1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports. The International Olympic Committee 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: is facing a crisis. Which sport would you point to 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: and say put your money here? Where the money is 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: flowing inside sports around the globe as NASCAR's business engine 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: lost some horse problem. Now I'm paying five or ten 6 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: percent what I used to pay to buy the whole team, 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,799 Speaker 1: Michael Barr. Nothing like a cheap hot dog, which is 8 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: what you should get, Scott, How do you put your 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: brand outside of the United States? How do you capture 10 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: fans around the world? Bloomberg Business of Sports on Bloomberg Radio. Hello, 11 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: I'm Michael Barr and I'm Scott. On this weekly podcast, 12 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: we explore the big money issues in the world of 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: sports and talk to some of the biggest players in 14 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: the industry. Today, we hear from Dominique Foxworth, former president 15 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: of the National Football League Players Association. He weighs in 16 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 1: on the controversy over the national anthem and what's next 17 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: for the NFL the future of the game. I think 18 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: it's something that should scare team owners. But first let's 19 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: look at the top stories of the week. For that, 20 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: We're joined by Bloomberg Business of Sports reporter Evan no 21 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: Be Williams and let's start the World Series. It was 22 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: a Game seven. It was great for the World Series, 23 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: great for the TV and radio audience because Game sevens 24 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: are always exciting. Yeah, I thought fox won the one. 25 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 1: The world talks like the winner to me. We talked 26 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: before the series even started about how the most important 27 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: thing for Foxes to go seven games. Then the next 28 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: most important thing is to have two big teams in 29 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: big media markets. Then the next most important thing is 30 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: to have a compelling series. They hit the trifecta. They 31 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: got all three huge media markets, awesome series seven games. 32 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: Let's let's use the baseball analogy. They didn't quite get 33 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: the Grand Slam because Game seven was a stinker from 34 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: the start, and you could just that noise you heard 35 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: was like all those l A t v s going click. 36 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,559 Speaker 1: We don't need to see how this one ends. But 37 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: if you had told the executives going in you're gonna 38 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: get seven games, they'd sign up for it. Plenty of 39 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: AD dollars, a resurgence for baseball, and that people were 40 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: talking about the game. They were talking about these teams, 41 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: Classic Game five, Classic Game two, Young Stars in Korea 42 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: and Altove that people will now know that's a win 43 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: for everybody in foult in the sport. By the way, 44 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: did you hear about this guy? He is called the 45 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: Mattress Mac. His name is Jim mcinval. He owns Gallery Furniture, 46 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: and he told ESPN he'll be giving back more than 47 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: ten million dollars in purchases made from when he announced 48 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: in made that he would rebate fans who spent more 49 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: than three thousand dollars on mattresses and beds if the 50 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: team wanted all. And kudos to Mattress macause everybody talks 51 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: about uplifting the city of Houston. In the wake of 52 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: the hurricane, Mattress Mac opened his doors to displace families 53 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: and said, come sleep on all the beds and couches 54 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: that I got in my showroom. So good for him. 55 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: Next story, This one is a little more serious about 56 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: Papa John's. They're saying that the NFL problems are hurting 57 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: their pizza sALS. I'm gonna let Evan take this one 58 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: because I think ed Been has a little glimpse into 59 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 1: Papa John's sales. Before all this controversy started with national 60 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: national anthem protests. If you look at Papa John's sales numbers. Uh, 61 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: they're not great, and they weren't great long before this 62 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: protest thing became a huge deal for the NFL. So 63 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: for him to come out and publicly to out the 64 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: NFL as the reason why sales are dropping, this is 65 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 1: something a little bit disingenuous to that. I mean, their 66 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: quarter three, third quarter ended the day that Donald Trump 67 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,239 Speaker 1: criticized the NFL. Doesn't make sense, sure, But the bigger 68 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: thing I think here is that there's now a major 69 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: NFL sponsor that is willing to hop on a conference 70 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: call and trash both owners and the commissioner and blame 71 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: them for slips in his business. He is if you 72 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: look at the political leanings and donations, he is a 73 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: Donald Trump supporter, both with his emotion and his dollars, 74 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: so at least should be noted. But yes, a sponsor 75 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: that will willingly openly publicly point his finger at Roger 76 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: Goodell and say this is a lack of leadership. And 77 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: by the way, took the NFL logo off of his 78 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: commercials and advertisement because he doesn't wish to be associated 79 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: with the NFL. Right now, that says something, And you 80 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: bet Jerry Jones and the other owners are concerned, and 81 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: the NFL has thirty something partners. Some of them are 82 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 1: companies you've probably never even heard of. And then there 83 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: are companies like Papa John's that are at the forefront 84 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: of their advertising. If you go to the Super Bowl 85 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: every year, he's everywhere. When Peyton Manning won the Super 86 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: Bowl two years ago, he kissed Papa John before he 87 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: kissed his wife. You know, Papa john is everywhere when 88 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: it comes to the NFL. This is one that hurts. 89 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:48,919 Speaker 1: We need to say full disclosure, Eben. In the media center, 90 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: Papa John's every now and then comes around with free pizza. 91 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: I may or may not have partaken in a slice 92 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: after a long day of work at the Super Bowl. 93 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: Just full disclosure. And another topic that's in the business 94 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 1: of sports, your chance to join Shaquille O'Neill as part 95 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: owner of the NBA's Kings. What's impressive here, Michael, is 96 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: the franchise values are so high now that if you 97 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: want a ten percent stake of the Sacramento Kings, which 98 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 1: is what's being offered by one of the limited partners. 99 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: We're not sure which one, and we know it's not 100 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 1: vivek Rennadive, but if you want a ten percent stake 101 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: of the Sacramento Kings, you have to pony up at 102 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: least ready for this one hundred million dollars, at least 103 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:35,279 Speaker 1: probably more. Probably gets a board seat, so you probably 104 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: get some say for that kind of money, but gone 105 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: of the days where people just wanted to say they 106 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: had a slice of a team, so they put in 107 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: some cash. This is real money for a ten percent stake. 108 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: We've talked about this before. I just don't understand why 109 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: this is a valuable if there's no path to to 110 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: long term full ownership like we saw with the Nets 111 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: last week, if that isn't included in this, and I 112 00:05:58,400 --> 00:05:59,919 Speaker 1: don't believe it is, Scott, correct me if i'm were. 113 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: I just don't understand why someone is willing to spend 114 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 1: a hundred million dollars on a property, even if you 115 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:08,599 Speaker 1: get a board seat. This could be this now guesswork, 116 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: we'll see who's gonna buy. But this could be somebody 117 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: looking to add something to a real estate portfolio. Because 118 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: this is not only the Golden One Center, which is 119 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 1: driving revenue, but they own a hotel, they owned parts 120 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 1: of downtown now, So if you believe in a revitalized 121 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: downtown Sacramento. Of this team gets you a portfolio of 122 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 1: properties in downtown Sacramento. It's a big real estate play 123 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: if somebody wants it. Now, let's get to this week's 124 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: interview with former president of the National Football League Players 125 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: Association Dominique Foxworth. He played for the Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, 126 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: and Baltimore Ravens from two thousand and five ton While 127 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: an active player, he served as president of the NFL 128 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: p A during labor talks with the owners, dom tell 129 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: me on the macro level, So thirty thousand feet here, 130 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: where is the league compared to the other entertainment and 131 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: sports properties. Well, I mean, it's still the most profitable 132 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: American sports league that we have, so I think that's 133 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: a thing to be proud of for them. But there's 134 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: also something the future of the game. I think it's 135 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: something that should scare team owners because not only do 136 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: you have to be concerned about like a pipeline for 137 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: players because of fear of head injuries, but I think football, 138 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: relative to all the other American sports, it's like a 139 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: weird game. And I think part of the reason why 140 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: people love it is because they learn about it by 141 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: playing it or having friends and family that play it 142 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: when their kids. And I know it's not something that, 143 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: uh necessarily on the tip of people's tongue. But when 144 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: I when I went to business school, that was one 145 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: of the things. There's like a bunch of international people 146 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: there and a lot of them. It was kind of 147 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: first time that I realized how weird football was, because 148 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: they were asking me to explain football, and I couldn't 149 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: be like, well, you know, it's just like this game 150 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: or it's just like that game. It is a unique, 151 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: unique game, and I think that is something to be 152 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: concerned of going forward. If there's less participation, that could 153 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: certainly translate to less fans going forward. But I think 154 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: the football is on solid ground, at least for the 155 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: media future. Don't be modest. You mean to say when 156 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: you went to Harvard Business School. I knew you meant 157 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: to say that. Yeah, I mean, I like to brag 158 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: as much as possible. I wasn't being modest. I'm a cornerback. 159 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: I didn't look at me. Look at me. I can 160 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: shut you down, but but I appreciate you staring at Sadly, Uh, 161 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: I am hanging out in the media with a bunch 162 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: of other people who didn't go to fancy the really 163 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: really smart people. Let's let me ask you this, what 164 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: did you learn from your time as president of the 165 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: Players Association sitting across owners, Did you learn anything about 166 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,959 Speaker 1: yourself and other players and and their acumen versus yours? Oh? Yeah, 167 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: I mean I think that's that was the ampetus for 168 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 1: me applying to a top level business school, Like I 169 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: had always had in my mind that I wanted to 170 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: get some sort of post graduate degree, but I didn't 171 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: think that Harvard Business School was the place for me. 172 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: And then I sat in those rooms and uh participate 173 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: in negotiations, and was like, hey, these guys, I mean 174 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: not to to be this respectful anything, but they were. 175 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: They were about as smart or not as smart, around 176 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: the same intellect intelligence level as me and many of 177 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: my teammates. Is just I think you go into their 178 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: growing up you think that anyone who's been able to 179 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: make that amount of money or have certain level success 180 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: is a genius. But no, I mean they worked hard, 181 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: I'll give them that, and they had some fortuitous things 182 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 1: happened their lives. They took advantage of opportunities, they got lucky, 183 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: and that's what got them there. It's not because they 184 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: have any um superior in intellect. So that was kind 185 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: of an eye open experience for me, and I hope 186 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 1: it's done the same for other players who have been 187 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 1: involved in the similar processes. What do you wonder now, 188 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: has it changed at all? Or do you still think 189 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 1: the prevailing sentiment among most players would be HBS is 190 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: not a place for me. I'm not as smart as 191 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: the owner. How could I be? Oh? Yeah, yeah, I 192 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: mean I think that's probably um the prevailing sentiment for 193 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: not just players, but just most people. I think in general, 194 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,079 Speaker 1: that's something that we are afflicted with. Frankly in this 195 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 1: society is just like this deification of people who've made 196 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 1: a certain amount of money or people and it's not 197 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: even just business people, is also athletes. And because we're 198 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: always so shocked when something comes like the Tiger Woods thing, 199 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: when he got in trouble for stepping out on his wife, 200 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: and whenever there's any player or public figure who does 201 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: something that we deem to be uh inappropriate, we're always 202 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 1: so shocked at apaulty. It's like we deify these people 203 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 1: because they are really good at a particular thing. Or 204 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: they've happen to make a lot of money like that. 205 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: Those things, uh, I think are sometimes more loosely correlated 206 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: than we choose to believe, like the intelligence and success 207 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: and and all that stuff. So yeah, it's a surprising thing. 208 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: But time and time again we associate uh, intelligence with 209 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 1: how much money someone's been able to make, which I 210 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: think is a mistake. We are chatting with Dominic Foxworth, 211 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,959 Speaker 1: former president of the NFL Players Association, played in the 212 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:03,479 Speaker 1: league from two thousand and Dum. What is the relationship 213 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 1: or was the relationship or has it changed between owners 214 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: and players? Is that a team by team thing? Or 215 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: do owners prefer for the most part, to keep an 216 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: arm's length from guys they may have to cut right, Yeah, 217 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: I mean I think it's definitely a team by team thing, 218 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: But I think the overall perspective and relationship is I 219 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: think this kind of brings us to the McNair comments recently. 220 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: I think that the owners don't necessarily in general think 221 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: about maybe they have relationships and respect for individual players, 222 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: but as a group, I don't think the owners necessarily 223 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 1: have a lot of respect for the players in the 224 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:40,439 Speaker 1: league office in the same way, And we can look 225 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,599 Speaker 1: at a lot of recent events, Like I mentioned mcnare's 226 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: comments where he analogized players two inmates running the prison, 227 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: and you can go it back to tex Fram's comments 228 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: and in the eighties I think it was eighty seven 229 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:53,679 Speaker 1: where he called the players cattle. You can look at 230 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: um the way Goodell has handled Star Caps and bounty gate, 231 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 1: and and how the league colluded to suppress wages, like 232 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: it's just disrespect after disrespect, and it feels to me 233 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: like they don't view the players as partners to this game, 234 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: and they don't view the players as someone that or 235 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 1: a group that should be consulted on major decisions or 236 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: or respected frankly when they are making decisions. And uh, 237 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:22,559 Speaker 1: it's unfortunate. But I do think that one of the 238 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: kind of results of the recent uh spade of protests 239 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,599 Speaker 1: from last year to this year, or I guess demonstrations, 240 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: because not every UM anthem demonstration is a protest, but 241 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: it's kind of, in my mind, kind of opened the 242 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: players eyes to how much power they have as a 243 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: collective unit. There's no individual player, frankly has that much power, 244 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: but as a unit, they are the game, and if 245 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,199 Speaker 1: they were ever to kind of fully, I say they 246 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: like I was not a part of it, I guess 247 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: we as appropriate. But if we were ever as players, No, 248 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: I'll go back to that because it's current players. If 249 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: they were ever to kind of um fully galvanized in 250 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 1: appreciate how powerful they can be, I think they could 251 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: accomplish more than they probably imagine they could, as far 252 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: as change in the game in any way they want 253 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 1: to see it changed. But that would take some serious planning, 254 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 1: would it not. Let's look forward to the next collective bargaining. 255 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 1: You had better have some paychecks saved, You had better 256 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:21,080 Speaker 1: be able to withstand some time without income. If you're 257 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: really talking about big time changes that the owners we 258 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: can guess would forcibly oppose. There's not only one way, 259 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 1: I guess to go about it. So I think that 260 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: it's very true. It would take some some serious planning 261 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: to to prepare and execute some sort of work stoppage 262 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: for players, and would be very difficult. Obviously, the money 263 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,559 Speaker 1: and and the time horizon, all those things fall on 264 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: the owner's side. But like I mentioned that, the recent 265 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: demonstrations have shown that the that the players can have 266 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: impact in more ways than one, and I think at 267 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: this point, while they aren't in negotiations, I'm quite sure 268 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: that UM, Roger Goodell and the owners would be willing 269 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: to UH to negotiate over getting the players to stop 270 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 1: doing what they're doing now. When it comes to the 271 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: issue of standing for the anthem, I cannot remember a 272 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: time when the players had this much leverage on a 273 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: single issue. The collective Bargaining Agreement does not mandate that 274 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: players stand so for an owner to come out and say, 275 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 1: you have to do it. If the NFL wants to 276 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: change this rule, it requires union cooperation. No, Yeah, that's 277 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: what I mean. That's the point that I was trying 278 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: to make, is that I hadn't thought about it this 279 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: way in the past. But the players do have leverage, 280 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: and they do have ways to create leverage that don't 281 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: all necessarily involve extended work stoppage. So if they can 282 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: if they can endure a workstoppage, obviously they can UH 283 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: kind of create whatever C B A that they that 284 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: they wish. But there are other ways, I guess to 285 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: to UM create leverage, and they've certainly created some now, 286 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 1: uh inadvertently or not looking in from the outside, how 287 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: would you assess the NFL's house, and I mean the commissioner, 288 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: the owners. It doesn't seem as if everybody's on the 289 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: same page, not only on this issue, but other issues 290 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: as well. It seems that there they might be right 291 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: for some infighting here. Yeah, And I think that it's 292 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: only now that we we might be able to see 293 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: it from the outside. But I think we can all 294 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: imagine how much infighting must go on with the amount 295 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: of perceived egos that a bunch of really successful men 296 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: would have. And everyone in uh, every team owner is 297 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: a leader in his own right and a successful business person. 298 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: And then you throw the executives of the NFL, including 299 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: Roger Goodell in there, who have all been high achiever 300 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 1: throughout life and been leaders and decision makers, and you 301 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: throw them in a room and expect them and they 302 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: all have different interests and desires and you expect them 303 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: to agree, like there's always in fighting. I think this 304 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: is the one of the few times that it that 305 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 1: the cracks are showing above the surface. I don't necessarily 306 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: mean think that that means that the cracks are any 307 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 1: deeper than they have been in the past, but they've 308 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: always been in fights and being um really close to 309 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: the game I would hear those stories and understand about 310 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: them trying to build coalitions and in boxing out particular 311 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: owners and and all sorts of things. So it's it's politics. Frankly, 312 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: I think it's the best way to describe as the 313 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: best analogy to what happens in the league office and 314 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: amongst NFL owners is it's a lot like what happens 315 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: and and American politics is everyone's looking for uh looking 316 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 1: everyone wants to look good to the public, and everyone 317 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: is looking for partners because that's the only way you 318 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 1: have any powers if you can get votes behind the 319 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: initiative that you want to enact. Tom you brought up 320 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: the commission of the NFL. Roger Goodell seems as if 321 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: his extension, his contract extension, seems to be a point 322 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: of contention. You sat in those meetings with Roger. How 323 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 1: do you assess Roger as a leader of ideas a 324 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 1: leader of men, a leader of agendas? How would you 325 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 1: assess his performance? Yeah, I mean it's he seems very 326 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: different from I guess there's two thousand, ten, eleven and 327 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: twelve like around that time when I was spending the 328 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: most amount of time around him, and it was his 329 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: first um CBA negotiations. Ah, and he clearly I was 330 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 1: looking to please specific constituents in the ownership group, and 331 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: he very clearly seemed to me to be um somewhat powerless. 332 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: And I think you could go through a lot of 333 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 1: the decisions that he's made from then to now and 334 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: point out other instances where it seems like he is 335 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: just the arm for a particular group of owners. But 336 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,439 Speaker 1: recently it kind of feels like he is trying to 337 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 1: spread his wings and become more of a leader and 338 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 1: more of I guess David Stern might be the best 339 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: example of a commissioner who kind of controllers rather than 340 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 1: the other way around. And it seems that that's not 341 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,400 Speaker 1: sitting well with some of the owners, which is interesting. Yeah. 342 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: I had spoken to Mickey Harrison, the chairman of Carver 343 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 1: Cruise Lines. He owned the Miami Heat owns the Miami Heat. 344 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:13,639 Speaker 1: He once told me, I know the perception of the 345 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: reality is that the commissioner works for us, but he said, 346 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 1: make no mistake, you know, nobody, nobody tells David Stern 347 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: what to do. And are you referencing the Tom Brady punishment, 348 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:27,680 Speaker 1: the Ezekiel Elliott punishment, because it would seem that Roger 349 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: Goodell would not want to get on the wrong side 350 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 1: of Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones. Those are two very 351 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: influential owners in that group. Yeah, that I mean, you 352 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 1: could not being on the inside, you could pank those 353 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: in a couple of different ways. And I think it's 354 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 1: it's obvious that he doesn't want to get on the 355 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:49,439 Speaker 1: wrong side of them, so him being willing to do that, 356 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 1: and those were a couple of his biggest supporters from 357 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: day one and through the rough times that he's had, 358 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: So it seems that he is kind of stepping out 359 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: on his own. But you could also potentially make the 360 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: argument that there's another constituent that he is looking to 361 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: please at this point. So, like, without being on the inside, 362 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,200 Speaker 1: it's hard for me to tell, but these are moves 363 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 1: that I could not have imagined the Roger Goodell that 364 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 1: I knew UM from UH like two thousand ten times. 365 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: I couldn't imagine him taking these type of moves unilaterally 366 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:23,400 Speaker 1: without kind of consulting with UH, with Jones and Craft 367 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 1: and getting their approval. It seems like he's taking he's 368 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: trying at least to take some control of the league. 369 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: And we'll see what happens going forward to who the 370 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: rest of the owners get behind. Papa John has come 371 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: out and said that the NFL and the protests are 372 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: hurting his business. He said the leadership has not been 373 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: good and that they need to do something because I'm 374 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: not selling enough pizza because people aren't watching as much 375 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: NFL football. There are certain things that just kind of 376 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: supersede UH revenue and um asset value and all those things. 377 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: And if that's what is important to him, those of 378 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: things that that kind of the ways he'll be he'll 379 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: measure his life, then that's fine. I just don't care 380 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 1: to to to follow him, follow him down that road. 381 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: Like I'm not trying to sound like some super high 382 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: high horse kind of moralist, but I think we all 383 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: kind of have a line. And I'm not saying that 384 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 1: he doesn't. I'm sure he has a line at some 385 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 1: point where he wouldn't cross that line for any amount 386 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: of money. Like I'd like to think we all have 387 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 1: that point, um and I And that's possibly why I 388 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,880 Speaker 1: would despite going into business school, like I could never 389 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: be probably a CEO of that type of company because 390 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: if anyone were to ask me to kind of take 391 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:47,880 Speaker 1: a position that I've felt to be on questionable, questionable 392 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: moral ground. I'd like to think that I would not 393 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 1: be able to do do that, and I'd have to 394 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,239 Speaker 1: move on from that position. What are your thoughts from 395 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: the knee jerk reaction that television ratings are down from 396 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: much of the NFL, not all windows, but for much 397 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 1: of the NFL because of Kaepernick, because of protest. It 398 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 1: seems the data says people are just watching less football. 399 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 1: So yeah, I mean, I think that's that's I've talked 400 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 1: to a few friends about it and and um, well, 401 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: friends who are like are better with data than me, 402 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: and that they came to the same conclusion and pointed 403 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 1: me in that direction that it doesn't mean that ratings 404 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 1: overall are down. It just means that people are watching 405 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: less football, which leads you to the to the conclusion that, uh, 406 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: maybe these games are not as good or engaging. Like 407 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: if you are not watching football at all because you 408 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: were angry, then you wouldn't turn the game on. But 409 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 1: if you turn the game on and then you turn 410 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 1: the channel or go do something else, like maybe it's 411 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,239 Speaker 1: just millennials don't have a long attention span. Maybe your 412 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: games are boring. I don't know. Maybe it's there's too 413 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 1: much football, And that was one thought by some television 414 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: executives that it's over saturate. You have Thursday night, you 415 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 1: have Sunday, you have Monday. You can miss them, right, Yeah, 416 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: so there's Uh. It would seem to me that the 417 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,360 Speaker 1: evidence suggests that one of those are more likely than 418 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 1: a boycott, because the boycott then no one would tune in, 419 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: not they were just because that's a weird boycott to say, like, 420 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: I'm mad because these demonstrations. I'm going to watch thirty 421 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 1: minutes of football this week rather than an hour. That's 422 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 1: just just the third and fourth quarters. So put your 423 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: analysts head on for me. Then, from looking ahead, and 424 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 1: I am a prospective NFL owner, I'm thinking about buying 425 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: a team. What am I concerned about most? Is it ratings? 426 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:33,399 Speaker 1: Is its sponsorship? Is it millennials? Is it used to 427 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 1: be thought of that the an NFL team was a 428 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: license to print money? You said it's doing well. Is 429 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 1: it still a license to print money? Or are those 430 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: storm clouds real? Yeah? I mean I think you have 431 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: to consider the storm storm clouds being real. I don't 432 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 1: think that, um, if I were looking to buy a 433 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: professional sports team. I'm not sure that the NFL is 434 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: where I would go, in part because it's not an 435 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: international game, and you could argue that it is extremely 436 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 1: oversaturated and in this country, so the any potential growth 437 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: would have to come from international expansion, and that seems 438 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 1: to be along shot. And while you have to create 439 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: international expansion, you have to sustain your kind of domestic product, 440 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:23,160 Speaker 1: which we've all talked about how um parents are having 441 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 1: their their kids play less, which could mean like less 442 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: their talent on the field, and could also mean fewer 443 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: kids develop a love for the game when they're young 444 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: and are engaged in and like, all that stuff could 445 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: be true, and maybe people will stop. A lot of 446 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:37,399 Speaker 1: people will stop playing as kids, but they'll still love 447 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: it because they watch it with their parents and while 448 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: their kids now and still fall in love with love 449 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 1: with it. But I think the scariest part for guys 450 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: who might want to own an NFL team is that 451 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,199 Speaker 1: the growth and the value of the total asset of 452 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,639 Speaker 1: the team that you purchased, like that might be hard 453 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:58,439 Speaker 1: to continue to grow and to protect going forward, because 454 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,439 Speaker 1: like I said, it's based on international expansion, and and 455 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: if you've ever been um just about anywhere in the 456 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 1: world other than America, and you talk about football, first, 457 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: you have to say American football, so they don't think 458 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,360 Speaker 1: you're talking about what we can consider soccer. But they 459 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 1: can't name any players. They don't know anything about the game. 460 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:18,439 Speaker 1: They don't care about it there they aren't playing in 461 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: leagues like that's that's a major ask to kind of 462 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 1: um propose that you're going to convince um all kids 463 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 1: all throughout Europe, in in in Asia, in Africa that 464 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: they need to care about professional football, not not only 465 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: care about it, but love it. That's the major I 466 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,879 Speaker 1: guess hope is that the tech companies are going to 467 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: come in and pay even more than the TV companies 468 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:45,959 Speaker 1: pay now for right seeds, because I don't think that 469 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: the TV companies can continue to pay more and more 470 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,399 Speaker 1: so Amazon, Google, Twitter, I mean that they're coming. Is 471 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: that the savior is sports betting the savior because that 472 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 1: a little drive engagement. We're talking about scalable media with 473 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:01,360 Speaker 1: with the tech companies, you're talking about second screen experience 474 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: as well as a sports betting that could be somewhat 475 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: of a saving grace here. Yeah, I mean it's not 476 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: I certainly wouldn't say it was dire. If someone wanted 477 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,360 Speaker 1: to give me an NFL team, I would not reject them. 478 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 1: If I could find one on the sale bend, I 479 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 1: would still buy it. But if I had two or 480 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 1: three billion dollars and I wanted to invest it in something, 481 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: I'm not sure I would buy an NFL team right now? 482 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 1: Would that mean you'd agree with Joe sigh? And perhaps 483 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: two point three billion dollar valuation for the Brooklyn Nets, who, 484 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 1: by the way, are losing money. But a long term play, 485 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: a long term play in Asia, long term play and 486 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: scalable media is a better bet. Absolutely. Like UM, I 487 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 1: think if I could buy a team, I would buy 488 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 1: a basketball team. I think the there is still growth 489 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: potential domestically, and there is a at least from what 490 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: I understand, there's a huge hunger for basketball related content 491 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 1: and UM in China, which is probably has the brightest 492 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:02,880 Speaker 1: future as far as UH nation's um economic growth. So 493 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 1: there are more and more people moving into the middle class, 494 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 1: and they already know basketball, they already love basketball. It's 495 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: an international game like that's that's where I would be 496 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 1: looking to purchase the team. And I like basketball, and 497 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: I don't also don't have to like carry around the 498 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: guilt of potential of UH of causing or being complicit 499 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: in causing CT and players like it seems like basketball 500 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: would be the place to go if I were to 501 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 1: buy a team, But I guess, um not, I guess 502 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 1: I don't have In case you were wondering, I don't 503 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: have a few billions. You don't have a few billing 504 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: But you know, maybe that limited limited, limited partnership would 505 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: be appealing to you. Yeah, if I if I had, 506 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: if someone wanted to give me, like a fraction of 507 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,119 Speaker 1: a fraction of a fraction of a percentage of a 508 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 1: professional or professional team, I'd go for basketball. Would some 509 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: of this be cleared up? Or would would it be 510 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 1: smoother sailing with more minority representation in ownership or in 511 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: the top top top levels of teams? Um? I think 512 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: that not to not be like the business concerns that 513 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 1: I mentioned, but I do think, like, uh, a lot 514 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 1: of the social issues that they've come to like, just 515 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 1: not necessarily. There's lots of research behind how having diverse 516 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: stinkers in a room helps and people from different perspectives. Um, 517 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna venture to say that I know all 518 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 1: of the owner's backgrounds, but uh, they're very it would 519 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: appear that they are very similar and they think very 520 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 1: similarly in many cases. So I think having some diversity 521 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: of thought is really important. And obviously that means like 522 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: diversity across um, race and gender and age and life 523 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 1: experience like that. All that stuff matters and it improves. 524 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: I hate to use football analogies or sports analogies, but 525 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 1: they're so great sometimes. But it's like, if you're trying 526 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:00,199 Speaker 1: to build a team, you wouldn't just fill it up 527 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 1: with great offensive lineman. Like if you could get the 528 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,679 Speaker 1: eleven best offensive lineman in the history of the world, 529 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 1: do you put them all on one team and try 530 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 1: to run offense. They'd still be terrible. Like you need 531 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: some other people who have other skills. And it doesn't 532 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: seem that that that's the way that they build their 533 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: ownership group groups. All right, Dominic Foxworth, the former president 534 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 1: of the NFL Players Association, thank you very much for 535 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: taking a few minutes. No problem, and I'm always going 536 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: to talk to you. You've been listening to Bloomberg Business 537 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:29,359 Speaker 1: of Sports. We are here each and every week at 538 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: the same time exploring the world of Money and Sports. 539 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,120 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, and please tune in next week 540 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: when we speak with the biggest and brightest in the 541 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: world of business of sports. And you could always catch 542 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: us online as an Apple podcast on iTunes. I'm Scott 543 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: and this is Bloomberg.