The Experience Economy of Sports Marketing with Steve Koonin

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Rich Battista, Executive Chairman at ADWEEK, sits down with Steve Koonin, CEO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, to explore how marketing can transform a sports franchise into a cultural institution. Steve shares how the Hawks built one of the NBA’s most engaged fan bases by focusing on experience, community, and audience relevance rather than relying solely on wins and losses.

He explains why adding “game experience” as a third business pillar creates loyalty that survives performance fluctuations, how a single piece of content can be repurposed into hundreds of platform-native assets, and why empowering creative teams leads to breakthrough campaigns. The conversation also highlights the power of focus, community investment, and place-based marketing in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

What You'll Learn:

• How to position game experience as an advantage when on-court performance lags
• Why audience denial is a business killer
• The three-pillar blueprint for sports marketing
• How to activate younger audiences through platform-native creativity
• Why focus is the marketer's most feared word
• How to build long-term brand equity through controlled risk-taking
• The underrated opportunity in place-based marketing
• How to leverage community impact as a brand platform

About the Guest and Host:

Steve Koonin is the CEO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, where he oversees the organization's business, financial, and strategic operations. A lifelong Atlantan and accomplished marketing executive, he previously held leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company and Turner Broadcasting. Since joining the Hawks in 2014, Koonin has transformed the franchise into a leader in fan experience, community impact, and innovation. He is a recipient of the Atlanta Sports Council Lifetime Achievement Award and SportsBusiness Journal's Sports Executive of the Year.

Rich Battista is a veteran media, entertainment, and sports executive with a distinguished track record as a CEO, board chairman, and business builder. Over his career, he successfully transformed and led multi-billion-dollar public companies including Time Inc. and Gemstar-TV Guide. During an 18-year tenure at Fox, he helped create and grow several highly valuable cable network businesses across entertainment and sports. Today, Rich serves as a board member, advisor, investor, and consultant while also producing film and television projects.

Guest Resources:

• Steve Koonin on NBA
• Atlanta Hawks Website

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