iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

The biggest sports investment opportunities often start with a mismatch. Fan demand moves faster than capital. Business models mature faster than financing. Tech grows live event economics without replacing what makes them valuable. Key rule: leverage cash flow, not growth.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Munich did not disappoint! Oktoberfest with colleagues from A&M Germany was a welcome reminder that time together outside the office strengthens collaboration inside it. Do what you love, love what you do, and appreciate the people you get to do it with. Prost!

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The most useful part of an unconventional career is carrying one discipline into the next. Counseling, technology, and consulting all taught me different lessons. The industries changed, but the challenge stayed remarkably consistent. Each pivot gave me another way to help people make change work.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Chelsea's reported £950M buyout offers simpler ownership. For sports investors, clear governance and decision rights are critical, impacting capital allocation and management accountability. How much is clearer control worth when ownership friction becomes an operating constraint? Source: Reuters

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

One part of the Arctos interview got me thinking about how sports ownership is changing. O’Connor talks about how owners once focused on the franchise and licensed out everything else: real estate, hospitality, and other surrounding assets.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The live game remains the scarce asset. AI expands its value by turning events into personalized highlights, analysis, commerce, and community. Teams and leagues that control first-party data and build these capabilities directly can deepen fan relationships and reduce distributor reliance.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Hyrox grew from roughly 700 participants in 2017 to 1.4M last season and is now valued at about €600M. Unlike a scarce sports franchise, its race format can be copied. Can its community, brand, and operating infrastructure become proprietary enough to support that valuation?

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

After nearly 15 years at Alvarez & Marsal, I’m proud to see A&M named among Forbes’ World’s Best Management Consulting Firms for 2026. The recognition reflects a 40-year culture of independence, hands-on execution, and, above all, exceptional people. Well deserved.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

The US Open raised player compensation by 20% to $108M. Champions receive 10% more, while first-round payouts rise 27%. The allocation recognizes that a Grand Slam’s value begins with the full field. Should player compensation become a defined share of tournament revenue? Source: US Open

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Sports franchises are becoming increasingly financeable assets. Rising media-rights revenue and valuations give owners more ways to access capital while retaining control. The real test is how intelligently they use that flexibility without putting the underlying asset at unnecessary risk.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

The growth of women’s sports will create opportunities far beyond the field. The next generation of coaches, analysts, engineers, media leaders, and executives is being shaped now. Investing in those pathways could be one of the most important parts of sustaining the momentum.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

The Caitlin Clark conversation keeps coming up for a reason. Every once in a while, an athlete comes along who doesn’t just elevate a team — they change how people see an entire sport. The next challenge is turning that attention into sustainable growth for the WNBA.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Strategy matters. So do relationships. Some of the most meaningful value we create comes from connecting clients with the right people at the right time. That's something I never take for granted.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

There's a guy covering this World Cup by visiting every nation in the tournament and livestreaming it on Twitch. His audience tells him where to go in real time. No authorization, no corporate process. He just shows up. Traditional broadcasters still own the rights and the live match.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Sports betting will keep growing, but trust is what will determine its future. Innovation drives adoption. Strong governance protects integrity. Without both, the industry has a much harder path forward.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Telemundo's World Cup opening game drew 13.4 million viewers, a 229% jump over 2022. Streaming and linear didn't split the audience. They stacked. That's the part worth paying attention to. Gregory Jensen and I spend a lot of time on exactly this.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

A professional winning sports team might be the scarcest asset in the world. Supply isn't growing, and whatever AI does to entertainment, it can't replicate what happens live in that stadium.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

This year’s NBA Finals show a clear shift in demand: from sub-15M post-2020 averages to late-90s-level audiences. When games are competitive and the storylines are strong, live sports still reliably concentrate attention at scale.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

We’re starting to see early signals of private capital entering college athletics. More liquidity and flexibility are a clear upside, but it also raises important questions around governance and long-term model design.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

FIFA's hydration breaks may be a small change, but they highlight how player welfare decisions can ripple through fan experience, media rights, and the broader sports ecosystem. www.reuters.com/business/media-tele…

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Transformation fails when recommendations look good on paper but don’t work operationally. Identifying opportunities is only part of the job; the harder part — and the part that matters most — is building execution realities alongside the client so the change actually sticks.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

From youth sports apps to creator-led highlights, the sports ecosystem has become far more connected and digital than it was 5–10 years ago. Fan expectations have changed quickly, and brands need to evolve alongside them if they want to stay relevant.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Our report highlights that consumers are following media that feel faster and more relevant, not necessarily the platforms they used to default to. Read more: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thought-le…

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Consulting is often seen as a series of projects with clear deliverables, but what shapes the experience more is the team you’re working with—the shared context, how people show up, and whether there’s alignment on why the work matters. When that’s there, the work changes.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Disagreement is part of the job. Two teams can look at the same situation and land in very different places. That’s not the problem. Avoiding the conversation is. The real work happens when you’re willing to be direct and work through the gap.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

The strongest client partnerships I’ve seen come from teams that think a bit more entrepreneurially. Not just following a playbook, but adjusting to what the situation actually needs. It sounds simple, but it’s harder to do consistently. Sharing more in the video. #Entrepreneurship

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Mastering client relationships starts with how you show up. Meet people where they are—listen, adapt, and focus on what matters to them. Execution is the baseline, and the true differentiator is the experience you create. Without that, you’re just another service provider.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

At the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference, John Wroblewski showed how data validates intuition under pressure. In M&A, the lesson is the same: analytics + experience = smarter, defensible decisions, even when you still need to trust your gut.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

At MIT Sports Analytics, Megan Rapinoe shared a simple reminder: protect kids and don’t lose the joy. As youth sports become more intense, the challenge is balancing development with experience because when the joy goes, so does the impact.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

The hardest leadership decisions often revolve around values. For example, when a project doesn’t align with our ethos, we say no. It preserves integrity, builds stronger client trust, and reinforces a culture where doing the right thing comes first—all foundations for long-term growth.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

When people hear “private equity in sports,” they think player contracts. The value, though, is in operations such as vendor deals, services, and stadium costs, like food & beverage. Strengthening the business behind the game improves profitability and funds a better fan experience.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

The Super Bowl, one of the most complex live productions in the world, proves that success comes from clear ownership, rehearsed contingencies, and teams empowered to act fast. Visibility is the ultimate stress test — systems and clarity, not talent alone, drive repeatable high-stakes success.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Dr. King’s words feel practical, not poetic. Holding onto anger only weighs you down and clouds judgment. Choosing love is about how you show up when things are hard. It’s not soft. It’s what actually moves things forward.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Grateful for the amazing team at A&M! Your dedication and collaboration turn challenges into wins. Wishing everyone a restful, joyful holiday season. Proud to work alongside such talented colleagues. Here’s to an even bigger 2026!

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

On #GivingTuesday, I’m grateful for A&M’s commitment to our communities. Our teams volunteer, lend expertise, and support causes from youth and education to veterans and crisis relief—showing up and making an impact every day.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Today, sports is a $2.3T+ ecosystem. Smart investors align capital with rights cycles, monetize adjacencies, integrate tech, take a long view, and manage reputational risk: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thought-le…

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Change is constant, but transformation is a choice. At A&M, we help leaders turn disruption into momentum, aligning execution with ambition and turning potential into performance through clarity, conviction, and collaboration.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

A hidden block for leaders: assuming “If I can do it, so can you.” Meeting people where they are—not expecting them to mirror your path—is what drives real growth and engagement. hbr.org/2025/10/when-setting-the-st…

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Happy National Mentoring Day. I’ve had great mentors who made space for me to step up. My approach now: facts first, zero ego, and give people real reps when it counts. That’s how teams grow—by trusting capable people to rise when the pressure’s on.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

Technological change in media is relentless. Rising costs, complex operations, and evolving audience expectations challenge creators and distributors alike. At A&M, we help turn disruption into opportunity—optimizing tech, streamlining operations, and enhancing fan engagement.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

The Media & Entertainment industry is booming—projected to reach $5.28T by 2032—but growth brings pressure. At A&M, we help PE-backed M&E companies optimize operations, deliver high-quality experiences, and unlock value for sustainable, long-term growth.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Spinning off a company can be costly if you duplicate services the parent handled. An SMO ensures Day 1 runs smoothly, finding efficiencies without disrupting content, talent, or audience experience. At A&M, we help M&E companies unlock value while preserving what makes them special.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

The Media & Entertainment sector is booming, but cost control without hurting quality is key. Optimizing tech—streamlining CRMs, ERPs, tools, and licenses—cuts costs, boosts productivity, and accelerates innovation. In M&E, smart tech is the real differentiating advantage.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Optimizing real estate in M&E is about strategy. Consolidate facilities, centralize services, and leverage nearshoring to cut costs, boost efficiency, and scale effectively: www.alvarezandmarsal.com/thought-le…

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Leadership is as much about connection as it is execution. Empathy helps us meet people where they are, but teams also need clear guidance and speed. The challenge (and reward) is balancing that human connection with operational excellence. How do you strike that balance?

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Three weeks off-grid with Liz in Botswana, Zambia, Sabi Sands & Madagascar brought lessons home: clarity needs space, craft takes patience, and resetting isn’t indulgence—it’s how leaders return sharper for their teams. Grateful for the time and perspective.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

The rapid growth within the Media & Entertainment means big opportunities for PE/VC firms, but to take advantage, they must focus on cost optimization. Optimizing operations can unlock substantial value while positioning companies for long-term growth.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

The Media & Entertainment sector is booming, but PE/VC firms face a key challenge: cutting costs without hurting content or engagement. But by streamlining operations, leaders can capture efficiencies while respecting creative teams and preserving content quality.

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

The M&E industry is being reinvented. That's why I’m launching a 6-part series on how PE investors can unlock value—from operations to tech—to navigate disruption and seize new opportunities. Stay tuned!

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Jeff Shaffer @jeff-shaffer.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

What makes #consulting impactful isn’t just IQ—it’s thoughtfulness and empathy. Great consultants see patterns, turn them into action, and walk alongside clients and teammates through change. Diversity of thought makes that possible. ‪@bantbreen.bsky.social‬

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