SBJ Unpacks

How do you avoid groupthink? How do you avoid various forms of cognitive bias? How do you make sure that each piece of information is valued and considered? In this episode, we hear how teams are tackling these issues. Balloon co-founder and CEO Amanda Greenberg, Houston Astros Assistant GM Andrew Ball, and Phoenix Suns Assistant GM Ryan Resch join SBJ's Joe Lemire to break this all down.

Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas on Friday night will play host to the return of SlamBall, and league co-founder Mike Tollin credits an organic groundswell among fans as a key impetus in bringing the sport back to life in the U.S. Tollin, who also serves as Mandalay Sports Media co-chair, spoke with SBJ's Austin Karp about the relationship with broadcast partner ESPN, how the funding efforts exceeded expectations, as well as the potential roles both sports wagering and social media could play.

With opening week quickly approaching, Ben Fischer, Reggie Walker, and Xavier Hunter were joined by Jabari Young of Forbes to preview the upcoming NFL season. Topics discussed included the Deshaun Watson suspension, Denver Broncos ownership, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, and the league's advancements in media.

SBJ's Alex Silverman is joined by USL Chief Operating Officer Justin Papadakis to discuss the state of the organization and its ambitious growth plans.

Recorded before the MLS All-Star Game kicked off

Ahead of the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic in Illinois and LIV Golf Invitational Portland, SBJ's Josh Carpenter, and David Rumsey spoke with Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig and Brendan Porath of The Fried Egg to discuss the current state of golf.

SBJ's Austin Karp posted up with NBA power forward Thaddeus Young. The 15-year veteran discussed his venture capital strategy, his investment in technology and much more.

Paul Epstein, founder of Purpose Labs, successfully steered business teams that executed billion-dollar NFL campaigns, broke Super Bowl revenue records, and generated league-leading sales results for NBA clubs. He then served as a consultant for the largest brands in business and sports. But after experiencing his own personal and career transformation, Epstein embarked on a mission to tackle a crisis of leadership. In his book, The Power of Playing Offense, Epstein takes a people-first approach to help leaders elevate purpose, performance and impact. In this episode of SBJ Unpacks, Epstein talks with SBJ's Ross Nethery about his leadership journey, including how he became the “Why Coach” for the San Francisco 49ers.

Two college football insiders, Teall Capital's Ben Sutton and Bruin Capital's George Pyne, discuss the College Football Playoff expansion, driving more value from the championship game and the future of bowl games in this game day edition of the SBJ Unpacks podcast.

2-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long chats with SBJ's Ben Fischer about life after football. We hear about his transition from chasing quarterbacks to pursuing media opportunities including a new podcast and much more.

Zach Maurides infamously started his business called Teamworks in a Duke University classroom when he was a student. Now, the Chicago native's organizational and communications platform is used by more than 1,000 college teams and the recent acquisitions of INFLCR and Notemeal have broadened the company into new areas of growth. In this edition of the SBJ Unpacks podcast, Michael Smith talks to Maurides about what has driven him as an entrepreneur and founder, the future of name, image and likeness and what convinced him to commit to Duke as a football recruit on his first college visit.

AXS Chief Product Officer Michael Rojas and YellowHeart founder and CEO Josh Katz joined SBJ's Bret McCormick to discuss blockchain's potential impact on the ticketing and sports industries. The free-flowing conversation occurred at the AXS Sports Facilities & Franchises and Ticketing symposium in Las Vegas in late September.

Aptim Director of Sustainability Lindsay Arell joined the Sports Business Journal's Bret McCormick on the Unpacks podcast to discuss the Sustainable Sport Index, a new report she co-authored looking at the industry's efforts in sustainability, health and wellness, and diversity and inclusion. Arell talked about the report's results, including novel findings like 53% of the responding teams allow free water bottle refill in their venue, or that only 18% of the respondents have a devoted sustainability coordinator. And she touched on the report's shortcomings, including areas where she and her co-authors intend to make improvements in what they're planning to be an annual effort. The report is available for free download at sustainablesportindex.com.

Longtime sports business leader and innovator Larry Lucchino, a member of the 2021 class of SBJ's Champions, talks with Senior Writer Bill King about developing new stadiums, why he insisted on being a part of both the business and the baseball sides, and breaking the curse of the Bambino.

Author Gerry Marzorati joins SBJ's Bret McCormick to talk about his new book, “Seeing Serena,” and how his approach may be the future of sports writing.

Wasserman's Elizabeth Lindsey and Jason Ranne stop by to talk about the company's new music venture with SBJ's Chris Smith.

Media personality Cari Champion joins SBJ’s John Ourand to talk about how sports have changed since George Floyd’s death, her career post-ESPN, her love of the Los Angeles Lakers and her new podcast “Naked with Cari Champion.” Recorded May 18, 2021

Whoop founder and CEO Will Ahmed joins SBJ’s Eric Prisbell to discuss the massive growth with the company and how the pandemic played a role in that growth.

Phenix Real-Time Solutions' Chief Marketing Officer Jed Corenthal joins SBJ’s Eric Prisbell to delve into the sports betting space. It is the three year anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case overturning the federal ban on sports betting. Where does the industry currently stand, and how will technology play a vital role in the growth of sports betting? *Recorded 5/13/21

Nielsen Senior VP/Diverse Insights & Initiatives Stacie de Armas joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to delve into the power of female athletes as social media and broadcast influencers, offering her examination of our industry’s commitment to gender equality, namely, within the context of this year's NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. *Recorded 4/15/21

Tim Katz -- who is YouTube Director and Head of News & Sports Partnerships -- joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss year three of the MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube, which he believes exemplifies the video platform’s strategic vision for its live-sports business overall.

Sports communications consultant Joe Favorito and SBJ’s Andrew Levin turn their attentions toward media engagement and adapting for content in a post-pandemic sports world, namely, via the hybrid event model, which embraces both in-person and virtual experiences simultaneously.

Jackson State AD Ashley Robinson joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss dynamics related to the SWAC’s spring football season, namely, myriad impacts the school has experienced from its hiring of head coach Deion Sanders, media exposure on ESPN, and an eventual transition back to a traditional fall sports season, plus more. *Recorded 4/7/21

American rock climber Alex Honnold is best known for his free solo ascents of big walls, in particular, El Capitan, chronicled in the 2018 biographical documentary “Free Solo,” which won a BAFTA and an Academy Award. Recently, Honnold launched his latest media project, “Climbing Gold,” a narrative podcast. He joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss that, plus other business dynamics surrounding rock climbing. *Recorded 4/6/21

CLEAR Chair & CEO Caryn Seidman Becker’s company has significantly deepened its ties in sports amid the pandemic. She joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss the implications of, and growth plans for, CLEAR’s technology, including its Health Pass platform, which allows fans to quickly and securely confirm their identity via biometrics. *Recorded 4/1/21

Barry Klarberg, who is Monarch Wealth and Business Management Founder & Managing Partner, joins SBJ's Terry Lefton to untangle the somewhat tangled world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). *Recorded 3/30/21

Following victories against Ohio State and Florida in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament -- landing the No. 15 seed in the Sweet 16 -- Oral Roberts University AD Mike Carter joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to assess the impact of the school’s bracket-busting run, discussing broadcast and social media, as well as booster, sponsor, enrollment and attendance interest, plus other factors. *Recorded 3/25/21

Having secured more than $30M in college athletics sponsorships in the past year, ISE Properties Exec VPs & co-Heads Owen Shull and Scott Malaga join SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss some recent deals, to break down the benefits and difficulties of selling during the pandemic, and to offer their expectations for when and how the collegiate marketplace will normalize post-COVID.

VaynerSports’ vision has expanded significantly amid the pandemic, as what began as a small, football-only agency has added divisions in baseball, esports, and action and combat sports. With NFL free agency in full swing and with MLB Opening Day on the immediate horizon, SBJ's Andrew Levin catches up with VaynerSports co-Founder & co-CEO AJ Vaynerchuk and co-CEO Greg Genske to break down these recent expansions, plus more.

Patricof Co has gathered a clientele of top-tier athletes to pool their capital to take stakes in ongoing private equity deals. SBJ’s Andrew Levin sits down with Mark Patricof, who lends his perspective as Founder, and Dolphins CB Byron Jones, who provides the athlete’s eye. *Recorded 3/18/21

SBJ's Abe Madkour, John Ourand and Ben Fischer discuss the NFL's new media rights deals, which will pay the league $10 billion a year through 2033.

With the NFL’s new league year officially having commenced, SBJ NFL beat reporter Ben Fischer joins Andrew Levin to discuss significant topics and offer his expectations as the league looks to transition out of the pandemic season toward more-normalized operations.

To have authentic and intentional conversations about equity, we need to have a shared sense for where we are, how we got here and where we need to head with regard to racial inequality. In today’s podcast, Charles Ross, Ph.D. and Jamil Northcutt, Ph.D. will provide a foundation of understanding for anyone planning to attend SBJ ALL IN on March 30th – 31st and lay out some of the ways that sports organizations can improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the business.

Overtime co-Founder & President Zack Weiner and Overtime Elite Commissioner & President Aaron Ryan join SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss the recently announced league -- planning to launch in September -- that will compensate basketball’s top high school-aged players with a salary of at least $100,000 guaranteed for the season, plus other benefits.

Former Michigan State walk-on basketball player Mat Ishbia recently made headlines when he donated a staggering $32M to his alma mater’s athletics department, the single largest gift by an individual in school history. With March Madness approaching, Ishbia joins SBJ's Michael Smith to discuss the lessons he took from playing for Spartans coach Tom Izzo and the basketball concepts he has used to build his company, United Wholesale Mortgages or UWM, into a goliath, originating the second-most loans in the U.S. *Interview recorded 3/1/21

Esports Bonus Podcast: SBJ’s Andrew Levin speaks with Enthusiast Gaming CEO Adrian Montgomery, namely, about the video game-focused digital media company’s drive to engage with GenZ, as well as myriad other topics including the future of live esports events and legalized betting’s impact on the space, plus more. *Interview recorded 3/9/21

Bonus Pod: On the 50th anniversary of Ali-Frazier I, the “Fight of the Century,” longtime sportscaster Tim Ryan joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss his experience broadcasting the fight for Armed Forces Radio and New Zealand Public Radio. *Interview recorded 3/8/21

It’s Int’l Women’s Day, and Twitter Head of Athlete & Sports Talent Partnership Brittany O’Hagan joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss her role with the social media company and how the platform goes about empowering female athletes and execs in the industry.

Global sports business agency Sportfive -- rebranded from Lagardere Sports & Entertainment in May of 2020 -- has been making headlines of late, including a new global golf strategy, teaming with La Liga side Atlético Madrid, and cutting deals with the Lakers and Bulls. Sportfive Chief Growth Officer Robert Müller von Vultejus joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to break down these, plus more. *Interview recorded 2/26/21

Katrina Adams, a former professional tennis player and the first black president and CEO of the USTA, and also the youngest to hold that position, is now a published author after her new book, “Own The Arena” was released Feb. 23. She joined Bret McCormick to discuss her new book, her many firsts as head of the USTA and some of the issues facing pro tennis in this episode of SBJ Unpacks.

CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss HBCU life and leadership amid the pandemic, as well as the conference’s virtual tournament-week experience, taking place currently.

Elk Grove Village, Ill., Mayor Craig Johnson and 4FRONT co-Founder & Partner Dan Migala join SBJ's Andrew Levin to break down what motivated the municipality to dive into its unconventional sports sponsorships, to assess ROI, and to look ahead.

UBS Global Wealth Management Head of Sports & Entertainment Adewale Ogunleye joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to share his story, namely, how his family and football career have motivated him to pursue his current work.

With forces building toward the possibility of legalized sports betting in Canada, theScore VP/Marketing & Content Aubrey Levy joins SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss what the opportunity would mean for the Toronto-based company, as well as its strategy in the U.S.

ESPN’s Karl & Sam Ravech join SBJ’s Andrew Levin to discuss how their father-son relationship has benefitted one another professionally, and to break down the dynamics of remote game broadcasts.