Two sports marketing industry veterans, Tim McGhee and David Paro, tackle the big issues facing the sports business, always looking for the fun and the positive. Bringing their unique experiences and perspectives, DP & McGhee will cover current topics while also providing lessons from their careers. Luminaries from the #sportsbiz will be regularly featured to bring further insight to matters such as Olympic Games marketing, sports betting, controversial sponsorship categories, mental health in sports, and much more. You'll laugh, you'll learn and, on occasion, you'll ask, "wait...what?"
DP & McGhee had a packed show this week, including a great interview in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month with Dr. Mara Smith, a consultant to the USOPC. Dr. Mara works with athletes of all levels on the importance of mental wellness and fitness. As a former college gymnast, she brings a unique perspective to mental fitness and her thought on Simone Biles case of the twisties is particularly enlightening.Before the interview David and Tim talk about what will surely be the biggest sports story of 2025, Cornell's national championship in men's lacrosse (cue a DP eye roll). They also discuss the passing of Colts' owner Jim Irsay, what Caitlin Clark's injury might mean for the business of the WNBA, and the action packed Memorial Day weekend of racing.
DP & McGhee welcome award-winning filmmaker, Josh Altman to discuss his new docuseries, Earnhardt, on the day the first 2 episodes drop on Amazon Prime Video. Josh talks about Dale Earnhardt's legacy, the participation of Dale's family in the project, and how he approaches his projects. The Sportsbiz Chat gives a very strong endorsement of the project.Before the interview, DP & McGhee talk about how MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's decision to lift the lifetime ban on Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson will impact their road to the Baseball Hall of Fame. We'd love to know if you think they deserve enshrinement.The hosts also talk WNBA tip-off, NBA playoff viewership and Tim and David dust off their old corporate finance textbooks to talk about the high valuations for the majority of MLS clubs.
If you've ever had the pleasure, and you're anything like us, you love seeing the name Terry Lefton show up on your caller ID. Any conversation with Terry is a delight. And we had Terry back on this week's episode as the first-ever repeat guest on Wait…What?Before welcoming Terry, DP & McGhee talked NBA playoff viewership (among other league items), F1 financial performance, Media Upfronts, MJ joining the NBA broadcasts next year with NBC, and their new favorite topic (at least for now), Shadeur Sanders.They also joked about the new name for ESPN's upcoming DTC product which is, quite frankly, brilliant in its simplicity.And, what has become a new segment, Tim had to issue a correction for misidentifying Breanna Stewart's spouse.
DP & McGhee are joined by longtime CEO of U.S. Squash, Kevin Klipstein, who discusses what the inclusion of squash in the 2028 Summer Games means for the sport, and plenty more.Before that, the hosts talk about the Kentucky Derby, NBA playoff ratings, and the end of an era with the retirement of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Three unique sponsorships are highlighted in a Spotlight on Sponsorship segmentAnd in a show first, a listener calls out a mistake by Tim on the last episode. One he is more than willing to admit.
The NFL may be the 800-pound gorilla of the US-sports world, but DP & McGhee start the conversation today talking about the NHL and NBA playoffs.But don't despair, they talk about the recently completed NFL draft. In most years, all the talk would be about the first quarterback in the draft, in this case, Miami's Cam Ward. However, this isn't most years. Shadeur Sanders went in the 5th round, but he was the #1 topic of discussion among all the pundits (and David and Tim, too). Speaking of pundits, Mel Kiper went all in, some would say he went way too far, on Sanders, going on extended riffs on the absurdity of his dropping so far in the draft.And the hosts also celebrate the career of the inimitable Lee Corso, who announced his retirement from ESPN after 38 years covering college football.If that wasn't enough Jeff Gooding, VP of Marketing at Ace Hardware, joined the show to talk about Ace's recently announced partnership with Major League Baseball and how their HQ supports their 5,000 locally owned and operated stores across the US.Jeff also provides some of the best advice we've heard for breaking into the sports industry.
Imagine 115,000 student athletes all in one place. That place is Opendorse, the platform that matches brands to student athletes for use in advertising, endorsement, and influencer campaigns.TJ Ciro, SVP of Partnerships at Opendorse joins DP & McGhee to talk about the current state of affairs in the collegiate athlete marketing space.Before that conversation, David and Tim talk numbers like the ratings for the Masters, the rebound in NBA viewership, and the NFL's continued revenue growth. College football, MLB sponsorships and the WNBA are also on the docket.
It's early April, so what else would DP & McGhee be talking about besides Final Four hoops and Masters Week.The co-hosts go deep into both the Men's and Women's tournaments before David admits he's not a fan of a beloved Final Four tradition. And even though all eyes are on Augusta, David and Tim talk about the ongoing rift in golf and offer their thoughts and suggestions.Later on Jason Langwell, Chief Revenue Officer of TMRW Sports joins the show to share his take on the successful first year of the TGL. Jason brings a wealth of golf business experience to his role and shares some wonderful insights on the sport.Fore!
On this week's episode, David and Tim talk to legendary sports marketer, Rick Jones about his nearly 50-year career in sports. Rick shares the story about how the deal for Werner Ladder came together for them to become the official ladder of March Madness as well as stories about historic Final Fours and his thoughts on this year's Big Dance.DP & McGhee don't hold back on their thoughts about Pat McAfee's recent amplification of a false rumor. And as you can tell from the episode's title, they talk about the current imbroglio hitting (pun intended) Major League Baseball.
After having some amazing guests over the past several episodes, DP & McGhee go it alone in this week's episode. And there was no shortage of topics to cover. The co-hosts start off with a discussion of the recent record-breaking sale of the Boston Celtics and the potential impact it will have on future sales of existing teams and expansion fees.They then go around the horn on Jimmy Pitaro's decision to take himself out of contention for the Disney CEO role, the USL's decision to go to a system of promotion and relegation, March Madness and the historic selection of the new head of the IOC.There's something for everyone in this episode. Enjoy.
For the first time in the show's history, DP & McGhee recorded the show in front of a live audience. Thank you to the NY Mets who hosted David and Tim at the Mets House in NYC's Union Square.Bobby Clemens, the Mets' VP Creative Content & Creative Director, joined the show to talk about the process he and his team go through to create both on and off field content.And since it's March, your co-hosts talk about the NCAA tournament, MLB Opening Day, the New Era Cap debacle, and the passing of sports writing legend John Feinstein.
DP & McGhee are joined by Caroline Smith (@itscarolinescorner), who talks about her work as a content creator. Caroline has some particularly great advice for people looking to break into the content/influencer game. In a Wait, What? first, David, Tim and Caroline spend a few minutes talking about their favorite Broadway musicals.Not to worry...your co-hosts spend the first half of the show talking about the upcoming NCAA tournament, NIL and the newly created GM role that many athletic programs are starting to embrace.
DP & McGhee were thrilled to be joined by Elisa Padilla, Chief Marketing Officer, and Joe Stetson, Chief Commercial Officer, of the New York Red Bulls. Both have a wealth of knowledge and depth of expertise to lead marketing and sales for one of the most successful clubs in Major League Soccer.In addition to covering the impact of the much-heralded naming rights deal with Sports Illustrated Tickets, Joe and Elisa talk about how their experiences at properties like Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (BSE Global) and MSG shaped them into the successful sports business executives they are today.Before then, David and Tim talk about big news in the Olympic world. They also talk numbers, including a big crowd for the NHL Stadium Series and great ratings for IndyCar on Fox.Enjoy the show.
DP & McGhee celebrate the 100th episode of Wait…What!!After the collective pat on the back, the hosts recap the recently completed, and enormously successful, 4 Nations Face-Off. And their conversation about the tournament continued with John Lewicki from the NHL who talks about the future of similar competitions.The pending (likely divorce) between ESPN and MLB was also a topic of discussion as was the NBA All-Star festivities and yet another gambling scandal hitting the sports landscape.Enjoy this milestone episode.
What kind of #sportsbiz podcasters would DP & McGhee be if they didn't discuss Super Bowl LIX? Sure, you'll get all the low down on the Super Bowl ads, but you also get so much more.In this episode, your hosts talk about the game on the field, the halftime show, and of course, the commercials. Neither co-host was overly impressed with the ads, but both David and Tim found some spots they liked. David was kind enough not to mention how bad Tim's game prediction was and was quite the gracious winner.Also, check out their conversation about MLB and the NFL's success in generating record setting sponsorship revenue and value.
In this episode, DP & McGhee give their predictions on Super Bowl LIX. Spoiler alert, one of them will be right. Before that, the hosts talk about the blockbuster trade involving Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis and recent news about betting scandals in the NBA and MLB. But the highlight of the show was guest Ben Reiling of Nielsen Sports who talks about how data can drive better decision making in sports for both brands and rights holders. Ben has had a legendary career, and he takes us back to his days at the Coca-Cola Company. Enjoy the show. And keep a look out for 11:11s.
DP & McGhee get back behind their mics for the first time in 2025 and they have a free-wheeling discussion on the latest goings on in the sports biz.. They start off the show recapping the recently completed College Football Playoffs and the NFL conference championship games. But the real fun begins when Tim and David review their predictions for 2024 (they both did pretty well) and make their prognostications for the new year. We predict you'll enjoy the show!
It's beginning to look a lot like...time for another #sportsbiz chat. In this episode, DP & McGhee talk about the recent Jake Paul/Mike Tyson fight and its potential implications for the upcoming Christmas Day NFL games to be streamed on Netflix. They also talk about the rumors surrounding whether the fight's outcome was pre-determined. NFL Thanksgiving ratings were something to behold (it seems like David and Tim could say this every week about pro football's stranglehold on TV audiences). Also discussed: F1, MLS Cup and CFP. Actually going to be a packed weekend!! Enjoy.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner in the US, and like a fully loaded Turkey Day table, DP & McGhee have a little something for everyone. The hosts serve up the recently completed NASCAR season as the appetizer, followed by a main course of NFL with a side of Tom Brady. Major League Soccer serves as a nice intermezzo before David and Tim serve up a sweet dessert of the stories they are following. Bon appetit!
DP & McGhee spend most of today's episode talking about two recent high profile sponsorships and in the case of Campbell's and Harris Blitzer, how the deal came together. They also recap the recently completed World Series, talk about the first College Football Playoff rankings and how the change in administrations in Washington might impact the sports of golf. Please excuse the occasional inferior audio quality.
MLS, NWSL and the WNBA all broke attendance records this past season, and DP & McGhee talked about the success these leagues have experienced and hope to continue into the new year. They also touched on the hot button topic of NIL and the impact college athletes have had on the changing landscape of collegiate sports. It's been a while, but David and Tim also talk about the recently announced media deal between QVC and USA Pickleball. Would you like to buy an exfoliant before the next match starts? They close out the episode by talking about the lawsuit brought by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR. It's safe to say this won't be the last time the topic comes up.
DP & McGhee welcome Camilo Durana, EVP of Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing to talk about the recently completed Summer of Soccer in the US. As Camilo rightly points out, the beautiful game will be coming back next year and in the summer 2026 all eyes will be on North America as the FIFA Men's World Cup returns to North America for the first time in 32 years. Before their conversation, David and Tim talk about Tom Brady and Alex Morgan, two greats returning and leaving the sports stage, respectively. They also discuss the NFL's great opening weekend, US Open record setting attendance, the DirecTV/Disney carriage dispute, and Tyreek Hill's detainment in South Florida. Stick around to the end to hear David's big news on the MoneyGram Haas F1 team.
Like Ilsa and Rick in Casablanca, DP & McGhee talk at great lengths about Paris in this episode...specifically, the recently concluded Summer Olympic Games. Following an extended summer break, the show welcomes Steve Margosian, founder of Across the Board Sports Media Consulting and former NBC Sports executive with nearly 30 years Olympic media experience. Along with talking about Olympics past, present and future, Steve shares his stories about working for the legendary Tony Ponturo at Anheuser-Busch and the Busch Media Group. David and Tim also talk about the carriage dispute between Disney and DirecTV, the NFL's decision to allow private equity investments and the Netflix special featuring Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi. Enjoy the show and bon appetit!
David and Tim spend the 90th episode of Wait...What? going deep on a couple of big topics in the world of sports.DP comes around to a new found respect? appreciation? tolerance? for Bryson DeChambeau after his performance in the US Open. While McGhee will not give up predicting a Rory victory at the Open Championship despite his meltdown at Pinehurst. Caitlin Clark is never far from the spotlight, or the back pages, so the hosts talk about her burgeoning rivalry with Angel Reese, being left off the Olympic roster, and her role in important issues like sexism, racism and misogyny. We save our best for last, however, and discuss the shocking news from the world of professional eating where Joey Chestnut will be unable to defend his crown at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest after signing an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods. Is he an athlete? Yes. Is going to be able to break his record in Coney Island? Not likely at this point. Enjoy the show.
DP & McGhee share their thoughts on Bill Walton, the legendary basketball player and broadcaster. Both remember the Big Red Head from his playing days, noting that many of the show's listeners might be too young to have seen his greatness first hand. Staying with the basketball theme, David and Tim talk about the soon to be completed NBA media rights deal and what's potentially in Charles Barkley's future. The NCAA continues to be in the news, so it continues to be a topic of discussion on the show. Both co-hosts agree that on-field logos are on their way, and possibly jersey patches, as well. As the arms race continues, student-athletes will quite likely share in the windfall, but at what cost?
After a brief hiatus, DP & McGhee are back with a wide-ranging discussion around the business of sports. First up, was the NFL, which generates storylines 12 months a year, even around things like OTAs. Next up is a brief recap of the NHL playoffs. And college athletics is in flux, to put it kindly, and David and Tim talk about some of the issues coming up around athlete commercialization. Spoiler alert, it's not always pretty. The hosts end the show with a humorous chat about the Ricky Stenhouse (Jr. and Sr.) dust up with Kyle Busch. If Will Ferrell is thinking about Talladega Nights, Part 2, he could do worse than including a scene like the one that unfolded at North Wilkesboro.
DP & McGhee are joined by Terrence Burns, a true luminary in the Olympic movement. Terrence tells stories ranging from assisting Casey Wasserman and the LA28 bid effort to writing a speech for...Vladimir Putin? He lays out a compelling case for what brands can hope to achieve through an Olympic sponsorship and how the Olympic Games are more than just sport. There's more, of course. The #sportsbiz chat hosts also talk about their latest favorite topic, Caitlin Clark, and women's sports. But, this conversation has an interesting twist, including a disagreement with one media personality and bewilderment with another.
DP & McGhee are joined by Shripal Shah, author of the recently published book, "Leveling Up with AI: A Strategic Guide to AI in Sports Marketing." Shripal makes a potentially complex topic easy to understand for sports marketers.Before the interview, the co-hosts talk about the Masters, the meteoric rise in viewership for the WNBA Draft, and the lifetime ban imposed by NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, on Jontay Porter for betting on basketball and trying to influence prop bets on himself.Enjoy.
Hello friends. Another year of March Madness is in the books, and this was unlike any one in history. South Carolina prevailed over Caitlin Clark and Iowa on the way to an undefeated season. This match-up for the ages led to over 18M viewers for a game played on a Sunday afternoon. On the men's side, UConn pulled away from Purdue in the second half to repeat as NCAA Champions.But unlike every year before, the women's final outdrew the men's game, and by a lot (4M viewers). Yet another watershed moment for women's sports.And DP & McGhee covered it all (and then some).
It's Opening Day, and DP & McGhee are back with their 84th episode. That is higher than the number of games NHL and NBA teams have in a season, and more home games than an MLB club plays each year. But, we digress. The hosts talk about the dark side of sports betting, which is starting to make its way from the back pages to the front pages with Shohei Ohtani embroiled in a potential scandal, NCAA president Charlie Baker calling for a ban on prop bets on college players, and Raptors forward Jontay Porter being held out of games as betting authorities investigate strange betting patterns. And because the show was Opening Day of the 2024 baseball season, David and Tim weigh in on MLB. They also talk the NFL's decision to play on Christmas, Kim Mulkey asking to speak to a manager (or at least an attorney) about an article that had yet to be published and recent developments in stadium deals around the various leagues. Enjoy.
After the longest episode in the history of the show, DP & McGhee come back with a much shorter show this week. But, that doesn't mean the hosts didn't touch on numerous topics. From the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (for the second week in a row) to Mike Tyson getting back in the ring to the potential coming together of men's and women's tennis, David and Tim hit a lot of the news. Check it out before you get too caught up in March Madness.
Rob Prazmark has built a legendary career, selling some of the biggest and most impactful sponsorships in the history of sport. He joins the show to talk about his book, "The Olympics Don't Take American Express," a journey through his nearly 40-year career in the Olympic Movement and beyond. His insights, advice and stories make him one of the best guests the show has ever had. Oh, and DP & McGhee are also there. Talking a lot about collegiate sports, Clarkmania and the brewing F1 controversies. Enjoy!
The podcast took a rather deep digression (even deeper than normal digressions) into the world of 1970s progressive rock in the middle of a wide-ranging discussion of news in the business of sports. Trust us, it's worth the listen. DP & McGhee talked about the issues facing two of the bigger events on the sports calendar. While the problems with the NBA All-Star Game were all man-made, NASCAR had Mother Nature to blame for delaying the Great American Race by a day. And although it's still February, college football is never far from the minds of sports fans, especially when the College Football Playoffs is talking about expanding to up to 16 teams before they've even played a game in the 12-team format. There's a spotlight on sponsorship, memories of the Miracle on Ice and more. Enjoy.
Poets call April the cruelest month. For the sports industry, February may just be the coolest. DP & McGhee talk at length about the biggest event of the month, the Super Bowl. But, they certainly didn't want to ignore another marquee event, the NBA All-Star Weekend. And David and Tim were honored to have NBA Executive Vice President Kerry Tatlock talking about all the festivities taking place in Indianapolis. Kerry provided insight into two big new sponsorship deals the NBA recently announced with some megabrands. The Waste(d) Management Phoenix Open, ESPN's revised CFP deal, the Daytona 500, and pitchers and catchers reporting also got the Wait…What? treatment.
DP jumped on the mic from London to record this episode just days before the Super Bowl kicks off in Las Vegas. There was plenty of talk about the Big Game, including DP and McGhee's predictions. Let's just say they'll either both be crowing or you won't hear another word about it. The hosts also talked about the commercials they're most looking forward to seeing, and some of them are really familiar to fans. The recent announcement that ESPN, Fox and Warner Brothers Discovery were coming together to bundle their sports offering certainly caught DP and McGhee's attention, as did news of a great year on the sponsorship front by the NHL. And going from the ridiculous to the absurd, there was a great discussion about Kim Jong Un, Peter Thiel, and Phil Mickelson.
The University of Michigan football team circled the wagons after not one, but two, suspensions of head coach, Jim Harbaugh. And they embraced their role as villains of the college football world all the way to a national championship. DP & McGhee talk about the ratings and the ramifications of the last College Football Playoff featuring 4 teams. The hosts also touch on the feud within Disney between two top talents, as well as ESPN's major investment in NCAA Championships, including the women's basketball tournament. Finally, David and Tim also make their predictions for the 2024 sports industry. Only time will tell if they are bold or foolish.
DP & McGhee kick off season 3 by welcoming Jerry Cifarelli, Jr., President & CEO of ANC, an industry-leading media and technology company. There was a lot to talk about after the holiday break, and David and Tim touch on the College Football Playoffs, Jim Harbaugh and the Pop-Tarts Bowl. David Tepper, a newly popular topic for discussion (often for the wrong reasons), makes the show after tossing a drink into the crowd at last weekend's game between Tepper's Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The hosts also take a look back at their 2023 predictions – a truly mixed bag from the insightful to the inane. And finally, both David and Tim are looking forward to seeing Caitlin Clark in action.
In the midst of the holiday season, DP & McGhee have something for pretty much every sports (biz) fan in this episode. They start the discussion with their most popular topic, LIV Golf. Jon Rahm's decision to join the upstart league certainly seems to have impacted the negotiations between PIF, LIV and the TOUR. They then pivot to the history-making contract signed by MLB phenom, Shohei Ohtani, and MLB's big jump in sponsorship revenue. If you're a college football fan, this show has you covered as they talk about the upcoming CFB playoffs. NBA? They've got you covered! MLS? EPL? Ditto! Enjoy the show, and the holidays!
In this, their 75th episode, DP & McGhee touch upon some topics that have become very familiar to loyal listeners. The merger between the PGA TOUR and LIV Golf continues to have more twists than Shelly (Alan Arkin) serpentining in the In Laws. NASCAR's new media deal beats expectations, with new partners joining the dance.David and Tim both agree that if he's not the worst owner in sports, this certain billionaire is certainly in the conversation. And no, it's definitely not Mark Cuban, who's also a topic of discussion.They also hit on the conference championships, the AI brouhaha at SI, and a tribute to the late, great Rodney Dangerfield.
Jim Andrews, as much as any person in the sports industry, made marketers smarter about sponsorships. His work at IEG, both with IEG Report and the IEG Conference, was groundbreaking and essential to the dramatic growth of the sports marketing industry from the 1980s through the present. Jim shares his thoughts and perspective on a broad range of subjects during his visit. DP & McGhee also talk about the complicated legacy of Bobby Knight, World Series ratings (and what they do or don't say about MLB's prospects going forward) and the newly named head coach of the USWNT, Emma Harris. Looking forward, David heads to Vegas for the F1 race for work, while Tim heads to Ithaca for Cornell Hockey for fun.
Some weird stuff is happening up in Michigan. Between inappropriate trivia questions at Michigan State and an alleged cheating scandal in Ann Arbor, DP & McGhee talk the craziness that is Michigan college athletics these days. The co-hosts then talk about the ongoing Fall (not so) Classic going on between the D•Backs and the Rangers. Neither co-host can speak with too much first-hand knowledge about the World Series, but since when did that stop them? The ever popular sponsorship segment is back, with DP and McGhee talking at length about briefs. Namely, the recently announced deal between the NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball and Kim Kardashian's Skims brand of underwear. Shortly after recording the episode, in which the co-hosts mentioned Bobby Knight, it was announced that Coach Knight had passed away. They had no knowledge of that as they were speaking of him.
DP & McGhee return with a free wheeling conversation around LIV Golf, one of their favorite topics, the New York Jets, F1 and most notably UFC's really big deal with Bud Light. As many people know, Bud Light was recently knocked off its perch as the best selling beer in the US as a result of a concerted effort by some people to boycott the brand. This new deal shows Bud Light leaning into its core audience, and borrowing the equity of one of the strongest sports brands out there – the UFC. And, it wouldn't be a Wait…What? episode without a pop culture, albeit a dated one, reference.
DP & McGhee dig into the numbers in this week's episode, talking about MLB attendance, NFL viewership, Inter Miami ticket prices, and Liverpool FC investments. They also do a recap of some of the stories around the recently completed Ryder Cup (DP even likens the rivalry to war), including how the Saudi investment could impact the event going forward. No guest? No problem. The hosts talk about some past guests, including one legendary sports business journalist's take on spring football. Take a listen to hear about a whole host of topics related to the sports business "ecosystem." How's that for a Wait...What callback?
Long-time sports industry leader, Keith Bruce joins DP & McGhee for a discussion about the recent acquisition of QuintEvents by F1-owner Liberty Media and what it means for their growth and expansion plans. The QuintEvents International President also talks about his long and storied career, including being the CEO of Super Bowl 50, arguably the most important Super Bowl in the history of the NFL. Bruce also gives listeners his perspective on what has changed and what's remained constant in his more than a quarter century in the sports biz. The co-hosts start off talking about the upcoming Ryder Cup, MLB ratings and Coach Prime and his University of Colorado Buffaloes. It seems everyone is talking about Sanders and his team. Enjoy the listen.
After a long, hot summer, DP and McGhee are back! As cool as the coming fall. In this episode, your intrepid hosts distill a season's worth of sports biz news into an hour long show. With football now in full swing, they talk about everything from Coach Prime to Aaron Rodgers to record ratings to conference realignment. The other football gets some love, as well. Specifically, the Messi Effect and his immediate and significant impact on MLS. Tim and David are both impressed by both Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic and how they fared both on and off the court at the US Open. Enjoy!
DP & McGhee are about to take a hiatus from the show to enjoy the summer. But before they sign off for a few weeks, they touch on a number of topics around the sports industry. No show would be complete without a discussion of LIV Golf, but while the merger (or whatever you want to call it) between the TOUR and LIV Golf is under legal and regulatory scrutiny, it will continue to be newsworthy. But golf in general continues to create compelling storylines, whether it's the US Open won by a guy who'd never made a cut at the tournament, or the NFL-style finish to the Canadian Open, it continues to make the back pages (the sports section), and not just the front. Finals ratings, both NBA and NHL, make the cut, as does the rehiring of Greg Berhalter to once again lead the US Men's National Team. And before signing off, the hosts shine a spotlight on sponsorships and give a wholehearted endorsement of the College World Series. Enjoy the show...and we'll talk soon.
The show has covered LIV Golf as much as it has any current topic in sports, but this week's episode is dedicated almost exclusively to the recent merger (?) between the TOUR, the DP (not short for David Paro) World Tour and LIV.Oh, and a pretty good soccer player named Lionel something is coming to MLS.
DP & McGhee kick off, or should we say tip off, the show talking about LeBron's departure from the playoffs and the real possibility that the Celtics might also be swept away. Brooks Koepka won his 5th major this past weekend, but his first since joining LIV Golf. What is the impact of Koepka's win, both long- and short-term, on the upstart golf tour? Getting back to hoops, your co-hosts talk about the start of the WNBA season, highlighted by Brittney Griner's return to the court and Breanna Stewart going full beast mode. On a more serious note, recent episodes of overt racism in the sports world, both here and abroad, are discussed. And before some shout outs to some industry luminaries, Tim and David discuss the lasting legacy of Jim Brown, the NFL great who recently passed away.
DP & McGhee take advantage of not having a guest by touching on a whole host of topics around the sports industry. They start by channeling their inner Siskel & Ebert (look it up, kids) to discuss the Ben Affleck-directed “Air” about Nike's efforts to sign Michael Jordan before he became MICHAEL JORDAN, or just MJ. And keeping to their rule about only discussing certain topics on days that end in Y, they hit upon the NFL's upcoming schedule and PGA of America's honcho Seth Waugh's take on LIV Golf.Your hosts also touch on the NBA and NHL playoffs, MLB (small market teams in particular), MLS, F1 and college realignment.There's a lot to cover, and something for everyone.
Alternate title: Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm (episode) 64 DP & McGhee spend the opening segment discussing ratings for the NHL and NBA Playoffs, MLB first month numbers and, yes, Super Bowl ratings. And while they do discuss action on the field of play, that merely goes to show you that the sporting side impacts the commercial operations and vice versa. The Co-Hosts are then joined by Rick Singer, one of the most accomplished and nicest people in the sports industry. From his early days at the NBA, to running sponsorships for IBM to his more recent experiences with the Tiger Woods Foundation and Duke University, Rick has had a front row seat to some of the greatest moments in sports over the past quarter century. Listen to one of the more fun and entertaining interviews on this episode.
DP & McGhee return from a week off and toss around a number of topics during the latest episode. David, knowing positive news for NY Jets fans is sometimes hard to come by kicks of the discussion by talking about the trade that brings Aaron Rodgers to Gang Green. Spoiler alert, both hosts see the Jets as a playoff contender in the 2023 season. That can't bode well for J E T S Jets, Jets, Jets. Going from the American brand of football to the beautiful game, the hosts talk about the success of Wrexham, not only on the pitch but on the commercial side of the business, as well. And it seems like it wouldn't be an episode of Wait…What? without LIV Golf coming up in conversation. This time, David and Tim riff on Will Ferrell's latest project, as well as quick recap of some his greatest hits. All that, and more.
The growth of bull riding as a major sports property has been nothing short of phenomenal. A lot of credit for that goes to Sean Gleason, the CEO of the Professional Bull Riders. From creating not one, but two docuseries around the sport to selling franchises to the Team Series, Sean has been among the most innovative leaders in sports. On this episode, Sean talks about PBR's founding 30 years ago, its milestone anniversary, and the sport's future. DP & McGhee open the show by recapping the recently completed Masters, and of course LIV Golf works its way into the conversation. They also talk about the recently completed NBA season numbers (spoiler alert: they were very good) and the upcoming playoffs, MLB sponsorships from the sublime to the ridiculous and the ongoing success of the NWSL.