Like the millions of people living with disabilities, Paralympians have a multitude of ways they acquired those disabilities. Some like Ezra Frech were born with disabilities and many others like Lindi Marcusen acquired those disabilities later in life, in her case in a car accident just two weeks after her wedding. Nonetheless, the Paralympic Games have provided an amazing outlet for Ezra, Lindi and others to show everything they are capable of at the highest level of sport. In Ezra’s case, that resulted in two gold medals in Paris in the 100 meters and the high jump in his classification, and in Lindi’s case, it has allowed her to become the fastest woman on the U.S. team. But just because they have had success on the field doesn’t mean their travel experiences are easy. In fact, each of them has faced challenges as they seek to transport both themselves and their equipment to locations around the world, including to the world’s most prestigious sports events. It’s one of many reasons they are both now spokespeople for a new campaign organized by Ottobock, the global medtech company, called “The Invisible Class,” which is aiming to put a spotlight on the organizations that are actually succeeding when it comes to providing a better experience. And with December 3 being International Day of Persons with Disabilities, this conversation will take a look at what some of those travel challenges can be. But we’ll also take a look ahead at the opportunity that the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles will present to engage more people in the types of conversations that turn some of those travel challenges around.

Like the millions of people living with disabilities, Paralympians have a multitude of ways they acquired those disabilities. Some like Ezra Frech were born with disabilities and many others like Lindi Marcusen acquired those disabilities later in life, in her case in a car accident just two weeks after her wedding. Nonetheless, the Paralympic Games have provided an amazing outlet for Ezra, Lindi and others to show everything they are capable of at the highest level of sport. In Ezra&rsquo;s case, that resulted in two gold medals in Paris in the 100 meters and the high jump in his classification, and in Lindi&rsquo;s case, it has allowed her to become the fastest woman on the U.S. team.&nbsp;But just because they have had success on the field doesn&rsquo;t mean their travel experiences are easy. In fact, each of them has faced challenges as they seek to transport both themselves and their equipment to locations around the world, including to the world&rsquo;s most prestigious sports events. It&rsquo;s one of many reasons they are both now spokespeople for a new campaign organized by <a href="https://www.ottobock.com/en-us/home">Ottobock</a>, the global medtech company, called <a href="https://www.ottobock.com/en-us/invisible-class">&ldquo;The Invisible Class,&rdquo;</a> which is aiming to put a spotlight on the organizations that are actually succeeding when it comes to providing a better experience. And with December 3 being <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities">International Day of Persons with Disabilities</a>, this conversation will take a look at what some of those travel challenges can be. But we&rsquo;ll also take a look ahead at the opportunity that the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles will present to engage more people in the types of conversations that turn some of those travel challenges around.

Paralympians Ezra Frech and Lindi Marcusen on the Challenges of Traveling with Disabilities

Carlos Ezpeleta joined Dorna Sports as an intern in 2007, took on a full-time role in 2013 and has since worked his way to Chief Sporting Officer at MotoGP, directly responsible for the Sporting and Technical areas of the Championships as well as overseeing activities in the Promoters, Operations and Talent Promotion departments. Dan Rossomondo’s career began in advertising sales at Madison Square Garden and has since taken him to IMG, Time Warner Global Media and the NBA. From his role as Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships and Media at the NBA, Dan moved to become Chief Commercial Officer of Moto GP and Dorna Sports in 2023. We discussed the recent announcement of Guenther Steiner taking ownership of a Moto GP team, the series since Liberty Motor Group took a new majority role, the intersection of travel and sports and how they look to elevate spectator experiences, working in a "traveling circus" that other more stationary sports don't go through and the future outlook for the series, especially in the United States. We hope you enjoy the conversation.

This episode of the Sports Travel Podcast is being sponsored by TEAMS Europe, the world’s leading conference and expo for the sports-event industry. TEAMS Europe unites sport event organizers with destinations, venues and suppliers interested in hosting or supporting their events. TEAMS Europe in 2026 will be March 17–19, 2026 at The Belfry, an award-winning hotel and resort located less than 10 miles from the city center of Birmingham, England. For more details on everything planned at TEAMS Europe, please visit teamseurope.com.

Carlos Ezpeleta joined Dorna Sports as an intern in 2007, took on a full-time role in 2013 and has since worked his way to Chief Sporting Officer at MotoGP, directly responsible for the Sporting and Technical areas of the Championships as well as overseeing activities in the Promoters, Operations and Talent Promotion departments. Dan Rossomondo&rsquo;s career began in advertising sales at Madison Square Garden and has since taken him to IMG, Time Warner Global Media and the NBA. From his role as Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships and Media at the NBA, Dan moved to become Chief Commercial Officer of Moto GP and Dorna Sports in 2023. We discussed the recent announcement of Guenther Steiner taking ownership of a Moto GP team, the series since Liberty Motor Group took a new majority role, the intersection of travel and sports and how they look to elevate spectator experiences, working in a "traveling circus" that other more stationary sports don't go through and the future outlook for the series, especially in the United States. We hope you enjoy the conversation.
This episode of the Sports Travel Podcast is being sponsored by TEAMS Europe, the world&rsquo;s leading conference and expo for the sports-event industry. TEAMS Europe unites sport event organizers with destinations, venues and suppliers interested in hosting or supporting their events. TEAMS Europe in 2026 will be March 17&ndash;19, 2026 at The Belfry, an award-winning hotel and resort located less than 10 miles from the city center of Birmingham, England. For more details on everything planned at TEAMS Europe, please visit teamseurope.com.

Dan Rossomondo and Carlos Ezpeleta: The Growth of MotoGP and What's Next to Come

Raffaella Paniè is an Italian designer and creative director, serving as Director of Brand, Identity, and Look for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Milano Cortina. She leads the design of the Games’ visual identity, including the emblem, pictograms, mascots and medals. Her work emphasizes a modern Italian spirit, sustainability, and community, showcasing Italy’s creativity on the global Olympic stage.

She joined the Podcast to discuss how the design process was developed for the Games, how many version of the Olympic torch and medals were designed before settling on what was revealed to be the final design, where the design inspiration came from and if any design can ever be truly finished before being released to the world.

Raffaella Pani&egrave; is an Italian designer and creative director, serving as Director of Brand, Identity, and Look for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Milano Cortina. She leads the design of the Games&rsquo; visual identity, including the emblem, pictograms, mascots and medals. Her work emphasizes a modern Italian spirit, sustainability, and community, showcasing Italy&rsquo;s creativity on the global Olympic stage.
She joined the Podcast to discuss how the design process was developed for the Games, how many version of the <a href="https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/organizers-unveil-metallic-torches-for-milan-cortina-olympics-and-paralympics/">Olympic torch</a> and <a href="http://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/2026-olympic-and-paralympic-medals-for-milan-cortina-unveiled/">medals</a> were designed before settling on what was revealed to be the final design, where the design inspiration came from and if any design can ever be truly finished before being released to the world.

Raffaella Paniè: Designing The Look of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Rob Stull was elected president of the International Modern Pentathlon Union in November 2024, a four-year tenure that includes the 2028 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles. Stull was an alternate to the 1984 U.S. Olympic modern pentathlon team, competed in both fencing and modern pentathlon at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, then competed in modern pentathlon at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Starting at the LA28 Games, modern pentathlon will replace equestrian riding with obstacle racing after a long process that took several years. Modern pentathlon is a five-sport event that, for 2028, will include fencing, freestyle swimming, obstacle course racing, laser pistol shooting and cross-country running. We discussed the lead-up to LA28, Stull’s work at the international federation since being elected president and much more. 

Rob Stull was elected president of the International Modern Pentathlon Union in November 2024, a four-year tenure that includes the 2028 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles. Stull was an alternate to the 1984 U.S. Olympic modern pentathlon team, competed in both fencing and modern pentathlon at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, then competed in modern pentathlon at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Starting at the LA28 Games, modern pentathlon will replace equestrian riding with obstacle racing after a long process that took several years. Modern pentathlon is a five-sport event that, for 2028, will include fencing, freestyle swimming, obstacle course racing, laser pistol shooting and cross-country running. We discussed the lead-up to LA28, Stull&rsquo;s work at the international federation since being elected president and much more.&nbsp;

Rob Stull: Growing Modern Pentathlon's Global Reach

John Kemp may be the perfect person to be at the helm at the Lakeshore Foundation. As you’ll hear in this episode, his passion for the adaptive sports community isn’t just professional. It’s personal. Born without arms and legs, Kemp had to adjust at an early age to his surroundings, and managed to play baseball even if his career may not have been worthy of the Hall of Fame as he’ll discuss. He has, however, gone on to a Hall of Fame career when it comes to advocacy for the disability movement. His previous leadership roles include serving as the national executive director of United Cerebral Palsy Associations, president and CEO of VSA Arts and VSA Arts International, and as general counsel and vice president of development for the National Easter Seal Society, among others. In 1995, he co-founded the American Association of People with Disabilities. He recently served as president and CEO of the Viscardi Center and Henry Viscardi School in New York.

But in 2021, he was named president at CEO of the Lakeshore Foundation. The foundation has taken on different forms over the years but traces its origins all the way to 1925 as the Jefferson Tuberculosis Sanitorium. Since then, its focus has turned to a much wider spectrum, and in 1984 began as something close to its current form as the Lakeshore Foundation, with Jeff Underwood taking the helm as the first president and CEO. As the relatively new leader, Kemp oversees a program that is now an official U.S. Paralympic Training site, and serves over 4,000 people annually through its various programs. Last year, it opened its Sports Science & Performance Center, a first-of-its-kind program that will help fuel the pipeline for Team USA and other elite athletes through a performance lab, strength and conditioning center and nutrition lab among other things.

In this conversation, we’re going to discuss Lakeshore’s amazing history, the rise of the Paralympic movement, the opportunities ahead with the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and perhaps most importantly, what host cities and venues need to know about serving the community of adaptive sports athletes.

 

John Kemp may be the perfect person to be at the helm at the<a href="https://www.lakeshore.org/"> Lakeshore Foundation</a>. As you&rsquo;ll hear in this episode, his passion for the adaptive sports community isn&rsquo;t just professional. It&rsquo;s personal. Born without arms and legs, Kemp had to adjust at an early age to his surroundings, and managed to play baseball even if his career may not have been worthy of the Hall of Fame as he&rsquo;ll discuss. He has, however, gone on to a Hall of Fame career when it comes to advocacy for the disability movement. His previous leadership roles include serving as the national executive director of United Cerebral Palsy Associations, president and CEO of VSA Arts and VSA Arts International, and as general counsel and vice president of development for the National Easter Seal Society, among others. In 1995, he co-founded the American Association of People with Disabilities. He recently served as president and CEO of the Viscardi Center and Henry Viscardi School in New York.
But in 2021, he was named president at CEO of the Lakeshore Foundation. The foundation has taken on different forms over the years but traces its origins all the way to 1925 as the Jefferson Tuberculosis Sanitorium. Since then, its focus has turned to a much wider spectrum, and in 1984 began as something close to its current form as the Lakeshore Foundation, with Jeff Underwood taking the helm as the first president and CEO. As the relatively new leader, Kemp oversees a program that is now an official U.S. Paralympic Training site, and serves over 4,000 people annually through its various programs.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/new-lakeshore-foundation-center-ups-the-game-for-adaptive-sports/">Last year, it opened its Sports Science &amp; Performance Center</a>, a first-of-its-kind program that will help fuel the pipeline for Team USA and other elite athletes through a performance lab, strength and conditioning center and nutrition lab among other things.
In this conversation, we&rsquo;re going to discuss Lakeshore&rsquo;s amazing history, the rise of the Paralympic movement, the opportunities ahead with the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles and perhaps most importantly, what host cities and venues need to know about serving the community of adaptive sports athletes.
&nbsp;

John Kemp: Adaptive Sports, Inclusive Cities and Paralympic Progress

Major League Cricket returned to Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida, over the Fourth of July weekend for a series of T20 cricket matches featuring the league’s six franchises from New York, Texas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington. The stadium in Lauderhill was one of the sites that was used for the 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup, of which Johnny Grave was the chief executive officer. Grave took over the position of CEO at Major League Cricket in the league’s offseason and joins the podcast to talk about the sport’s growth in the United States and plans to further that growth, being part of the LA28 Olympic program and much more.

Major League Cricket returned to Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida, over the Fourth of July weekend for a series of T20 cricket matches featuring the league&rsquo;s six franchises from New York, Texas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington. The stadium in Lauderhill was one of the sites that was used for the 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup, of which Johnny Grave was the chief executive officer. Grave took over the position of CEO at Major League Cricket in the league&rsquo;s offseason and joins the podcast to talk about the sport&rsquo;s growth in the United States and plans to further that growth, being part of the LA28 Olympic program and much more.

Johnny Grave on Major League Cricket's U.S. Ambitions in Growing the Sport

Under the direction of BobKendrick, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City has become a must-see venue for fans of baseball and American history. It chronicles the journey of black baseball players and coaches, highlighting the elite-level competition the Negro Leagues provided. The museum is currently 10,000 square feet, but Kendrick has started the “Pitch for the Future Campaign” to raise $35 million to build a new, larger museum. Kendrick has also become somewhat of a celebrity in recent years thanks to his appearances on the video game MLB The Show, in which he narrates a special Negro Leagues storyline.

Under the direction of Bob Kendrick, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City has become a must-see venue for fans of baseball and American history. It chronicles the journey of black baseball players and coaches, highlighting the elite-level competition the Negro Leagues provided.&nbsp;The museum is currently 10,000 square feet, but Kendrick has started the &ldquo;Pitch for the Future Campaign&rdquo; to raise $35 million to build a new, larger museum. Kendrick has also become somewhat of a celebrity in recent years thanks to his appearances on the video game MLB The Show, in which he narrates a special Negro Leagues storyline.

Bob Kendrick: Bringing Baseball History to Life

RayAllen played 18 seasons in the NBA and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2018. Allen was a 10-time NBA All-Star and won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the 2000 United States men's basketball team. In 2021, he was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, having won two NBA championships, one with the Boston Celtics and one with the Miami Heat.

LeroyArrington is General Manager at ESPN Wide World Of Sports In Disney World and leads the operations, strategy and guest experience at one of the largest and most prestigious multi-sport venues in the world. They joined the Podcast for a recording over Memorial Day Weekend about being a sports dad, the youth sports scene, organizing events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and much more.

Ray Allen played 18 seasons in the NBA and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2018. Allen was a 10-time NBA All-Star and won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the 2000 United States men's basketball team. In 2021, he was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, having won two NBA championships, one with the Boston Celtics and one with the Miami Heat.
Leroy Arrington is General Manager at ESPN Wide World Of Sports In Disney World and leads the operations, strategy and guest experience at one of the largest and most prestigious multi-sport venues in the world. They joined the Podcast for a recording over Memorial Day Weekend about being a sports dad, the youth sports scene, organizing events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and much more.

Ray Allen and Leroy Arrington on Being a Youth Sports Dad, Organizing Events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports and Life After the NBA

Ed McCaffrey has long known success on the football field. From his college days in Stanford, where he met his wife who was an accomplished soccer player for the university as well, to his playing days with the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos from 1991 through 2003, his career found him as teammates with other legends of the sport and in rare company. His Super Bowl win with the 49ers and two victories with the Broncos put him in the game’s elite — plus a fourth ring from the Broncos as a team broadcaster during their most recent victory at Super Bowl 50.

But it was Super Bowl XXXII in San Diego when the Broncos upset the favored Green Bay Packers — think John Elway helicoptering his way into the end zone — that put the Colorado franchise over the hump after several tough Super Bowl losses years earlier. After his playing days, McCaffrey stayed involved in the sport, coaching at the high school and college level in Colorado and raising four sons who played college football, with three now in the NFL as either players or coaches, including Christian McCaffrey, who was a Heisman runner-up at Stanford and remains one of the game’s elite players.

In this conversation we talk with Ed about his playing days and what it was like to travel the NFL circuit with his teammates, his approach to getting his kids involved in sports, his background running youth sports camps, the inclusion of flag football at the 2028 Olympic Games and his burgeoning food empire that once featured his own breakfast cereal and now focuses on mustards, horseradish products and protein snacks. It’s a revealing conversation with someone who remains a hero in the towns in which he played.

Ed McCaffrey has long known success on the football field. From his college days in Stanford, where he met his wife who was an accomplished soccer player for the university as well, to his playing days with the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos from 1991 through 2003, his career found him as teammates with other legends of the sport and in rare company. His Super Bowl win with the 49ers and two victories with the Broncos put him in the game&rsquo;s elite &mdash; plus a fourth ring from the Broncos as a team broadcaster during their most recent victory at Super Bowl 50.
But it was Super Bowl XXXII in San Diego when the Broncos upset the favored Green Bay Packers &mdash; think John Elway helicoptering his way into the end zone &mdash; that put the Colorado franchise over the hump after several tough Super Bowl losses years earlier. After his playing days, McCaffrey stayed involved in the sport, coaching at the high school and college level in Colorado and raising four sons who played college football, with three now in the NFL as either players or coaches, including Christian McCaffrey, who was a Heisman runner-up at Stanford and remains one of the game&rsquo;s elite players.
In this conversation we talk with Ed about his playing days and what it was like to travel the NFL circuit with his teammates, his approach to getting his kids involved in sports, his background running youth sports camps, the inclusion of flag football at the 2028 Olympic Games and his burgeoning food empire that once featured his own breakfast cereal and now focuses on mustards, horseradish products and protein snacks. It&rsquo;s a revealing conversation with someone who remains a hero in the towns in which he played.

Ed McCaffrey: Life as an NFL Player and Parent

SportsTravel’s coverage of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, which will be the biggest ever with 48 teams and 16 host cities spread across three countries, has been extensive. Throughout the process from FIFA’s visiting host city candidates, to the day of the announcement in July 2022 of which cities will host games and an inside view of what it was like, SportsTravel has detailed the saga ahead of the schedule announcement in early February.

[article_sidebar]To say that soccer and enterprise are in Dan Hunt’s blood would be putting it lightly. Son of late American sports icon Lamar Hunt, whose legacy includes founding the American Football League, the Kansas City Chiefs, Major League Soccer and World Championship Tennis, Dan Hunt brought FC Dallas to Frisco, Texas, and made Toyota Stadium a reality. Hunt not only is president of FC Dallas, but he was also chair of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Dallas Bid Committee. In this episode, he discusses the Hunt family legacy, what the World Cup will mean for Dallas and how Frisco has emerged as a sporting destination.

SportsTravel&rsquo;s coverage of the <a href="https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/fifa-world-cup-2026-host-cities/">2026 FIFA Men&rsquo;s World Cup</a>, which will be the biggest ever with <a href="https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FIFA-World-Cup-26-match-schedule.jpg">48 teams and 16 host cities</a> spread across three countries, has been extensive. Throughout the process from FIFA&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/the-2026-world-cup-host-announcement-whats-at-stake-and-what-the-process-was-like/">visiting host city candidates</a>, to the day of the <a href="https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/what-cities-will-host-2026-world-cup-u-s-mexico-and-canada-hosts-announced/">announcement in July 2022 of which cities will host games</a> and an <a href="https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/behind-the-scenes-of-the-2026-world-cup-bid-process/">inside view of what it was like</a>, SportsTravel has detailed the saga ahead of the <a href="https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/metlife-stadium-to-host-2026-fifa-world-cup-final/">schedule announcement in early February.</a>
[article_sidebar]To say that soccer and enterprise are in Dan Hunt&rsquo;s blood would be putting it lightly. Son of late American sports icon Lamar Hunt, whose legacy includes founding the American Football League, the Kansas City Chiefs, Major League Soccer and World Championship Tennis, Dan Hunt brought FC Dallas to Frisco, Texas, and made Toyota Stadium a reality. Hunt not only is president of FC Dallas, but he was also chair of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Dallas Bid Committee. In this episode, he discusses the Hunt family legacy, what the World Cup will mean for Dallas and how Frisco has emerged as a sporting destination.

Dan Hunt on Family Legacy, FC Dallas and the 2026 FIFA World Cup

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