Sep 24, 2026 · 9 min
Sports ticketing and ownership take center stage in Indianapolis
SBJ Morning Buzzcast: September 24, 2026
The episode connects changes in ticket distribution, long-term franchise ownership, AI infrastructure, and the live sports experience.
- 1Open distribution is gaining momentum as sports rights holders seek broader ticket inventory reach.
- 2Herb Simon’s Pacers ownership story spans an unexpected acquisition, years of losses, and eventual franchise success.
- 3MLS’s agentic AI strategy and smart venue technology point toward data-driven changes in live sports.
Don't miss
Herb Simon describes how he and his brother unexpectedly acquired the Pacers and endured years of financial losses before the franchise became successful.
The brief
Joe Lemire, Ethan Joyce, and Bret McCormick recap the first full day of Axis Drive in Indianapolis, pairing conference takeaways with a preview of the final day’s sessions.
The hosts examine open distribution in sports ticketing, where expanding inventory reach could improve how rights holders connect tickets with buyers.
Herb Simon’s account of unexpectedly acquiring the Pacers with his brother, then enduring years of financial losses, supplies the episode’s clearest ownership lesson.
The preview turns to ownership succession, including a conversation with Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon and the broader transition underway among sports ownership groups.
The final agenda also includes MLS’s agentic AI data strategy and a discussion of how smart technology can improve the live sports experience.