The Playeasy Warmup

Welcome to "The Playeasy Warmup," your go-to podcast for all things sports tourism! In each episode, we'll dive into how sports are shaping individuals, organizations, and communities while showcasing the cutting-edge ideas that are driving the future of this industry. Whether you’re a destination, event organizer, industry partner, or just a passionate sports fan, "The Playeasy Warmup" has the insights and news to keep you ahead of the game. Tune in and stay connected with the pulse of sports tourism.

The Playeasy Warmup is a sports podcast hosted by Playeasy, with 64 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Playeasy hosts The Playeasy Warmup, a sports show with 64 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #63

  Event Organizer Shark Tank | 2026 Playeasy Innovators Summit | Part 2

  Aug 17, 20261h 58m

  What are today's event organizers looking for - and where are they headed next? Part 2 of the Event Organizer Shark Tank opens with a conversation between Kerri Shields and The Playeasy Platform Company CEO Sean Flaherty, unpacking two new tools built directly from feedback at the 2026 Playeasy Innovators Summit: the Event Experience Network, which lets organizers activate visitor experiences everywhere they host, and an upgraded Economic Impact Calculator that turns real engagement data into a report destinations can act on. From there, Kerri sits down with leaders from the American Junior Golf Association, Ann's Angels Adaptive Waterski Foundation, the NCAA, Prep Network, MARS/Turf Wars, USA Table Tennis, Big Bear Tournaments, and the National Wheelchair Basketball Association for a series of conversations about their organizations, their growth, and what's next. From junior golf and adaptive water skiing to NCAA championships, multi-sport showcases, adult kickball, table tennis, youth hockey, and wheelchair basketball, each organization shares how their events are growing, what they need from future host destinations, and why partnership - not just facilities - decides who they come back to. Part 2 closes out the Shark Tank series with a direct look at what it takes to become a destination these organizations want to build with long-term.

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  Episode #62

  Inside Sports Salt Lake: Growth, Innovation & the Future of Sports Tourism

  Aug 13, 20261 hour

  What does it take to grow a sports tourism strategy from the ground up - and turn it into a major part of a destination’s identity? In this episode of The Playeasy Warmup , Kerri Shields sits down with Clay Partain, Chief Sports Officer at Visit Salt Lake and Board Chair of Sports ETA , to talk about his journey in sports tourism and the evolution of Sports Salt Lake. Clay shares how an unconventional path brought him to Salt Lake and eventually into the sports tourism industry, where he would help grow a small sports effort within Visit Salt Lake into the dedicated Sports Salt Lake division it is today. The conversation explores the relationships, community buy-in, athlete experience, and willingness to embrace innovation that have helped drive that growth. Clay also shares his perspective on the changing industry, the role of AI and technology, and why human connection will continue to be at the center of the work. From Sports Salt Lake’s growth to Clay’s new leadership role with Sports ETA and the destination’s continued transformation ahead of the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the conversation looks at how far Salt Lake has come - and what’s ahead.

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  Episode #61

  Event Organizer Shark Tank | 2026 Playeasy Innovators Summit | Part 1

  Aug 11, 20261h 44m

  What are today’s event organizers looking for - and where are they headed next? In Part 1 of the Event Organizer Shark Tank from the 2026 Playeasy Innovators Summit, Kerri Shields sits down with leaders from US Senior Pickleball, 3STEP Sports, XTERRA, H3 Athletics, the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC), TRIBU/Jackalope, and Weekend Hockey for a series of conversations about their organizations, their growth, and the future of their events. From senior pickleball and youth sports to trail racing, football, collegiate esports, action sports, and hockey tournaments, each organization shares how they’re expanding, the types of events they produce, and what they need from future host destinations. Along the way, one theme continues to emerge: successful events are built on more than great facilities. Communication, hospitality, community buy-in, shared goals, memorable participant experiences, and long-term partnerships all play a role in creating events that organizations and athletes want to return to. Whether you’re a destination organization, venue, or event organizer, this episode offers an inside look at the opportunities these organizations are creating - and what it takes to become a destination they want to partner with.

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  Episode #60

  H3 Athletix: Creating Opportunity Through Events and Media

  May 5, 202630 min

  Talent isn’t the issue; access is. In this episode of The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down with Harvey Scruggs, CEO & President of H3 Athletics, to break down how he’s building a platform designed to create real opportunity for athletes. What started as a gap in exposure has evolved into a multi-sport ecosystem – spanning tournaments, showcases, media, and new formats – all built around one idea: athletes deserve better platforms. They get into how youth sports is evolving, what separates a good event from a truly memorable one, and why content is now a core part of the athlete experience – not an afterthought. They also dive into how destinations can better support events, where growth is happening next, and why new formats like flag football are creating major opportunities across the industry. If you’re thinking about event strategy, athlete development, or how to scale sports experiences, this episode is worth your time.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #60

  H3 Athletix: Creating Opportunity Through Events and Media

  May 5, 202630 min

  Talent isn’t the issue; access is. In this episode of The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down with Harvey Scruggs, CEO & President of H3 Athletics, to break down how he’s building a platform designed to create real opportunity for athletes. What started as a gap in exposure has evolved into a multi-sport ecosystem – spanning tournaments, showcases, media, and new formats – all built around one idea: athletes deserve better platforms. They get into how youth sports is evolving, what separates a good event from a truly memorable one, and why content is now a core part of the athlete experience – not an afterthought. They also dive into how destinations can better support events, where growth is happening next, and why new formats like flag football are creating major opportunities across the industry. If you’re thinking about event strategy, athlete development, or how to scale sports experiences, this episode is worth your time.

  ListenShow Notes

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