Speakeasy: Hockey Romance and the Rise of Sports Fiction**

In this episode of Speakeasy from West Egg Ventures, Amar and Kailey dive into one of the fastest growing and most surprising niches in publishing: hockey romance. What started with early hits like Ice Breaker has turned into a cultural wave, powered by BookTok, pun-filled titles, and a huge community of readers who cannot get enough of athletes, slow burn tension, and workplace crushes.

We explore why hockey became the heart of the trend, how the tropes connect with readers, and what this says about women as an underserved fan base in sports. We also look at the larger ripple effects. Do these fictional romances turn casual readers into actual sports fans? How are teams and leagues responding? And why does this genre feel like the Hallmark movie equivalent of publishing in the best possible way?

From F1 pit lane love stories to WWE universe romances, from dedicated bookstore events to real data showing massive sales growth, this episode unpacks the storytelling, the fandom, and the fun behind sports romance. Amar even wonders if he should write one himself.

If you are curious about sports, books, fandom, or why this trend has taken off the way it has, this episode is for you.

Episode Time Codes and Topics

0:00 to 1:00
Introduction and the surprising rise of hockey romance
How this niche became a breakout category on BookTok

1:00 to 3:00
Origins of sports romance
Early titles, the hockey foundation, and expansion into F1 and other sports

3:00 to 4:30
Why readers connect
Workplace dynamics, forbidden crushes, athlete mystery, and slow burns

4:30 to 6:00
How social platforms fuel the movement
BookTok views, bookstore romance events, and niche fan communities

6:00 to 7:30
From fiction to fandom
Does reading sports romance lead people to watch actual games

7:30 to 9:00
Sports romance in pop culture
Rom com roots, WWE storylines, and crossover storytelling moments

9:00 to end
Comfort reading, best pun titles, and whether Amar should write one
Closing thoughts and listener recommendations

Official Show Description

Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski is where storytelling meets strategy and fandom becomes community.

Hosted by Emmy-winning storyteller Amar Shah and Shorty Award-winning strategist Kaylee Chicoski, the show explores how fan engagement drives culture, connection, and business growth.

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, each episode, produced by West Egg Ventures, dives into how brands, creators, and fans build lasting loyalty through emotion, authenticity, and shared story.

Our Mission
We help sports, lifestyle, and culture-driven brands grow through fan-first strategy, creator-led content, and cultural activations that turn engagement into loyalty.

Learn more at WestEggVentures.com

📩 info@westeggventures.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@WestEggVentures

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/west-egg-ventures

In this episode of Speakeasy, Amar and Kaylee dive into the world of Margaritaville and the legacy of Jimmy Buffett — the songwriter who turned a single song into a global lifestyle movement. From spontaneous bar performances in the Florida Keys to a business empire spanning resorts, cruise lines, retirement communities, restaurants, novels, Broadway, beer, and blender machines — Buffett didn’t just build a brand, he built a way of life.

Amar shares his own experience creating content inside the Margaritaville universe, while Kaylee reflects on growing up in the Keys, where Buffett's music wasn’t just a soundtrack — it was the atmosphere. Together, they explore how Buffett transformed vibe into value: a community-first brand built on escape, ease, joy, and being unapologetically chill.

What we cover:

• How Margaritaville became a cultural flywheel
• Why “leisure” was Buffett’s rebellion against hustle culture
• The power of building emotion before product
• Turning fans into co-authors of a brand story
• Lessons modern creators + brands can apply today

If you’ve ever wanted to understand how fandom becomes culture — or why a cheeseburger and a beach bar can feel like home — pull up a chair, pour something tropical, and enjoy.

Episode Timecodes

00:00 – Welcome to Speakeasy

01:15 – The Florida Keys Story

03:40 – The Margaritaville Air Freshener Moment

04:30 – From Song to State of Mind

06:15 – A Brand Built Before Social Media

07:30 – Storytelling the Lifestyle

09:25 – Nostalgia as Strategy

10:45 – The Business Empire People Forget

12:05 – Jimmy Buffett: Musician, Novelist, Entrepreneur

14:10 – How New Fans Discover Margaritaville Today

15:20 – Building a World, Not Just a Brand

17:05 – Community That Outlives the Creator

18:30 – Joy as a Serious Brand Strategy

19:40 – Favorite Songs & Final Reflections

Articles: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/business/jimmy-buffett-margaritaville-business.html

Official Show Description

Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski is where storytelling meets strategy and fandom becomes community.

Hosted by Emmy-winning storyteller Amar Shah and Shorty Award-winning strategist Kaylee Chicoski, the show explores how fan engagement drives culture, connection, and business growth.

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, each episode, produced by West Egg Ventures, dives into how brands, creators, and fans build lasting loyalty through emotion, authenticity, and shared story.

Our Mission
We help sports, lifestyle, and culture-driven brands grow through fan-first strategy, creator-led content, and cultural activations that turn engagement into loyalty.

Learn more at WestEggVentures.com

📩 info@westeggventures.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@WestEggVentures

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/west-egg-ventures

From an under-promoted Netflix drop to a full-blown global fandom, K-Pop Demon Hunters became one of the most unexpected cultural explosions of the year.

In this episode of Speak Easy, Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski unpack how a 90-minute animated film with zero marketing turned into a viral movement—powered by music, mythology, and the unstoppable force of fan culture.

🎯 We talk about:

• How K-Pop Demon Hunters went from 9 million views to a global phenomenon
• Why TikTok became its secret marketing engine
• The perfect storm of music, myth, and authenticity that drove the fandom
• How dads, daughters, and even BTS fans joined the movement
• What creators and studios can learn about organic fan growth
• Why this might be animation’s most important case study since Frozen

Show Notes

00:06 – Cold Open:
Amar and Kaylee introduce Speak Easy and the K-Pop Demon Hunters craze—plus Amar’s daughter’s Rumi-themed birthday party.

01:12 – The Unlikely Hit:
How a movie with almost no promotion found its audience weeks after release.

02:21 – The TikTok Storm:
From under-the-radar to unstoppable—how fans turned songs into viral trends.

04:44 – Authenticity and Easter Eggs:
Why the film’s mix of music, mythology, and insider jokes made it irresistible to real K-Pop fans.

07:06 – The Power of Fan Culture:
How dads, kids, and global audiences created a new kind of community.

09:29 – Behind the Magic:
The team behind the film—Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, and the voices who made it sing.

11:49 – Fandom as a Bridge:
How the film opened doors to Korean culture and reshaped how kids discover new worlds.

14:03 – Pixar vs. Netflix:
A case study in originality—why K-Pop Demon Hunters thrived while others stalled.

16:24 – Animation Reinvented:
How a new hybrid style blended anime and Western storytelling.

18:46 – Serving the Fans:
Netflix’s smart, intentional response to fan demand and sequel buzz.

20:57 – Final Takeaway:
How K-Pop Demon Hunters showed the future of storytelling—powered by fans, not algorithms.

Official Show Description

Speak Easy with Amar Shah and Kaylee Chicoski is where storytelling meets strategy and fandom becomes community.

Hosted by Emmy-winning storyteller Amar Shah and Shorty Award-winning strategist Kaylee Chicoski, the show explores how fan engagement drives culture, connection, and business growth.

From Taylor Swift to the Super Bowl, each episode, produced by West Egg Ventures, dives into how brands, creators, and fans build lasting loyalty through emotion, authenticity, and shared story.

Our Mission
We help sports, lifestyle, and culture-driven brands grow through fan-first strategy, creator-led content, and cultural activations that turn engagement into loyalty.

Learn more at WestEggVentures.com

📩 info@westeggventures.com

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@WestEggVentures

💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/west-egg-ventures