Rick Welts has been one of the most successful and lauded business executives in professional sports. He made remarkable contributions to the NBA league office, and was president of three NBA teams which won seven championships during his tenure. He was elected to the basketball Hall of Fame in 2018, a rare distinction for a business-side executive who was not an owner or commissioner. In 2011, he became the first openly gay high-level sports executive in U.S. male professional team sports. He subsequently became an advocate for, and inspiration to, gay youth. This case describes Welts's career, from his days as a ball boy for the Seattle Supersonics, through college, and the NBA. It includes transcripts of interviews with individuals who shed light on Welts's career, leadership style, and impact.

The United States Golf Association (USGA), operates among a network of associations and organizations in the game of golf. In the ecosystem of golf, there are many stakeholders, but no single governing body with overarching power to direct the action of other stakeholders. While the USGA works to improve the health of the golf industry, and the experience of participants, the actual experience of golfers is dependent on their local facilities, which are not under the control of the USGA. The golf ecosystem includes governing bodies, course owners, equipment manufacturers, professionals, and recreational players. During the first half of the 21st century, the recreational sport was in decline in the United States, as measured by many metrics, while it was growing in Asia. To guide its decision-making, and to inform key stakeholders, the USGA developed a strategic plan for 2020-2022, which it released in October 2019. This case discusses the role of the USGA in the complex golf ecosystem, its management, and the initiatives it undertook to grow the game of golf. The case draws on an earlier Stanford case study, SPM-52: The USGA and Golf Participation in the United States.

Sonoma Raceway, located north of San Francisco, had a long history of hosting premier motor racing events. However, after decades of growth, fan attendance and viewership had started to decline in the 2010s. Fan demographics were changing, with younger fans looking for a different experience than traditional fans. These challenges confronted the entire motorsports industry. As 2020 began, Sonoma Raceway was in the midst of a major shift in its business strategy, impacting all aspects of its operations. The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of all of the raceway's major events, putting additional stress on the raceway.