Create value people can belong to.
Josh builds partnerships around audience truth, shared objectives and community relevance — then connects the relationship to programming, participation, content and measurable business value.
The Brickyard Battalion proved that belief can precede inventory.
The supporters group was organized before Indy Eleven played a match. Identity, rituals, advocacy, local partnerships and shared experiences created a community the future club could enter.
Shared value, translated into participation.
Beer partnerships with an economic and cultural role
Negotiated collaborations with Flat12, People’s Brewing Company and later Black Acre that connected local products to tailgates, social content, supporter identity and nonprofit fundraising.
Full 90 · Battalion Ale · Hinchada
Make the club useful between match days
Youth programming, community relationships and supporter participation were treated as growth infrastructure — building repeated contact, local relevance and future fan pathways.
A deeper local footprint supporting long-term attendance and loyalty
Build sponsorship from audience intelligence, not inventory alone
A strong proposition begins with what the audience values, how it behaves and where a partner can create utility, access, memory or status. The asset list comes after the business case.
More defensible partner stories and more measurable activation plans
Show up before the outcome is guaranteed
Supporter advocacy included public testimony at the Indiana Statehouse, event fundraising and sustained engagement around the future of professional soccer in Indianapolis.
Visible community support and a durable network of stakeholders
Five questions before the asset list.
Whose problem?
Define the property, partner and audience problem the relationship must solve.
Which audience?
Use behavior, identity and need states to identify the people who make the partnership valuable.
What utility?
Create access, service, recognition, education, convenience or a better experience.
What participation?
Design a clear action for fans, customers, employees, members or the community.
What proof?
Agree on exposure, engagement, conversion, perception, retention or revenue measures before launch.
What can compound?
Capture data, content, relationships and learnings that increase the value of the next cycle.
Build a partnership people would notice if it disappeared.
The goal is not more logos. It is a relationship that creates specific value for the property, partner and audience.