Everybody recognizes the Harlem Globetrotters. The more interesting question is why people keep coming back, and why first-timers leave feeling like they just joined something. We talk with Bronwen O’Keefe, Head of Brand Marketing and Content, about the simplest strategy that is also the hardest to execute at scale: building fandom by making joy a two-way exchange between the team and the crowd.

Bronwen breaks down what “modern fandom” looks like for a 100-year brand, from the earliest barnstorming days to today’s packed arenas and always-on screens. We get into the Globetrotters’ hybrid identity as sports entertainment and live family entertainment, and why that mix creates a rare shared experience across generations. You will also hear how innovation is baked into the brand, not bolted on, and how signature moments evolved from necessity into an expectation fans now love.

Then we go practical: what content works on social and YouTube, why you have to “go where your fans are,” and how community programming and goodwill ambassador work strengthen the story behind the trick shots. Bronwen shares the thinking behind player nicknames, how recruiting looks beyond basketball skill to what is “in your heart,” and the fan-favorite “fifth quarter” that turns a great show into an unforgettable personal memory.

If you care about fan engagement, brand marketing, sports entertainment, or live event strategy, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show.

Recorded Monday, June 1st, 2026
Host: Damian Bazadona, CEO & Founder, Situation
Guest: Bronwen O'Keefe, Head of Brand Marketing and Content, The Harlem Globetrotters
Producer: Peter Yagecic, Founder, A Mind at Work Consulting

https://situationinteractive.com
https://amindatworkconsulting.com

We break down how the Savannah Bananas build a fan experience by doing the exact opposite of “normal” and keeping everything anchored to entertainment. We hear from co-owner Emily Cole on the behind-the-scenes planning that turns a baseball stop into a fan-first trip people schedule a year in advance.

• The Savannah Bananas’ philosophy of rejecting normal to create standout sports entertainment
• What “holistic fandom” looks like in real life through merch, lotteries, and travel planning
• Touring new communities weekly and learning fast through real operations constraints
• Why communication across security, food and bev, groundskeepers, and entertainment makes or breaks the show
• How site visits and years-ahead planning reduce friction and win trust in someone else’s venue

Listen to the full episode with Emily Cole: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449648/episodes/18327072

Staying home has never been easier, which makes the decision to go out more meaningful and more demanding. We sit down with Vincent Marini, President of Content and Production at Free Association Live and the executive producer behind Magic Mike Live, to unpack what it really takes to earn a live audience in 2026: not hype, not spectacle alone, but a designed emotional journey that makes people feel something and then tell their friends.

We talk about why live entertainment still does what film and streaming can’t, creating community through a shared room and shared reactions. Vincent breaks down how fandom changes when guests spend real time and money, why expectations skyrocket the moment someone buys a ticket, and what people most misunderstand about Magic Mike Live before they see it. We also get tactical on repeat visits: welcoming guests like they matter, building an authentic social media connection, and keeping the show fresh as pop culture evolves.

We also explore the upcoming Magic Mike Live New York City venue near Times Square and why the hardest work is often hospitality: ticketing, greetings, food and beverage, seating, and every touchpoint that turns a night out into a unified 360 experience. We close with a big question for the industry: can immersive experiences deliver Broadway and West End caliber storytelling and emotion, not just participation?

Subscribe, share with a friend who loves live shows, and leave us a rating and review. We'd love to hear about a live experience that made you say, “I want to spend more time in this world.”

Recorded Friday, May 8th, 2026
Host: Damian Bazadona, CEO & Founder, Situation
Guest: Vincent Marini, President of Content and Production, Free Association Live, and Executive Producer, Magic Mike Live
Producer: Peter Yagecic, Founder, A Mind at Work Consulting

https://situationinteractive.com
https://amindatworkconsulting.com

Tony nominations dropped last week, and if you work anywhere near Broadway, you felt it. But every year the same question comes up: how do you bring people who don't follow the industry closely into the moment?

That question sent us back to a conversation with Ruthie Fierberg from Broadway News, who made an argument we haven't stopped thinking about — that the Tonys are, functionally, Broadway's biggest concert, and that naming it that way could change who feels invited to watch.

• why the Tonys lose casual viewers who haven't seen the nominated shows
• what makes award show performance numbers uniquely accessible
• how framing shapes who feels like the audience is for them
• the question every fan-facing organization should be asking: who are you making it easy for, and who are you accidentally leaving at the door

Listen to the full conversation with Ruthie Fierberg here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449648/episodes/17392620-broadway-s-press-corps-on-the-fans-who-keep-it-going

You know that feeling when you’re watching a live show and realize you’re working harder to understand what's going on than actually enjoying it? That’s the reality for a lot of international audiences when the story is being told in a language they don’t speak, and the “solution” has often been to keep snapping your eyes away from the stage. We wanted to understand which technologies could help address this dilemma, what disrupts performance, and what theaters are really trying to solve when they invest in translation and accessibility.

We’re joined by Gordon Cox, longtime theater journalist and the author of Substack’s best-selling newsletter Jaques (pronounced “JAKE-wheeze”). Gordon has been reporting from theaters around the world, and he shares firsthand takes on supertitles, mobile captioning, subtitle glasses, and translated audio-descriptions. We get specific about what feels magical versus what feels like homework, why subtitle timing is so hard in live performance, and why the most “human” option can also be the most expensive.

Then we zoom out to the bigger theater industry questions: how venues weigh cost, staffing, infrastructure, and Wi-Fi limits; why demand is hard to measure when audiences don’t know these services exist; and what theater marketing and ticketing teams can learn from global markets. We also dig into exportable fandom, including Japan’s anime and manga-driven 2.5D musicals, and why simple moves like an English-language ticketing portal can unlock international tourism and new fans.

If you care about Broadway, global musical theater, accessibility, audience development, or the future of live experiences, this conversation will offer new perspectives and practical ideas. Subscribe to the show, share it with a friend in theater or live events, and leave a review so more curious listeners can find us.

Recorded Thursday, April 30th, 2026
Host: Damian Bazadona, CEO & Founder, Situation
Guest: Gordon Cox, Journalist & Founder, Jaques
Producer: Peter Yagecic, Founder, A Mind at Work Consulting

https://situationinteractive.com
https://amindatworkconsulting.com
https://gordoncox.substack.com

The New York Auto Show passing by our office triggers a sharp memory about how global fandom works when the main event is far away. We revisit Jonathan Linden’s thinking on the F1 Exhibition and how Drive to Survive helped turn drivers into people fans can truly follow.

• the challenge of accessing Grand Prix races as popularity rises and tickets cost more
• creating a live F1 Exhibition as a touring fan experience
• where the exhibition has traveled and how it scales globally
• what Drive to Survive unlocks by showing drivers off the track
• how modern fans attach to the sport, teams, and individual drivers
• the reminder that fans exist everywhere your event is not

Listen to the full conversation with Jonathan Linden: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449648/episodes/16825471-the-secret-to-building-and-engaging-a-global-fanbase-with-f1

Merchandise can feel like a simple souvenir until you realize it’s doing three jobs at once: capturing the emotional high of a live event, extending the brand into everyday life, and quietly selling the next ticket. We sit down with Michael Rego, CEO of The Araca Group and a longtime Broadway producer, to unpack what makes live event merchandising actually work, from the first creative conversation to the final moment at the merch stand. Along the way, we swap real examples from Wicked, The Outsiders, and immersive experiences where the “exit through the gift shop” moment is part of the design.

We get tactical about the merchandise development process: discovery calls that align producers, marketers, and IP holders, then wide brainstorming designed to keep products authentic rather than logo-first “promo merch.” Michael shares how different fan bases buy differently across Broadway, concerts, exhibitions, and family shows, why staples like magnets and mugs still matter, and how innovative formats like blind box collectibles can surprise even seasoned teams.

We also connect merchandising to ticketing, CRM, and the full customer journey. Pre-show offers, post-show follow-ups, and smart email or text reminders keep the conversation going for fans who don’t want to stand in line. And for long-running productions, we dig into the biggest refresh trap: making what you personally like instead of what your audience wants, plus simple ways to listen, test, and stay current as trends change faster than ever. We close by looking ahead at personalization, limited drops, and brand collaborations that help fans curate a more personal live experience.

If this helped you rethink fan engagement and live experience marketing, subscribe to Fandom Unpacked, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show.

Recorded Thursday, April 16th, 2026
Hosts: Damian Bazadona, CEO & Founder, Situation & Maureen Andersen, President & CEO, INTIX
Guest: Michael Rego, CEO, The Araca Group
Producer: Peter Yagecic, Founder, A Mind at Work Consulting

https://situationinteractive.com
https://intix.org
https://amindatworkconsulting.com

If you've ever wondered what peak fandom actually looks like, this one's your answer. March Madness just wrapped, and watching those final moments — the upsets, the eruptions, the arenas turned into something electric — it felt like the right time to revisit one of the most resonant clips we've put out. Because what happens in college basketball doesn't stay there. It carries into the pros, into arenas across every sport, into every brand marketer trying to build something that lasts.

So we went back to Mel Barry.

She leads brand marketing for the New Orleans Pelicans, and in our original conversation she described a playoff run that ended in elimination at home — and a standing ovation that no one had scripted. The team walked off the court having lost, and the crowd rose. Not out of politeness. Out of pride. Out of the feeling that this team had shown up in ways nobody expected, had fought past assumptions, and had earned something that a final score couldn't take back.

That moment — done, but at peak fandom — is the thing worth studying. It's what happens when you build genuine community instead of just chasing wins. It's what the best operators in live entertainment, sports, and fan-driven brands are reaching for every single day.

This is Fandom Unpacked: In Case You Missed It. Short, sharp, and worth your five minutes.

If this resonates, find the full conversation with Mel in the link below — and subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.

Full episode with Mel: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449648/episodes/16825422-converting-local-fans-into-lifelong-brand-advocates-with-the-new-orleans-pelicans