On today’s episode of the Sports Pundit Podcast, host Vansa Chatikavanij is joined by Brett M. Johnson, Founder & CEO of Benevolent Capital, Chairman of Rhode Island FC and Centerville Bank Stadium, and a shareholder and director at Ipswich Town.
Brett reflects on the development of the $140M Centerville Bank Stadium project in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and explains how the wider Tidewater Landing vision combines sport, real estate, hospitality, and community infrastructure into a long-term economic engine.
The conversation explores partnership-driven leadership, the “Who Not How” mindset, and why Brett believes the sports industry is still in the early innings of value creation.
Finally, he also breaks down why aligned incentives between clubs and venue ownership matter, how sports assets can create commercial flywheels beyond matchday revenue, and the future of United Soccer League (USL).
Timestamps
- 05:00 - Building Benevolent Capital
- 12:00 - Leaning Into “Who Not How”
- 15:00 - The Rise & Rise of Ipswich Town
- 21:00 - Stadium Economics Explained
- 32:00 - Fans and Community Flywheel
- 36:00 - USL’s Role in the Multi-Club Ownership Future
About The Hosts
Vansa Chatikavanij is Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Present Ventures, an investment firm focused on emerging sports, media, and technology. She previously led strategy at Omise (“Stripe of Asia”) and co-founded OmiseGO Network, reaching a $1B+ market cap. Earlier in her career, she worked at the World Bank across 13 markets and has advised organisations including the World Economic Forum, GSIC powered by Microsoft, and Real Madrid NEXT Asia.
About Sports Pundit
Sports Pundit is a community-driven platform for executives working in sport, built around content, events, and conversation. Through its weekly newsletter, social channels, WhatsApp groups, and podcast network, it connects industry leaders across the globe.
At the heart of the platform is the Sports Pundit Podcast Network, a multi-show lineup created for sports executives, by sports executives. The network features six domain-specific podcasts spanning innovation, marketing, finance, performance, and media, alongside a conversational companion show, The Pitch. Together, they deliver insider perspectives that live up to Sports Pundit’s mission to be “The Voice of the Sports Industry.”
Produced by OH SIX
The Sports Pundit Podcast is proudly produced by OH SIX, a content marketing agency specialising in producing digital and social-first content that connects. Trusted by Premier League clubs, F1 teams, and top brands, OH SIX deliver premium content end-to-end, from ideation, working with talent during production and platform specific content to reach audiences on screen.
