Rookie & The Vet: The No Topic Episode on Sponsorships Artwork

The Inches: A Podcast About Sports Sponsorship

Welcome to The Inches, a podcast that looks at how digital is changing the sports sponsorship & marketing game. Each week we dive into the struggles and issues we face in the sports and event sponsorship space.Hosted by Nick Lawson & Rich Franklin.Nick is the co-founder of SQWAD, a digital sponsorship activation company that works with some of the biggest sports teams in the world to help them bring ROI & engagement to their in-stadium activations.Rich is the Sr. Director of corporate partnerships for the Oakview Group, Acrisure Arena, and AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds. He has over 30 years of sponsorship sales experience in the sports and radio broadcast industry.Jump in and take a listen as we navigate through some of the toughest and most challenging aspects of the sponsorship business!

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The Inches: A Podcast About Sports Sponsorship

Rookie & The Vet: The No Topic Episode on Sponsorships

May 04, 2025 • Nick Lawson & Rich Franklin

When Rich & Nick started the Inches, it came from chats on sponsorships in Rich's office below Memorial Coliseum in Portland, OR.

We would dive into all topics, sponsorships, and sports business with no agenda.

Well, this week on The Inches, we decided to take it back to where we started...with no topic.

We dive into topics ranging from youth sports investments, the growth of the women's leagues and what this means for sponsorships, and round it out with how the MLS will deal with going to a European schedule.

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The Inches Podcast is a podcast that looks at sports & event sponsorship and how digital is affecting the industry and landscape. Hosted by Rich Franklin, VP of Partnerships at the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Nick Lawson, Co-founder of SQWAD.