Cheeks in Seats, Heads in Beds: Building Travel Demand Through Sports with Travis Apple

What do Orlando Magic, concierge kickbacks, and the World Cup have in common? They all come up in this no-holds-barred conversation with Travis Apple—sports sales expert, author of “Hustle Your Way to Success in Sports Sales,” and host of the podcast 52 Weeks of Hustle.

In this episode, Travis and Mario dive into how travel and tourism professionals can better understand the inner workings of sports teams, and vice versa. From starting tourism departments for major franchises to why most teams miss out on millions in travel partnerships, Travis breaks down the real opportunities hiding in plain sight.

You’ll learn:

• Why the sports industry’s real competition isn’t another team—it’s the boat, the beach, or the dinner theater

• How hotels and tour operators can actually work with sports teams for group sales and cross-promotions

• What travel professionals get wrong when pitching teams—and how to fix it

• Fan behavior trends ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

• What sports and travel sales teams can learn from each other (hint: it's not about seats or suites—it’s about strategy)

Whether you’re in travel sales, destination marketing, live events, sponsorship, or ticketing tech—this episode is a front-row seat to how sports and travel can win together.

Follow Travis @52WeeksofHustle and grab his book anywhere hustle is sold. Follow us @Tix2TravelPod on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Book your next event experience at tickets.xpotravel.com