HEAVY HITTER SPORTS

HEAVY HITTER SPORTS

Heavy Hitter Sports entertains, educates & inspires by spotlighting sports game-changers. Athletes & sports business leaders share their stories of resilience & provide valuable advice on how to tackle challenges on & off the field of play. Host Mark Hochgesang's commentary is shaped by his deep love & knowledge of sports & 30 years of management experience at Nike, adidas & Easton.

Recent Episodes

Arthur Ashe: Champion of Change

Arthur Ashe: Champion of Change

May 30, 2023

Host Mark Hochgesang heralds Arthur Ashe, tennis great & social justice warrior, with the able assistance of ChatGPT. Enjoy sports and tech fans alike.

Tim Clark: Athlete-Driven Product Design

Tim Clark: Athlete-Driven Product Design

May 3, 2023

Host Mark Hochgesang and Tim Clark talk about the world of product design at Nike and beyond. Tim reveals how the Nike design process operates. He reinforces the importance of designing with athlete needs always in mind. Mar…

Air: Just See It

Air: Just See It

April 7, 2023

Host Mark Hochgesang reviews the film Air: Courting a Legend. The movie chronicles Nike's signing of Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract, thus birthing the game-changing Air Jordan line. As a 20 year Nike vet, Mark her…

Matt Powell: Sporting Goods Sage Wizard

Matt Powell: Sporting Goods Sage Wizard

April 5, 2023

Sporting goods guru Matt Powell shares his insights on today's market. We trade thoughts on the industry's biggest brands and the emergence of notable upstarts. Enjoy sports fans! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpo…

Mike Hass: From Walk-On to Hall of Famer

Mike Hass: From Walk-On to Hall of Famer

March 22, 2023

Mike Hass shares his incredible journey from walk-on to College Football Hall of Famer. Despite a successful high school career, Mike received no college scholarships. In turn, he walked on at Oregon State. Mike ultimately e…

JoAn Scott: March Madness Magic

JoAn Scott: March Madness Magic

Feb. 28, 2023

If you love basketball, this is your episode. Guest JoAn Scott, the NCAA Director of Mens Basketball Championships, conveys what it takes to make March Madness happen. She shares the inside scoop on Selection Sunday , reveal…

About the Host

Mark HochgesangProfile Photo

Mark Hochgesang

Host of Heavy Hitter Sports

Mark's goal is to educate, entertain and inspire by bringing compelling sports stories to life. He is a 30-year sporting goods industry veteran, having worked at Nike, adidas and Easton. Mark is now transferring his storytelling skills to the podcast airways. This venue and show focus is a great fit for Mark given his love of sports, industry experience and interest in psychology & personal growth.

Mark's love of sports is broad ranging...baseball, football, soccer, basketball, hockey, lacrosse and all things Olympics. Yes, you might detect a slight bias toward the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, the Portland Trailblazers and the Trojans since he was born in San Francisco, raised in Portland and educated at USC.

Mark also invests in sports related startups via Oregon Sports Angels. Mark, his wife Barbara and their son Chris have lived in Portland for the last 25 years.