In the Game: Recent Episodes
Mighty Dot Media
This is not your typical sports podcast! We focus on sports, business and the business of sports, and we bring a global perspective on some of the most interesting sports stories in the news today and tomorrow.
Haynes Hendrickson is the Senior Vice President of business development for the firm, and he’s one lucky guy! Not just because he has a chance to speak with us, but also because he seems to be at the right place at the right time, and today, that means at the intersection of sports and marketing and innovation. We deep-dive with Haynes about Playfly’s business, how they do what they do, and why this is important for sports, fans and everyone else involved.
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In The Game is a weekly podcast covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. If you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
Florentino Pérez, Chairman of Real Madrid, is widely considered to be the architect of the now-defunct European Super League. While the English were almost universally up in arms against the ESL and their fans ensured that it was over before it started, the view from Spain, and particularly, Madrid, is very different.
Real Madrid supporter Amit Nawalrai takes us into the mind of Florentino Pérez, widely considered to be the Emperor Palpatine of the ESL. Are fans really bored of football today? Do we need to watch Barcelona vs. Tottenham every 4 weeks? Get In the Game to find out!
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In The Game is a weekly podcast covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. If you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
Ann Kletz founded Goal Five with a simple mission, to help young female athletes enjoy sports by wearing apparel suitable to their physicality and sport. But the company is on a broader mission to raise awareness about inequality in sports and at the same raise the confidence of young girls entering sports. It's an important time for the company and for sports equality, and Ann's work is just beginning.
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In The Game is a weekly podcast covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. If you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
In trying to make sense of all that has transpired last week in European soccer, I reached out to a trusted friend who understands the game really well. Chris Jones was a college soccer player, and he worked in the industry following his years playing the sport. Most recently, he is involved in trying to raise money to make an investment into soccer in Europe, so when it comes to understanding the impact of the now-defunct Super League, there’s no one better person in my mind to ask than my good friend Chris Jones!
Does anybody watch sports on cable anymore? Smashing through walled-garden of old-school TV broadcasting, sports is now consumed OTT - Over The Top. That's streaming - to our phones, iPads, laptops and other digital devices. We watch what we want - clips, highlights, interviews or the entire game, when we want - on the bus, at the gym, at the beach or by the pool. How are the big leagues evolving to keep up with our crazy new viewing habits?
All-star streaming-media expert, Paul Erickson joins Anand & Vlad to break down how sports leagues & teams are leveraging the Internet to keep fans loyal and engaged.
About Paul Erickson
Paul is a veteran technology analyst, focusing on consumer electronics and video distribution.
Paul has over 2 decades of industry experience and his research and coverage has spanned connected consumer electronics, pay & broadcast TV, digital & physical media, streaming devices & services, digital rights management and more. He has been quoted many major news outlets and industry publications, including and certainly not limited to, The Financial Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, the BBC, Reuters, NPR, CNN, NBC News, and BusinessWeek.
About In the Game
In The Game is a weekly podcast covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. If you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
Soccer (or football!) is at war! The billionaire owners of 12 of the leading teams across Europe thought they had launched the much-vaunted European Super League on Sunday night. Is this the beginning of the NFL-isation of the beautiful game? Or does fan-power smash the elites? Listen in to find out!
Anand & Vlad butt heads in a "friendly" fight over whether the European Super League is good for soccer. In a botched attempt to launch a new, closed American-style franchise-model for the sport, the owners of Europe's top teams are given a painful lesson in who really has the power in football -- the fans!
Joining us to provide the US perspective is a friend of the podcast, Profession Marc Edelman. He weighs in on the battle between the teams and UEFA and makes an accurate prediction!
In The Game is a weekly podcast covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. If you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
Sports D³ mission is to democratize finances in the global sports industry. SD³ is a global marketplace for digital assets in the Sports industry, which brings together sports clubs & athletes with millions of their fan-investors around the world.
Our conversation with CEO Gene Swinton brings us a step closer to understanding how this FinTech platform can help sports clubs and athletes tokenize & securitize the economic benefits of their performance by issuing fractional ownership rights to the public in the form of regulatory-compliant Security Tokens on a blockchain.
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In The Game is a weekly podcast covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. If you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
Hideki Matsuyama is the first Japanese golfer to with the Masters, and his country could not be more excited about that. It's a very wealthy economy, it's a country with over half of all golf courses in Asia, and marketing sponsorships pay out very well. Some estimate he could be a $1B golfer by the time he retires, which could be in a couple of decades given the longevity of golf players.
Topps was purchased by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner some years ago, and the company lived a somewhat sleepy life until Gens Y and Z got into the game. Recently, valuations of physical memorabilia, cards especially, have skyrocketed. The NFT craze has also helped. Its intention to go public through a SPAC means the company is looking for funding to go to the next level, and it may be trying to get itself on the NFT joy ride.
The NCAA has had a rough couple of months, but it's mostly self-inflicted. The latest exhibit of its incoherence comes as it flip-flops on broadcasting the women's volleyball tournament and a rather quiet decision to cease drug testing during the final tournaments. It is clear that the organization is focused elsewhere, but why should women's sports suffer?
Kevin De Bruyne signed a contract extension Manchester City recently, and it appears he used data and analytics to show the front office his value to the team. Data and analytics have been used by front office negotiators for years, but the details of those are just not shared. This begs the question when data on athletes is collected by the team of the league, who owns it?
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In The Game is a weekly podcast covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. If you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
Anand & Vlad sit down and talk rugby with Former Australian Rugby Union International, Adam Freier. Now General Manager of the Los Angeles Giltinis Rugby Club, Freier shares insights covering a wide range of topics about Rugby Union in the USA.
Join us for a fascinating conversation covering :
- Why LA Giltinis is named after a cocktail
- How Freier plans to build the Giltinis into a household brand name
- Major League Rugby's plans to become bigger than Major League Soccer
- Why MLR is taking a sustainable approach to long-term success
- How global rugby players are attracted to MLR
- Negotiating broadcast and streaming deals
Check out LA Giltinis online:
https://www.giltinis.com/
https://www.instagram.com/giltinis/
And Adam Freir
https://twitter.com/adam_freier
In The Game is a weekly podcast covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. If you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
The NCAA's case that reached the Supreme Court in March of 2021 was somewhat predictable, and in the eyes of our guest, no strategically beneficial. Nonetheless, the fate of college sports lies in how this case is decided, and it will shape the nature of revenue collection and distribution in collegiate sports for decades to come.
To help us through this holy mess of an issue, we have invited a friend of the podcast, Marc Edelman (Twitter: @MarcEdelman) : Law Professor, Attorney and Sports Business Expert. Marc is a tenured Professor of Law at the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, City University of New York, where he writes and teaches on sports law, antitrust law, intellectual property law, and gaming / fantasy sports law. He also serves as the Faculty Athletics Representative for Baruch College.
In addition to his full-time role as a law professor, Professor Edelman is the founder of Edelman Law, where he provides legal consulting and expert witness services to businesses in the commercial sports, entertainment and online gaming industries. Some of Professor Edelman’s recent clients include a Major League Baseball team, the Arena Football League Players Union, and several online fantasy sports providers.
In The Game is a weekly podcast focused on covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. if you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
Anand & Vlad analyze the week's top sports business stories: Amazon Prime could soon be the world's largest sports broadcaster. "The other team in Liverpool", Everton, will build a world-class stadium. Will that lift them into the top-tier of European football? Most pro tennis players can't earn a living on tour. Novak Djokovic questions if the ATP is broken.
Listen in for some great analysis surrounding:
AMAZON PRIME
- Steadily acquiring rights to major league sports around the world
- How Premier League rights has boosted Prime Membership
- Who stands to benefit from more OTT platforms grabbing media rights
EVERTON FC's NEW STADIUM
- Everton FC has a $700m stadium approved
- How this will transform their revenue, brand and value
- Why modern stadia are critical to teams' value
IS THE ATP TOUR FLEECING ITS PLAYERS?
- 100s of tennis pros struggle to break even on tour
- Is the ATP hoarding all the wealth?
- Djokovic and Pospisil want players to join a new Union
In The Game is a weekly podcast focused on covering the business of sports.
Hosted by Vladimir Bosanac and Anand Panjabi, they analyze everything from data analytics to broadcast rights, from digital innovation to billion-dollar buyouts. if you love sports and business, In The Game has got you covered.
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
Joe Pompliano joins Anand & Vlad for the second part of our discussion about the Sports Industry. Listen in to learn about how you can invest in your favorite sports teams, why now you could profit from million-dollar sports cards, how digital sports assets bring opportunities for athletes, teams, leagues and fans.
Joe created Huddle Up, a daily newsletter where he discusses everything at the intersection of sports, money and business. Topics have included how athletes monetize their personal brands, private equity and VC investments in sports, the growth of data analytics, the upcoming explosion of sports betting and much more.
In a fascinating discussion we learn:
- Joe’s transition from investment banking to creating Huddle Up
- How much work goes into creating a daily sports business newsletter
- How anyone can now own a diverse portfolio of professional sports team in a single fund
- How his marketing partnership with Roundhill Investments and the $MVP ETF originated
- How the global market for sports continues to steadily grow - particular the value of teams
- Why online sports betting is set for explosive growth in the USA
- His partnership with Collectible - a platform for fractional ownership of sports memorabilia & how anyone can now own the most valuable items
- Why single sports trading cards are selling for millions of dollars
- The multiple opportunities NFTs bring to the sports industry
- New ways athletes, teams and leagues are engaging fans digitally
Links to Joe Pompliano
- Twitter - https://twitter.com/JoePompliano
- Huddle Up Newsletter: : https://huddleup.substack.com/
Talk to us online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InTheGameHQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheGameHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthegamepod/
The NFL has just closed some amazing broadcast deals and accomplished its goal to double its revenue over the next decade. But, they're also lowering the salary cap, which means the teams' margins just went up. Significantly! This provides maximum flexibility for the ownership and less flexibility for players, but it will certainly be a sticking point at the next collective bargaining discussion.
Patrick Mahomes & Rob Gronkowski have now successfully sold NFTs! Yes, the non-fungible token craze is entering sports, and you can bet that leagues and teams and players are all going to jump in on this. Leading the way is the NBA with its Top Shot product, which by all measures has been a great success.
When Fernando Tatis Jr. signed his mega-deal with the San Diego Padres, he was not the only one celebrating. Big League Advance, which invested in Tatis when he was 17 years old, now owns a portion of his income. It's an interesting approach to the business of sport, and it seems like something that will expand rapidly throughout the sports world.
We love feedback! Send us your suggestions or comments and get IN THE GAME!
Twitter: @InTheGameHQ
Facebook: @InTheGameHQ
Joe Pompliano decided in early 2020 to leave his fixed income Wall Street job to pursue a passion in telling stories about sports and business. Since kicking off this initiative, he's garnered over 32,000 followers on Substack and over 164,000 Twitter followers.
He joins us today to talk about one of the top news items that hit the airwaves last week, the NFL's successful doubling of broadcast fees with its network partners. We also discuss his growing media ambitions and how he's getting into the investment game by helping launch a sports team ETF.
We love feedback! Send us your suggestions or comments and get IN THE GAME!
Twitter: @InTheGameHQ
Facebook: @InTheGameHQ
Vlad and Anand discuss LeBron James's investment into Fenway Sports Group, owners of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC. They also analyze Beneliga, a proposed merger between 2 European Soccer Leagues - Belgian's First Division A and Holland's Eredivisie. Finally a look at how rapid growth in the Sports Gambling industry is reflected in the expanding value of the $BETZ ETF.
"Shorts" is In The Game's new mid-week look at the intriguing sports business stories of the current week. Like a double shot of gourmet espresso, but delivered straight to your ears.
We love feedback! Send us your suggestions or comments and get IN THE GAME!
Twitter: @InTheGameHQ
Facebook: @InTheGameHQ
Even with all the complaining some All-Stars did, the big NBA weekend was, buy most accounts, pretty successful. Most importantly, the stars had a really good time, and everyone could tell. Some of those at the weekend reminded us that there are different ways to get to the league, and we explore some of those paths the new stars will likely take to enter the professional ranks. Our take is that college will not be a natural stepping stone for everyone, and we're already seeing some interesting and some less so interesting options pop up.
Recent reporting by the Washington Post has found that the Big 10 schools used a secret portal to exchange ideas and communications before announcing their indecision to kick off the 2020 football season. Why even have a secret portal? Probably a little more oversight on these public institutions is necessary.
Another sports analytics firm gets hits a high note. Sportradar, which counts a number of professional leagues as clients and sports an enviable roster of investors, may be considering going public via a SPAC. Most importantly, it's valuation jumped from $2.4B to $10B, which will be a great exit for the investors and also a new watermark for analytics firms entering the world of sport.
We love feedback! Send us suggestions or comments and get IN THE GAME!!!
Twitter: @InTheGameHQ
Facebook: @InTheGameHQ
The NFL is in a protracted battle to double its broadcast revenues over the next decade, and one story recently came out saying their supposed deal with Disney is not getting them quite what they were hoping to achieve. Whether that's true or not, we'll find out soon. If, however, the revenue shortfall is as large as the claim states, it will be difficult for America's most successful sport to reach its goals.
News is beginning to circulate that the 2021 Tokyo Olympics are going to be canceled. No matter how many vaccines hit our arms before July, the world is not ready for something like this, and we hope the rumors may be true - time to cancel the games!
European soccer teams are nowhere near the value of American sports teams, which makes them especially interesting for wealthy Americans looking to diversify their sports portfolios. Furthermore, they bring the economic, marketing, branding and real estate prowess to a market in need of modernization. Investments are already paying off handsomely.
We love feedback! Send us suggestions or comments and get IN THE GAME!!!
Twitter: @InTheGameHQ
Today's episode takes us to Indianapolis, where Telemetry Sports CEO Jeremy Hochstedler talks about innovation in sports analytics and his company's foray into NFL and MLB professional leagues. Teams are turning to data more and more, and his firm is at the forefront of helping teams identify ways to optimize the performance of its players.
But first, we tackle NFL's broadcasting rights, which have been in place for 10 years now, and arguably the world's most successful sports enterprise wants to double its fees. Will Fox, CBS, NBC and Disney give in? Will Amazon become a major player in this space? Early indication is that this will be a tough negotiation.
Have you heard of Top Shot, a non-fungible token that is transforming the world of sports memorabilia? You can own a rare clip of an NBA game featuring your favorite athlete, and through blockchain, you will be ensured that this clip is only yours. One of LeBron James recently resold for over $200,000!
We love feedback! Send us suggestions or comments and get IN THE GAME!!! @InTheGameHQ
Athletes Unlimited is about to kick off something others have failed to sustain in the past - a women's professional volleyball league in the US . They're taking a novel approach to the play, the scoring and the revenue. It's a play they've already tested with a professional softball league, and lacrosse is next. But this month's kick of the league in Dallas, Tex. will be something to watch. We sat down with Athletes Unlimited's CEO, Jon Patricof, for an insider's perspective on the venture.
Christiano Ronaldo passes 500 million social media followers. He is the first 'entity' to do so, which changes the landscape for branding, selling products and earning revenue during and post his amazing career. Let the marketing disintermediation begin!
The NBA All Star weekend is upon us, but the stars are not so hot on playing this time around. It's a curious argument, but the show must go on. The NBA is big business, and this weekend, in particular, is big business for the league globally. Guess who wins this argument?!?
The Los Angeles Lakers are shopping their jersey patch claiming it's worth $200 million for any sponsor. OK, let's see what the market says about that.
We love feedback! Send us suggestions or comments and get IN THE GAME!!! @IntheGamePodca1
Before we properly introduce Matt Doherty (@DohertyMatt), we have a couple of story items to cover. We are recording this just after the Superbowl game ended, and as we look at what the Buccaneers managed to do during this weekend’s game, we notice that there is some correlation between their success and their ownership.
But, probably one of our favorite Super Bowl stories has nothing to do with the sport and everything to do with marketing…and Apple Computer....all this and more on this week’s episode of the Pod On Point podcast.
Senior Writer for ESPN’s The Undefeated, Author Jesse Washington joins the pod this week for an enlightening discussion about his recent experiences and journey as he co-authored his recent book (I Came as a Shadow) with the legendary Georgetown basketball coach, John Thompson. Jesse discusses several interesting experiences, perspectives - both his own and Coach Thompson’s - and tales (including gaining Vlad’s take on a comical water break at a practice during Vlad’s career). We have a great chat with Jesse and briefly cover some recent sports news too...all this and more on this week’s episode of the Pod On Point podcast.
Spencer Anderson is the Director of Basketball Analytics at the Indiana Pacers. He has been in the sports analytics industry for a little while, first with STATS and then after finishing law school as an independent NBA analytics consultant and now with the Pacers for just over 7 years.
We sit down with Spencer today to talk about his role at the organization, how the NBA and sports, in general, have adopted analytics as a core pillar of their operations and what this means for data-driven decision-making in sports in the future!
Closing this week’s episode with their popular C’mon Man segment, Mike tells us that nothing can be taken for granted in African soccer, while Vlad recalls the first time he remembers fainting...
The Pod On Point crew welcomes Donald Dell to this week’s episode. Dell’s career in sports has been incredibly impactful as an athlete, lawyer, and businessman (in his tennis playing days, Dell peaked with a Top 5 ranking and captained the winning 1968 Davis Cup team led by Arthur Ashe). Donald is a prominent founder, founding Pro-Serv sports management firm, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), and the Citi Open to name a few.
Dell’s Pro-Serv career was notable for the athletes they represented (such as Arthur Ashe, Michael Jordan, and Pete Sampras) and the deals they shaped (including the 2001 FedEx Naming Rights deal with the Washington Football Team “FedEx Field”, which at the time was the largest in NFL history). Donald is currently an active philanthropist and an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia law school.
Closing this week’s episode with their popular C’mon Man segment, Vlad tracks down yet another racing pigeon...
With the wrap of the NFL 2020 regular season, the crew conducts a high-level business review of America’s top sport with a focus on revenues, operations, and innovation. No surprise, local / in-game revenues took a hit but it seems the media deals will still put most teams in the black for the year. On labor, a ratified 10year deal (and a COVID inspired 2020 addendum) have set the players and owners up for a peaceful decade. And last up, the crew loves to talk about innovation as they sort through the little known 1st and Future business plan competition.
Closing this week’s episode with their popular C’mon Man segment, Vlad wonders if the Sixers GM Daryl Morey will rethink his social media strategy…
Opening the show this week, the crew gives a shout out to a number of recent opportunities for women in sports - notably Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Spurs. Vlad and Mike also riff a bit on college football and basketball players drawing salaries and close out the opening segment with a brief chat about Gymshark’s rapid ascent in the fitness apparel industry.
In the top stories this week, Vlad talks about innovation in the form of new leagues with a look at a snowboarding tour (Natural Selection Tour) and a women’s volleyball league (from Athletes Unlimited). In their 2nd top story, Mike and Vlad analyze how the NFL and the NBA will achieve top line growth in 2021 and the years to come.
Closing the show with their C'mon man segment, Mike is wondering if Wisconsin’s new trophy will make it back to Madison for their trophy case…
In the year end show, the crew takes a look back at some impact stories from 2020 that will shape sports and the business of sports in the years to come. Opening with a look at the evolving sports broadcasting landscape, Anand makes some predictions on how new entrants and upcoming deals will shape broadcasting’s future. Next, Vlad and Mike tag-team a story about the arrival of sports gambling and how this has a multi-layered impact on revenues, valuations, and consumer experiences. In their last impact story, Vlad and Mike again double-up on the many financially centered issues that will shape the NCAA in 2021 and for years to come.
Closing the show - and year - with the weekly C’mon man section, Mike wonders how the NFL’s broadcasting partnership with SpongeBob will go...
The crew opens this week’s show with a quick run through of some wins and losses from across the sports world. Hard to believe the original Browns left Cleveland 25 years ago...the SEC lands a big payday with ESPN and heavyweight boxing looks to have some huge belt unifying bouts in the coming months.
In the top stories, Mike, Vlad, and Anand talk about the annual insanity surrounding the payouts for Power 5 coaches that are fired for underperformance (or losing). The crew also digs into the recent stories surrounding the MLS announcing they may incur up to $1B in losses due to the pandemic impacted seasons.
Closing the show with the weekly C’mon man section, Mike wonders whether Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson pulled a Paul Pierce…
We open this week’s show with a quick take on wins and losses. We mark in the win column the Bucks re-signing of Giannis, and the NCAA announcing a bubble for the Women’s college basketball tournament. We mark in the loss column the fact that college basketball has launched their season without a bubble - cancelling games daily - and the unfortunate pandemic-driven collapse of LaLiga’s TV contract. Lastly, we mark Apple Fitness Plus’ launch as a draw with their mixed-up online store launch.
The Pod On Point crew welcomes a guest to this week’s show, as SafeSeating Solutions founder Scott Nestler steps into the Pod. SafeSeating is a newly launched software solution that is helping venues maximize their seating capacity while keeping their fans and patrons at a safe distance across the seats and stands.
Lastly, Vlad closes the show with the weekly C'mon Man segment as he notes the uncommon agent deal with NBA retiree Anthony Carter.
We open the show with a few quick wins and losses. In this week’s wins column we put Steph Curry’s new Under Armour sub-brand. It’s an interesting move for the company and the athlete. We also look at how and why the NBA just borrowed $900 million from the financial markets, what it means for the league and will it be a challenge to repay it. Finally, we salute Universal Tennis’ new pro league and an interesting platform that ranks players across age, geography, skill, etc. Our loss this week is Tom Brady’s company TB12 getting a $1 million PPP loan.
Our main stories focus on how sports is slowly drifting toward streaming platforms, why these platforms are doing it (to sell us more stuff and increase our engagement) and does it help us, the fans, in the final analysis. We also look at the Knight Commission recommendation that the football conferences break away from the NCAA and form their own, more perfect union. The NCAA doesn’t like the idea, but we think the shift is already under way.
Wrapping the show with our weekly C’mon man segment, Anand wonders how did breakdancing become an Olympic sport…
The POP crew debuts a new segment this week as they briefly surface some wins and losses from across the sports & business landscape (and of course, 1 story surfaces as a draw).
In their top stories segment, Vlad, Mike and Anand talk through the wide-ranging financial issues that are notably impacting the global sports scene. On the professional front, wage deferrals, media rights, and empty stadiums are hot topics. As they look at the NCAA, Power 5 and basketball schools, far-flung conferences, non-revenue sports, and more are covered.
Wrapping the show with their weekly C’mon man segment, Mike is perplexed why a $1.2MM legal bill at KU is framed as business as usual…
In this week’s openers, the crew sorts out an update on Leo Messi and his contract status, comments on a newly formed college basketball parents association, and then briefly talks about the recent Clemson/FSU non-game.
In top stories, Anand covers the churn that’s building due to the heavy club soccer schedule, Mike discusses the financial realities of finishing the college basketball season and then Vlad wraps up top stories with a discussion about NBA roster formation with a scientific look at how valuable a draft is for the NBA compared to NFL, NHL and MLB.
Closing the episode with this week’s C’mon man segment, Vlad wonders what’s up with Barca leadership and their post-game media strategies...
The Pod On Point crew warms up to start this week’s episode with a couple of quick takes including Wichita State’s shocking settlement, NBA free agency, and the prospects for the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Next up, Philip Walter joins Vlad, Mike and Anand in a fantastic chat about the gaming industry, his company GAMERS ACADEMY, making gamers smarter as they tackle games like EA Sports FIFA21, and his perspectives on the future for the hyper-growth gaming space.
Closing the episode with the weekly C’mon man section, Vlad has found yet another lucrative breeding space…
In this week’s openers, Mike begins with the scoop on Top Golf’s sale to Callaway. Anand weighs in with a look at a first time Fall Master’s and the tour’s new phenom, Bryson DeChambeau.
In top stories, Vlad talks about the now omnipresent availability of sports gambling across the US and compares notes with Anand on how the landscape may change over the coming years. Anand then details the rapidly changing sports viewership landscape that has both US and global impacts.
Closing with their standard C’mon man jab, Mike highlights the Warriors potential opponents if the NBA had relegation…
Brian Kopp, Partner and Group CEO of Phoenix Sports Partners, joins this week’s show to talk about the inner workings of the sports analytics industry. Brian details which leagues are leading the pack, how teams employ people and data to gain an edge, and provides numerous insider angles to this burgeoning space.
Kicking off the opening segment of the show, Vlad takes us through Russell Wilson’s broad performance team that helps keep him in year-round tip-top shape. Mike highlights several components to the recent Utah Jazz billion dollar transaction. Closing out the opening segment, guest host Anand sorts through how Liverpool FC has returned to prominence with analytics playing a driving role in their roster formation.
Closing the show with their weekly C’mon man section, Mike thinks Lane Kiffin’s math skills might be better kept under wraps...
Sport Attorney Gregg Clifton joins the show to discuss the legal issues, political landscape, and the impacts to all stakeholders in the rapidly evolving Name, Image, and Likeness space for NCAA athletes.
In this week’s Speed Round, MIke opens with the NCAA’s push to retain their murky definition of amateurism by appealing to the Supreme Court to hear their case. Next up, Vlad surfaces a study by 4 Big 10 professors that analyze the rapidly rising sports-related revenues at big-time universities while also highlighting where those revenues are then distributed across a university.
In this week’s C’mon Man, Mike wonders if U-Dub’s multi-sport alum and NBA-vet Nate Robinson is the Most Interesting Athlete in the World...
Georgetown University Men’s Soccer Head Coach Brian Wiese join’s Vlad and Mike this week to discuss the state of his program, defending their national title in their now spring title-defense season, and Brian’s take on the state of US Soccer.
In this week’s Speed Round, Mike opens with details on the cutting-edge naming rights deal signed by Kroenke Sports for the newly named Ball Arena in Denver. Next up, Vlad highlights a number of marketing initiatives by LaLiga with their innovative watch parties in the US and gameday events back in Spain. Closing the Speed Round, Mike covers the rise in scoring in the English Premier League and asks the question if technology is hurting the beautiful game.
Closing this week with their C’mon Man, Vlad is curious if Leo Messi needs to spread his wings outside of the family with some new representation...
Richard Brand is one of THE pre-eminent players in the sports venues naming rights field as expert counsel leading deals for the last several decades. As the Managing Partner for Arent Fox’s San Francisco office (and head of their Sports group), Rich has led naming rights and sports-related deals spanning all major US sports for both professional and collegiate venues. Vlad and Mike have a great chat with Rich and much more on this week’s episode of the Pod On Point Podcast.
In this week’s speed round, Mike and Vlad briefly update details on CU Boulder’s deal with gambling shop Pointsbet. Next up, the sports memorabilia marketplace has reawakened this summer as Mike spotlights the funding raise by Rally. Vlad closes the speed round with a callout on the concluding basketball playoffs for both the WNBA and the NBA.
Closing out this week’s episode with their C’mon Man section, Vlad wonders aloud if the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler has found his post-basketball career calling…
In Episode 6’s Speed Round, Vlad and Mike talk about the NCAA’s upcoming vote on school’s eligibility for the 2020 Bowl season and the notable move of many US Women’s soccer stars to the English Premier League.
In this week’s Top Stories, Vlad and Mike take another look at the ongoing developments with Name, Image, and Likeness including how Congress has officially waded into the waters. Next, Vlad discusses the youth movement in global cycling and wonders what it will take for the US audience to re-engage. Last, Mike surfaces a looming problem on the horizon for the sports industry as Gen Z tracks sports in non-traditional ways.
Closing this week’s episode with their C’Mon man section, Vlad wonders why Rafa Nadal needs to know what time it is…
In Episode 5’s Speed Round, Vlad and Mike briefly cover out-of-date regulations in sports leagues, the ascension of the Denver Nuggets, and LeBron’s 2nd place MVP finish.
In Top Stories, Mike tackles sports gambling’s accelerating prominence across the US sports landscape and wonders the impact on young athletes and fans. Next, Mike takes a look at the newly dubbed connected fitness industry with Vlad spotlighting Apple’s Fitness+ offering. In their last top story, Vlad and Mike dig into how men’s college basketball teams are looking to launch their seasons after Thanksgiving.
As the episode closes with this week’s C’mon Man, Mike wonders if Luis Suarez has any bite left after being denied in Italy.
In this week’s Speed Round, Vlad wonders if the Houston Rockets can recover from the many fractures that have emerged. Next, Mike highlights the evolving coverage of the gaming industry by the business beats. Last, Vlad provides an update on how the University of Washington’s Athletic Department is handling their financial constraints.
In Top Stories, Mike opens with a spotlight on how Power 5 NCAA schools are using Name, Image, & Likeness in their recruiting pitches. Vlad closes Top Stories with a detailed look at how various stakeholders in sports are approaching the pandemic.
Closing this week’s episode with their C’Mon Man section, Mike ponders the Brady’s as tenants...
In the Speed Round section of this week’s episode, Vlad opens briefly with a recap of Messi’s decision and A-Rod’s continued fuming on his lost Met’s bid. Next Mike quickly covers several new stories including the Chicago Cubs $100MM partnership with DraftKings and the use of technology at this year’s US Open.
In their Top Stories section, Vlad takes a deeper look into the NCAA’s furloughing of their support staff at headquarters(1). Next, Mike digs into how the bifurcated college football season will dramatically alter the cottage industry built up around the NFL draft. In the final story in this week’s episode, Mike sorts through the dynamics of the newly proposed Professional Tennis Players Association including the incentives for top players.
Closing the episode with their C’Mon Man Section, Vlad provides his unique spin on leaving a legacy…
In the Speed Round section of this week’s episode, Vlad and Mike open briefly with a look at new developments on topics from Episode 1 (J-Rod Mets Bid and Big 10 Football Parents). Next Mike quickly covers a few stories including the bubble at the Tour De France, BitKraft Ventures eSports Fund, and the potential reclassification of Fantasy Sports. Closing the Speed Round on a somber note, Vlad covers the notable passing of three prominent basketball figures (including his old coach, John Thompson).
In their Top 5 section, Vlad takes a look at how the TV Networks have mixed incentives for College Football to not be played this fall. Vlad then takes a look back at Stanford’s announcement that they are eliminating 11 varsity sports programs and wonders what are the drivers. Mike takes us through the many layers of the Lionel Messi contract ordeal with Barcelona and then closes the Top 5 section with a look into the issues behind the LPGA’s snub of Sophia Popov.
Closing the episode with their C’mon Man section, Mike gives his unique take on the Most Valuable Player to His Team in the NBA.
In the debut episode of their Pod On Point Show, Vlad Bosanac and Mike McPhie introduce a new podcast with a focus on sports, business, and the business of sport.
As longtime friends, businessmen, Dad’s, and former athletes, Vlad and Mike provide their spin and analysis on interesting sports stories from across the globe. In the Speed Round section of the episode, Vlad and Mike talk about Roger Goodell’s recent statement about Colin Kapernick and also talk about Playoff Luka and the ups and downs of the Mavericks - Clippers Round 1 playoff series.
In their Top 5 section, a portion of the show with more in-depth coverage of 5 recent stories, Vlad leads off with a story about sports bubbles and all the versions currently employed across the sports landscape. Then Mike covers a story by ESPN Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg (Inside the Big Ten’s two weeks of discontent: ‘Everyone is furious’ https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29726309/inside-big-ten-two-weeks-discontent-everyone-furious) detailing how the Big Ten is taking heat for their handling of the postponing of college football for their member schools.
In the 3rd story, Vlad covers how the University of Washington has made an appeal to their fan base to help offset a looming $70MM budget deficit. In story 4, Vlad talks about a new tennis tournament in France https://utslive.tv (kicking off a discussion between Vlad and Mike about the intersection of innovation and the sports world). Lastly, in story 5, highlighting the overlap of pop culture, entertainment, and sports, Mike covers how A-Rod and J-Lo are leading a legitimate bid to purchase the New York Mets.
Finally, in the C’mon Man section of the episode Vlad rolls out a stat from the Houston Rockets recent playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.