Going Deep with Donnovan Bennett

After a trip to Vegas earlier this year, Donnovan takes a look at why Sin City has become one of the largest North American hubs for not only sports in general, but women's sports as well. He chats with Steve Hill (3:46) CEO and President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) on how sports in Vegas have evolved over the years, and the direction it took after the pandemic. Afterwards, Donnovan chats with Nikki Fargas (30:06), President of the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, as they discuss how the Aces have become one of the WNBA's crown jewels. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The 2024-25 NBA season is officially over, the 2025 NBA Draft is in the rear-view, and the biggest free agents of the offseason have all found new homes - what's next? Donnovan brings on theScore's Joseph Casciaro to discuss the Raptors' offseason, including re-signing Jakob Poeltl to a four-year deal worth $104 million, the Collin Murray-Boyles draft pick at no. 9 overall, and the departure of Masai Ujiri. Plus, they take a look around the NBA and discuss some of the biggest items, including new ownership of the Lakers, what's going on in Milwaukee, and debate whether or not the parity in having different champions is a good or bad thing. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Northern Super League is midway through its inaugural season, so Donnovan checks in across the country with a trio of NSL athletes: Toronto's Jade Kovacevic (2:42), Vancouver's Holly Ward (24:30), and Ottawa's Desiree Scott (44:42). Kovacevic discusses her return from injury as AFC Toronto prepares to go back to BMO Field for the opening of the annual Canadian National Exhibition, Ward chats potting her first goal for the women's senior national team in June, while three-time Olympic medalist Scott discusses retiring from international play as well as her partnership with Contigo. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

With Canada Day at the Rogers Centre right around the corner, Donnovan takes a trip down to the Dome, where he chats with George Springer (3:02) and Kevin Gausman (7:01) - the two Jays speak about what it means to play for a whole country, the passion of Canadian fans, and what the experience of playing in a Canada Day game is like. Afterwards, Donnovan chats with two members of the team staff responsible for the gigantic Canadian flag that gets unfurled every year on July 1; Michelle Kostuik (14:20), Director, Concerts & Events and Stefanie Wright (17:30), Director, Game Entertainment both discuss what goes into a massive undertaking such as Canada Day every year. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The Toronto Pride Hockey Tournament is an annual inclusive event for queer women and trans people, which brings together more than 200 players, volunteers and spectators - the tournament celebrates diversity and inclusion in hockey and promotes the love of the sport for all. With this year's tournament in the books, Donnovan speaks to the two co-founders, Liz Dewdney and Sheri Krell, on how TPHT came to be, how it continues to grow, and why events such as this are important for both the game of hockey and the 2SLGBTQ+ community. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

In the wake of a tough Achilles injury to Tyrese Haliburton in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Donnovan poses the question: are these types of injuries becoming more common, especially star players? Jeff Stotts (4:33), owner of In Street Clothes and Injury Analyst for Rotowire, stops by to discuss why this is happening and whether or not star players are being disproportionally affected more these days than in years past. Afterwards, Biosteel Sports founder and Ottawa Senators Director of Player Health and Performance Matt Nichol (28:01) joins to chat about how athletes are dealing with injuries, how they are preparing their bodies differently with modern techniques, and if injuries can be prevented at a different rate moving forward. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The NBA Finals are over, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder have raised the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time in franchise history - but what about the ever-continuing sneaker wars? SLAM + ESPN's Nick DePaula (4:23) stops by to discuss Converse and PUMA being in the Finals, the state of shoes around the NBA, how WNBA shoes are shooting up the charts, and how brands could help fix the dunk contest. Afterwards, Donnovan visits with former Nike executive Jordan Rogers (21:39) for a class on sports marketing in 2025. Plus, Donnovan shares his essay on the success of Canadians in the NBA Finals. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

With the Canadian Grand Prix in the books, Donnovan chats with Marc Priestley (4:11), a former McLaren Racing Formula One mechanic and member of the pitstop crew. Now an F1 analyst, Marc joined Donnovan to discuss where F1 is and where it's headed, what life is like with one of the sport's most iconic teams, and what separates winners from the rest of the pack. Afterwards, F1: The Movie is about to hit theatres worldwide - having attended the Canadian premiere, Donnovan and Sho share their (spoiler-free) review of the coming summer blockbuster (32:38). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Apple TV+ has launched one of their newest original television offerings in Stick: Owen Wilson stars as Pryce 'Stick' Cahill, an over-the-hill, ex-pro golfer whose career was derailed prematurely 20 years ago. As the series begins, Pryce hedges his bets, and future, entirely on a troubled 17-year-old golf phenom named Santi (Peter Dager). Donnovan chats with the cast and crew as the series' first season continues to air, including series creator and writer Jason Keller (2:00), executive producers Ben Silverman and Guymon Casady (13:05), and actors Peter Dager and Lilly Kay (26:24). Afterwards, Donnovan and Sho share their personal review of the first season (35:56). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

The opening matches of the Gold Cup - CONCACAF's top continental tournament for men's senior national teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean - are just days away, with Canada looking to earn a trophy - what's the status of the team ahead of the tournament? Donnovan chats all things Canada Soccer with Jesse Marsch (5:43), head coach of the men's senior national team - what do expectations look and feel like for Marsch's squad for both this tournament and in the lead up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Afterwards, Donnovan chats with Canadian caddie Dave Markle (28:19), Nick Taylor's caddie, to discuss his first-of-its-kind partnership with Sleeman, and to also chat about what the role of a caddie entails both on and off the course. Plus, with the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, Donnovan wraps up with an essay on what a Cup win would do for the legacy of superstar Connor McDavid. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.