Fandom Unpacked
Come inside the minds of the world's greatest leaders of live experience brands with the Fandom Unpacked podcast series. Featuring conversations with the leaders on the front lines of brands who shape our culture, join us as we dive into the powers and forces that drive audience connection, loyalty, and lasting fandom.
Hosted by Damian Bazadona (Situation), Peter Yagecic (A Mind at Work Consulting), and Maureen Andersen (INTIX).
Fandom Unpacked is powered by Situation – the world’s leading marketing agency for live experience brands.
Episodes
31 episodes
Speaking My Language: A Conversation with Gordon Cox
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...
ICYMI: Drive To Survive Turned Drivers Into Stars And Changed Fandom
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 peo...
Merch That Sells The Memory Long After Curtain Call
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 Reg...
ICYMI: What March Madness Carries Into the Pros
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 t...
How New York City Tourism + Conventions Sells The Iconic And The Unexpected
New York City is one of the most famous “brands” on earth, yet selling a trip to NYC still comes down to the same hard question every marketer faces: how do you keep something iconic feeling personal, current, and worth the effort? We sit down ...
Escaping Into Audacious New Worlds with Spiegelworld
A circus company that builds entire worlds does not stop at the stage. We're joined by Spiegelworld CMO Lindsay Sanna to unpack how immersive live entertainment becomes real fandom when every detail is intentional, from the moment you walk in t...
How Carnegie Hall Balances Legacy, Innovation, and Fans
Ever wondered how a legendary stage keeps pace with a hundred different audiences at once? We sit down with Carnegie Hall’s Chief Marketing Officer, Sara Villagio, to explore how a 135-year-old institution stays agile, relevant, and deeply huma...
From Vegas Stages To VIP Magic: How Caesars Builds Unforgettable Nights
Step onto the INTIX show floor with us in Las Vegas as we sit down with Amy Graca, Senior Vice President of Entertainment at Caesars Entertainment, to unpack how an ordinary ticket becomes an extraordinary night. Amy takes us inside a 50-venue ...
The Results Are In: Recapping the 2026 Live Entertainment Leadership Survey
What makes a show truly “worth it” when wallets feel tight and the pace of change won’t slow down? We sat down on the floor at INTIX to unpack new survey data from leaders across live entertainment and paired it with insights from 100,000+ patr...
The Year in Fandom: How Sports, Culture & Entertainment Leaders Build Fans
If you care about how fandom really grows, this year-end review is your field guide. We pulled threads from dozens of candid conversations across sports, Broadway, music, family entertainment, and venue operations to reveal seven clear themes t...
Fans First, Entertain Always: How The Savannah Bananas Turn Baseball Into Joy
What if a sports team stopped selling your attention and started earning your trust? We sit down with Emily Cole, whose company, Fans First Entertainment, owns the Savannah Bananas, to unpack how putting fans first can flip an entire industry. ...
You Had To Be There: Randy Weiner on Making Immersive Experiences Fans Can’t Quit
What happens when a show stops asking you to watch and starts inviting you to be seen? We sit down with impresario Randy Weiner, the creative force behind Sleep No More, Queen of the Night, The Box, and the new Phantom Masquerade, to explore ho...
Making the Point: How Loyalty Programs Strengthen Live Entertainment
Want to see how a loyalty program actually moves behavior without feeling transactional? We sit down with Katie Dalton, president of Audience Rewards, to unpack the mechanics that turn a thrilling night out into a habit fans can’t wait to repea...
Fandom on the Field: How Sports Move the Masses
What makes someone stick with a team through losing seasons, changing conferences, and shifting media deals? We dig into the core of modern fandom with Clinical Assistant Professor of Sport Management at the University of Michigan and co-owner ...
From the NBA and Cirque to Iconic Venues: Fandom from Every Angle
How can physical spaces enhance rather than simply contain fan experiences? Kristina Heney, EVP of Marketing at Oak View Group, takes us on a fascinating journey through the evolution of fan-venue relationships, drawing from her remarkable care...
How Feld Entertainment Keeps Audiences Coming Back, Generation After Generation
What does it take to create extraordinary family entertainment that spans generations? Jim Moseley, VP of Event Marketing and Sales, Northeast, for Feld Entertainment, pulls back the curtain on how iconic brands like Disney on Ice, Monster Jam,...
Rewriting the Playbook: What the Rise of The Gist Says About the Future of Fandom
Ever felt like sports media wasn't speaking your language? Jacie deHoop, co-founder of The Gist, is changing that conversation by creating content for "GISTers" – predominantly female, millennial and Gen Z sports fans who love the game but have...
Serving the Future: How the US Open Became a Culture-First Sports Brand
The electric energy of the US Open Tennis Championships goes far beyond the baseline. In this illuminating conversation, Nicole Kankam, Managing Director of Pro Tennis Marketing & Entertainment at the USTA, reveals how America's premier ten...
Broadway’s Press Corps on the Fans Who Keep It Going
What does it mean to be a Broadway fan in today's digital world? In this illuminating conversation with top industry leaders from Playbill, Broadway News, and BroadwayWorld, we dive deep into the evolving landscape of theater fandom and how Bro...
From Club to Kingdom: The Power of the Disney Fanbase with D23
What happens when you gather Disney's most passionate fans in one community? Michael Vargo, Senior Vice President of D23, Corporate Events & Walt Disney Archives, reveals the magic behind Disney's official fan club in this captivating conve...
Fueling Resilience: As Arts Funding Tightens, Building Connection & Community with Tessitura
Arts and Culture organizations are navigating unprecedented challenges with remarkable resilience. This powerful conversation with Andrew Recinos, President and CEO of Tessitura, reveals how arts leaders are responding to uncertainty with both ...
The Heart of Travel Fandom: A Digital Journey with Southwest Airlines
What makes an airline inspire true fandom in an industry often reduced to price comparisons and schedule convenience? In this fascinating conversation with Andrew Harvell, Manager of Digital Strategy and Optimization at Southwest Airlines, we u...
AI’s Impact on Live Entertainment: Unpacking the Business Effects on Sports, Arts, and Ticketed Events
The intersection of artificial intelligence and modern fandom is transforming how we discover, experience, and connect with live events. In this enlightening conversation, Janette Roush, Chief AI Officer and SVP of Innovation at Brand USA, shar...
Fandom at Sea: Building Passionate Communities with Sixthman
What happens when you give passionate fans five uninterrupted days with their favorite artists, chefs, comedians, or creators in the middle of the ocean? Pure magic, according to Jeff Cuellar, CEO of Sixthman.For nearly 25 years, Sixthm...
Turning Audiences into a Multigenerational Fanbase at PBS
Ever wonder why people proudly wear PBS merchandise as a badge of identity when nobody's sporting ABC t-shirts? Amy Wigler, Vice President of Multiplatform Marketing and Content for PBS, reveals the secret sauce behind one of America's most bel...