We investigate the significance of those who fill the coveted front row seats and the impact this has on fan experience and broadening reach. 



In this episode, originally released in September 2022 as part of the Leaders Sport Business Podcast feed, we investigate where celebrity culture and sports events collide, with particular focus on the NBA and the fixation on who is sitting courtside. What kind of celebrity might you see at a game? Why do they attend them? How does this enhance (or take away) from the experience? And how effective a pull is celebrity attendance for bringing in new fans? 

Throughout the episode, we seek to answer these questions with the help of three experts: To help us understand what moments are deemed worthy of capturing, we spoke Michael Lawrie, Senior Manager of Sports Operations at Getty Images; to guide us through the VIP experience we have Michelle Kajiwara, Senior Vice President of Premium Business and Events at Crypto.com Arena at AEG, and to offer an academic perspective on why it is we are so fascinated by celebrities, we spoke to Dr. Donna Rockwell, clinical psychologist, celebrity expert and CEO of Already Famous, a program for women and girls to cultivate self-worth.

This podcast is brought to you by 4se (pronounced 'force'), a collaboration between Leaders in Sport and our sister companies SportTechie and Sports Business Journal, in association with our partners, Constellation Brands and GMR. 4se is a collection of social and content experiences for leaders seeking to explore the growing intersection between those four key pillars, and create opportunities to align and collaborate.  

Our pilot event experience took place with a select group of executives from sport and entertainment back in May 2022. It’s set to become an annual fixture every year, with our big launch to take place on the 23rd/24th May 2023 in New York City. For more information, please visit the official 4SE website – www.4-se.com