Podcasts about mercedes benz stadium

Andy and Abe examine the massive success of international soccer in Atlanta and the upcoming tournament finale at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They also break down the Braves' strategy for the second half of the season and the urgent need for roster additions at the trade deadline. 01:00 - Atlanta World Cup Atmosphere 06:22 - World Cup Consolation Match 09:03 - Braves Second Half Outlook

Steak Shapiro and Rusty Mansell explore how Arthur Blank's dedication to soccer turned Atlanta into a premier World Cup destination. They also discuss the unique fan experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and preview hard-hitting comments from Brent Key. 01:00 - High School Football Update 02:40 - Arthur Blank's Soccer Vision 04:12 - World Cup Concession Prices 08:20 - FIFA's Future In Atlanta

They celebrate Atlanta's successful run as a World Cup host city, noting the immense security efforts and the vibrant international atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The discussion includes a critique of Marcelo Hernandez's ESPYs performance and John Smoltz's concerns regarding the high number of strikeouts in the MLB All-Star Game. Finally, they preview upcoming film trailers for the Rocky origin story and a new Christopher Nolan epic. 01:00 - Atlanta World Cup Success 08:23 - Marcelo Hernandez ESPYs Recap 10:26 - Smoltz Analyzes MLB Strikeouts 12:30 - World Cup Halftime Show 14:20 - Stallone and Movie News

Live reactions to the international soccer match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, plus a spirited debate over Patti LaBelle's controversial National Anthem at the MLB All-Star Game. They preview President Trump's highly anticipated national address, discuss AOC's call for networks not to air it, welcome contest winner Philip into the studio, reminisce about Rocky, Die Hard, and radio memories, and mix in plenty of laughs, listener calls, celebrity birthdays, and classic Kimmer commentary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Randy talk about today's semifinal matchup between England and Argentina at Mercedes Benz Stadium, who is favored and has the edge, and if England can finally deliver on the field to meet their country's expectations.

In the final hour of today's show, Dukes and Bell recap Argentina's dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England, analyzing Lionel Messi's impact and the electrifying atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They also debate the Falcons' quarterback situation involving Michael Penix Jr. and discuss the highlights from the MLB All-Star Game. Jason Longshore joins to provide expert insight into the World Cup final matchup against Spain. 01:50 - Argentina Defeats England 08:11 - MLB All-Star Recap 16:46 - Falcons QB Controversy 25:15 - Jason Longshore Analysis 35:27 - Arthur Blank Comments 40:38 - ACC Media Days

Welcome back to World Cup Daily #41! Today, Shaq and James Toland break down a masterclass of containment in Dallas, tracking how Didier Deschamps' rigid selections backfired while turning their focus toward tonight's blockbuster semifinal between England and Argentina!We break down the tactical setups and historical rivalries unfiltered:⏱️ MID-SHOW HYDRATION BREAK

The Messi Effect | Episode 41 | Wednesday, July 15, 2026World Cup Semifinal preview: Argentina vs England at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA (3 PM ET). Historical context: Argentina have beaten England at every World Cup meeting (1986, 1998, 2022). Messi at 39, likely his last World Cup. Alvarez the breakout knockout star. England's survival story: Bellingham's stoppage-time equalizer + extra-time winner vs Norway. Kane quiet, Stones/Rice defense solid. Midfield battle: Mac Allister/Enzo/De Paul vs Rice/Bellingham. Winner faces Spain in Sunday's Final at MetLife Stadium.Subscribe and follow The Messi Effect for daily 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage.AI was used for news gathering and production assistance.#WorldCup2026 #FIFAWorldCup #MessiEffect #Argentina #England #Semifinal #Messi #Bellingham #Kane #Alvarez #MacAllister #Rice #AmericasWorldCup #WorldCupPodcast #Soccer #Football #CalorogaSharkMedia

Steak Shapiro and Sandra Golden analyze the Atlanta Falcons' poor home record and the resulting listless atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They discuss the team's lack of national relevance and the long road ahead to win back a frustrated fanbase before the upcoming season begins. 01:00 - Show Introductions 03:12 - Falcons Home Field Struggles 08:53 - National Perception And Schedule

Steak and Sandra highlight the electrifying atmosphere in Atlanta for the Argentina versus England clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mark Schlabach calls in from Royal Birkdale to discuss the unique challenges of the Open Championship and top golfers to watch. They also explore the deep-seated soccer rivalry and recap the latest MLB All-Star highlights. 01:56 - The Open Championship Preview 05:10 - Interview With Mark Schlabach 08:35 - Golf Picks And Predictions 14:15 - Argentina vs England Rivalry 19:55 - Historical World Cup Moments 28:45 - MLB All-Star Game Recap 35:05 - Jordan Walker Home Run Derby 40:12 - Three Strikes Listener Calls

Atlanta prepares for a massive Argentina-England clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium while local authorities remain on high alert for the arriving fan bases. Steak and the team also breakdown the MLB All-Star Game highlights, including the Sandlot tribute and Giannis Antetokounmpo's surprise visit to a local soccer bar. 01:13 - Argentina-England Semifinal Prep 06:14 - Giannis And MLB All-Star Game 12:14 - International Football And Security

On The Business of Sports, Dan Corso joins Cellini & Dimino to discuss the overwhelming success of the World Cup as well as Atlanta's ability to host premiere international sporting eventsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steak Shapiro and Drew Butler discuss the unprecedented energy in Atlanta as the city hosts major World Cup matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They also check in on the Braves at the All-Star break and touch on administrative changes at the University of Michigan. 01:00 - Atlanta World Cup Energy 09:29 - Braves All-Star Break Recap 12:53 - Michigan Athletics and Draft

Mike Conti joins to discuss the electric atmosphere in Atlanta during the World Cup matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They analyze the upcoming semifinal between Argentina and England, comparing the high-stakes pressure to a college football national championship. Conti also touches on the record-breaking ticket prices and the city's successful handling of international fans and security. 01:52 - Philly Vs Atlanta Atmosphere 05:13 - World Cup Match Highlights 06:52 - Argentina England Semifinal Preview 12:03 - World Cup Ticket Prices 14:40 - Atlanta Infrastructure And Security

Steak Shapiro and Drew Butler reflect on the electric atmosphere in Atlanta as the city hosts high-stakes World Cup matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They analyze the Atlanta Braves' performance heading into the All-Star break and preview the massive semifinal clash between England and Argentina with Mike Conti. 01:54 - World Cup Fever In Atlanta 06:08 - Atlanta Sports Culture Evolution 10:13 - Braves All-Star Break Performance 16:00 - England-Argentina Matchup Hype 21:25 - New Home Run Derby Rules 25:15 - Conor McGregor UFC Return Recap 30:55 - Mike Conti On Soccer Atmosphere 36:40 - England-Argentina Fanbase Tension 42:25 - International Stars In Atlanta

The Messi Effect | Episode 35 | Wednesday, July 8, 2026Argentina's incredible 3-2 comeback win over Egypt at Mercedes-Benz Stadium: down 2-0 with 13 minutes left, Messi's 83rd-minute volley, Romero's 79th-minute header, and Enzo Fernandez's 90'+2 winner. Egypt's five stoppage-time yellow cards as they melted down. Switzerland 0-0 Colombia at BC Place — Swiss win 4-3 on penalties (Quintero, Xhaka, Amdouni, Campaz, Itten convert). Thursday preview: France vs Morocco.Subscribe and follow The Messi Effect for daily 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage.AI was used for news gathering and production assistance.#WorldCup2026 #FIFAWorldCup #MessiEffect #Argentina #Messi #Egypt #RoundOf16 #Switzerland #Colombia #AmericasWorldCup #WorldCupPodcast #Soccer #Football #CalorogaSharkMedia

Abe and Randy discuss the buzz surrounding the World Cup matches in Atlanta and preview the knockout matchup between Argentina and Egypt at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They dive into a debate regarding College Football Playoff expansion and analyze NBA contract news involving Nikola Jokić and Donovan Mitchell. 01:00 - World Cup In Atlanta 02:57 - Argentina vs Egypt Preview 07:23 - CFP Expansion Debate 11:25 - Anthony Edwards Rumors 12:35 - NBA Max Extensions

The Messi Effect | Episode 34 | Tuesday, July 7, 2026Full Monday Round of 16 recaps: USA falls 4-1 to Belgium at Lumen Field (Tillman's brief equalizer, Belgium's instant 2-1 answer, Vanaken and Lukaku seal it — Zlatan calls it a reality check). Portugal nil, Spain one — Mikel Merino's 91st-minute dagger ends Ronaldo's World Cup story. Plus previews of tonight's knockout slate: Argentina vs Egypt at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (Messi's back-to-back quest), and Switzerland vs Colombia at BC Place in Vancouver.Subscribe and follow The Messi Effect for daily 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage.AI was used for news gathering and production assistance.#WorldCup2026 #FIFAWorldCup #MessiEffect #USMNT #USAvsBelgium #Argentina #Messi #RoundOf16 #AmericasWorldCup #WorldCupPodcast #Soccer #Football #CalorogaSharkMedia

Mitch Evans and Sandra Golden recap the United States Men's National Team's dramatic victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighting the controversial red card issued to Folarin Balogun. They are joined by Mike Conti to discuss the atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during England's match and the impact of VAR on international soccer. They also examine the Atlanta Braves' latest roster moves and Austin Riley's efforts to break out of a slump. 01:50 - USMNT World Cup Victory 05:40 - Respecting Men's National Team 09:15 - International Soccer Tournament News 13:00 - NBA Trade Market Shakeup 17:45 - Mike Conte Soccer Analysis 21:45 - VAR Red Card Controversy 25:50 - England's Atlanta Stadium Debut 32:30 - Braves Roster Move Details 37:00 - Dansby Swanson's Slump Buster 41:50 - All-Star Game Voting Update

Mitch Evans and Sandra Golden recap the intense soccer atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Drew Butler. They examine the shocking Celtics trade of Jaylen Brown for Paul George and debate LeBron James' potential next destination. High-energy listener participation follows during a special holiday edition of Buy or Sell and Three Strikes. 02:03 - Empire State Building Stunt 03:23 - Drew Butler Joins Segment 09:25 - Atlanta Fan Experience Tips 16:52 - Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown 19:15 - LeBron James Free Agency 21:38 - Holiday Buy or Sell 29:43 - Mauricio Pochettino Soundbite 34:01 - Three Strikes Caller Game

Mitch Evans and Sandra Golden discuss the electric atmosphere of the World Cup and Mauricio Pochettino's passion for growing soccer in the United States. They highlight Arthur Blank's fan-first pricing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and lead a Three Strikes segment where listeners share their favorite sports memories. 01:12 - World Cup Fever 06:10 - Three Strikes Segment 10:39 - Three Strikes Callers

Mitch Evans and Sandra Golden talk with Drew Butler about the electric atmosphere during international soccer matches in Atlanta. Butler compares the experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to major NFL venues and shares tips for navigating gameday in the city. 01:00 - Empire State Building Proposal 02:53 - Drew Butler Soccer Recap 06:31 - Stadium Experience Comparison 08:55 - Atlanta Gameday Travel Hacks 13:25 - NBA Trade News Tease

Mike Conti joins Mitch Evans on The Steakhouse to analyze the United States Men's National Team's victory over Bosnia and the controversial red card issued to Folarin Balogun. They discuss how VAR impacted the game and look ahead to the knockout stage against Belgium. Conte also recaps the intense atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for England's match against DR Congo. 01:00 - Soccer Evolution In America 03:26 - Balogun Red Card Controversy 09:24 - England Escapes DR Congo 11:31 - Future Tournament Matchups

The biggest soccer day in Atlanta history is hours away. Jason Longshore and Madison Crews break down the USMNT's Round of 32 matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina, including Pochettino's mindset, the counter-press matchup, and what the brainwave penalty prep technology means if it goes to shootouts. Then it is England versus DR Congo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, why the Ghana game is the template, and why Yoane Wissa is the variable that changes everything. The 3-4-3 features Mbappé's all-time record night, Haaland's late winner, and Michael Olise making history. Plus breaking news on Saba Lobjanidze, and live reaction to Mexico advancing past Ecuador in Stoppage Time.

Carl and Mike recap England's dramatic World Cup comeback at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and preview the USMNT's critical match against Bosnia. They address the offensive drought of the Atlanta Braves, calling out Austin Riley for his lack of production during the team's recent slide. Mike Conti joins Dukes & Bell to analyze Atlanta United's roster moves and the NBA free agency landscape. 01:50 - England World Cup Comeback 04:51 - Austin Riley Struggles 09:01 - Walt Weiss Outlook 13:18 - NBA Free Agency Analysis 18:58 - Hawks Youth Movement 22:15 - LeBron James Happiness 27:30 - Mike Conti Interview 34:40 - USMNT Match Preview 40:36 - Saba Lobjanidze Trade

The HUGE breaking news about LeBron James hits at the END of the show this week – so hang out until after the game for immediate reaction as it breaks!!   Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry is joined by Rob Jenners and B-Dog Brandon Harper for an episode 266 packed with roster fallout from the start of free agency. The crew opens by digging into the Ja Morant trade to Portland, debating whether the Blazers’ backcourt logjam leaves Scoot Henderson on the outside looking in, before turning to the Grizzlies’ return and what comes next for both sides.   From there the guys work through a stacked Western Conference storyline: Draymond Green opting out and the running joke about a Warriors-LeBron pairing, the Lakers’ retention of Austin Reaves on a four-year max deal, DeAndre Ayton’s player option, and what it would actually take for the Lakers to chase Jalen Duren in restricted free agency. Horry and Harper go back and forth on whether DeAndre Ayton has been put in a position to succeed in LA, and whether San Antonio makes sense as a landing spot if the Lakers move on.   The conversation shifts to Charlotte sending LaMelo Ball to Minnesota, with the hosts debating whether that pairing with Anthony Edwards is really the best backcourt in the league or just the most entertaining one. They also touch on Golden State’s decision to move on from Jonathan Kuminga, a possible Kawhi Leonard return to Toronto, and where Jaylen Brown trade rumors actually stand.   A rundown of the week’s free agency moves follows — James Harden, Andrew Wiggins, Bradley Beal, Landry Shamet, Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, Julian Champagnie and Jose Alvarado all get a mention — before the show heads into Big Shout of the Week, honoring a school resource officer in Phoenix who paid out of pocket to take an entire class to the movies. The episode closes with a brand new trivia segment, Shams Is Reporting, and ends on a piece of breaking news about LeBron James’ future with the Lakers that catches the whole crew off guard.   New episodes of the Big Shot Bob Podcast drop every week, with the bonus show Shoot Around dropping Fridays. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don’t miss an episode.   00:00 — Cold open and intro 00:30 — Rob’s home leak and World Cup heat takes 01:30 — SoFi Stadium vs. Mercedes-Benz Stadium rankings 04:00 — Ja Morant traded to the Trail Blazers 05:00 — Portland’s crowded backcourt and Scoot Henderson’s future 09:00 — What the Grizzlies got back, hopes for a Ja reset 12:00 — Warriors chasing LeBron and the Draymond opt-out 16:00 — Lakers free agency: Jalen Duren, Luka’s big-man need 19:30 — DeAndre Ayton debate: opted in, still a question mark 24:00 — Austin Reaves’ max deal and the Lakers’ cap crunch 26:30 — LaMelo Ball traded to Minnesota 32:00 — Rudy Gobert skepticism and Minnesota’s frontcourt 35:00 — Hawks move on from Jonathan Kuminga 38:00 — Kawhi Leonard’s future and a possible Raptors return 41:30 — Jaylen Brown trade buzz and Boston’s asking price 45:00 — Free agency rapid-fire roundup 49:30 — Big Shout of the Week 51:00 — Shams Is Reporting trivia game 56:00 — Breaking news: LeBron James’ future with the Lakers 1:03:00 — 4th of July sign-off

The World Cup Round of 32 is underway. Jason Longshore and Madison Crews break down Canada's late winner over South Africa, what the USMNT has to do against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday at Levi's Stadium, and how Atlanta becomes the center of the soccer world this week as England and DR Congo come to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Plus: who actually leads the favorites picture (France, Argentina, and a slipping Spain), why Africa just had its best group stage in World Cup history with 9 of 10 teams advancing, what Jesse Marsch's "free hit" comment says about Canada's mentality, and the moment Enner Valencia handed the captain's armband to Moisés Caicedo before Ecuador stunned Germany. Two hours. Six segments. Round of 32 begins now.

Drew and Steak discuss the electric World Cup atmosphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium following the match between DR Congo and Uzbekistan. They also address the Atlanta Braves' difficult month of June and what to expect as the trade deadline approaches. Finally, the group touches on Netflix's latest releases and news regarding Chris Johnson's health diagnosis. 01:28 - Butler on American Patriotism 06:44 - World Cup Game Atmosphere 10:40 - Braves Slump and News

Cabo Verde, a nation of half a million people, draws with Saudi Arabia and walks into the World Cup Round of 32 in their first ever tournament appearance. Uruguay collapses against Spain, Fernando Muslera asks to be subbed at halftime, and Marcelo Bielsa takes the blame on his way out. Jason recaps the first major surprise of the 2026 World Cup, breaks down a historic Ousmane Dembélé hat trick that put France on top of Group I, and previews a Saturday slate that includes DR Congo and Uzbekistan at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Disgrace of Kansas City watch in Group J, and a Lionel Messi rest day against Jordan. Plus the 3-4-3, brought to you by Ford.

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in history to score in six different FIFA World Cups, adding two goals as Portugal put Uzbekistan away 5-0. But the other record set tonight was the one nobody wanted: England finished with 78.8 percent possession against Ghana in Foxborough, the highest figure in World Cup history without a goal, and late in the match they may well have gotten away with a penalty that was never called or reviewed. Jason breaks down both records, Croatia's vital win in Toronto where halftime sub Ante Budimir became the oldest scorer in Croatian World Cup history, Luka Modrić's 200th international cap, and Algeria staying alive with the Disgrace of Gijón already casting a shadow over what comes next. Then the full Matchday 3 preview for Groups A, B, and C, including the scoreboard-watching scenario around Scotland, Brazil, and Morocco vs. Haiti right here at Mercedes-Benz Stadium tomorrow at 6pm. In Stoppage Time, Jason and Jared Smith watch Colombia beat DR Congo live, walk through the full bracket, and dig into the Atlanta United roster picture following Mauricio Culebro's first press conference as president of soccer.

Sandra shares stories from her Colorado vacation before shifting focus to the World Cup festivities in Atlanta. They compare the fan experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to the lackluster setup at MetLife Stadium and recap the end of the Georgia Bulldogs' baseball season at the College World Series. 01:00 - Sandra Golden Returns 02:52 - World Cup Fan Fest 07:38 - Atlanta Sports Update

Historic first World Cup match in Atlanta as Cape Verde shocks Spain with a scoreless draw in front of 70,000 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Plus, reactions from international visitors discovering America, Braves updates on Spencer Strider and Drake Baldwin, Georgia's College World Series run.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Full Day 4 recap including Japan's 89th-minute equalizer against the Netherlands, Germany's statement win in Houston, Scotland's return after 28 years, and a preview of tomorrow's noon kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Cristiano Ronaldo Biography Flash a weekly Biography. Cristiano Ronaldo's last few days have been a perfect snapshot of a global icon entering what could be the final, legacy-defining chapter of his career. According to ESPN and multiple Portuguese outlets, Ronaldo has arrived in the United States with the Portugal national team as they settle into Palm Beach, Florida, to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, where he is expected to become the first man to play in six World Cups. ESPN reports that he insists he is fit, confident, and determined to chase the one great trophy still missing from his collection, a World Cup winners medal, and that he remains Portugal's all time leader in caps and goals for a men's national team. Video from Sky Sports and other broadcasters shows him smiling, waving, and acknowledging supporters as the squad checked into their team hotel, underlining that even at 41, he is still the main attraction wherever Portugal lands. Fabrizio Romano and other well known football reporters have shared footage of Ronaldo's arrival in Miami and subsequent training sessions, with the tone very much that he is central to Roberto Martinez's plans rather than a ceremonial passenger. At the same time, the ESPN FC panel has been actively debating whether Portugal might, at some point, be better tactically without starting him every match, a discussion that could become a major long term storyline if his minutes are managed more carefully at this World Cup rather than him playing every possible minute. On the business and fame front, digital media analysis from Epidemic Sound and sports business sites confirms that Ronaldo remains the most followed individual athlete on Instagram, at around 665 million followers, a staggering number that keeps growing despite Meta recently purging inactive accounts from the platform. One social media monitoring piece notes that his recent posts over the last month have been dominated by Portugal training content, family moments, and commercial partnerships, reinforcing the now familiar blend of national team icon, family man, and global brand. There has also been a viral clip on Instagram of Ronaldo brushing off an over eager fan who breached security for a selfie. Comment threads are split: some frame it as reasonable concern for safety, others as proof that the nonstop attention wears on him. While the reaction is noisy, there is no verified indication of any formal complaint or disciplinary issue arising from the incident, so for now it sits firmly in the realm of social media drama rather than lasting biographical scandal. Meanwhile, fan commentary videos continue to defend him against what they describe as excessive criticism after a recent friendly, with creators on Instagram and TikTok arguing that judging Ronaldo purely on one match ignores his enduring statistical impact and leadership role for Portugal. Although subjective, this shows how polarizing and culturally central his presence remains even in routine warm up games. Looking ahead, reports circulating on social platforms about a possible high profile United States friendly at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, billed as Ronaldo's first major U.S. appearance with Portugal in years, remain speculative until confirmed by the Portuguese federation or U.S. Soccer. If and when such fixtures are officially announced, they would add another chapter to his already global tour of football influence. That is your Cristiano Ronaldo Biography Flash for this week. Thank you for listening, and make sure you subscribe so you never miss an update on Cristiano Ronaldo, and search the term Biography Flash for more great biographies. Thanks for listening. This has been a Quiet Please production. Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta

Send us Fan MailPaul is back after a week on the road and a week of guest hosts taking over Carpooling with Paul.In this episode, Paul reflects on his work trip to Atlanta, thanks guest hosts Brad Brock and Kevin McLoughlin for keeping the show rolling, and shares what it was like being in the heart of Atlanta as the city prepares for the 2026 World Cup.From walking past Mercedes-Benz Stadium and seeing World Cup preparations firsthand to discussing soccer, travel, sports fandom, and the excitement surrounding one of the world's biggest sporting events, this episode offers a glimpse into a different kind of commute.Paul also shares a few personal updates, hints at some upcoming changes in his professional life, and talks about what may be ahead for the show.

Mike Conte joins Rusty and Steak to detail the upcoming wave of major sporting events hitting Atlanta, led by the World Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They discuss the potential for a historic semifinal between Argentina and Portugal and evaluate the USMNT's chances in their match against Paraguay. 01:00 - Atlanta's Busy Summer Sports Calendar 05:19 - Dream Messi-Ronaldo Atlanta Semifinal 08:47 - USMNT Outlook Against Paraguay

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off tomorrow, and Atlanta Soccer Tonight spends the eve of the tournament soaking it all in. Jason Longshore opens with a love letter to Atlanta, tracing the city's soccer history from the Atlanta Chiefs in 1967 through the 1996 Olympics to the moment the world arrives at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Clips from Georgia State coaches Ed Joyce and Brett Surrency and Atlanta United director of methodology Javier Pérez set the tone, along with a conversation with two-time World Cup referee Matthew Conger on what it takes to officiate on the biggest stage. Then Kevin Egan, voice of MLS on Apple TV, joins the show fresh off a busy World Cup week. He's hosting the FIFA Fan Festival at Centennial Olympic Park and co-owns the Irish Exit, opening this weekend in Centennial Yards. Kevin shares his World Cup picks, with a potential negative surprise, gives two players to watch, and picks ______ to lift the trophy (no spoilers here, listen to the episode). Jason closes with the 3-4-3: three surprise teams, four players who will define the tournament, and his predictions for top three finishers in this summer's tournament. Stoppage Time goes deep on group-by-group rooting interests, a full schedule breakdown for the opening weekend, and a few packs of Panini stickers to send everyone off right.

Jason Longshore breaks down the final round of World Cup warm-up matches with the tournament just days away. Spain rolls Peru 3-1 in Puebla in their last dress rehearsal before opening against Cape Verde in Atlanta next Monday, and Jason digs into what makes this La Roja squad so dangerous, why the Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams injury timeline is actually reassuring, and what to expect when they arrive at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Plus, Colombia looked sharp against Jordan, Croatia bounced back with a Modrić masterclass against Slovenia, the Netherlands needed two Gakpo penalties to escape Uzbekistán, and France got a Michael Olise hat trick in a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland while their defensive numbers keep trending the wrong way. In the 3-4-3 presented by Ford: the three tallest players at the World Cup, Jim Curtin heads to Austin FC, Jurriën Timber is officially out for the Netherlands, encouraging news on Neymar, and Scotland creates a mess with Norway before the tournament even starts. Plus three things that made Jason smile, including Haiti back at the World Cup for the first time in 52 years. World Cup coverage will be a team effort, you'll be able to end your night with us on AST throughout the next month plus. You can wake up with a morning read by subscribing to Morning Espresso at soccerdownhere.net and catch SDH AM with John Nelson daily at 9:05 through the World Cup final.

Steak and Drew analyze the SEC's massive success in the college baseball regionals and debate the need for a slaughter rule in high-scoring games. The discussion transitions to a simulated NBA postseason where Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs advance to face the Knicks in the Finals. They also preview the upcoming World Cup matches scheduled for Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 01:00 - SEC Baseball Regional Dominance 03:13 - Georgia Tech Baseball Expectations 06:14 - Wembanyama Leads Spurs Over Thunder 09:43 - World Cup and Soccer Updates

An app for the new Trump Accounts became available in app stores on Thursday. The accounts are expected to come into effect on July 4, when parents will be able to contribute towards the financial future of their newborn children.California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law additions to the election code ahead of California's June 2 statewide primary. They block federal agents and law enforcement from accessing voter rolls or disrupting election workers without a court order.The FBI is ramping up security for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will get a makeover, and the area around it will be a no-drone zone.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ryan Richmond and Greg Bowman. Co‑owners of Popcorn Remix, a Georgia‑based gourmet popcorn brand known for more than 60 innovative flavors ranging from King Crab Legs to Charlene’s Banana Pudding to chocolate‑covered strawberry. Together they share their partnership story, the origin of Popcorn Remix, the explosive growth of their brand, how they built a powerhouse fundraising platform (WePowerFundraisers.com), their expansion into major sports and entertainment venues, and the unique combination of hustle, creativity, faith, and community service that drives their success.

Abe Gordon and Randy McMichael break down Matthew Stafford's new contract extension and the latest financial moves across the NFL. They also analyze the NBA postseason matchups, discuss the grass versus turf debate at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and share the latest viral stories from the sports world. 02:24 - Matthew Stafford Extension Analysis 05:46 - NFLPA Business And Jams 09:02 - Jerry Jones Travel Comments 13:00 - NBA Coaching News Update 19:12 - Trail Blazers Search Rumors 24:50 - Spurs vs Thunder Outlook 30:32 - The Back Page Segment

Abe Gordon and Randy McMichael discuss the frustrations of playing on turf versus grass fields at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They evaluate the Portland Trail Blazers' search for a new head coach and preview the upcoming matchup between Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 01:00 - Studio Lighting Issues 02:02 - Grass Versus Turf 05:11 - NBA Coaching Search 08:17 - Knicks Defeat Cavaliers 10:46 - Wemby Versus SGA

Kenny joins with a list of the worst NFL stadiums, which the guys all react to.

Mentality shift! The LA Galaxy secured their first come-from-behind win of the 2026 season with a gritty 2-1 victory over Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. A massive brace from Gabriel Pec has propelled the G's back into the playoff conversation. Have we finally turned the corner?  TODAY'S AGENDA:

Atlanta is about to take center stage. Arthur and Josh Blank join Mike Conti to discuss why the 2026 World Cup is a milestone moment for Georgia. Mercedes-Benz Stadium has hosted the Super Bowl and Final Four, but the World Cup is a different beast. Hear how Atlanta is preparing for 8 matches.

In this episode of the Suite Spot podcast, we're heading to the prestigious Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration at Georgia State University. We sat down with the school’s Director, Dr. Benjamin Lawrence, to go behind the scenes of one of the country's top hospitality programs. In this video, we explore: How Georgia State is shaping the next generation of industry leaders.  The innovative curriculum driving modern hospitality education. Insights into the future of the hospitality profession. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just passionate about the industry, you won’t want to miss this deep dive into hospitality excellence! Episode Transcript Our podcast is produced as an audio resource. Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and human editing and may contain errors. Before republishing quotes, we ask that you reference the audio. Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in, and we check out what’s trending in hotel marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hello everyone. Ryan Embree here with the Suite Spot for another edition of our TMG Campus Crawl Series. We are here in the heart of downtown Atlanta at Georgia State with Dr. Ben Lawrence, Director of the Day School of Hospitality Administration. Thank you so much for hosting us and being a hospitable guest. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : Happy to have you down here. Go Panthers! Ryan Embree: Well, we’re excited about this. You know, we’re here in Atlanta. We’re gonna talk about the location. But before we get rolling with this episode, Dr. Lawrence, this is your first time on the podcast. We would love to hear. Hospitality is all about collection of stories, right. Of individuals. Share a little bit about your hospitality journey and how you came here to the Georgia State, Day School of Hospitality. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : So, people sometimes are surprised about my past because I was born in Singapore and I grew up in Indonesia, and I came to the States when I was 18, and I came to the States because I wanted to go to the best hotel school in the world. And so, when I was 17, I went to one of those high school, like, what are you gonna be when you grow up? And this Swiss hotelier said, you wanna go to hotel school? Go to Cornell. So, I applied to Cornell and I arrived in the States when I was 18, and I went to Cornell. And so, I went to hotel school there met my wife at, she was a hotelier at Cornell. After I graduated, we ran an inn in upstate New York, historic inn, went back to get my MBA, then worked, in a couple of different industries for a while. Went back to Indonesia to help my family and their business, and then came back to the States. Then I worked in a community college, a couple of community colleges, teaching hospitality. Then I went back and got my PhD at Boston University and my PhD, focus was in franchising. And I know we’ll talk a little more about franchising in a minute. But, franchising is the primary form of distribution of our product. After I graduated from Boston University, I got a job back at Cornell. So I went back there and I was a food and beverage professor. People always laugh. What was your professor? Food and Beverage? So I taught the most of the freshman students at Cornell, Food and Beverage Management. And I also taught, a multi unit franchising course there. And then this position at Georgia State opened up and a benefactor of ours gave money for an inapt professor in franchising. And there’s nothing better as an academic to get inapt professorship in the area that you study. And the weather in Atlanta is a lot better than the weather in Ithaca. Ryan Embree: I don’t know this week my, uh, my… Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : True. We’ve been cold, but it’s gonna be 80 degrees. 80 degrees this weekend. So when my kids moved down here from Ithaca, they were like, oh my Lord, you can play soccer in January, and we have a pool. So, I really loved working here in Atlanta. Georgia State is a very dynamic place. It’s a large state university, so very different from Cornell, but we really transformed the lives of our students here. So I’ve been here, I was here for seven years as a faculty member, and then just last July I became the director of the the Day School of Hospitality. So, we’re working on a lot of interesting stuff here. I’m excited about the position and excited about the potential of Georgia State and Atlanta. Ryan Embree: Yeah. Excited to share it with our audience and your story. Dr. Lawrence is a true indication of what hospitality is international. Right? We say that all the time. Hospitality is the language spoken all over the world. Your journey is certainly a reflection of that across the globe and, and now across the country here. So, share a little bit about the school’s history, Georgia State’s history, and where you think that this program is unique based on maybe others across the country. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : So Georgia State was founded, the university was founded in 1913 as the kind of nighttime business school of Georgia Tech. And that has evolved over time. We’re a very large university. We are over 50,000 students here. And we’re a very diverse university. So we graduate more African Americans at Georgia State than any other university in the states. So we are a majority minority institution and a research one institution, so an R1 institution. So, we are not only a research powerhouse, but we also transformed the lives of our students. So we are the Day School of Hospitality, was founded in 1973, as a school of Hospitality, and was named in the eighties by the founder of Days Inn, Cecil B Day. So that really ties back into the franchising story, into the entrepreneur story. You had a local Georgian building, a brand that became worldwide brand, which is amazing. We joined the College of Business, and now we’re a school embedded in a business school. So there’s two forms of hospitality programs. There’s hospitality programs like UNLV or University of Houston. They’re standard loan colleges. And then there’s schools like ours that are embedded in a business school. So those are two basic models. There’s advantages and disadvantages to both. One of the advantages that we have is that we are in a college of business that allows our students to take many different courses from marketing department to computer information systems. One of the disadvantages is that we tend to be fairly small. So cost guide programs in business schools tend to be smaller, than standalone colleges. I took over the program in July, and we’re working on our strategic plan right now to grow the school to get more students. Because industry’s always looking for great hospitality students. And also looking to expose hospitality to students in other disciplines. And so if you’re a real estate student, if you’re a finance student, if you’re a student, a psychology student, right? So getting those students among all university students interested in hospitality. And I think that’s, that’s a model in which, will help grow enrollment. Well, only our majors and our minors, but also students just interested in hospitality. Many of our students are working in hospitality, right? They’re working as waiters or they’re working at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. So, they’re exposed to the industry especially being here in Atlanta. Ryan Embree: Even if they’re not in hospitality jobs, you could still be using hospitality skills within those jobs. Which is very important to share because, I think there’s that common misconception of, you think of a hospitality or a hotel worker, you think of all the disadvantages sometimes, right? Of like the holidays, the long hours. It’s a 24 hour business. But at the same time, there’s these different departments, whether it’s accounting, marketing, all the HR, these different avenues within hospitality, that you can be exposed to franchising. And being, which we’re gonna talk about. But one of the things is you look for that strategic plan, I think is a huge advantage, is obviously your location. Right? You’re in the heart of downtown Atlanta. It’s massive headquarters for global brands, sports venues, I mean, state of the art sports venue. You got World Cup coming here this summer. Talk to us about how you’ve used this location to your benefit for the students and prospective students. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : Yeah. I mean, we have people on campus all the time. We have headquarters for ISG is here. We have, you know, we can walk from our campus to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, state Farm. We have the World Congress Center here, which is one of the largest convention centers at the day school. We don’t really have that many physical facilities. We don’t have a restaurant, we don’t have a hotel, but we don’t need to because we have Atlanta. Right. So that is a huge advantage for us. When we want people to come to campus to speak, they just need to just turn the corner and they’re here. And so we get great speakers to come to campus. Our students are engaged with the local industries here. Atlanta is the capital of franchising in the us Right? So if you think about the brands that we have here, Chick-fil-A, inspire brands, Rourke Capital. Rourke Capital, which is one of the largest private equity companies that owns Inspire and go-to Foods and over 50 franchise brands. And Atlanta’s growing. Right? And so if you’re a student and you come here, you can stay here afterwards, right? So if you’re a student at Cornell and you go to Ithaca, you’re probably not staying in Ithaca, right. Because there’s not much there. People have to get on a plane and they gotta fly to Ithaca to be in class. And so that is a huge advantage for us, right? Absolutely. For universities that are based in cities where people wanna work, that is a huge advantage for us, not only for our students to get internships, but afterwards to be able to live and work with, within the community. Ryan Embree: A hundred percent. And some of the schools and programs that we’ve visited, have laboratories and incubators that they use. Your lab and incubators are right outside these walls, right? So it’s almost like your classroom is the city of Atlanta and, and ’cause so much hospitality is going on every single day in those moments. So, incredible advantage that the students have here and the alumni network, which we’re gonna talk about here in a minute. But, you know, you talked about your, your strong background and franchising and entrepreneurship. Obviously you have a passion there. It’s, it’s kind of your strength and background share with us how you kind of incorporated that into the curriculum, into the day school hospitality. Sure. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : So when I came here to Georgia State, one of the things that my endow professorship they wanted me to do was basically talk about franchising for students overall. So I teach an undergraduate franchising course. And in that course, even though franchising obviously is central to the distribution of hotels and restaurants, franchising is everywhere. Everything in a strip mall is franchised. And students don’t understand that, right? Students don’t realize that. The other thing that we have here in Georgia State is we have an entrepreneurship innovation center. And so I have a joint appointment with them, and one of my passions is to get entrepreneurship students to think about franchising as one route to entrepreneurship. We have all these headquarters here. Even if you’re not gonna become a franchisee, you might go work for a franchising company Sure. As accountant, as somebody in marketing or in sales. These are large companies. Or you go, might go work for a franchisee. You know, one of the pathways to franchising is ownership. Now that can be difficult for students, and that’s one of the things that we’re gonna be working on in our strategic plan, is figuring out how do we get students in ownership positions, right? So we are a public university that, 40% of our students are Pell Grant eligible. Right? So they don’t come from money. It’s figuring out how we can change the trajectory of our students’ lives and transform their lives is something that is, one of one of our goals and franchising is a wealth creator, right? Some of the wealthiest people I know are franchisees, right? If you own 20 Dunking Donuts, you’re doing pretty well. You probably have a license plate that has donut on it, right? So, I’m very passionate about franchising. Now there’s good franchising and there’s bad franchising, right? So, there are some franchise brands that I don’t suggest students invest in. And part of that is kind of understanding what franchising is about, right? It’s a partnership. So in the class we talk a lot about, you know, these are two options. These are two options for that you might wanna pick as a franchise, which one would you pick? And understanding kind of the owner who owns a franchise brand, what are the parameters of the contract? And exposing students to that pathway. There’s not that many programs in the US that focus on franchising, and there’s very few endowed professorships in franchising. And so one of our goals going forward is to work more on exposing more students to franchising in general. Ryan Embree: It’s such a great opportunity. I mean, I think all of those success stories where franchises were sometimes built from these schools and now are such job creators of what you’re talking about. So to kind of arm your students with that knowledge, whether again, they’re looking to start their own franchise, become a part of a franchise, or work for a franchisee. Incredibly wealth of knowledge there. So really, really cool work that you’re doing there. The school has really deep roots in the business community. You mentioned some of the major brands. How have you seen this kind of fast track students hospitality careers or even like through internships that you’re doing at the on on school? Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : So we, so one of the things we tell students is get internships right away. So, start with doing internships and get into those businesses and start working. ’cause once it’s the best way for them to kind of feel out the company and know if it’s the right fit for them as well as the company filling them out. So we, we have, we have more internship opportunities for our students than we can fulfill, right. Everything from going to the masters or engaging with Mercedes-Benz Stadium or working at State Farm Arena, working local hotels. We could have double the number of students and we still have opportunity for them. I think, you know, Atlanta’s a growing city, right? We’re continually growing. We have a great ecosystem of universities here in Atlanta, not only Georgia State, but Kennesaw State, Georgia Tech, university of Georgia’s not that far away. Georgia Southern. So we have a great ecosystem of universities here, and that helps to kind of feed the need for the businesses, and especially in the hospitality business. Where, we’re building one of the largest entertainment centers here in Atlanta. $5 billion is going to create, create this Centennial Yards, which is this transformation of downtown. So it’s a really exciting place to be. And businesses want our students, our students tend to be the way we describe Georgia State. Students are students with grit. Many of our students are working while they’re going to school.They can’t afford not to work. Luckily in the state of Georgia, we have Hope Scholarship. So most of our students are going, are getting their education covered. And at the day school, we provide a lot of scholarship money. So if you’re a Georgia State Day School student and you don’t get a scholarship, I’m saying, why aren’t you getting a scholarship? You should be applying for one. We have a lot of good, you know, we have Hunter Scholarship for the Hunter family. We have lots of industry partners that understand the benefit of providing our students with scholarship money and offering paid internships that get them, get them engaged and working, in the industry. And we have FIFA coming. So what a great opportunity for students to get a front seat to an amazing event, is to work a FIFA event. Ryan Embree: It’s wonderful advice. And would encourage, students that might be finding this, if you have required internships, would you even I had them when I went to school, get eclectic with it. Like, expose yourself to as many things as possible, because this industry has so much to offer. And this is like a first time glance at what you might wanna do in your career. A lot of the hospitality professionals I’ve talked to have fallen into these types of careers where you could have a fast track of being like, I know exactly what I wanna do. ’cause I had the experience of this internship. So it’s great that you continue to put your, your students in positions like that. And the learning from it will last you here until the end of your career and until their alumni, which we’ll, we’ll talk about, right? Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : And then also study abroad, right. We have two study abroad programs that we do. One is fully funded, so we pay for everything for the students. Unfortunately, location, it was Dubai in Abu Dhabi, so we had to, we’re gonna have to retool that for this year. But we pay for everything for our students to have an experience that is just out of this world. And we also have a European study abroad experience. So I’ll say, you know, the getting, taking advantage of those experiences and trying different things, right. Don’t go to the same company for four years. Try something else. Try something new. And when you’re in Atlanta, you can do that. You don’t have to go anywhere else to go work at State Farm and then figure out like, I wanna go to Mercedes-Benz or gonna work at Inspire Brands. It’s all here. Ryan Embree: It really is. And a lot of, obviously, alumni have come and worked at those organizations. Talk to us about, you know, the alumni network, how you continue and your role to try to foster that. Because if you can show a student, Hey, this is the path you can take and this is where you can get to, and the opportunities that kind of expand and open up to you when you graduate from here it’s a powerful thing and, and powerful way to get people through the doors. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : Yeah, absolutely. We are a large university, so we have over 300,000 alums. And if you think about it, students who go to Georgia State are probably most likely gonna be living in Atlanta or somewhere else. We’re a large city and we have lots of opportunity. So vicinity wise, you have a lot of alums living in this area. And because we have, we’re such a large school. If you ask someone, do you know anybody from they went to school at Georgia State, probably they did, or they, they got a master’s degree at Georgia State. Or you know, their, their, their sister did. So everyone’s always willing to help too. Right. So this feeling of like, you know, the idea that, you know, you’ve come from a certain background and, and you’ve achieved, graduated from Georgia State. There’s always people willing to help. And I’ll say the hospitality industry is, this is an a industry of opportunity. So there’s people that work, start working in as a waiter and then become CEO of the company. That trajectory happens. It might take some time, but this is an industry that values hard work, grit, personal attention to customer satisfaction. But it’s doable. And so that’s what inspires, that’s what inspires me about Georgia State, is that I can see our students grow over time, and I can see those students in management positions in the future, and that’s gonna change the trajectory of their life. Or they might own a franchise, or they might start a franchise. If you think about a company like Zaxby’s, right? It’s was started by students, you know, it was started at Georgia Southern. And those two founders are now worth billions. So the idea that we can change the life of students and, and we can do that here in Atlanta, is something that I’m really passionate about. Ryan Embree: And, you know, so we kind of spoke to the students now, the hospitality professionals that might be listening to that be open to being a mentor for these younger students. Because, I sit across the table. I had the privilege and honor of sitting across the table for some incredible hospitality leaders. And every single time I ask them about their hospitality journey, there’s typically always a name in there that they attribute a lot of their success as a jumping off point or a starting point for their career. So be on either side of that, right. To be the person that helps someone, or be the person that reach out to someone for help. It’s hospitality. It’s a people serving people industry. That’s why we love it. That’s why we’re in it. So definitely recommend doing that as well. You know, the success of the program has been recognized as Top Hospitality School across the country, multiple accolades. You talked about the research at the top of the episode. Talk to us a little bit about, you know, that what the accolades mean to you and kind of how it’s helped prospective students kind of recognize Georgia State as one of the top hospitality programs. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : Absolutely. The, you know, one thing is we’ve been around a while, right? So we’ve been around over 50 years, and I think being embedded in a business school helps us as well. Our students have a very strong business background. They have to pass accounting and finance courses. They have that strong kind of analytical background. And then they take their hospitality courses. We have a lot of students that are, we’re known for students with grit. That don’t get their hands dirty and are willing to like, do the, do the operations type jobs. I’ll say that, you know, operations jobs are the foundation of kind of understanding the business, right? You might wanna be a revenue manager, but you don’t really understand what revenue management is about until you work the front desk and understand that business. Absolutely. So, you know, for a long time, we’ve, you know, we’re at a top business school. We’re at a large state university for a long time. We’ve put students into the ecosystem. So when people think about us, they think about those students, and we’re gonna build upon that going forward. So, we we’re working on a strategic plan to kinda strengthen those fundamentals as well as specialize in and expand our portfolio to things like entertainment and sports, which is all about hospitality, right? Absolutely. Because students today, they really passionate about live events and sports and entertainment. And that’s all part of that hospitality ecosystem, right? Hospitality is part of most things we do. It’s like we’re in a service economy. We’re in experience economy. Most of the qualities you learn in a hospitality degree, you can apply in any type of business. So I’m very proud of the fact that we are at, we’re an ACSB accredited school, so we have that business foundation. At the same time we have specialized interest in things that are really important to hospitality. So franchising is one of those that I think we can build upon going forward. Ryan Embree: I mean, you talk about that younger generation loving live events. I mean, look on social media and you also see, them standing in line for food and beverage item. Like that there’s such passion, and that younger generation that they can bring to hospitality and we get the privilege of serving them. So, one of the places where you have a strong alumni presence and even student presence. And the reason we’re here is covering the Hunter Conference 2026 over at the brand new beautiful Signia Hilton, Atlanta. Like I said, a lot of, Georgia State involvement there. Special relationship between the two organizations. Give us some history there and how that’s evolved over the last couple decades. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : Absolutely. So it’s a very special relationship. We are one of the co-founders of the Hunter Conference, starting in 1989, with less than a hundred people. And now we have 2000 industry professionals coming to Atlanta from one of the largest hospitality real estate conferences, in the U.S. So obviously the Hunters have a scholarship. We have students, our students run the conference, right? So Sarah [Moss] is the Chief of Staff, is one of our former students. Maddie [Thibodeaux] runs a conference, is one of our former students, previously an intern. So we have an internship program, that we run where this year, Heather was the, the intern there, really helps us to get those students start working in, you know, an amazing event and expose those students and all our students have access to the Hunter Conference. So regardless if you’re a real estate student or a finance student, a hospitality student, psychology student, you can access the conference. We also, Mitch Shaw, endowed the Bradshaw Speaker series, in honor of his father. And every year, we have amazing, amazing person from industry come and talk about their life journey. And so Tony Ressler was the speaker this year, transformer of the Centennial Yards, investing in the owner of the Hawks, and exposes our students to those industry professionals. And so I look forward to every year for us to have that event. It’s very special relationship that benefits our students and benefits our faculty. Getting access to that. And it’s less than a mile from here. Right. So we, I can walk from my office down to the Signia Hotel, look at all the development down there, engage our students with amazing content. Ryan Embree: What, what an opportunity for your students to be involved in that event. And, you know, we just talked about the power of mentors, right? And there could be, your mentor is sitting right there. I mean, it, it’s an incredible conference. We have the privilege of covering it over the past couple years. Now, as it enters its new chapter at the Signia, it continues to just grow and grow and really appreciate the relationship that Georgia State has there. And it’s so cool to see those students, we’ve seen students at that conference from, from all over the country, love to see that. Because again, those are those opportunities that we talked about where it’s like, you gotta take advantage of that and you have it less than a mile, you know, away from your campus. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : Yeah. And the thing is that when you talk about mentors is that, you know, many of our students, their parents, they’re first generation college students. They’re first generation college graduates. Like, I’m a first generation college graduate immigrant to the U.S. Your parents really don’t know how to help you in that. So, especially for our students and other students, they’re first generation graduates, they need those mentors to help them. So they don’t have parents that are working in the corporate environment that are telling them to get this internship. And so I would say, you know, if you’re if you’re opportunity to mentor a student, you can change the trajectory of their lives. And that is gonna pay dividends in the future. There’s nothing more rewarding than looking at a student and seeing their, their change over time and their position in an industry. Ryan Embree: It’s a great segue ’cause we’re gonna give some advice here to a couple exciting chapters and young professionals lives. What advice would you give to hospitality students right now? Because right now, you know, I pose this question by always saying, if I were, going into hospitality, there’s a lot of noise outside of our industry right now about AI and technology taking jobs. And we’ve talked about this where it might kind of be an opportunity for hospitality right now. So what advice would you share with them kind of hearing this? Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : I tell all the marketing students and the finance students, the CIS students come to hospitality. We got jobs. AI is gonna impact our industry, right. But we’re always gonna need that personal touch. We’re always gonna have to have that touch with the customer and have those personal relationships. And so understanding how AI is gonna impact the industry is important. We’re even changing some of our courses to better understand how we can use these tools to improve performance, to improve customer satisfaction, to reduce wait times. But at the end of the day, we’re in a human business, right? We’re about human experiences and people crave human experiences, right? So, you know, the live events, the reason why we love live events is because we live in the digital world a lot. And so this is the, this is I think a turning point for hospitality for us to really become central to people’s lives. Post pandemic, people want to connect with other people. We are in the business of creating amazing experiences. And if we can create American amazing experiences and bring people together, that’s what hospitality is about. So I would tell students, students that are graduating, this is an amazing opportunity for you. Go out there, find a company that you are passionate about and work hard and work in operations, understand the business. This is your opportunity to, people say, I don’t wanna work in operations. I understand the business. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Who knows what’s gonna happen in the future. But I’ll say, we have jobs and we will have jobs in the future. Ryan Embree: Absolutely. And when you said that operations point, I love it. ’cause you’d be surprised how many front desk agents, bellmans, I’ve talked to across the, across the table that are now in corporate America because, but that’s where they had their start, and they attribute a lot of their success to saying, I was on the front line doing these jobs, doing these work. That’s where again, whether it’s a first job, entry-level job or whether it’s an internship can be so formative and foundational for your career. Now, let’s turn our attention to maybe incoming freshmen, right? They got the next four years daunting before they graduate and get out into the, to the world. What advice would you give them coming to Georgia State and the Day Hospitality School? Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : I would say take advantage of that time, right? So these are four years in which you can do anything you want. So have some fun, right. Go to events, post pandemic. You know, we we’re somewhat of a commuter school. We have dorms on campus, but a lot of our students are still living at home. So it may take some effort to get in a car drive downtown and meet up with an industry professional, but that’s where the value is. That’s why you’re in Atlanta, right? That’s where the school is about network. Meeting people, learning about other people, creating that network. And I would say get an internship from day one, look for an internship every year, get an internship. That summertime is a time in which you can invest in yourself. And classes are one thing, but really college is a lot about trying to figure out what you wanna do besides just the classes. Select your classes you want to take, and then engage in clubs and go do study abroad. Both my kids are Georgia State. Were Georgia State students, and go do study abroad. Go do whatever you want. This is a time in your life to explore. And you don’t have a mortgage. You might not have a car. You can do anything you want. And we’re there to support you. If you want an internship in Atlanta and you’re a Georgia State student, we can find you one. So, I mean, that to me is like, just be excited about that time of your life and AI, you know, AI is gonna impact our industry, but it’s not gonna take our jobs. Ryan Embree: And, and raise your hand and volunteer. I mean, this you got the World Cup. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be involved in something in this amazing city. I mean, there was only a select number of cities, Atlanta being one of them. What an opportunity to be involved in an event that is gonna span maybe something you look back on, where people are coming from all over the world, to be here in Atlanta. So I love that advice, especially for those younger freshmen, just starting their journey. Well, so now we’re gonna, now we’re gonna share a little bit about your vision. So as we wrap up today, you talked about the strategic plan. What’s your vision as you look at the second half of the 2020s for the school here? Dr. Benjamin Lawrence : So we’re really focused on broadening, hospitality past hotels and restaurants and focusing on experiences. And so we really want to be the school that drives and understands how people wanna live their lives through experiences. And so focusing on, on entertainment, focusing on sports focusing on live events, focusing on hotels and restaurants. But people go to restaurants for, for different reasons, right? The transactional component of a restaurant, ordering online and Uber, that’s important. But the other side of going to restaurant is celebrating, right? Sure. And engaging with the people. And like, and you gotta understand where you are. Are you providing a transactional type approach where you’re just giving a meal or you are providing an experience. And we feel that the, there’s lots of value in creating those experiences. And so when you think about hospitality as creating memorable experiences, really broadens the perspective. Every time of service is about creating an experience. And so our plan is to focus on experiences generally, and then also to invite students that aren’t hospitality students to understand the business. So, you know, hospitality programs and business schools are never gonna be huge, right? You have other departments, but what we can do is we can get a marketing student say, listen, come to Hunter and you realize that like they may be maybe 20% of people in that pool are marketing people, right? Sales and marketing. Or accounting. So exposing hospitality to a broad set of students to show them the opportunities, right? We have a lot of opportunity for students. The trajectory of those students that are hardworking, that wanna it is, is very steep. And so that is our strategic plan going forward to figure out how do we can expose hospitality generally to the whole university, not just the school of business. And then to focus on being experts in creating memorable experiences. And I’m excited about the future. We’re in Atlanta, we’re at Georgia State. We have so many positive attributes. We’re investing $80 million in our campus downtown. If you haven’t had an opportunity to come downtown Atlanta, let me know. Send me an email, because we are transforming, downtown Atlanta, and it’s a place that people want to work, play, and stay. And, that’s just gonna improve as we invest in Centennial Yards and the stadium complex. Ryan Embree: One of the advice I always received was talking about the investment behind a school. If you see that it’s growing, it’s a growing university, there’s investment into it, it’s a place that you want to be so, certainly reflected here at Georgia State. Those experiences that you talked about so important. I mean, think about when you were in hospitality school, even when I was in hospitality school. Now the, the lanes of hospitality and specialties that you can get your degrees in because it encompasses just so much right now and it continues to grow. And as far as exposing more and more people to hospitality and its opportunities, it’s exactly what we’re here to do on the TMG campus cross. So we are so happy that you had us here and, sat down with us and, and took some time outta your day to do this with us. Dr. Benjamin Lawrence: Thank you so much. You’re doing important work. And go Panthers! Ryan Embree: Alright. Thank you so much. We’ll talk to you next time on the SuiteSpot. To join our loyalty program. Be sure to subscribe and give us a five star reading on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Travel Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell with Cover Art by Bary Gordon. I’m your host Ryan Embree and we hope you enjoyed your stay.

Why are they covering the logos at Mercedes-Benz Stadium? Also, should you drive a lawnmower through Target? We talk about a beagle finding a stash of over 100 sandwiches at the airport, trying to find AI-proof majors in college, and lots more!

On this episode of Atlanta Soccer Tonight, Jason Longshore digs into Atlanta United's biggest problem right now: a lack of attacking threat. He breaks down the loss to Nashville, what Tata Martino and Cooper Sanchez had to say, and why the first goal against New England could define the night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Plus, Columbus officially joins Atlanta in the NWSL for 2028, Jason looks at what that means for the league and how the two markets have handled the moment differently, and he makes the case that coaches across the sport take too much blame and not enough credit. The show also includes an MLS whiparound with San Jose, Vancouver, Inter Miami, and more.

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠Analytic Dreamz breaks down the full details on The R&B Tour, also known as the Raymond & Brown Tour, the major co-headlining stadium run from Usher and Chris Brown across North America in 2026. This 33-show trek spans from June 26 in Denver at Empower Field at Mile High to the finale on December 11 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, covering the United States and Canada over approximately 5.5 months in large-scale stadium venues only.Key timeline includes the April 2026 social media announcement, with Citi presale launching April 21, additional presales through April 24, Live Nation presale on April 23, and general on-sale April 27 at 12 PM local time. VIP packages offer front-row seating, early entry, and behind-the-scenes access.The routing features multiple two-night stands in high-demand markets including Ford Field in Detroit, Northwest Stadium in Landover, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Rogers Stadium in Toronto, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and others. Texas sees the highest concentration with stops in Arlington, El Paso, San Antonio, and Houston.Analytic Dreamz examines the tour scale, comparable to top-tier R&B stadium runs, backed by Usher's $115 million Vegas residency success and Chris Brown's Breezy Bowl XX grossing around $300 million. Demand indicators show strong presale activity, active secondary markets, and scarcity in key regions driving anticipation.The segment also covers the dual-meaning tour name, marketing visuals, and industry context around two of R&B's biggest touring forces. No measurable impact from past narratives has slowed the rollout momentum to date.This deep dive equips fans with complete routing, ticketing strategy, market highlights, and commercial power analysis for one of the largest R&B tours of 2026. Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy