Podcast appearances and mentions of kent oyler

Chamber of the Year Finalist series, interview with Kent Oyler from Greater Louisville Inc. Full show notes are at: chamberchatpodcast.com/episode28 Please support this podcast by supporting our sponsors.  Both of the sponsors for this podcast provide value to your Chamber at no cost and can even add to your non-dues revenue. Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber publication: chamberchatpodcast.com/cmi Swypit for a great credit card processing affinity program: chamberchatpodcast.com/cc

Soccer is big in Louisville. College basketball is huge. So why don't we have a major league team here? That's what we talked about this week on In Conversation, with these guests: Dan Issel, president of NBA2LOU, the business group trying to land an NBA team Kent Oyler, president of Greater Louisville Inc., the Louisville-area chamber of commerce Dr. Patrick Rishe, Founding Director of the Sports Business Program at Washington University in St. Louis The NBA's official position is that expansion isn't on the table. But Dan Issel, president of NBA 2 Louisville, has some doubts. "In talking to some current and former administrators in the NBA front office, their feeling is that expansion is inevitable," Issel said. "Because the owners are always looking for ways to make more money." He said revenue from things like ticket sales and TV contracts has to be split 50/50 between owners and players' associations. But expansion fees go directly into the owners' pockets. "So the feeling is, it's inevitable," Issel said. "Do we know the timeline? No." Kent Oyler from GLI says having an NBA team could attract talent to the city, and increase Louisville's national visibility. "We that live here know our city. We love our city. It's a great place, lots to do, lots of cultural attractions," he said. "But if you get out of the city, and you're trying to talk to somebody that's in Chicago, or Austin, or Denver, they've heard of Louisville, but they really don't know Louisville. We're just not on the radar screen out of town." He said it's important to attract new folks because Louisville's population numbers are flat, and there are around 27,000 open jobs. "And if we want to get more people moving here, they have to start thinking of us." In Conversation airs live on 89.3 WFPL, Friday mornings at 11. You can call the show during that hour at 502-814-TALK (8255).  

Howie and Matt Willinger talk Louisville City FC and the soccer stadium with Kent Oyler and Tim Mulloy. Plus, more on Tom Jurich's departure and Rick Pitino's interview with Terry Meiners.

Over the years, Kent Oyler has started 19 different business ventures and created over 1,000 jobs. Oyler is currently CEO of OPM Services, a financial services and investment firm. In 1996, Oyler and a friend formed high-speed access (or HSA) that delivers broadband Internet over cable television wires, attracting over $90 million in significant, well-known investors. In 1999, at age 41, Lehman Brothers and JP Morgan took HSA public in what still stands as the largest IPO in the history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. That same year, Oyler donated $1 million to seed a new business challenge grant, which has, so far, raised more than $25 million for the United Way. Former President H.W. Bush recognized Oyler as a Presidential Point of Light for his work on the national expansion on the YMCA program for runaways, called Safe Place. He has also received a Lifetime Achievement Presidential Service Award from President Obama for his work with the United Way.

With crowd funding ramping up and the SEC forming the rules and regulations, Kent Oyler formed the Commonwealth Crowdfunding Committee to help be proactive for not just Louisville entrepreneurs, but for those around the region who might take advantage of this “hidden money” in the economy. This week, we dive in to what it means […]