1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports. The world changing and 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: what are things we can do to transform our business 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 1: and engage our fans globally in different ways, people are 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: using their name and likeness to create more opportunities, more 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: stakes and companies. In order to turn the organization around, 6 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: we had to turn it around not only gets on 7 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: baseball operations side, but other business operation side well and 8 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: any other sport is very difficult, but I like to 9 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: blub my horizons and be able to expand. Sports need 10 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: to be consumed a lot and not to the big 11 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: competitive advantage for in artual property holders of sports content 12 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: in the media landscape. Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 13 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,559 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, I'm Jason Kelly and I'm Mike Lynch. And 14 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: over the next hour we're going to talk about the 15 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: big money issues in the world of sports and of 16 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: course talk to some of the biggest players in the industry. 17 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: Later on I catch up with Duke Athletic Director the 18 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: incoming New a d A Duke Nina King. But first 19 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: we're going to chat with Harris Splitzer Sports and Entertainment 20 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:01,959 Speaker 1: Present and it's Scott O'Neill. He's got a brand new 21 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 1: book out called Be Where Your Feet Are Seven Principles 22 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: to keep you present, grounded and thriving. Lots to talk 23 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: about with this book. But for those of you who 24 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: don't know Harris Splitzer Sports and Entertainment. They own the 25 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: Philadelphia seventy six Ers, kind of an important team in 26 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: the NBA right now after a still un and it's 27 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: eleven o sixers. Of course, the process seems to be working, 28 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 1: uh famously what they have undertaken there with that story franchise. Scott, 29 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: Really good to catch up with you. It's a busy time. 30 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: I know how you doing. Thanks Jason, Thank you, Mike. 31 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: I'm excited looking to dig in. We're, you know, kind 32 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: of the the throes of a heavy playoff run. I 33 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: know you from Atlanta, Mike, You're you're dismissed and at 34 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: the beach and in Philadelphia we're we're getting after. There's 35 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: been a lot of fun. So Scott, you obviously are 36 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: in the building for these gay games, and the best 37 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: news I think for all of us is you got 38 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: a lot of people there with you in the building. 39 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: Take us inside this franchise from a business perspective and 40 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: what it means to have fans back in the seats 41 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: and really just the new field, the new look after 42 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: a very tough year. I appreciate it. You know. A 43 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: year ago I was in the bubble in Orlando and 44 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 1: remember going to a couple of games and being the 45 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: only fan. And while that was quite a novelty and 46 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: interesting and something I'll never forget, it's just nothing I 47 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: ever want to repeat again. And then the start of 48 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 1: this season, you know, to being an arena, the Wells 49 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: Fargus Center in Philadelphia and our producial Center of course 50 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: in Newark, and be one of fifteen fans, you know, 51 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: essentially our staff where you could hear everything the coach said, everything, 52 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: players said, everything officials said. It was it was fun 53 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: and interesting for the first ten games, but I just 54 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: missed the buzz. I missed the energy. I missed the cheers, 55 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: even the booze. And then and then we got to 56 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: and that that was you know, it was it was good. 57 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: It felt better, you know. I I felt like some 58 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 1: enthusiasm when I got the fifty percent in the Phillies 59 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: percent in most arenas. I mean, these fans are chomping 60 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: at the bit, and I, uh. And then you know, 61 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: last game we went up to full capacity and I 62 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: felt like the ceiling was gonna blow off the building. 63 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: It was just special. Um. You know, you you'll just 64 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: take a step back, um for a minute and think 65 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: about what we've been through to get here and um 66 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: and that that's what gives you the chills. Uh. You know, 67 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: obviously we have two transformational superstars and Ben Simmons and 68 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: Joe and Beat which is wonderful and the fans response 69 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: to them. But to think, you know, only a few 70 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: short seasons ago we were winning ten games and people 71 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: were cat calling and screaming at us every game, and 72 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: we had a lot of pressure, etcetera, etcetera. And I 73 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: think that journey, those life lessons, all that learning that 74 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: we went through, UM, you know, makes this just all 75 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: that more more you know, special, And I'm grateful. I 76 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: feel blessed. I think everybody this organization does. And uh 77 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: and something I think the organization has earned a desert 78 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: which has been been really rewarding. Hey, God, it's Mike 79 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: up here in Boston. We of course had Dr Rivers 80 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 1: up here. He won a championship for US, took us 81 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: to another finals seven games against the Lakers. What does 82 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: he meant to your franchise in this team, in this 83 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: whole process. You know, you had him up there long 84 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 1: enough to know that he's an elite leader. Um And 85 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: and maybe only exceeded by the quality of human being 86 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 1: is um. He understands the game at a really high level, 87 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 1: builds a world class team, has the utmost trust and 88 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: confidence of his players, and he seems to make the 89 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: right tactical adjustments at the right time. Um. But but 90 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: for me, Um, I just see leader, leader, and leader. 91 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: That's all I see when I see him. Um. It's 92 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: it's how he walks, it's how he talks, It's who 93 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: he is at his core. Um. It's the kind of 94 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 1: the position since he's taken on social issues to stand 95 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 1: for what's right and stand up and be an example. 96 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: And we can't ever forget that. The young men coming 97 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: into this league are young men, sometimes nineteen years old, 98 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: and I think he helps quite a bit in the 99 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: maturation process. And uh, and I think that really matters. 100 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: He's a special human being, you know, Scott, as you 101 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: think across the course of this season, and you did 102 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: a nice job, you know, sort of giving us the 103 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: numbers and in terms of the capacity the piece, there 104 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: were a lot of key decisions that had to be 105 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,119 Speaker 1: made along the way in terms of getting basketball back 106 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 1: to where we are to experience these playoffs. You know, 107 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: given your experience with the league, you know in the 108 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: league office, now, given your experience with a specific franchise, 109 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,359 Speaker 1: what do you look back on is sort of the 110 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 1: key business decisions that had to be made in order 111 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: to get us to this point, you know, kind of 112 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: between the bubble and now. I think there would be 113 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: different for every organization. Ours was was pretty simply, um, 114 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: you know, we had you know, everybody had a lot 115 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: of pressure on us. Um. You know, in terms of 116 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: my peers in this business financially, I mean, we were 117 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: losing truckloads of money and uh and it was you 118 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: know that that put a lot of pressure in stress 119 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: on the org. Um. You know, we didn't have liquidity issues. 120 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 1: A lot of my peers had liquidity issues, and we're 121 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: scrambling for financing and working through the league and banks, 122 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: and you know, we're fortunately well healed and had plenty 123 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: of liquidity, so we didn't have the issues that some had. 124 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: But our big, our big stake we put in the 125 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: ground and bet we made fourteen months ago was that 126 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: we were going to keep the sales and marketing machine together. 127 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: And that that was after much debate and much consternation 128 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: and conversation and and at the end, you know, it's 129 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,919 Speaker 1: just it's too hard to build a machine this this 130 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: big and this talented. Quite frankly, my present company excluded 131 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: the course. But this is about, you know, can you 132 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: keep your can you keep your your ticket sales team 133 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: in place? Can you keep your sponsor your team place. 134 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: We actually added to our sponsorship team, you know, at 135 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 1: a time where I talked to one of my one 136 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: of my peers and he had his staff down to 137 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: thirty people, and um, and I just said, hey, I'm 138 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: not I'm not doing it. It's gonna you know, your 139 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: rebound will take five years, seven years because by the 140 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: time you hire, you know, it just um, the way 141 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: the numbers were, you know, just in ticket sets. Just 142 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: put it really plainly, a first year of ticket the 143 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: first year ticket rep will sell about a hundred thousand 144 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: dollars in second year hundred SEVENTI five year tun or 145 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: fifty Then to depend on how how good your team 146 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: is and what the pricing is, and you can have 147 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: million dollars sales. Jops by a year four or five. 148 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: And uh, and if you blow that up and start over, 149 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: you're starting all the way back at ground zero. And 150 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: I just wasn't. I didn't think that was the prudent 151 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: thing to do. So we kept the team in place. 152 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: We lost some through attrition, and when people left, we 153 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: didn't replace him, so it did strain or a bit. 154 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: So we lost about of the team overall over the 155 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: course of the year, which isn't out of sorts to 156 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: our typical attrition. And and and we've got a v 157 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: shape recovery, so we're looking at a stronger than we 158 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: had as a pre COVID nine. So its the bet 159 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: has paid off for sure. But that was the key 160 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: decision in terms of getting us back in the you know, 161 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: the back fans back in the arena that that's are 162 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: part of our jobs are working with governors and mayors, 163 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: you know, and and between Ross Brock in New York 164 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: and Governor Murphy in Trenton, and then Mayor Kenny and 165 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: Philadelphia and Governor Wolf in Harrisburg. You know, we we 166 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: have we've been barely fortunate. We're blessed with mayors and 167 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 1: governors who understand what's what's at stake. Um, they're valuing 168 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: safety and health and health and safety protocols. We happen 169 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: to work with two leagues, the NBA and NHL. Who 170 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: I mean, they couldn't have made it any easier for us, 171 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: and God bless them. I mean, I think we've got 172 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,079 Speaker 1: two thousand memos or so, I mean, with different protocols, 173 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: and as information came, knew we were getting new best 174 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: practice as to how to operate. So it was I 175 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 1: guess it was you know, between us and the government 176 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: and elites. And it's a good partnership and not not easy. 177 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: It was very stressful. Um, you know, I'd like to 178 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 1: have some of the things I was thinking and saying back, 179 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: for sure, But we're all under so much pressure. And 180 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: I think at the end of the day, each of 181 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: those groups appreciated and respect each other. We're all working 182 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 1: towards a common goal and that is too to can 183 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 1: let us do what sports and entertainment and meant to do? 184 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: And if if those of us in this business don't 185 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: understand the why and the purpose for why we exist 186 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: or what we do, or while we work so hard 187 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 1: and late as we do, it's because our role is 188 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: to bring people together our role is to create community 189 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: and create connection, and the one thing that's missing right 190 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: now is just that. So so I think so the 191 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: long answer to a short question. But but it's been 192 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: quite a journey, alright. So Scott, as you, I'm sure 193 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: have the same experience as we do. You read a 194 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: lot of books, a lot of things come across your desk, 195 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: and so I go straight to the table of contents. 196 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: I often don't read it, um in linear order. Sorry, 197 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: I had to go straight to trust the process that 198 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 1: the last chapter of the book. Um, talk to me 199 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: about the book and specifically how you sort of crystallized 200 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: that idea in there, because it's something that has become 201 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: a mantra, a calling card, I mean, an emblem in 202 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: many ways of the Sixers franchise. Sure has. Um. You know, 203 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: I remember when I was the president Masson Square Garden 204 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: and working with the Knicks and the Rangers and Liberty 205 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: and college basketball and tennis and boxing all that stuff. Um. 206 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: I remember, you know, we had Lynn sanity when I 207 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: was there, and um, and and these I call movements, 208 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: These movements don't just happen. I mean, I mean, the 209 00:10:57,880 --> 00:10:59,920 Speaker 1: luckiest man in the world or have just been blessed 210 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: with the most incredible marketing people in the world, and 211 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: I think it's the latter, you know. I've I've been 212 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: around some amazing marketing people who have taught me quite 213 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: a bit about how to create movements. And lin Sanity 214 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: was a movement. It was just short lived, you know, 215 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: and that that was my biggest regret. And he obviously 216 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: got hurt and then then went on to to play 217 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: for the Rockets and never return. But that that hysteria 218 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: where you as an organization, uh, you feed the beast, 219 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: you feel it, you crystallize it, you pick something, um 220 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: and then you let everybody else do the work, which 221 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: takes advantage of incredible social media platforms and networks that 222 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 1: you know in the seven point five billion media members 223 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: we now have in the world now. So so I 224 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: learned quite a bit during during that length Sanity period. 225 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: Some somethings about what to do and something's about not 226 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: what not to do, But that was that was a moment, 227 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: and that was a movement and UM, and when Chris 228 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: Heck and I came to the six Is, we both 229 00:11:56,679 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: talked about that as UM, knowing how hard we were 230 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 1: going to have to grind and walking into a situation 231 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: where we were at the bottom of the very bottom 232 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: of every metric in the NBA, from season tickets to 233 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:17,079 Speaker 1: sponsorship sales too, to brand recognition, to ratings to merchandiselves, 234 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: I mean just about anything you measure. We were at 235 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: the bottom, or at least in the bottom five. And 236 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: we kept talking about how we how we create a movement, 237 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:25,719 Speaker 1: and then you know, we were really fortunately we were 238 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 1: we were watching a post game and Tony Roton said 239 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: the famous words, you know, coach coach status tells us 240 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: to us the process and Chris, now we're texting each other. 241 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: We go down the phone like I think that's it. 242 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: And and we spent a lot of time thinking about 243 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: how how this becomes the movement and and the fans 244 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: owned it, which was good. I mean, you never saw 245 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: that from our organization. I mean you you very rarely 246 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: have seen trust the process from us. Recently we put 247 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: some stuff out on social but and when we did 248 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: some hidden mickeys and all, and some of the creatives 249 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: what's our designers did. But but this was and for 250 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: the people, and it blew up. I mean it became 251 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,199 Speaker 1: a badge of honor. I mean I was in Shanghai 252 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: wearing some sipture stuff and I heard trust the Process 253 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: and that's very sick Chinese accents several times I heard 254 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 1: in London too. I mean, this is everywhere I've been, 255 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: from South Philly to to South London to Shanghai. I said, 256 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: So that that part has been pretty awesome. Control freaks 257 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: have problems because you can't control much anymore, you know, 258 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 1: you can guide and keep it on the rails. Um. 259 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: So there were some some touch and go moments with 260 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: Trust the Process that that didn't turn very positive. You know, 261 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: we had a lot of pressure. We had media pressure 262 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: and league pressure and peer pressure from other teams and organizations, 263 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: and fan pressure and pressures in our own homes. But 264 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: we had so much conviction for what we were trying 265 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 1: to do and trying to accomplish and the vision we 266 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,719 Speaker 1: had to create a team that could compete for a 267 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: championship for a decade, which seems to be playing itself 268 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: out now, which is pretty fun now it's eight years later, 269 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,199 Speaker 1: and it was a grind and um, you know, the 270 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,199 Speaker 1: question is could anyone do it again? I don't know. Um. 271 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:06,959 Speaker 1: At that point, we just we didn't have much of 272 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: a choice. We had a cap roster with two first 273 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: round draft picks in the next five years, and and 274 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: no real young talent to speak of, um and, and 275 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: we were so bad business wise, and we become somewhat irrelevant, 276 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: not only in the city of Philadelphia, where some people 277 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 1: were arguing that we were the fifth of five teams 278 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: behind even the Union, the MLS Club in terms of popularity, 279 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: which we look look look forward down, I think it'd 280 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: be hard pressed to say we're not one or two 281 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: in the city, and we're one of the most relevant 282 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: teams in the world. I mean, you just look at 283 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: our interest in China right now, fourth most followed team 284 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: in China. So I think, you know, if you what 285 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: what I'd like everyone to think about and how that 286 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: applies to you or me is I think this world 287 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: we're living in is very much one of fifteen seconds 288 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: of fame. Um and. So this is about the you know, 289 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: I am I insta famous and my TikTok famous. You know, 290 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: did I did I post something that blew up or 291 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: you know? And I just want everyone to just look 292 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: out a year or three years or five years and 293 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 1: figure out what you want to accomplish or what you 294 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: want to do or who you want to be, and 295 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: then write a plan, had the discipline to stick to 296 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: that plan um and write it into your calendar and 297 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 1: work on it. You know, I've been I spent a 298 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 1: lot of time with a lot of young people, including 299 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 1: my daughters, and I'm often saying like, there's nothing you 300 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: can't achieve. I mean, there certainly isn't there's nothing on 301 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: that list. You know, whatever you can think of you 302 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: can achieve if you're willing to work for it. That 303 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: that's that's the missing piece, you know, the vision. We're 304 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: all just staring at that tree right in front of us, 305 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: and we need some vision. Then we need a plan, 306 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: and we say, Okay, I'm gonna give an hour day, Okay, 307 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give it two hours day, Okay, I'll give 308 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: a fifteen hours day, whatever, paying on what the situation 309 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: is and how long leading is. But but there's an 310 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: opportunity to to get really special things. Trust the process 311 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: would be an easy sell to an expansion franchise, But 312 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: this is Philadelphia, some of the toughest fans in the world, 313 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: and it's amazing you've been able to pull it off. 314 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: I noticed that, you know, right at the genesis of 315 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: this trust the process was Sam Hanky, who's an analytic 316 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: guy which we normally associate with the sport of baseball. 317 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: Tell me how the analytics works in the NBA and 318 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 1: is it something that is league wide right now or 319 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: you have cornered the market on it. Yeah, it's a 320 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: it's a league wide I mean, I remember, I think 321 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: it was Charles Barkley who said, you know, uh, analytics. 322 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: You know, analysts will never work in basketball, you know, 323 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: understand a team, etcetera, etcetera. I guess my view is that, 324 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: like in any business or anything you're doing, if you 325 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: could have data that could help you make better decisions faster, 326 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: would you take that data or not? I mean, that's 327 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: the question you have to ask you that. It's a 328 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: binary question. You have to know. If you don't want 329 00:16:57,360 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 1: more information, then you go off and do your thing. 330 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: If you want information, which I would imagine most reasonable, 331 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:10,160 Speaker 1: smart driven, ambitious people want, right they want an edge, 332 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: then you start to invest infrastructure and infrastructure and people 333 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: and software and figuring out what what matters and what 334 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 1: makes a difference in winning and losing and so so. 335 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 1: For me, um, you know, it's a pretty simple resource 336 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: allocation question and a really simple answer. But but no, 337 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: we haven't coined to market everybody. There's some really, really, 338 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: really incredibly smart teams doing incredibly smart work. You know, Scott, 339 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 1: I jumped right into trust the process earlier in the conversation, 340 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: but I did want to just take a step back, 341 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 1: because you know, it's an interesting moment for you to 342 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: write this book. In many ways, you've obviously learned a lot, 343 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: but you're I mean, this is not a valedictory. In 344 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: many ways, you've got a lot more work to do. 345 00:17:55,440 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: So why now, was was there a catalyst to do this? Now? Yeah, 346 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 1: they're sure was um And one of my best friends 347 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 1: in the world took his own life a couple of 348 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 1: years ago, and I was standing on the you know, 349 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: on the on the podium, on the from the church 350 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: and looking at his kids, five kids, and thinking like, 351 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: he's never going to teach them a lesson, He's never 352 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 1: gonna um share any of the things he's learned. He's 353 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: you know, and Dad spiraled me into a pretty dark place, 354 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,959 Speaker 1: to be quite frank with you, and I think a 355 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: lot of us and hopefully not YouTube, but a lot 356 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,439 Speaker 1: of your listeners, I imagine, went through some of what 357 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 1: I experienced during COVID. Um. You know, I think anxiety 358 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,679 Speaker 1: and mental health are at an all time high and 359 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 1: low and um, and I think so, so that's that's 360 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 1: impetus like to um. And then I feel like my 361 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: you know, I just turned fifty last year or something 362 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 1: few one years old, and UM. You know, I think 363 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: at this point in my life, I have a pretty 364 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,440 Speaker 1: good sense of what I'm good at and where I struggle. 365 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: And one thing that that I feel like is my purpose. 366 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: My my mission, if you will, is to help create 367 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: the next create generation of leaders in this space. And 368 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 1: if I can do that by sharing some some stories, 369 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: some anecdotes of things that went wrong, I think that 370 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: can help some people. This this is not a victory 371 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:30,200 Speaker 1: lap book. It says, and hey, we won the championship. 372 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 1: Let me chell you a picture of me going, you know, 373 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: on a parade route down Broad Street. This is quite 374 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: the opposite. This is about that life is messy and 375 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 1: that I make mistakes. And I got fired from my 376 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: job at MSG, and I ran Hoops TV as internet 377 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: company startup into the ground, and I've had I lost 378 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: my best friend, and I've had challenges with my with 379 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:53,919 Speaker 1: my family. I mean that that's what this is about, 380 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: because I think that's where the learning takes place. And 381 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: so I hope if this helps one person who lost 382 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,199 Speaker 1: their job or rand accompany to the ground, or had 383 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: an issue or has a mental health issue and wants 384 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: to get help, that that maybe this is a you 385 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: know what, it's going to be. Okay, I'm in the 386 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: eye the storm. I understand them in the eye storm, 387 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 1: but I'm going to be okay. And if it's someone 388 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: out there that's listening or reading this book and they 389 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 1: say like, Okay, it's okay, I can get help because 390 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: I think that I think the world needs it. We 391 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 1: need we need each other right now. We need to 392 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:27,479 Speaker 1: be more aware when things are going well for us, 393 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: and we need to raise our hand when things aren't 394 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: going so well. Now we need connection. Um. But so 395 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 1: so I think that's not again another another long answer 396 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: to a short question, but but quite a bit. I hope, um, 397 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: that your listeners read the book. I really do, and 398 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,120 Speaker 1: I hope of them that they'll take one nugget out 399 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: of there that will help transform who they are and 400 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:51,479 Speaker 1: that they aspire to be the best version of themselves 401 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: they can be. Scott We had a guest on about 402 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 1: a year ago in the middle of COVID and he 403 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: had a great line that's stuck with me. The comeback 404 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,159 Speaker 1: is always stronger than the setback. Is that sort of 405 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: frame who you are right now? Yes? Maybe my perspective 406 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: slightly different. I would say that we are the product 407 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: of the people who have come into our lives, the 408 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 1: experiences we've had, and who we aspire to be, and 409 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: we're some amalgamation of that. Um and all right, so 410 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: so yes, in my particular sense, I am stronger because 411 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,640 Speaker 1: of some of the experiences I've had in the setbacks 412 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: I've had and um, and I wish that I was 413 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 1: the exception. And then I just had a rough road. 414 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: But I can tell you when I was twenty two 415 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: years old looking up at the top of that mountain, 416 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm going straight up and I'm sprinting up. 417 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: You can put a piano on the back, it's not 418 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 1: gonna matter. I'm going to the top and I'm going fast. 419 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: In instead, you know, I tripped, I fell, Um, I 420 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 1: ran to a tree, and you know what I mean, 421 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: everything along that journey that I thought was going to 422 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 1: be smooth and easy, and you could look at me 423 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: from the outside and say, are kidding me? This guy 424 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: has it all. And by the way, I love my life. 425 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: I'm happy with who I am. I'm I'm comfortable in 426 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: my own skin. I know you know what I what 427 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: I did well and what I don't do so well, 428 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 1: and I know where I have to grow. But I 429 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,120 Speaker 1: can tell you all my learning took place at one time, 430 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 1: and that's not when I was staying at the top 431 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: of the mountain doing my rocky dance. You know. It's 432 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: it's like, you get up there, I'll tell you what, 433 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: and you start looking around. It's a little lonely for one. 434 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: And secondly you look down the mountain You're like, okay, 435 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 1: well that's where all the fun was, Like, that's where 436 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: the learning was, that's where the opportunity was, that's what 437 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 1: the connection was. And then you look out and I'm 438 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: just looking for another mountain to climb. And so I 439 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: think that that if you're young and you're listening to this, 440 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 1: I just want you to to think about, um, the opportunity. 441 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 1: You have to keep things in perspective to obviously set 442 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: you know, ambitious, audacious, big, incredible goal. Do that you 443 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 1: commit yourself to the work. Make sure that you're connecting 444 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 1: with people like this, just so I have, you know, 445 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: a quick story. Um. And when I was with the Mets, 446 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: I was just a kid. I was twenty two years 447 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: old of the marketing assistant. Like most of the people 448 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 1: in the organizations thought I was an intern because I 449 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: was like going to get lunch for people, you know, 450 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: and um, and I look around and you know, Bret 451 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 1: your Mark work there, and the guys one of the 452 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 1: great executives in sports right now, and how a new 453 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: Chow and Brets that Rock Nation now but built the 454 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 1: Barkley Center, and how new Chow is uh, you know 455 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 1: running a sports I mean, these are two young guys. 456 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 1: We were all young, but um, and they're two my 457 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: my dear friends. And I just wonder like, um, you know, 458 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:34,919 Speaker 1: and maybe I looked into that, but I all the 459 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: people I talked to in our round tables when they 460 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: come into this organization and young folks, I'm like, hey, 461 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 1: look around, We've got two thousand people in this organization. 462 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: Can you imagine if twenty years from now they're all 463 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: your friends still, because they're going to run the business 464 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 1: like my friends are running the business of sports around 465 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 1: the world. How cool is that? And how it's easier 466 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: to business get and deals get, but you've got to 467 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:00,919 Speaker 1: invest and not in the back and valiant in a 468 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,360 Speaker 1: way that says like I'm connecting with people because it's 469 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 1: part of who I am and I'm willing to give, 470 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: not to get um. And I think if more of 471 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: us did that, and the intention are the purity of 472 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 1: our heart was around helping others and staying connected and 473 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 1: being part of this ecosystem, I think your careers get bigger, faster, 474 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 1: and that's a benefit, and you have a lot more 475 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 1: friends and it's a lot more fun. Yeah. And and Scott, 476 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: you know, you're talking about something that that I find 477 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: so fascinating. You know, when you talk about this ecosystem 478 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,360 Speaker 1: that that you're clearly are part of, that you've sort 479 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:36,120 Speaker 1: of grown up in. It does feel like we are 480 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: at this moment. And and you know, we've talked a 481 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: lot about the NBA, but I'm gonna keep talking about 482 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:43,159 Speaker 1: the NBA because I think we're also fascinated with it. 483 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: I mean, there is a level of professional management and 484 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: sort of a buttoned uppidness as it were, to this 485 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: league right now, as well as a an ambition that 486 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: feels fresh and new and an urgent in a way. 487 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: And I wonder, as someone who has watched this league 488 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: developed as someone who you know, was mentored by David Stern, 489 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 1: you know what what catalyzed that in your mind? Like? 490 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: How has the NBA achieved that? Because of all these 491 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: things that you're talking about and sort of the whole 492 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: human and athletes and relationships, it does seem to be 493 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,479 Speaker 1: crystallized in the NBA, maybe more than in other sports. 494 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 1: And I wonder if you agree, and and and if so, 495 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: why that is? Yeah, you know when I was was 496 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: that Harvard Business School from my n B A and um, 497 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 1: I remember trying to fight fight, fight, fight fight. When 498 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 1: I first got there, I was going to prove every 499 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 1: day wrong. I didn't believe that belong there. I was 500 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: never the smartest kid in the room, and and I 501 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 1: believe they made some mistake and so I was just 502 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 1: gonna fight, like meaning, I was just gonna prove everybody 503 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: that I was smart enough, tough enough, resilient enough, would 504 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: work hard enough, I could do it. And what I 505 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 1: realized was I looked around the room, and there are 506 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:57,880 Speaker 1: a lot of smart people. There are people lost smart 507 00:25:57,920 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 1: and I wasn't. And there are a lot of people 508 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:02,879 Speaker 1: who from a financial modeling end could could work circles 509 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,199 Speaker 1: around me. And there are a lot of people that 510 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 1: from them, from you know, the Mackenzys and Banes of 511 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: the world, that could model like circles around me. And 512 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,640 Speaker 1: then every professor, the dean, Dean Clark came in. Everyone 513 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: we talked to, every administrators, catch things like look around 514 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 1: this room. Okay, these are your friends. They will help 515 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 1: you when they call you, pick up the phone and 516 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,479 Speaker 1: help them. If they ask you for a favor, answer 517 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: the email. These are the people that will change your 518 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 1: world every freaking class, every day. That's all we heard. 519 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: And I think that's a lot like the NBA. Like 520 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: we we we we will fight to the death on 521 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 1: the court, um, and we will cheer and scream and 522 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 1: shout and create a home court advantage and do everything 523 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 1: we can give us. Every advantage in terms of resources 524 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 1: and health and wellness, nutrition analytics and any possible advantage 525 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 1: will go take. Okay, off the court. However, we're partners 526 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:58,959 Speaker 1: and that that's that's a wonderful, wonderful advantage over most leagues. UM, 527 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: this is a league that we we help each other. 528 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: That's what we do. I mean, we were brought together 529 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:06,360 Speaker 1: fortunately Adam Silver. I think he's one of the great 530 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: leaders of our time, not only sports but in business. Um. 531 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 1: He's uh, wicked smart as they say, like where you 532 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 1: are and wicked smart. And he's not only wicked smart, 533 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: but he's also has this incredible way to connect with people. 534 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 1: He understands relationships, he understands the palue, the value of partnership. Um. 535 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: And and so for us that we we we we 536 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: follow the leader here, you know, and he's the leader. 537 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,399 Speaker 1: And and I think he's done a wonderful job in 538 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: creating a platform for us to understand where we fit 539 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: in the in the ecosystem, where we where we fit 540 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: in the greater game of basketball. So that's the first. 541 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 1: Second thing is is there is a vision for Glow 542 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 1: for to have a global game. And it's not a 543 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 1: simple vision. I mean, you saw what's been rolled out 544 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 1: with the Africa Basketball League, which I think is brilliant. 545 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 1: I mean we've seen what's unfolded in China which is 546 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,679 Speaker 1: brilliant and um. And so so for those of us 547 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:05,360 Speaker 1: fortunate enough to be in this league, and I've been 548 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 1: there almost twenty five years now. Um, not not much 549 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: has changed in terms of how we work with each other. 550 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 1: Not much has changed in terms of how we appreciate 551 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: each other and how we recognize that this is a partnership. Um, 552 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:25,680 Speaker 1: but it's our our vision for a greater, bigger league 553 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: keeps getting bigger and greater. It's pretty humbling to be 554 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:30,359 Speaker 1: part of Well Scott if you don't help out the 555 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets. So will not be any tears shut up 556 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:37,360 Speaker 1: here in the in the box. Yeah, you know one 557 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 1: one thing, it's it's it's uh. I have my two nephews, 558 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 1: Um Johnson Dare unfortunately lost their dad a few years ago, 559 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: so they came out and watch some games and the 560 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: huge fans and I love them because they support my teams. 561 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: No matter what I could, I could go. You know, 562 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: I went from the Knicks to the Sixers and they 563 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: were Knicks fans and own the Sixers fans, whichry I appreciate. 564 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 1: But for for me, Um, you know what I try 565 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: to explain to them. It's just like, you know, my 566 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: friends are on the Celtics. Now, I don't like that team, 567 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: but I love you know what I mean, And my 568 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: friends are on the Nets. And I don't like the team, 569 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: but I love the organization. My friends run the Knicks, 570 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: So I don't like the team, but you know, so 571 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: it's so strange. You know, you're in this business long 572 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: enough and you you lose, you have you have the 573 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: same edge. Is just the energy is different. And uh 574 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 1: but yeah, I know the nets on the corn there 575 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: they're tough to like. Um. But off the court, Joe side, 576 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 1: he built a wonderful organization and uh, it's put the 577 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: resources behind the team that's gonna win and has the 578 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 1: right people in place to run the order. So I 579 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: have a lot of respect for him and his team. Sure. 580 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: So right now you're chasing the dream. The process hopefully 581 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: will culminate for you with an NBA championship. All that's 582 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: going on. You've got a hockey team up in New 583 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: Jersey that's sort of rebuilding. I mean, how do you 584 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 1: juggle both with your rebuilding? Holy moly, No, this is 585 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 1: a full on process rebuilding. Yeah, you know, I just 586 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: wish we had done it quicker. You know, in in 587 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia we ripped the band aid off. You know, 588 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: we were just kind of Unavastuley said, here's who we are. 589 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: You know who we are. We know who we are, 590 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: we know where we want to get to. Here's how 591 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 1: we're going to get there. Stay with us like that. 592 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 1: That was the pledge. And in hockey, whether it's just 593 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: a hockey culture is different, or we didn't have the 594 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:20,680 Speaker 1: stomach for it, or we couldn't do two at the 595 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: same time or whatever whatever. I start to reconstruct some 596 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: of some of where I may have could have done 597 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: a more effective job. And I just wish we ripped 598 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: the band aid off. You know, we tried to ham 599 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 1: and egg it and it didn't work. And and now 600 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: I will tell you I fell in love with this 601 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 1: team last year. I just fell in love. And that's 602 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: that's the thing about hockey. You know, um and works 603 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 1: in basketball, I guess too. It's like when you when 604 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: your mom calls and says, is Joe's neal? Okay? You 605 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: know you kind of hit the jackpot, right, So when 606 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 1: the grandmother test as I call it, is passed, it's good. 607 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: But you you watch, you know, you're watching the Boston Islanders. 608 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: Those are some heavy teams. I mean they're they're big 609 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:00,920 Speaker 1: and strong and heavy and and and we are not 610 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: that yet. We're we're young, I mean, we've got some 611 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 1: incredible talent. Jack Hughes, Niko Hi shar Um Ego, Sharon Kovich, 612 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: Jesper Bratt, I mean to Smith, I mean we have 613 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: I love this young core. And if you look at 614 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 1: what we try to do in positions and organizations like 615 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: ours is we try to look at organizations that have 616 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 1: built really effectively, and Boston the Bruins are one of them. 617 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 1: The Chicago Blackhawks are another. L A King's or another. Um, 618 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: there are some great or Tampa Bay Lightning, and you 619 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: see how a lot of them have built their young 620 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 1: cores through the draft and then they've built people around 621 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:39,440 Speaker 1: them and they've been patient. Um. And so it's hard, though, 622 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 1: I will say I have a I have a competitive problem. 623 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: I've got two problems competition. I hate to lose, and 624 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: I eat so many freaking cookies, stressy as bad as day. 625 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: But we're forget about the last you for a while. 626 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: But but you know, losing his heart, it's a grind. 627 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: It's a grind on an organization, and you don't want 628 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 1: to become losers. You just want to lose games. And 629 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:02,160 Speaker 1: I believe that this team is ready to make a 630 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 1: make a really big jump next year, I believe we'll 631 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 1: play we'll be playing meaningful games next year, and you're 632 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: going to see a start to emerge. And I'm hoping that. 633 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: You know, if we were having this conversation seven years 634 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: from now, you'd say like, Wow, this team is a 635 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 1: dominant team, huge fan base, great position and all that 636 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,280 Speaker 1: kind of stuff. I think you will, um, and I 637 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: think we're gonna emerge a lot quicker than people think. 638 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 1: And um, and we'll see, we'll see, we'll see, we'll see. 639 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: But it is it's a different league, of course. You know, 640 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 1: in basketball you define about your your strongest link. In 641 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 1: the hockey you're defined about your weakest link. And so 642 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,040 Speaker 1: you know, how you build a team. It's very different, 643 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 1: of course. And so Scott, as as we wrap up here, 644 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: I mean I do want to ask you. I mean, 645 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 1: you know, going back to ambition and competition, you know 646 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 1: that is certainly baked into this company that you know, 647 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: you and Josh Harris and David Blitzer obviously two very 648 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: successful guys in the private equity world who came together 649 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:02,880 Speaker 1: to to sort put all this together. It's ever expanding, 650 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: ever growing. You know, you've got a Premiership, Um soccer 651 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:12,800 Speaker 1: team football team over there in in Crystal Palace. You've 652 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: got other interests including I believe in the Premier Lacrosse League. 653 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 1: We had Paul and Mike Graybil on the show UM 654 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 1: last week. You know, you're sort of both dipping in 655 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:26,960 Speaker 1: but also investing heavily in certain areas. You know, if 656 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 1: you can distill it down that the ethos of this 657 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: company that you guys have built, what is it and 658 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: what does that tell us about what's next? Good question? Well, 659 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: when when I got here in two third team, we 660 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: were a basketball team as a tenant in the Wells 661 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 1: Cargo Center and practiced in the Pea Colm which is 662 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:56,000 Speaker 1: a medical college gym with one one court and four baskets, 663 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: and we shared that gym with college students. Are locked 664 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 1: room had twelve lockers. You know, we had fifteen players 665 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: on the roster in our workout room was about the 666 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:09,400 Speaker 1: size of my bathroom at home. So so what we inherited? 667 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: And you know, and obviously the team was bad and 668 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:14,799 Speaker 1: the metrics are bad. So and and the only thing 669 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:19,720 Speaker 1: I could equated to UM when I was recruiting talent 670 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: is I said, remember when Tim Lwicky went to the 671 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:26,120 Speaker 1: l A Kings, the l A Kings. We're a tenant 672 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,040 Speaker 1: in the Forum. That's all they were. And the Forum 673 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: was still lapping at the time. It wasn't a Great 674 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: Western Forum at that point. It was just the Forum. Um, 675 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: and look, they built a g And that's what's my 676 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:38,320 Speaker 1: recruiting to eight years ago to get some of the 677 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:40,280 Speaker 1: best I think is the best talent in the world 678 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: to come and go on this quick stotic quest. And 679 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 1: I it's been fun. I mean, my my friend, my 680 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:50,880 Speaker 1: neighbor calls from Connecticut four weeks into my job and said, hey, 681 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:53,719 Speaker 1: would you ever buy the Devil's my creamer called. I said, yeah, 682 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:56,120 Speaker 1: I just had Josh and David meet Gary Batman last week. 683 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 1: I'd love to take a look. And unfortunately, you know, 684 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 1: when you have partners like Josh Harris, David Butcher, don't 685 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: forget Michael Rubin, who they forced to be reckoned with 686 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:06,839 Speaker 1: on every level. Um, you've got three of the best 687 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 1: dealmakers in the history of the world. I mean, and 688 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 1: she you know that. I don't say that like fliquidly 689 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: and so you know, for me, Um, it's about setting 690 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:20,839 Speaker 1: the strategy and then you know, they provide the resources. 691 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:22,920 Speaker 1: You know, we now have a venture fund. We have 692 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 1: got an innovation lab. We built a Grammy museum and 693 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:28,440 Speaker 1: with completely reformat the music business. We fought to theaters. 694 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:31,799 Speaker 1: I mean it's it's uh, you know, built elevate. I mean, 695 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 1: this is a this is gotten the e sports spilt 696 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 1: the eight million dollar training complex, which I think is 697 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: the best in the world for basketball. Um built the 698 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 1: real estate business. I mean I I I will say like, 699 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: this is a this is a fun business. I don't 700 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:47,439 Speaker 1: know what it tells you about the future, but if 701 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:50,040 Speaker 1: if the past is any predictor, this will be a 702 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 1: very big business one day. Well, we have really really 703 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 1: enjoyed the time with you. We could talk to you 704 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:58,319 Speaker 1: all day because you have your hands in some of 705 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:01,839 Speaker 1: the most interesting uh pockets in the world in many ways, 706 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 1: and UH really grateful to you for spending some time, 707 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: especially uh in the midst of this playoff run Scott O'Neill. 708 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:12,520 Speaker 1: He is the president of Harris Splitter Sports and Entertainment, 709 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 1: and check out his book. It's really really a good read, 710 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:19,480 Speaker 1: a thoughtful read, and pretty impossible to to read even 711 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:21,320 Speaker 1: a part of it and not come away with something 712 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 1: that that sticks with you. It's called be Where your 713 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:27,280 Speaker 1: feet are seven principles to keep you present, grounded, and thriving. Scott, 714 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,240 Speaker 1: thank you so much. It's really fun, Jason. Many appreciate 715 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 1: you both so from the pros to the college level. 716 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:39,360 Speaker 1: And if you think about the biggest names in college 717 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 1: sports and especially college hoops, you've got to think about 718 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 1: the Duke Blue Devils. It's Canada, It's time, so back 719 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:59,800 Speaker 1: in the coach k lad Duke Blue Devils putting another 720 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:03,600 Speaker 1: notch in that championship belt. Uh. One of the story 721 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:07,320 Speaker 1: franchises of all time when it comes to college hoops, 722 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:10,200 Speaker 1: that is for sure, but only a part of the 723 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:14,240 Speaker 1: sports empire that has been built at Duke University down 724 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:17,200 Speaker 1: in North Carolina. Earlier this week, I was able to 725 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 1: catch up with Nina King. She is the incoming athletic 726 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:24,279 Speaker 1: director down at Duke University. So, Nina, it's really good 727 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,720 Speaker 1: to see you. Tell me a little bit about what 728 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:31,600 Speaker 1: the business of Duke Sports looks like as we get 729 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:36,440 Speaker 1: back to something resembling normal here. Yes, well, we're really excited. 730 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:39,080 Speaker 1: We just announced that our venues will be at full 731 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:42,839 Speaker 1: capacity for this coming year um and so that's great 732 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:45,800 Speaker 1: for business, it's great for the fan experience. The student 733 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:50,319 Speaker 1: athlete experience to have folks in the stands, football, basketball, 734 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 1: across baseball, all of it. It's just gonna be so wonderful, 735 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:56,080 Speaker 1: um and really kind of a sign that we're getting 736 00:37:56,080 --> 00:37:59,760 Speaker 1: back to normal, whatever normal looks like. Um, but exciting, 737 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:03,400 Speaker 1: exciting to take that step forward for this season. And 738 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:07,200 Speaker 1: so as you look back across the last fourteen, sixteen, 739 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 1: eighteen months, you know, really, since this all set in 740 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:14,080 Speaker 1: so many changes in the world, obviously, and not the 741 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 1: least of which in the world of athletics, what do 742 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:20,120 Speaker 1: you take away from this time in terms of things 743 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:23,440 Speaker 1: that may have changed for good? Sure, I mean, I 744 00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:27,320 Speaker 1: think we've learned a lot of ways to become more efficient. Um, 745 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:31,719 Speaker 1: We've learned how to be really good communicators. Um. We're 746 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:34,879 Speaker 1: our staff were in all different locations at at our 747 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:38,719 Speaker 1: homes trying to pull off this this year, UM, and 748 00:38:38,719 --> 00:38:41,200 Speaker 1: and make it a really great experience for our student 749 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,200 Speaker 1: athletes to be able to practice and compete um with 750 00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:47,400 Speaker 1: a lot of different protocols. But I think, um, you know, 751 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:49,880 Speaker 1: I'm really most proud of our our student athletes for 752 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:52,399 Speaker 1: doing everything that we asked them to do in terms 753 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:55,719 Speaker 1: of abiding by all of the it would seem like 754 00:38:55,840 --> 00:39:00,000 Speaker 1: numerous medical health and safety protocols. But then our staff 755 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:03,320 Speaker 1: off two really was an unprecedented year. We were playing 756 00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:07,319 Speaker 1: fall sports in the spring and having fall sports championships 757 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:11,200 Speaker 1: and May, which is really not what we're used to UM. 758 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:14,879 Speaker 1: But our staff really came together UM to do this 759 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 1: for for our student athletes, and we did it. We're 760 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:20,160 Speaker 1: so we're so grateful. We have one sport still competing 761 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:24,080 Speaker 1: UM this week. UH women's outdoor Track and Field is 762 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,480 Speaker 1: in the n c A Championships this weekend in Eugene, 763 00:39:26,719 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 1: and then we're going to kind of put a bow 764 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:32,160 Speaker 1: on twenty one UM and and look forward to the 765 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 1: fall of twenty one and twenty two competing. So we 766 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:38,960 Speaker 1: learned a lot UM, but but I'm most proud of 767 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,879 Speaker 1: the resiliency of our student athletes, the grit of our 768 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:45,080 Speaker 1: staff and perseverance and just being able to work together 769 00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:48,080 Speaker 1: to make this happen. So, folks in your position and 770 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:51,840 Speaker 1: and you're soon to be positioned as athletic director across 771 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:53,759 Speaker 1: the country in the United States had to make some 772 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:58,400 Speaker 1: tough decisions around you know, maybe canceling sports not just 773 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:02,680 Speaker 1: temporarily but but permanently. Some teams have been shut down, 774 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,600 Speaker 1: some have been reinstated. There's been a lot of you know, 775 00:40:06,120 --> 00:40:08,239 Speaker 1: not a lot, but but a few controversies here, and 776 00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:11,840 Speaker 1: they're most notably maybe at Stanford. What was the process 777 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:13,759 Speaker 1: that you guys had to go through in in that 778 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:19,000 Speaker 1: regard sort of examining the economic viability of sports? Sure, 779 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:21,560 Speaker 1: I mean not gonna pull weeds in anyone else's garden. 780 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:24,480 Speaker 1: And in those institutions certainly made decisions that they thought 781 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 1: were in the best interests of of their athletics programs. 782 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:31,040 Speaker 1: But you know, we have twenty seven sports here at 783 00:40:31,120 --> 00:40:34,719 Speaker 1: Duke and and we really, UM try to be as 784 00:40:34,719 --> 00:40:37,600 Speaker 1: efficient as we can with our our dollars and good 785 00:40:37,640 --> 00:40:42,239 Speaker 1: stewards of the university's money. UM in running our athletics program. UM. 786 00:40:42,280 --> 00:40:44,880 Speaker 1: We did have to make some really hard decisions this 787 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:48,759 Speaker 1: year in terms of trying to save money. UM. And 788 00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:52,400 Speaker 1: we had expenses through the roof. Our COVID related expenses 789 00:40:52,440 --> 00:40:57,480 Speaker 1: were really astronomical. We were testing our student athletes every day. UM. 790 00:40:57,560 --> 00:40:59,560 Speaker 1: We had to think of how we were traveling in 791 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:03,000 Speaker 1: different ways than normal. UM. You know, our student athletes, 792 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:06,759 Speaker 1: all students on Duke's campus were in single dorm rooms. UM. 793 00:41:06,840 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 1: We utilized hotels here in the area as well, so 794 00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:11,720 Speaker 1: all students were in single rooms. So when we traveled, 795 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:13,840 Speaker 1: that meant our student athletes had to be in single 796 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:17,439 Speaker 1: rooms on the road in hotels. So our expenses were 797 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:20,680 Speaker 1: really astronomical. And then we didn't have traditional revenue streams 798 00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:23,719 Speaker 1: coming in with no fans in the stands, UM, so 799 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:26,960 Speaker 1: we had to to look, um, look really deep, where 800 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:30,560 Speaker 1: are we going to make this work? Um? And it 801 00:41:30,640 --> 00:41:33,719 Speaker 1: was difficult, but for us, just philosophically, we didn't want 802 00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:36,200 Speaker 1: to touch any of our programs and any any of 803 00:41:36,200 --> 00:41:40,040 Speaker 1: our student athletes services. UM. Keeping the student athlete experience 804 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: just the pinnacle. I mean that that was our priority, 805 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:44,839 Speaker 1: ensuring that they had a good experience here. And now 806 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:47,040 Speaker 1: it did look a little bit different. UM. It was 807 00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:51,040 Speaker 1: extremely challenging. Again, our people UM worked their butts off 808 00:41:51,040 --> 00:41:54,360 Speaker 1: and they did take some personal financial hits. UM. But 809 00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:56,960 Speaker 1: I'm proud of how we came together to make it work. 810 00:41:57,080 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: So this is an interesting business and it's as changing 811 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:04,320 Speaker 1: and evolving business as well. And as we enter into 812 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:08,279 Speaker 1: kind of a new landscape relative to college athletics with name, 813 00:42:08,320 --> 00:42:11,239 Speaker 1: image and likeness on the horizon, UM, it's really going 814 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:13,839 Speaker 1: to make us, force us to look at how we 815 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:17,960 Speaker 1: can be creative and generating revenue. Um. And and you know, 816 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:21,080 Speaker 1: keeping expenses down per usual. But really it's going to 817 00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:23,359 Speaker 1: force us to be creative. All right, you went right 818 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 1: where I wanted to go next, which is an I 819 00:42:25,280 --> 00:42:27,800 Speaker 1: l I mean you look at this through the lens 820 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:31,959 Speaker 1: of an administrator but also as a lawyer. And how 821 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:34,680 Speaker 1: did we get here? And where does it go in 822 00:42:34,719 --> 00:42:38,040 Speaker 1: the short term? Given that you're in a state that 823 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:41,560 Speaker 1: is considering this legislation but hasn't passed it. The n 824 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,719 Speaker 1: C double A is considering it but hasn't come out 825 00:42:44,760 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 1: with anything definitive. And yet several states by this summer 826 00:42:49,120 --> 00:42:51,880 Speaker 1: will have laws on the books or laws you know, 827 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:56,600 Speaker 1: going into into action. How do you deal with it? Help? 828 00:42:57,840 --> 00:42:59,799 Speaker 1: I mean it is I mean we're kind of all 829 00:42:59,840 --> 00:43:02,200 Speaker 1: how do we deal with it? And it's it's fascinating 830 00:43:02,239 --> 00:43:05,320 Speaker 1: to me just all of the state specific legislation and 831 00:43:05,320 --> 00:43:07,480 Speaker 1: and when states are coming on board, whether it's this 832 00:43:07,560 --> 00:43:10,480 Speaker 1: July first, next January twenty three, what I mean, we're 833 00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:12,840 Speaker 1: all over the place right now, um, which makes it 834 00:43:12,920 --> 00:43:16,840 Speaker 1: really hard for us to prepare, uh for the unknown? Um, 835 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:19,080 Speaker 1: how we got here? I think. You know, as a 836 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:21,839 Speaker 1: as an organization and n C a organization, we are 837 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:25,760 Speaker 1: looking to UM. We want to to be as nimble 838 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:29,200 Speaker 1: and flexible as possible with the student athlete experience. UM 839 00:43:29,400 --> 00:43:32,160 Speaker 1: I at Duke want to ensure that we're providing a 840 00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:35,239 Speaker 1: modern experience for our student athletes. And so what does 841 00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:37,480 Speaker 1: that look like. Several years ago it was cost of 842 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:41,320 Speaker 1: attendance and and providing our student athletes with some additional 843 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:44,839 Speaker 1: dollars UM to to be able to provide UM, you know, 844 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:48,640 Speaker 1: extra meals or flights home, whatever that might be. And 845 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:51,200 Speaker 1: and you know, when cost of attendance was coming on, 846 00:43:51,280 --> 00:43:54,280 Speaker 1: we had a lot of naysayers and critics UM saying 847 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:56,439 Speaker 1: that that was going to get into pay for play 848 00:43:56,480 --> 00:43:59,839 Speaker 1: and ruin the amateur model. We're just fine, UM, and 849 00:43:59,840 --> 00:44:02,560 Speaker 1: we were able to provide some extra resource for our 850 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:05,520 Speaker 1: student athletes. Same thing with name, image and likeness. You know, 851 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:08,480 Speaker 1: traditionalists are are gonna go straight to this is pay 852 00:44:08,560 --> 00:44:10,759 Speaker 1: for play and how can we be doing providing our 853 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:13,880 Speaker 1: student athletes with money? UM I am in favor of it, 854 00:44:13,920 --> 00:44:15,360 Speaker 1: and you know, as long as we can do it 855 00:44:15,360 --> 00:44:18,520 Speaker 1: with the appropriate guardrails UM and again create a modern 856 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:21,279 Speaker 1: experience for our student athletes and stay flexible a little 857 00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:24,279 Speaker 1: bit more permissive. Um, we're gonna be okay as long 858 00:44:24,320 --> 00:44:26,680 Speaker 1: as we again, we figure this out. So that's the 859 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:30,200 Speaker 1: next part, preparing for what we're not quite sure, um, 860 00:44:30,239 --> 00:44:33,600 Speaker 1: but ensuring that we are prepared to educate our student athletes, 861 00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:37,440 Speaker 1: are coaches are boosters. Um. You know, when when we 862 00:44:37,480 --> 00:44:40,000 Speaker 1: do have some form of the rules. What I really 863 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:42,360 Speaker 1: do hope is that as an n c A, we 864 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:45,759 Speaker 1: can get some n c A legislation that applies to 865 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:49,279 Speaker 1: all of our institutions or Division one institutions equally, so 866 00:44:49,320 --> 00:44:52,239 Speaker 1: that we're not kind of you know, state specific and 867 00:44:52,239 --> 00:44:55,040 Speaker 1: and all over the place, um, with different rules that 868 00:44:55,080 --> 00:44:58,360 Speaker 1: apply to publics and privates and you know, schools in 869 00:44:58,360 --> 00:45:01,319 Speaker 1: North Carolina versus South Carolina. And I mean has that 870 00:45:01,400 --> 00:45:04,200 Speaker 1: has a chance to be a disastrous So I do 871 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:06,640 Speaker 1: hope that n c A legislation comes down the pike 872 00:45:06,680 --> 00:45:09,760 Speaker 1: here pretty quickly. Yeah, And so what are you hearing? 873 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:12,120 Speaker 1: And you know what what are people talking about in 874 00:45:12,239 --> 00:45:14,759 Speaker 1: terms of the viability of that, Because you know, I've 875 00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:17,479 Speaker 1: spent some time with Senator Chris Murphy. You know he's 876 00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:21,880 Speaker 1: got some legislation at the federal level as you know, uh, 877 00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:24,120 Speaker 1: that that is at least going to be considered at 878 00:45:24,160 --> 00:45:26,800 Speaker 1: some point. Is this the n C double a's to 879 00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:30,719 Speaker 1: solve what what's the right mechanism here? I think you 880 00:45:30,760 --> 00:45:33,000 Speaker 1: have a lot of US and c A college athletics 881 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:37,200 Speaker 1: administrators working really hard to get something UM here in 882 00:45:37,239 --> 00:45:41,200 Speaker 1: the pike this summer. UM. I hope that we can 883 00:45:41,239 --> 00:45:44,600 Speaker 1: get there and agree on some some legislation again that 884 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:50,120 Speaker 1: will apply uniformly across into Division one institutions UM here quickly. UM. 885 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:53,760 Speaker 1: Other than I can't prognosticate what you know, what states 886 00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:56,799 Speaker 1: UM are going to be you know, ready to go 887 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,560 Speaker 1: by this July one. But I hope again for the 888 00:45:59,560 --> 00:46:02,080 Speaker 1: good of our student athletes, UM, for our coaches. I mean, 889 00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:04,799 Speaker 1: it's going to be impossible to recruit if we've got 890 00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:08,800 Speaker 1: if we've got all kinds of different laws and rules 891 00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:11,760 Speaker 1: and regulations. So just for the sake of everybody involved 892 00:46:11,760 --> 00:46:13,920 Speaker 1: in this collegiate athletics enterprise, I do hope we can 893 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:16,640 Speaker 1: get something done here quickly this summer. Yeah. You know, 894 00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:20,239 Speaker 1: one of the interesting things about the current athletic landscape 895 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:23,320 Speaker 1: is something you have a lot of experience with, which 896 00:46:23,400 --> 00:46:26,960 Speaker 1: is equality between men's sports and women's sports. And and 897 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:29,680 Speaker 1: keep me honest here, I believe you were the chair 898 00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:33,920 Speaker 1: of the women's basketball committee that did all the selections 899 00:46:34,080 --> 00:46:36,440 Speaker 1: and it was deeply involved in that you remain on 900 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:40,399 Speaker 1: that committee. We saw some pretty gross inequalities, like right 901 00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:44,080 Speaker 1: out there on social media this past March as we 902 00:46:44,120 --> 00:46:47,240 Speaker 1: got into the tournament. Are we at a point where 903 00:46:47,600 --> 00:46:50,680 Speaker 1: we are starting to address these sorts of inequalities and 904 00:46:50,920 --> 00:46:56,040 Speaker 1: what needs to happen? Absolutely, it was horrific and embarrassing. UM, 905 00:46:56,080 --> 00:46:58,640 Speaker 1: what we were providing for those female student athletes that 906 00:46:58,680 --> 00:47:01,000 Speaker 1: had worked so hard to get to the National Championship 907 00:47:01,600 --> 00:47:05,879 Speaker 1: tournament and and you know, just those inequalities were were terrible. UM. 908 00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:09,640 Speaker 1: And it's detrimental to not only those sixty four teams 909 00:47:09,640 --> 00:47:12,600 Speaker 1: that were lived in that moment um in in San Antonio, 910 00:47:12,719 --> 00:47:15,560 Speaker 1: but I think to the women's basketball community and to 911 00:47:15,719 --> 00:47:19,759 Speaker 1: really female sports all of our country. UM. We are 912 00:47:19,880 --> 00:47:23,520 Speaker 1: working very hard to address it with the n c A. UM, 913 00:47:23,960 --> 00:47:27,360 Speaker 1: we're undergoing the gender equity review with Kaplan Hecker, the 914 00:47:27,400 --> 00:47:29,200 Speaker 1: firm that that the n c A has retained to 915 00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:31,440 Speaker 1: kind of do a deep dive here, and not just 916 00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:34,759 Speaker 1: in the Women's Basketball Championship, but for all of our 917 00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:38,520 Speaker 1: female sports and the under the n c A umbrella. UM, 918 00:47:38,640 --> 00:47:40,920 Speaker 1: excuse me, but what I think it did do is 919 00:47:41,040 --> 00:47:44,640 Speaker 1: really peel back, UM, the onion on some things here 920 00:47:44,800 --> 00:47:48,000 Speaker 1: and and gives us all as collegiate athletics administrators an 921 00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:51,040 Speaker 1: opportunity to say, are we doing things the right way 922 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:54,160 Speaker 1: for our female student athletes? Are we ensuring that they 923 00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:57,759 Speaker 1: are having UM an equal experience to their male counterparts 924 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:00,680 Speaker 1: on our campuses and our conference offices and then certainly 925 00:48:00,680 --> 00:48:03,120 Speaker 1: at the n c A level. So while at the 926 00:48:03,200 --> 00:48:07,040 Speaker 1: time it was UM a real UM, you know, embarrassing 927 00:48:07,120 --> 00:48:08,759 Speaker 1: and what are we gonna do and how can we 928 00:48:08,800 --> 00:48:10,799 Speaker 1: address this quickly in the short term to fix it 929 00:48:10,840 --> 00:48:13,920 Speaker 1: for those sixty four teams that were at that championship? 930 00:48:14,120 --> 00:48:16,319 Speaker 1: What are we doing long term to ensure that this 931 00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:20,560 Speaker 1: does not happen again. Unfortunately, we've been at this point before. UM. 932 00:48:20,640 --> 00:48:25,120 Speaker 1: We've had several white papers written on women's basketball and equality, UM, 933 00:48:25,120 --> 00:48:28,239 Speaker 1: and we just didn't move forward UM with suggestions and 934 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:31,239 Speaker 1: ensuring that that we didn't get to this point. I 935 00:48:31,280 --> 00:48:34,799 Speaker 1: think everyone's eyes have really been opened at this point, UM, 936 00:48:34,880 --> 00:48:36,880 Speaker 1: and there's just so many of us that are committed 937 00:48:36,920 --> 00:48:41,520 Speaker 1: to ensuring change happens, which is a good thing, and 938 00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:44,880 Speaker 1: so you know, it also leads into this interesting discussion 939 00:48:44,880 --> 00:48:49,280 Speaker 1: about athletes sort of owning their own activism in many ways, 940 00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:51,799 Speaker 1: and I know that that's something you've been involved in 941 00:48:52,040 --> 00:48:53,960 Speaker 1: on a number of different levels. You know. I think 942 00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:57,400 Speaker 1: about the Reuben Sign being ace program that I believe 943 00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:00,000 Speaker 1: you're deeply involved in with a mutual friend of ours, 944 00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:03,040 Speaker 1: Dhood Reuben Signed, I believe providing some of the funding there. 945 00:49:03,560 --> 00:49:06,040 Speaker 1: It feels like a different moment in terms of what 946 00:49:06,120 --> 00:49:09,879 Speaker 1: we expect of athletes and maybe the role that they 947 00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:14,839 Speaker 1: expect to play in the broader social and cultural conversations. 948 00:49:14,920 --> 00:49:18,480 Speaker 1: That's something it feels like we took away from Do 949 00:49:18,520 --> 00:49:21,560 Speaker 1: you agree and how do you cultivate that in a 950 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:26,200 Speaker 1: way that's ultimately productive. Absolutely, our student athletes are using 951 00:49:26,239 --> 00:49:30,359 Speaker 1: their voices and we wholeheartedly support that. UM. We want 952 00:49:30,400 --> 00:49:33,520 Speaker 1: to provide them with platforms to amplify their voice and 953 00:49:33,560 --> 00:49:36,120 Speaker 1: their mission and what they stand for. And I think 954 00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:38,960 Speaker 1: it's really exciting, UM that these student athletes, you know, 955 00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:42,040 Speaker 1: are are looking at that big picture. UM. They're not 956 00:49:42,120 --> 00:49:44,359 Speaker 1: coming to our schools just to play sports and go 957 00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:47,879 Speaker 1: to school. They really are coming in UM, learning how 958 00:49:47,960 --> 00:49:49,920 Speaker 1: to be leaders and going out into the world to 959 00:49:49,960 --> 00:49:52,840 Speaker 1: be global change makers. It's so exciting. UM, and you 960 00:49:52,920 --> 00:49:56,680 Speaker 1: touched on the Rubinstein being UM Athlete UM Civic Engagement 961 00:49:56,680 --> 00:49:59,040 Speaker 1: program that we have. It's things like that, UM, do 962 00:49:59,080 --> 00:50:03,200 Speaker 1: you can Stanford partner together six years ago to send 963 00:50:03,280 --> 00:50:06,400 Speaker 1: forty student athletes, twenty Duke and twenty Stanford student athletes 964 00:50:06,920 --> 00:50:09,799 Speaker 1: around the world to do civic engagement And that's a 965 00:50:09,840 --> 00:50:12,520 Speaker 1: program that's really changed some of our kids lives. UM. 966 00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:15,840 Speaker 1: They're going out and and UM, like I said, learning 967 00:50:15,840 --> 00:50:18,600 Speaker 1: how to become change makers in the world, which is 968 00:50:18,640 --> 00:50:21,960 Speaker 1: really exciting. So we support our student athletes. We we 969 00:50:22,120 --> 00:50:25,360 Speaker 1: love that they use their voices and for good and 970 00:50:25,400 --> 00:50:28,879 Speaker 1: for change. All Right, So as we wrap up here, 971 00:50:29,040 --> 00:50:32,800 Speaker 1: I got to ask you about the biggest news at Duke, 972 00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:35,360 Speaker 1: which is you're gonna take over on September one as 973 00:50:35,400 --> 00:50:39,760 Speaker 1: the athletic director, and you will oversee the last season 974 00:50:39,840 --> 00:50:45,200 Speaker 1: of arguably the most legendary coach currently working in college basketball, 975 00:50:45,840 --> 00:50:49,040 Speaker 1: maybe a basketball overall coach k handing off the reins. 976 00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:52,880 Speaker 1: How do you manage that as an athletic director? How 977 00:50:52,880 --> 00:50:57,280 Speaker 1: do you anticipate that handoff going Obviously, you know coach Shire. 978 00:50:57,640 --> 00:51:01,520 Speaker 1: Everyone is talking about, you know, him being the successor, 979 00:51:01,560 --> 00:51:04,400 Speaker 1: but this is a moment in time that we won't 980 00:51:04,440 --> 00:51:10,440 Speaker 1: soon forget. How do you do it also help? I 981 00:51:10,480 --> 00:51:13,319 Speaker 1: don't know. I mean, it's never been done before. UM. 982 00:51:13,400 --> 00:51:16,680 Speaker 1: Kachowski is the most iconic coach and I would argue 983 00:51:16,760 --> 00:51:20,800 Speaker 1: in sport in the world, UM, and not just men's basketball. UM. 984 00:51:20,840 --> 00:51:25,200 Speaker 1: So this handoff is is something that's never been done before. UM. 985 00:51:25,200 --> 00:51:27,920 Speaker 1: But we're really excited. We're excited for this year to 986 00:51:28,040 --> 00:51:32,200 Speaker 1: celebrate his legacy, his commitment to Duke UM and and 987 00:51:32,280 --> 00:51:34,640 Speaker 1: everything that he's built and created here. It's going to 988 00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:37,439 Speaker 1: be really exciting. And then John Shire is right here 989 00:51:37,480 --> 00:51:40,400 Speaker 1: and so the seamless transition will happen in April of 990 00:51:40,480 --> 00:51:42,840 Speaker 1: twenty two, UM, and we're all ready to hit the 991 00:51:42,840 --> 00:51:45,320 Speaker 1: ground running with John is our next head men's basketball 992 00:51:45,360 --> 00:51:48,680 Speaker 1: coach at Duke. So to be determined to be seen 993 00:51:49,280 --> 00:51:52,640 Speaker 1: in terms of how we handle and handle this year. 994 00:51:52,680 --> 00:51:55,680 Speaker 1: But it's gonna be really exciting and a big celebration. 995 00:51:56,120 --> 00:51:57,880 Speaker 1: So I do have to ask you. Just in the 996 00:51:57,920 --> 00:52:01,120 Speaker 1: wake of that news, which I guess isn't surprising, I mean, 997 00:52:01,120 --> 00:52:03,360 Speaker 1: it bounced so high. I mean it was one of 998 00:52:03,360 --> 00:52:06,160 Speaker 1: these things where it's like every major news organization was 999 00:52:06,200 --> 00:52:10,759 Speaker 1: sending out alerts, which just sort of underscores the the 1000 00:52:10,960 --> 00:52:14,440 Speaker 1: iconic nature. As you say of Coach K. What was 1001 00:52:14,480 --> 00:52:18,280 Speaker 1: the most surprising thing for you if there was something 1002 00:52:18,760 --> 00:52:21,719 Speaker 1: kind of in in the aftermath of that, of the 1003 00:52:21,719 --> 00:52:26,120 Speaker 1: announcement welcome to the job, and now we have a 1004 00:52:26,160 --> 00:52:32,120 Speaker 1: coaching transition. Um. You know, I don't think anything was surprising. 1005 00:52:32,520 --> 00:52:35,200 Speaker 1: You know, I've been here for thirteen years, and I 1006 00:52:35,239 --> 00:52:38,600 Speaker 1: have had a sideline seat to watch Coach K and 1007 00:52:38,600 --> 00:52:42,560 Speaker 1: and watch him do his his magic on the sidelines, 1008 00:52:42,600 --> 00:52:45,560 Speaker 1: and so UM, since I've been deeply involved with the 1009 00:52:45,640 --> 00:52:48,120 Speaker 1: operations of our department for the past thirteen years, I 1010 00:52:48,120 --> 00:52:52,200 Speaker 1: can't say there wasn't there was anything extremely surprising about 1011 00:52:52,200 --> 00:52:54,839 Speaker 1: the moment that we lived last week. I'm just so 1012 00:52:54,920 --> 00:52:57,640 Speaker 1: grateful that I've been able to be a part of it, um, 1013 00:52:57,719 --> 00:53:01,319 Speaker 1: and that it's not over yet. As we wrap up, 1014 00:53:01,360 --> 00:53:04,000 Speaker 1: you know, much has been made, and rightly so, of 1015 00:53:04,160 --> 00:53:08,200 Speaker 1: the historic nature of you taking on this athletic director role. 1016 00:53:08,280 --> 00:53:12,520 Speaker 1: You're one of unfortunately a very small number of women 1017 00:53:12,560 --> 00:53:16,920 Speaker 1: and women of color who have ascended to athletic directorships 1018 00:53:16,960 --> 00:53:18,800 Speaker 1: in the n C double A and and certainly in 1019 00:53:19,280 --> 00:53:23,560 Speaker 1: Power five. UM, I know you feel a certain responsibility 1020 00:53:23,600 --> 00:53:27,200 Speaker 1: around this. How does that manifest itself as we get 1021 00:53:27,239 --> 00:53:31,160 Speaker 1: into this next season, as you get into the job. Sure, 1022 00:53:31,480 --> 00:53:34,400 Speaker 1: I'm excited. I'm excited about it, UM. Excited to be 1023 00:53:34,440 --> 00:53:39,359 Speaker 1: a role model for young kids everywhere, UM, boys and girls, UM, 1024 00:53:40,360 --> 00:53:43,319 Speaker 1: young children of color. UM, to show them you know 1025 00:53:43,360 --> 00:53:46,480 Speaker 1: you can, you can achieve your dreams. UM. So make 1026 00:53:46,520 --> 00:53:49,280 Speaker 1: sure you you dream big and and you know, reach 1027 00:53:49,360 --> 00:53:52,720 Speaker 1: for the stars. Um. And then I'm excited for folks 1028 00:53:52,719 --> 00:53:55,240 Speaker 1: in our business, young people coming up in our business 1029 00:53:55,320 --> 00:53:59,000 Speaker 1: that do eventually want to be athletic directors. You can 1030 00:53:59,040 --> 00:54:01,879 Speaker 1: do it, um. As you alluded to, there are very 1031 00:54:01,920 --> 00:54:05,440 Speaker 1: few of us UM, which is is not great. But 1032 00:54:05,480 --> 00:54:07,919 Speaker 1: I'm excited to be a part of progress and now 1033 00:54:07,960 --> 00:54:11,480 Speaker 1: excited to be a part of a group of folks 1034 00:54:11,680 --> 00:54:14,879 Speaker 1: working towards change, making it better. All right, Nina King, 1035 00:54:14,920 --> 00:54:17,080 Speaker 1: Really good to spend some time with you. You've got 1036 00:54:17,080 --> 00:54:20,319 Speaker 1: a big job on your hands. Best of luck with that. 1037 00:54:20,440 --> 00:54:23,520 Speaker 1: Can't wait to see what's going on. What's happening down 1038 00:54:23,560 --> 00:54:26,799 Speaker 1: to Duke, Thank you, Thank you so Lynch. Kind of 1039 00:54:26,800 --> 00:54:30,960 Speaker 1: a pack show this week between what's going on down 1040 00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:33,360 Speaker 1: in Philly and Newark. I guess I was glad we 1041 00:54:33,400 --> 00:54:36,040 Speaker 1: got to talk a little hockey with Scott O'Neill as well. 1042 00:54:36,080 --> 00:54:39,880 Speaker 1: And I tell you that book it is extremely personal. 1043 00:54:40,000 --> 00:54:43,480 Speaker 1: I mean, we both read it. It is a it's 1044 00:54:43,560 --> 00:54:47,200 Speaker 1: very raw at times, um for all the reasons that 1045 00:54:47,400 --> 00:54:50,360 Speaker 1: he described, given why he wrote it and and the 1046 00:54:50,480 --> 00:54:53,640 Speaker 1: sort of emotion that went into it, but also very prescriptive. 1047 00:54:53,719 --> 00:54:56,200 Speaker 1: And I loved what he said about the process. I 1048 00:54:56,239 --> 00:54:58,799 Speaker 1: don't know that I've ever really heard the process described 1049 00:54:59,239 --> 00:55:04,399 Speaker 1: in white those terms. Well, as an outsider, it's easy 1050 00:55:04,480 --> 00:55:07,680 Speaker 1: to ridicule the process. We all have fans in Philadelphia, Okay, 1051 00:55:07,680 --> 00:55:09,759 Speaker 1: how long is the process going to take? But they 1052 00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:12,960 Speaker 1: stuck to it and right now they are, you know, riding, 1053 00:55:13,280 --> 00:55:15,160 Speaker 1: you know, riding high. As he said, I looked back 1054 00:55:15,200 --> 00:55:16,760 Speaker 1: down from the top of the hill of the mountain 1055 00:55:16,800 --> 00:55:18,719 Speaker 1: and said, it was kind of fun down there, but 1056 00:55:18,920 --> 00:55:20,560 Speaker 1: you know, I would probably climb to the top of 1057 00:55:20,600 --> 00:55:23,040 Speaker 1: this mountain again with a piano on my back. So 1058 00:55:23,440 --> 00:55:26,080 Speaker 1: the process is happening. It's been a long time, and 1059 00:55:26,280 --> 00:55:28,680 Speaker 1: I'm very surprised that people in Philadelphia have put up 1060 00:55:28,680 --> 00:55:32,440 Speaker 1: with it, because it probably would not work in places 1061 00:55:32,480 --> 00:55:35,080 Speaker 1: like Los Angeles or Boston where they expect to win 1062 00:55:35,160 --> 00:55:38,160 Speaker 1: every single year. Well, and and Philly is such a 1063 00:55:38,200 --> 00:55:41,560 Speaker 1: fascinating town in that way that they have embraced it. 1064 00:55:41,600 --> 00:55:44,120 Speaker 1: I mean part of it is. And we talked to 1065 00:55:44,120 --> 00:55:46,440 Speaker 1: just got a little bit about this offline. Actually, you know, 1066 00:55:46,520 --> 00:55:49,520 Speaker 1: this notion that of the storied franchise is certainly in 1067 00:55:49,560 --> 00:55:52,200 Speaker 1: the NBA and and maybe even across sports. Mean, the 1068 00:55:52,239 --> 00:55:54,960 Speaker 1: Sixers are really up there when you think about you know, 1069 00:55:55,040 --> 00:55:57,279 Speaker 1: some of the players who have been through there, you 1070 00:55:57,280 --> 00:56:00,080 Speaker 1: know Dr j and Alan Iverson sort of bookmarking it 1071 00:56:00,120 --> 00:56:02,560 Speaker 1: in many ways. But now you know, with Joel embiid 1072 00:56:02,680 --> 00:56:06,800 Speaker 1: Um and Ben Simmons, you know, really an amazing uh 1073 00:56:06,840 --> 00:56:10,360 Speaker 1: an amazing track record that they have and and listen 1074 00:56:10,480 --> 00:56:14,280 Speaker 1: it work isn't done yet, but they certainly have accomplished 1075 00:56:14,320 --> 00:56:16,480 Speaker 1: a lot. And meanwhile, you know someone who's got an 1076 00:56:16,480 --> 00:56:20,319 Speaker 1: equally big job, Nina King down at Duke UM, you know, 1077 00:56:20,560 --> 00:56:24,319 Speaker 1: and historic appointment in many ways, Um, the first woman 1078 00:56:24,360 --> 00:56:28,000 Speaker 1: of color to hold that job at Duke UM, joining 1079 00:56:28,120 --> 00:56:32,040 Speaker 1: an unfortunately small chadra of women and women of color 1080 00:56:32,120 --> 00:56:36,960 Speaker 1: who are athletic directors. Um. And you know, surprise welcome 1081 00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:41,279 Speaker 1: to the job. The coach that is probably the you know, 1082 00:56:41,320 --> 00:56:43,840 Speaker 1: among the most successful and certainly among the most iconic. 1083 00:56:44,120 --> 00:56:48,280 Speaker 1: He's gonna be leaving next year, so good luck. Um, 1084 00:56:48,320 --> 00:56:51,400 Speaker 1: you know, kind of putting all this together, well, you know, 1085 00:56:51,480 --> 00:56:53,400 Speaker 1: when I was listening to that, I wrote down some 1086 00:56:53,480 --> 00:56:56,000 Speaker 1: notes and I wrote frank, candid, and honest, and I 1087 00:56:56,040 --> 00:56:58,000 Speaker 1: think that pretty much sums up Nina King. And I 1088 00:56:58,040 --> 00:57:00,440 Speaker 1: love her answer. When you said are you going to 1089 00:57:00,520 --> 00:57:03,239 Speaker 1: handle the departure of coach K she says, I don't 1090 00:57:03,280 --> 00:57:05,560 Speaker 1: know because it's never been done before. I mean that 1091 00:57:05,640 --> 00:57:08,600 Speaker 1: that's an honest answer, and she will handle it. Well, 1092 00:57:08,640 --> 00:57:11,520 Speaker 1: we know that. But I thought that was just it's refreshing. 1093 00:57:11,560 --> 00:57:14,080 Speaker 1: It's not a canned response. It's not a response that 1094 00:57:14,200 --> 00:57:16,840 Speaker 1: some pr person gave her to. Here's how you're gonna 1095 00:57:16,840 --> 00:57:19,440 Speaker 1: answer this question. She speaks from a heart well, and 1096 00:57:19,480 --> 00:57:21,280 Speaker 1: I the other thing that I liked about her is 1097 00:57:21,320 --> 00:57:23,720 Speaker 1: that she gave very honest answers around you know, sort 1098 00:57:23,760 --> 00:57:26,120 Speaker 1: of two of the big issues of our time. You know, 1099 00:57:26,160 --> 00:57:29,520 Speaker 1: one is compensating athletes and how that should be done. 1100 00:57:29,600 --> 00:57:32,880 Speaker 1: Name image and likeness is coming on board, um, whether 1101 00:57:32,920 --> 00:57:34,880 Speaker 1: people like it or not. N C. Double A needs 1102 00:57:34,920 --> 00:57:37,200 Speaker 1: to act and she made that very clear that you know, 1103 00:57:37,240 --> 00:57:39,040 Speaker 1: there need to be some rules of the road and 1104 00:57:39,080 --> 00:57:42,320 Speaker 1: also equality between men's sports and women's sports. You know, 1105 00:57:42,400 --> 00:57:45,960 Speaker 1: this is a woman who chaired the selection committee for 1106 00:57:46,320 --> 00:57:49,000 Speaker 1: the n C Double A women's basketball tournament this past 1107 00:57:49,080 --> 00:57:51,600 Speaker 1: year this season when it all sort of broke out 1108 00:57:51,600 --> 00:57:55,040 Speaker 1: into the open the gross inequalities, and she took that 1109 00:57:55,480 --> 00:57:58,600 Speaker 1: head on as well. So, uh, certainly one to watch 1110 00:57:58,960 --> 00:58:01,440 Speaker 1: with Nina King down there at Duke. Well, you've been 1111 00:58:01,440 --> 00:58:04,040 Speaker 1: listening to The Bloomberg Business of Sports. We're here each 1112 00:58:04,040 --> 00:58:06,880 Speaker 1: and every week at the same time, plus online wherever 1113 00:58:06,920 --> 00:58:08,560 Speaker 1: you get your podcast, and you definitely want to check 1114 00:58:08,560 --> 00:58:11,800 Speaker 1: out the podcast feed because both of those interviews you 1115 00:58:11,880 --> 00:58:15,120 Speaker 1: only heard just a taste of them, so you want 1116 00:58:15,120 --> 00:58:18,400 Speaker 1: to get the full enchilada in our podcast feed. Catch 1117 00:58:18,440 --> 00:58:21,200 Speaker 1: them when they drop on Monday's, Wednesdays and Thursdays. In 1118 00:58:21,200 --> 00:58:24,280 Speaker 1: the meantime, follow me on Twitter Jason Kelly at Jason 1119 00:58:24,360 --> 00:58:27,040 Speaker 1: Kelly News and I'm Mike Lynch looking forward to the 1120 00:58:27,080 --> 00:58:29,200 Speaker 1: return of Michael Barr and the number of the week 1121 00:58:29,440 --> 00:58:31,800 Speaker 1: next week. You can follow me at Lynch e w CVB. 1122 00:58:32,240 --> 00:58:35,000 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports, from Bloomberg Radio 1123 00:58:35,320 --> 00:58:36,000 Speaker 1: around the world,