Universal President of New Ventures Page Thompson adds: “We want younger children to build a love for our properties and then as they get older, go to our big resorts.” (link)

Interested in advertising a job opening in CRO.ticker on CollegeSports.jobs? Submit your position here.

(Posted from most recent over the last 15 days)

(NEW!) Senior Associate Athletic Director, Executive Director of Cougar Pride (University of Houston / Houston, TX): Leads all athletic fundraising efforts, overseeing major, annual, premium seating, and sport-specific giving while collaborating with senior leaders to maximize revenue and engagement. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director/Chief Branding Officer (University of Houston / Houston, TX): Reporting to the VP for Athletics, the Chief Brand Officer leads all brand, marketing, communications, and content for UH Athletics, driving fan engagement, partnerships, and revenue growth. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Senior Director of Digital Strategy (United States Air Force Academy / Colorado Springs, CO): Oversee and lead the department in the development, coordination and implementation of strategic social media campaigns to promote Air Force Athletics More details HERE.

(NEW!) Coordinator/Assistant/Associate Director of Donor Experiences (Virginia Athletics Foundation) (University of Virginia / Charlottesville, VA): An integral role for event planning and execution, stewardship initiatives, and premium services within the Virginia Athletics Foundation (VAF) to enrich the donor experience through events. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assistant Director of Development (United States Air Force Academy / Colorado Springs, CO): AFAAC seeks an Assistant Director of Development to further philanthropic support. Will assist with the strategic execution and management of a comprehensive annual giving program for AF Athletics. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Associate/Director - Events and Donor Relations (University of New Mexico / Albuquerque, NM): Supports the strategic fundraising efforts of the University of New Mexico Athletics department & the Lobo Club by assisting with the planning, development, and implementation of fundraising programs. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Manager/Football Content and Strategy (University of New Mexico / Albuquerque, NM): The candidate will primarily be video focused and execute creative ideating, project management and social media content calendar for the University of New Mexico Football program. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Account Executive, Ticket Sales (Texas Tech University / Lubbock, TX): Responsible for providing effective customer service for all internal and external customers by using excellent, in-depth knowledge of products and programs as well as communicating with team members More details HERE.

(NEW!) Director of Digital and Email Marketing, Department of Athletics (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, NC): The primary responsibilities include managing and supporting customer relationships through the creation, management and execution of strategic fan communications. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assistant / Associate AD for Business Operations (University of Northern Colorado / Greeley, CO): This position oversees financial structure and stability of the athletic department. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Associate Vice President of Ticketing Revenue (University of South Florida / Tampa, FL): Provide executive leadership for ticket operations, CRM, and business analytics at the University of South Florida. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assistant Director of Development, Annual Giving (Penn State / University Park, PA): Penn State is currently seeking an Assistant Director of Development, Annual Giving in assisting in the efforts to encourage and increase participation and annual support of funds for the University More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assistant Athletic Director, Season & Group Sales (Florida International University / Miami, FL): Manages & implements season & group ticket sales, mini plans, groups individual ticket sales. Develops, implements, and ensures compliance with FIU policies and procedures for intercollegiate athletics More details HERE.

Assistant Director, All for One Fund (Xavier University / Cincinnati, OH): Assistant Director, All for One will execute athletic development initiatives that support the goals and objectives for growth of the All for One Fund. More details HERE.

Advancement Coordinator, Athletics (Boise State University / Boise, ID): Join Boise State's team as the Athletics Advancement Coordinator. This is an exciting opportunity to help create the best culture of philanthropy & alumni engagement of any public university. More details HERE.

FellowVOL Postgraduate Fellowship (University of Tennessee / Knoxville, TN): 12-month rotational fellowship designed to provide recent graduates with experience across key areas of the athletic department, including fundraising, administration, marketing, and event management. More details HERE.

Assistant Director Of Video Content (Mississippi State University / Starkville, MS): The Asst. Dir. of Video Content supports the development, production, and execution of creative video content across assigned sports, with a primary creative focus on the women’s basketball program More details HERE.

Ticket Sales & Service Intern (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Interns in the Ticket Office will gain practical experience in ticketing operations, customer service, and sales under the guidance of experienced staff. More details HERE.

Marketing Intern (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Interns in Marketing and Fan Engagement will learn about sports marketing, promotions, and event operations. More details HERE.

Athletic Communications Intern (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Interns in Communications will gain experience in athletic communications, media relations, and statistical analysis under direct supervision. More details HERE.

(Creative Video Intern (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Interns in Creative Services will learn about video production, content creation, and media operations within a Division I athletic department. More details HERE.

Business Development Intern (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Interns in Business Development will gain exposure to research, planning, and operational aspects of a Division I athletics department while working closely with senior staff. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, Brand Management and Advertising (University of Texas – San Antonio / San Antonio, TX): The Assistant Athletic Director, Brand Management and Advertising is a strategic leader responsible for maintaining and elevating the visibility, reputation and brand identity of UTSA Athletics. More details HERE.

Account Executive (University of Notre Dame / Notre Dame, IN): Seeking a driven, results-oriented sales professional for a high-impact role driving ticket and hospitality revenue in collegiate athletics—football, basketball, and hockey. More details HERE.

Executive Assistant & Board Relations Liaison, Hokie Club (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): The Executive Assistant & Board Relations Liaison is responsible for providing comprehensive operational and administrative support to the Hokie Club. More details HERE.

Multimedia Assistant - Creative Content - Temporary (Princeton University / Princeton, NJ): Assist with creation of video content to promote Princeton's 38 varsity sports and the department's mission of Education through Athletics. Seeking creative storytellers with video editing experience. More details HERE.

Executive Assistant Athletic Director for Strategic Communications (Monmouth University / West Long Branch, NJ): Monmouth Univ. seeks an Executive Assistant Athletic Director to lead athletic communications, media relations, digital content, and branding while supporting 24 varsity programs and key stakeholders. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Director, Capital Campaign & Major Gifts (Razorback Foundation-University of Arkansas / Fayetteville, AR): The Senior Associate Director, Capital Campaign & Major Gifts is a key member of the Razorback Foundation and serves as the primary leader of the major gifts program. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director / Chief Financial Steward (Yale University / New Haven, CT): The Senior Associate Athletic Director/ Chief Financial Steward directs and oversees the finance unit of Yale’s Department of Athletics and is the financial spokesman for the department. More details HERE.

Director of Development, Athletics (University of Delaware / Newark, DE): Director, Dev, Athletics More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director, Sales & Fanbase Growth (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, NC): The Associate Athletic Director for Sales & Fanbase Growth drives ticket revenue for Wake Forest Athletics, for football and men's basketball, through strategic marketing and sales planning. More details HERE.

Director of Special Events (Razorback Foundation-University of Arkansas / Fayetteville, AR): This position will be responsible for planning, organizing, and executing all aspects of special events at a high level for The Razorback Foundation, Inc., and Razorback Athletics. More details HERE

Assistant Director of Marketing (University of Tennessee – Chattanooga / Chattanooga, TN): The Assistant Director of Marketing assists the Associate AD for Marketing and Promotions with the outreach, promotions, and branding efforts of the Chattanooga Mocs Athletics Department. More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Video Operations (Western Carolina University / Cullowhee, NC): Direct video content creation, live event streaming, and broadcast production of home athletic events and coaches’ shows during the year, and assisting in the supervision of a production staff. More details HERE.

Associate Director of Major Gifts, Hokie Club (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): Associate Athletics Director, Major Gifts will be involved with the planning and implementation of the fundraising efforts in support of priorities designated by the department of athletics. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director & Director of Stewardship, Signature Events and Engagement (University of Colorado – Boulder / Boulder, CO): CU Boulder is looking for a candidate who will play significant role in strategizing, leading and implementing programmatic donor relations and alumni engagement efforts for the Buff Club! More details HERE.

Assistant Director for Leadership Gifts, Hokie Club (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): Assistant Director for Leadership Gifts within Athletics builds constructive and effective relationships with alumni and friends that will translate to a long-term base of support for the University More details HERE.

Director, Graphic Design (University of Nevada – Reno / Reno, NV): The Director, Graphic Design, is responsible for the creation of unique and innovative visual content for the department, including individual sports programs. More details HERE.

Associate Director of Athletics, Commercial Revenue (University of Illinois / Champaign/Urbana, IL): Leading and overseeing revenue-generating initiatives, including the I FUND, club seating, and the outbound ticket sales and revenue generation. More details HERE.

Associate Director, I FUND (University of Illinois / Champaign/Urbana, IL): Focus on providing a first-class philanthropic experience to fans of Illinois Athletics by leveraging digital and in-person engagement to effectively build relationships. More details HERE.

Marketing & Communications Coordinator (CSA Search & Consulting / Raleigh, NC): Join an industry leader as a Marketing & Comms Coordinator—run our content calendar, craft social/website updates, promote podcasts, track engagement, and help grow a national brand. More details HERE.

Graphic Designer (Abilene Christian University / Abilene, TX): Create innovative, visually impactful designs for internally and externally facing digital and print applications which directly impact the business interests and brand development of the institution. More details HERE.

(Director of Ticketing (Abilene Christian University / Abilene, TX): The key principles of this job are to: Support ACU’s Mission: Educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. More details HERE.

Accounting Clerk (Army West Point / West Point, NY): Supports Army West Point Athletic Association by managing accounts payable, purchase orders, reimbursements, and transactions. Requires GAAP knowledge, attention to detail, and deadline focus. More details HERE.

Director, Football Creative Graphic Content (Army West Point / West Point, NY): The Director, Creative Graphic Content supports and advances the recruiting, retention and motivation efforts of the Army West Point Athletic Association Inc. More details HERE.

Director, Football Creative Video Content (Army West Point / West Point, NY): The Director, Creative Video Content assists in the recruiting, retention and motivation efforts of the Army West Point Athletic Association Inc. More details HERE.

Staff Accountant - Accounts Payable (Army West Point / West Point, NY): The Staff Accountant will be critical in recording accounting transactions for the Army West Point Athletic Association Inc. (“AWPAA”) Business Office. More details HERE.

Graduate Assistant - Ticket Operations & Sales (Auburn University / Auburn, AL): Auburn Athletics invites applications for a Ticket Operations & Sales Graduate Assistant position to begin Fall of 2026. This position supports Ticket Office operations and game-day execution. More details HERE.

Director of Athletics (Western Colorado University / Gunnison, CO): Western Colorado University invites energetic, collaborative, and visionary professionals to apply for the position of Director of Athletics at a nationally recognized NCAA DII athletics program. (DII) More details HERE.

Executive Director, Collegiate Women Sports Awards (Collegiate Women Sports Awards / Remote, US): Seeking a highly qualified leader to serve in the capacity as Executive Director. The CWSA is the most prestigious national award program for collegiate women’s athletics. More details HERE.

Senior Director of Creative Strategy (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): This position is responsible for developing and managing the strategy, vision, and direction of the Oklahoma Athletics brand, including all external print, communications, and digital campaigns. More details HERE.

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