1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:03,239 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports. 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 2: Business of Sports can be intimidating for hard for a 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 2: start to break into. 4 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 3: We really appreciate what our owners are actually there, you know, 5 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 3: with us through the journey. 6 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,159 Speaker 4: Teams ours especially, then very intentional to diversify at all 7 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 4: levels of the company. 8 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 5: Maybe we're in the golden years for the NFL and 9 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 5: college football. Our demographic reach has continued to explode. 10 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 4: This is going to be really unlocking the streaming platform 11 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 4: for sports fans. 12 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: Sports evaluations are rising. We'll see when they peak. 13 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 3: You don't have to be the best in your sports 14 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 3: to make a whole ton of money. 15 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 16 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 6: This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports show, but we 17 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:44,840 Speaker 6: explore some of the big money issues in the world 18 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 6: of sports. 19 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 5: Michael Laar, I'm Scarlett Foo, and I'm Demien Sas hour. 20 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 6: Coming up on the show, we celebrate the start of 21 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 6: the MLB season and dive into some of baseball's biggest 22 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 6: headlines with MLB Network insider John Morosi. 23 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 2: The Dodgers just lose in the playoffs last year and 24 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: falls short of the World Series. They did not win 25 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: a postseason game last year, so We're asking a team 26 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: that did not even win a postseason game to sail 27 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 2: right through win the World Series. It's just not it's 28 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: it's not. It is not that likely. To be honest 29 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 2: with you. They may have the best chance, but that 30 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 2: chance is like twenty five percent and the rest of 31 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 2: the field had seventy five percent. 32 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 5: We'll take a glimpse at the latest episode of the 33 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:31,040 Speaker 5: Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly. This week we 34 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 5: feature long time sports anchor and a storm. 35 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 6: But before we get there, we're still right in the 36 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 6: middle of March Madness. We've already seen some big moments Williams. 37 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 3: Do Inbound, Simson Wad, and we've still got a lot 38 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 3: more action ahead before we crown this year's. 39 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 4: So no matter who ends up taking home the hardware 40 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 4: on the court, the tournament's TV partners could end up 41 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 4: being the biggest winners. 42 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 6: To help us dive into the numbers, we welcome Bloomberg 43 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 6: Intelligence Senior media analyst Geitha Reganath and Githa, welcome back 44 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 6: to the Bloomberg Business of Sports. 45 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 7: Thank you so much for having me. 46 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 6: Well right now, I'm sure the advertisers and the TV 47 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 6: networks are happy because the ratings are up have been 48 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 6: up slightly, but you know, there's a lot of money 49 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 6: to be made out there. 50 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 7: Oh absolutely. 51 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 8: And you know this is a recurring theme that we 52 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 8: see in in media, Michael, because live sports does remain 53 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 8: the most valuable asset on television. I mean, it is 54 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 8: the crown jewel of media and advertising, especially right now 55 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 8: when viewership is so so fragmented. I mean we just saw, 56 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 8: you know, the super Bowl. Obviously that is the biggest 57 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 8: event on television. You have one hundred million viewers, but 58 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 8: you do have advertisers paying about seven and a half 59 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 8: million dollars for thirty second ad spot. And that's just 60 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 8: a single event. You think about the March Madness, it's 61 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 8: a much more kind of viable, less costly, alternative event 62 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 8: that's kind of spread out over a much longer timeframe. 63 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 8: Right you have three weeks, you can reach a much 64 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 8: larger number of viewers, and in many cases you're reaching 65 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 8: this young male demographic that advertisers really really cover. 66 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:18,959 Speaker 9: It. 67 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 8: So a lot of frequency, a lot of exposure to 68 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 8: different audiences. 69 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, advertisers like sports betting companies in particular, given how 70 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 4: big a deal March Madness is for those who want 71 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 4: to wager gita, you publish some research about the numbers. 72 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 4: When it comes to March Madness, the rights cost by 73 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 4: eight hundred million dollars to broadcast these games. How much 74 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 4: are the different TV broadcasters making in terms of ad 75 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 4: revenue and other kinds of revenue tied to airing these games? 76 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 7: Yeah, absolutely so right now. 77 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 8: I mean the rights holders are Paramounts, CBS Broadcast Network, 78 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 8: and you also have Warner Brothers, Discoveries, Turner Networks, and 79 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 8: together those two companies pay about eight hundred million that 80 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 8: is actually going to go up slightly actually not slightly 81 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 8: more than slightly almost thirty seven percent starting in twenty 82 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 8: twenty five to almost one point one billion. As we 83 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 8: kind of see it right now, these games are still profitable, 84 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 8: and that's kind of a little bit unusual in the 85 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 8: sports media landscape because usually you have most of these 86 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 8: companies paying huge amounts of money in terms of rights 87 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 8: fees and sometimes not really able to recover all of 88 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 8: that even through advertising. But in the case of the 89 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 8: NCAA the March Madness Tournament, it is very profitable actually 90 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 8: for the media rights partners. We estimate that both Paramount 91 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 8: and Warner Brothers Discovery this year will generate at least 92 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 8: one point one billion dollars in just advertising alone, so 93 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 8: you know you compare that to the eight hundred million 94 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 8: in fees. 95 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 7: Yes, it is going to be profitable. 96 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 8: Again, we don't know whether that's going to last, especially 97 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 8: since the rights fees are going to go up and 98 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 8: probably ratings. You know, yes, they've stayed fairly strong. They've 99 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 8: held up pretty well, but who knows how it's going 100 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 8: to shake out. But as it stands right now, yes, 101 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 8: this is still a profitable tournament. 102 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 5: See, the Live Sports is certainly where it's at. You know, 103 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 5: you were talking about rights here, and we can't ignore 104 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 5: the elephant in the room, the NBA, the UFC. I mean, 105 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 5: there are going to be some negotiations going on. Where 106 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 5: are we in that process and who exactly is involved? 107 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 8: Yeah, that's a great question, Damian. And you know it's 108 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,239 Speaker 8: it's a perfect time that you bring this up because 109 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 8: the NBA currently is actually negotiating with its current rights partners, 110 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,919 Speaker 8: which are you know, Disney's ESPN as well as the 111 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 8: Turner Networks. So those two companies together are currently paying 112 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 8: about two point four billion dollars. 113 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 7: The word on the. 114 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 8: Street is that the NBA is seeking a massive, massive 115 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 8: increase from two point four to anywhere to about maybe 116 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 8: even as much as seven or seven and a half 117 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 8: billion dollars per year, So a seventy five billion dollar 118 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 8: deal that is the rumored number. I'm not sure whether 119 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 8: they're going to get it or not, but I think 120 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 8: they will because what we've seen this year is that 121 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 8: this appetite for sports rights. 122 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 7: Is only growing. 123 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 8: And now it's not just the big media companies, it's 124 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 8: also the big chech companies. I mean, we already know 125 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 8: Amazon's made a big play for you know, Thursday night 126 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 8: football they are supposed to be interested in in the NBA. 127 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 8: We know that Google has gone after, you know, against 128 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 8: Sunday Ticket with YouTube TV. And then of course the 129 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 8: big one was was Netflix kind of coming out of 130 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 8: nowhere there with that deal for WWE, and that kind 131 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 8: of tells us that the sports rights market is definitely 132 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 8: heating up again. April twenty second is the date when 133 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 8: you know, this exclusive negotiating period between the NBA as 134 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 8: well as Disney internal kind of comes up to it 135 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 8: comes to an end, and then it you know, the 136 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 8: NBA deals and the packages kind of go to the 137 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 8: free market. And of course, as we just said, you know, 138 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 8: Amazon of course is interested. There's also some word that 139 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 8: you know, NBC might be interested in a package for 140 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 8: the Peacock streaming service. So, you know, as more and 141 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 8: more streamers kind of get advertising, and of course Netflix 142 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 8: is doing this. You know, Amazon Prime has now made 143 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 8: this big push into you know, ad dollars as well. 144 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 8: Streaming companies are obviously looking to attract more and more advertisers, 145 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 8: and I think they think that sports is a great 146 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 8: way to do that. 147 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 4: You mentioned April twenty second as the day when the 148 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 4: exclusive negotiating period ends. Is it pretty much a done 149 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 4: deal that they're going to open it up to open bidding. 150 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 8: So what we've seen from a lot of the media 151 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 8: companies is there has been a lot of cost discipline. 152 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 8: You know, Disney has is kind of taking down its 153 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 8: content costs. They were paying about thirty billion dollars totally 154 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 8: that that's that's not just sports, that's all content. This 155 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 8: year they're bringing it down to twenty five billion dollars. 156 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 8: They are you know, every company is really looking at 157 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 8: cost trashization. UH is looking at the at the bottom line, 158 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 8: at improving profitability. But of course sports has been kind 159 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 8: of that one exception. But having said that, I mean 160 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 8: a lot of these companies have actually walked away from deals. 161 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 8: We know, Fox walked away from Thursday Night Football, they 162 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 8: walked away from SmackDown, you know, so they are kind 163 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 8: of taking a hard look before they commit this huge 164 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 8: sums of money. So so to your point, Scarlett, I 165 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 8: do think that you know, many more bidders will enter, 166 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 8: you know, for for the NBA packages. 167 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 6: Well for the sports entities to ask for all this money, 168 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:34,959 Speaker 6: there's got to be a way to watch it. But 169 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 6: it brings us to cord cutting and live streaming. How 170 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 6: is that going to impact how much can the NBA 171 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 6: or MLB or whichever ask for the rights to broadcast. 172 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 7: Yeah, that's that's really a great question. 173 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 8: And you know, we've seen the PayTV ecosystem lose about 174 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 8: close to almost i would say thirty million subscribers from 175 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,439 Speaker 8: its peak. So we had about you know, one hundred 176 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 8: million pay TV households only about eight nine years ago. 177 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 8: Right now we're down to about seventy million. And that's 178 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 8: including even all of the streamers, the streamers that have 179 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 8: live TV packages like a YouTube TV or a Hulu 180 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 8: Live TV. So obviously streaming is becoming a bigger and 181 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 8: bigger part of the equation. You know, we have a 182 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 8: lot of these companies who are now not just taking 183 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 8: or not just putting games on their linear TV networks, 184 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 8: but are also streaming them. And obviously Peacock has been 185 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:32,839 Speaker 8: doing that along with all of the NBC sports. We're 186 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 8: seeing a paramount do that, you know, with the Paramount plus. 187 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 8: And we've seen you know a lot of these streamers 188 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 8: even have just streaming exclusive exclusives and obviously a big 189 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 8: example there was, you know, the NFL Wildcard game on NBC, 190 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 8: and we know that the NFL is doing even more 191 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 8: of that, you know, with Amazon broadcasting the next Wildcard 192 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 8: game in early twenty twenty five. So obviously streaming is 193 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 8: becoming a bigger and bigger part of it, which means 194 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 8: that you know, the streamers are willing to kind of 195 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 8: shell out the big bugs. And again we spoke about 196 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 8: this a little bit earlier. You know, the big the 197 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 8: big reason why they are willing to pay these huge 198 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 8: sums of money for these sports s rights is because 199 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 8: that is one way they know they can really kind 200 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 8: of supercharge their advertising tiers, and right now everybody in 201 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 8: the streaming world has an ad supported tier. Even you know, Disney, 202 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 8: Plas and Netflix, who had kind of said that they 203 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 8: were going to stay away from advertising, have advertising right now, 204 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,960 Speaker 8: and sports is a great way for them to kind 205 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 8: of really accelerate the growth of their advertising revenue streams. 206 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 5: Well, gee, that's a great point. I mean, from what 207 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 5: I hear March Madness, I mean, this is going to 208 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 5: be a record year, and certainly if you look at 209 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 5: some of the numbers from the AGA, the American Gaming 210 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 5: Association in terms of sports gambling, I mean, it's it's 211 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 5: just going to be a breakout year in terms of 212 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 5: the amount of money people are wagering on this year's games. 213 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 5: But you know, you're right to pay for these rights, Disney, 214 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 5: I mean, you name it. These are not small amounts, 215 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 5: so they obviously think they can pass those costs on 216 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 5: to the advertisers. So talk to me, who is advertised, 217 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 5: who's paid time slots? I mean, is it Nike, Puma? 218 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 5: I mean, who's paying the advertising box? 219 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 7: Oh, it's it's everybody. 220 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 8: I mean, you know, just a few years ago, you know, 221 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 8: AT and T was one of the biggest advertisers. You 222 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 8: have Geico, you have all the you know, these insurance companies. 223 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 7: It's across the board. 224 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 8: I mean, this is a great demographic that you can reach. Uh, 225 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 8: you know, the eighteen to thirty four year old male, 226 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 8: a very very engaged demographic demographic that has pretty good 227 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 8: spending power. And so you know you have advertisers all 228 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 8: across the board. Of course, you have all the you know, 229 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 8: the athletic, the apparel manufacturers, retailers, you know, telecom companies, 230 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 8: entertainment companies. Everybody wants. Everybody is clamoring to get a 231 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 8: piece of the action. 232 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 4: Here, Sanduel mgm, Draft Kings, Michael Barbera, I mean. 233 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 5: Michael barr it's all insurance carriers. I mean, so you 234 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 5: know you're in good hands there. I know, you know 235 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 5: in between games, you know you love to shop, you know, 236 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 5: for your insurance right and see how you know how 237 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 5: you can reduce your premiums. I mean, this is perfect 238 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 5: for you. 239 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 6: Guess what day it is now. I'm not going to 240 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 6: bring that up, but getha right and nothing. You always 241 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 6: lay some knowledge on us, and I always come away 242 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 6: and learn a lot more when I listen to you. 243 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 6: Githa our Bloomberg's very own intelligence senior media analysts. Thank 244 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 6: you so much for joining us on the Bloomberg Business 245 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 6: of Sports. For having me up next on the show, 246 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:38,199 Speaker 6: we turned from some of the NCAA tournaments big winners 247 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 6: to the folks looking to win big on their March 248 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 6: Madness bets. You're listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports 249 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 6: from Bloomberg Radio. Around the world, you're listening to Bloomberg 250 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 6: Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. This is the Bloomberg 251 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 6: Business of sportshow, where we explore the big money issues 252 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 6: in the world of sports. I'm Michael Baarr along with 253 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 6: Scarlett Foo and Damian Sasaur. March Madness is one of 254 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 6: the biggest sports betting events of the year, and per 255 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 6: capita wagers on the NCAA tournament are expected to be 256 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 6: larger than this year's Super Bowl. Bloomberg opinion columnist Alison 257 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 6: Schreger recently covered the growing impulse of Americans to place 258 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,679 Speaker 6: big bets on sports. She is here now to take 259 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 6: us through it. Allison, Welcome to the Bloomberg Business of Sports. 260 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 9: Thanks so much for having me. I never get to 261 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 9: talk about March Madness, so I'm very excited. 262 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 6: What I guess right now, the biggest thing is advertisers 263 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 6: are like, thank you, thank you, thank you. And then 264 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 6: the TV companies are like thank you, thank you, thank you. 265 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 6: Because everybody's making money, ratings are up, everything is good. 266 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 9: Yeah, I mean it is you. You try to explain 267 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 9: it to people who don't live in America, it like 268 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 9: no one believes me that, you know, the whole country 269 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 9: comes together each year to watch college teams play. And 270 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 9: you know, I think it's special one because it's just 271 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 9: always unpredictable. There's always these cinderella stories. And also, unlike 272 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 9: professional sports, you end up with these like teams in 273 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 9: the middle of nowhere, Like I'm from Stores, Connecticut, this 274 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 9: tiny town in the middle nowhere, but we have this 275 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 9: like enormous basketball dynasty. So and it's an economically depressed 276 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 9: community too. So it really like brings people together. And traditionally, 277 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 9: the other thing that brought people together was the brackets 278 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 9: that you know, sort of these low stakes gambling that 279 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 9: you could sort of bet on with your colleagues and 280 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 9: made it all a little bit more interesting. 281 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 6: Did you hear that low steaks gambling? Folks, low steaks 282 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 6: don't go and get many the bookie out there and 283 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:49,239 Speaker 6: then put twenty grand on a game. That's that's knucklehead. 284 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 4: Just not do that if you're a shoheo Atani's interpreter especially, 285 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 4: but she went there, well, you know, we have to 286 00:14:57,200 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 4: kind of throw that in there. So the interesting thing, 287 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 4: of course with betting and brackets when it comes to 288 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 4: March Madness is that it's now like turboil charge because 289 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 4: of legalized sports gambling. And you've written a column about 290 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 4: this and how the excitement over brackets and placing bets 291 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 4: with the March Madness brackets really highlights americans warped relationship 292 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 4: with risk taking. State your thesis for. 293 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 9: Us, Yeah, well, like you were just saying, don't bet 294 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 9: twenty thousand dollars on Benny the bookie. Well, like now 295 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 9: you can do that on your phone instantaneously, And like 296 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 9: I was shocked to discover, because I don't really do 297 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 9: sports gambling on apps, how large the bets you can 298 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 9: actually put in a minute and you can put it 299 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 9: on a credit card. I mean, this is insane, and 300 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 9: it just struck me as strange because you know, I'm 301 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 9: chronicling and I write a lot about how harder risk 302 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 9: taking has become an American society for a variety of 303 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 9: both cultural and regulatory reasons. Things like moving, starting a business, 304 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 9: even changing jobs have become a lot harder. Yet we've 305 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 9: completely turbocharged enabled sports gambling. I mean, these are both 306 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 9: risk taking, but one is very sort of productive, grows 307 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 9: the economy, makes you grow as a person. The other, like, 308 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 9: I'm not quite sure. Well, as I said, low stakes 309 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 9: gambling can be nice culturally and bring people together and 310 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 9: make life more fun. But like enabling or supercharging you know, 311 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 9: high stakes sports gambling, I'm not quite sure that provides 312 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 9: much value and in fact, can be quite harmful. 313 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 5: Well, Alison, I really did appreciate what you said, or 314 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 5: I guess the illusion that you know, it shouldn't be 315 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 5: easier for an American to buy a Treasury bill than 316 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 5: it is to place a wager on a you know, 317 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 5: a sports match, right, And I think that's a really 318 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 5: interesting point because everything in our society, everything in our culture, 319 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 5: and you point this out, is designed to kind of 320 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 5: reduce risk here in the US, Yet sports gambling goes 321 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 5: it just flies right in the face of that. So, 322 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 5: you know, talk to us a little bit about that 323 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 5: concept of safetyism. And more importantly, you know what is 324 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 5: sports gambling doing. I mean, some of your colleagues, Tim 325 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 5: O'Brien have talked about match fixing, not just in the US, 326 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 5: but in other places. You know, I'm taught thinking cricket, 327 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 5: I'm thinking snooker. I talked to us a little bit 328 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 5: about how sports gambling is not just changing the US, 329 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 5: but sort of the fabric of how you know, different 330 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 5: cultures kind of you know, act in different countries. 331 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 9: Yeah, well, I mean easy access to sports gambling is 332 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 9: somewhat new in America because before twenty eighteen, you know, 333 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 9: you know, it was only very specific places that where 334 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 9: you could bet, like Las Vegas. But after the Supreme 335 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,640 Speaker 9: Court decision, states were able to sort of have allow 336 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 9: sports betting, and thirty states now allow on apps which 337 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 9: make it like very very easy. So other countries have 338 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 9: had more of a culture around sports gambling more. And 339 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 9: I mean one of the downsides is has been you know, 340 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 9: it's easy to start getting into match fixing. And also, 341 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 9: I mean you also have more problem gamblers. I mean, 342 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 9: if you make something easier, you know, you just get 343 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 9: more problem behavior with it. Like I look libertarian tendencies myself, 344 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 9: so I'm not like we should make it illegal, but 345 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:01,520 Speaker 9: I'm not like quite sure we should make it super easy. 346 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 6: That's the problem because I can just grab my phone 347 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 6: like I have every night. And also it's a problem 348 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 6: because it's too easy to get hooked. And I wonder, 349 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 6: now if like a gambler is anonymous or somebody like that, 350 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 6: if they have spoken out about this problem. 351 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 9: I'm sure about Gambler's anonymous, but I did read sort 352 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 9: of quotes from other problem gambling communities that have said 353 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 9: that they've seen a big uptick, and particularly a big 354 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 9: uptick with young people, you know who. You know, when 355 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 9: you're younger, your brain is a little bit more open 356 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 9: to risk, maybe doesn't make the same risk judgments. And 357 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 9: I find really disturbing is even these universities are promoting 358 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 9: gambling to students, I mean, which is kind of outrageous. 359 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 4: Pitch Pennis, Yeah, go back to that idea about universities 360 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 4: pitching gambling to students, because you're not supposed to gamble 361 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 4: until you're eighteen, so there are definitely some restrictions around that. 362 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,199 Speaker 4: But it's kind of like they're blanketing the airwaves with 363 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 4: the possibility that you can put a wager or you 364 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:03,920 Speaker 4: could do what are those called the parlays? 365 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 6: Right? Yeah? 366 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 9: Yeah, yeah. And in fact, I saw on Twitter someone 367 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 9: complaining that they're in a state where they don't allow 368 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 9: gambling apps, but they're still being advertised all over the 369 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 9: March madness and they're starting in Like there's messages like 370 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,959 Speaker 9: ask your legislature to allow this too, Like it just 371 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 9: doesn't seem all that. I said, I'm someone who really 372 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 9: is pushing the idea that we should take more risk 373 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:26,640 Speaker 9: and you know, we've become too risk a versus a society. 374 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 9: But I didn't mean that. 375 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 6: Yeah. 376 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,360 Speaker 4: So the idea here that all these states are allowing 377 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 4: sports betting is because they like the revenue. The revenue's great, 378 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 4: it comes in, it's easy, and it's something they can 379 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 4: count on. Yeah. 380 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 9: I mean, I think that's a big reason it's taken 381 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:43,919 Speaker 9: off and why I don't anticipate any legislation on it 382 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 9: that has teeth. I mean, there's talk about doing legislation 383 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:51,720 Speaker 9: about advertising, like maybe not having big sports celebrities pushing particularly, 384 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 9: but I mean, come on, if it's you know, you're 385 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 9: not gambling on something, as Charles Barklay has suggested to 386 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 9: do it, I mean, it's available, you're going to do it. 387 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 9: I read somewhere that one possibility is that you could 388 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 9: just make you have to do sports gambling in person. 389 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 9: That way, you can't like be in the game and 390 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 9: being like, all right, I'm going to set a new 391 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 9: bet from my phone. That just make it a little harder. 392 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 9: But as you point out, you know, states are really 393 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 9: sort of liking that sweet teet of sports gambling revenue, 394 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 9: and they're not keep it back in the bottle. Right Well, 395 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 9: I mean you could, but like they're not going to 396 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:25,640 Speaker 9: because they like the revenue. 397 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 5: Allison, you could hear it in Michael Barr's baritone voice 398 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 5: that all he wants to do is talk about his 399 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 5: brackets because he's doing so well this year. But let's 400 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 5: let let me also remind our audience that this year 401 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 5: is all one in two seeds, So guys who took 402 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 5: no risk in their brackets, no cinderellas, are actually doing 403 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 5: well this year for the first time in a while. Hence, 404 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 5: Michael Barr, so talk to us a little bit about 405 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 5: you know, taking risks and sports gambling and what that's doing, 406 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 5: I guess to the fabric of society. I mean, are 407 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 5: there more people out there who suffer from, you know, 408 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 5: gambling addictions. I mean, are there statistics to prove that? 409 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 4: Yeah? 410 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 9: Yeah, I mean I haven't seen like formal statistics, you know, 411 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 9: collected by the government, but anecdotally, problem gambling groups have 412 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 9: definitely said they've seen a big optic in problem gamblers. 413 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 9: And I said, particularly for younger people, which is concerning 414 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 9: as they're starting out their financial lives to say, you know, 415 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 9: and it's not to say a sports gambling I guess 416 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,360 Speaker 9: like day trading through apps has also become more easier, 417 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 9: so we're not sort of like putting people on a 418 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 9: path of the hey, this is a healthy risk to take, 419 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,239 Speaker 9: you know, No like buy an SMP index fund or 420 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,120 Speaker 9: you know, move cross country for a new job. But 421 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 9: it's like, hey, you know, you know, you can put 422 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 9: twenty thousand dollars on your credit card and bet on 423 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:40,680 Speaker 9: a game. That seems pretty easy. 424 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,199 Speaker 5: Can you see, Michael bar sports gambling is not a 425 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 5: source of consistent income, just you know, reminding you. 426 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 6: Oh, okay, thank you man. I appreciate it. And I 427 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 6: think also, is that Damien when we talk about gambling. Yeah, 428 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 6: And I try to tell this to my kids, like, look, 429 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 6: you know, it's if you're going to bet, you know, 430 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:09,680 Speaker 6: bet coins. You know this is okay, twenty five cents, 431 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 6: this and that whatever, because the moment you start going 432 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 6: down that path of paper money. 433 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 9: Lookout, you know for the big bets, like don't do 434 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 9: a bet that's not zero that you know has expect 435 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 9: a value lesson zero. But like it can be fun 436 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 9: to gamble a little, but no, you're know the limits. 437 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 5: Well, I think it's a good time to remind our 438 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 5: audience of the Bloomberg brackets for charity in which you know, 439 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 5: Michael Bart you had in eighty nine, is that right? 440 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 6: Eighty six? 441 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 4: You just gave him three extra points, Damian. 442 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 5: Hold on, hold on for our audience. That would have 443 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 5: placed Michael Bart in third place overall. And there are 444 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 5: a lot of people involved here, but shout out to 445 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 5: Peter Grower. Yeah, Bloomberg President. I mean I'm board member. 446 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,160 Speaker 5: I mean number two eighty seven points overall, right behind 447 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,920 Speaker 5: Bill Mcdermotive Service. Now, and look there are other people 448 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 5: up there. David Solomon's in fourth PLACEO Goldman Sachs, I 449 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:04,439 Speaker 5: mean Ken Griffin's up there in eighth place with asnus. 450 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 5: You know, so you're up there with some rareified company. 451 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 6: Mister Barr, will I like to talk about me, but 452 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 6: you can talk about me for a while. No, I 453 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 6: you know what it is. We still have a long 454 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:20,640 Speaker 6: way to go. We'll see how this turns out. And Allison, 455 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:24,199 Speaker 6: this is a great article that you wrote and I 456 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 6: hope people check it out. March madness shows confusion on 457 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 6: risk taking. Alison Sreger, thank you so much for joining 458 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 6: us on the Bloomberg Business of Sports. We really do 459 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 6: appreciate it. 460 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 7: It's a pleasure. 461 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 6: Thank you. Our thanks to Bloomberg Opinion columnists Alison Schreger. 462 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 4: Find Allison's latest work and more with Bloomberg Opinion. You 463 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 4: can check it out online at Bloomberg dot com, slash Opinion, 464 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 4: or if you are on a Bloomberg terminal type OPI. 465 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,359 Speaker 6: N go up. Next on the show, we turn to 466 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:54,640 Speaker 6: baseball and the start of the MLB season with MLB 467 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,439 Speaker 6: Network insider John Morosi. But first we give you a 468 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 6: special glimpse at the latest episode of the Deal with 469 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:04,639 Speaker 6: Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly. 470 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 5: That's right, Michael Barr. And this week features a long 471 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 5: time sports journalist, Hannah Storm. They talk with her about 472 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 5: her childhood watching ABA that's the American Basketball Association ABA games, 473 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:19,720 Speaker 5: the rise of the NBA, and of course, the future 474 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 5: of sports storytelling. 475 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 6: Let's take a listen to a portion of their conversation 476 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,640 Speaker 6: about how she grew up all around sports. 477 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 10: I mean, to me, so I grew up not with 478 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 10: an athlete. I grew up around all athletes around my 479 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 10: house all the time, just giants. 480 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 7: You know what I mean. 481 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 10: And I mean they would be around the house or 482 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:40,439 Speaker 10: come see my dad, or comfort thanksgiving her, you know whatever, 483 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 10: it was Christmas party. But so I was always very 484 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:48,160 Speaker 10: comfortable around athletes. But I grew up on the business side. Yeah, right, 485 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 10: So I always understood how devastating losing can be on 486 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 10: that level, the criticism that you take on that level, 487 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 10: I guess in a way, it's given me a really 488 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 10: global perspective on sports, which honestly, the average probably commentator 489 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:07,879 Speaker 10: doesn't really have. 490 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 6: That's Tanna Storm on the latest episode of the Deal 491 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 6: with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly. 492 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 4: You can watch it on Fridays at seven pm Eastern 493 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 4: on Bloomberg Television. You can also stream it on Thursdays 494 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 4: at nine pm Eastern on Bloomberg Originals, and don't forget 495 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 4: to check out the podcast. It's available on demand wherever 496 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 4: you get your podcasts. 497 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 7: Up. 498 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 6: Next, play Ball, we celebrate the start of the MLB season. 499 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 6: You're listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 500 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 6: Around the world. 501 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 502 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:50,640 Speaker 6: Thanks for joining us on the Bloomberg Business of Sports show, 503 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 6: where we explore the big money issues in the world 504 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 6: of sports. I'm Michael Barr, along with Scarlett fu and 505 00:25:56,040 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 6: Damian Sasaur. The MLB season is officially underway, and here 506 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 6: to talk us through some of the sport's biggest headlines 507 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 6: heading into another season is MLB Network's John Morosi. John, 508 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 6: Welcome back to the Bloomberg Business of Sports. 509 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 2: Michael, Scarletan Damien Happy opening day this week. I know 510 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,439 Speaker 2: that no shortage of topics for us to discuss in 511 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 2: the great game of baseball right now. 512 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,920 Speaker 6: Well, first off, let's start show. Hey Otani, he gave 513 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,400 Speaker 6: a news conference. It didn't take any questions, but he said, hey, 514 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,679 Speaker 6: I was ripped off by what was supposed to be 515 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:37,880 Speaker 6: my best friend and interpreter, and he took money from 516 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 6: me as he was paying off his gambling debts. Your 517 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 6: thoughts about. 518 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 2: This well, First and foremost, we're a long way away 519 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 2: from getting the full and final picture of this. As 520 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 2: it's been reported, there are now multiple investigations happening. There 521 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 2: was the initial inquiry of the that the federal government's 522 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,679 Speaker 2: looking into the a leegend illegal bookmaker. That's one. The 523 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 2: second investigation, of course, is that which has been requested 524 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 2: by Otani's camp. It would appear into the what they've 525 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 2: alleged is a massive theft. And then the third investigation 526 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 2: is the one that MLB is looking into. So you've 527 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 2: got three different investigations happening. There certainly are some relationships 528 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 2: among the three that could influence the other. But I 529 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:33,200 Speaker 2: think where this all stands at the moment is Otani's 530 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 2: going to keep playing that there is at this juncture, 531 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:39,399 Speaker 2: there is no evidence that any of the wagering was 532 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 2: on baseball, and that, as we know, is the would 533 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,200 Speaker 2: be the major major concern, and there it appears that 534 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 2: that has not happened in this case. And so at 535 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 2: this juncture, based on past precedent in the way that 536 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:55,639 Speaker 2: MLB has handled circumstances of this kind of the past. 537 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:58,919 Speaker 2: It appears that Otani is going to continue playing and 538 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:01,640 Speaker 2: that he is not going to be placed down administrative leave, 539 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 2: and then we're gonna keep seeing the play. Now, how 540 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 2: does he play? How does he handle playing in hostile 541 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 2: environments on the road, where fans might be reacting to 542 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 2: him in a more negative way than he's ever seen before, 543 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 2: all against the backdrop of a historically aggressive spending by 544 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 2: the Dodgers, and these expectations that are extraordinary, and those 545 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:25,160 Speaker 2: are all open questions as well. 546 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 4: So that's interesting that you said hostile road games. Do 547 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,479 Speaker 4: you think it'll be hostile? Because if he's not at 548 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 4: fault here, and that's what he's saying, he's been kind 549 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:35,639 Speaker 4: of the money maker for teams when he goes on 550 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 4: the road. You know, you have the fans cheering for him, 551 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 4: just showing up and seeing what he can do with 552 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 4: his bat. Will this dampen? Does this change the reception 553 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 4: that he gets, not just in La but across the nation? 554 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 2: You, Scarlett, it's a great question. I think that at 555 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 2: home the response will still be very favorable. And that's 556 00:28:57,560 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 2: that's the one thing that I believe Dodger fans have 557 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: been from what I can read on this fairly supportive 558 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 2: and very much behind show. He Obviously, he's played only 559 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 2: two regular season games for the franchise to this point 560 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 2: in time, but it does appear that their loyalty and 561 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 2: support for him is remaining strong. But to the point 562 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 2: about being on the road, and obviously there's two separate 563 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 2: considerations there. One is the facts that the road and 564 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 2: ballparks and the road teams, You're right, they will love 565 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 2: that when he shows up, it's going to fill their 566 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:35,920 Speaker 2: stadiums and there's going to be a lot of people 567 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 2: who are curious to see him play. But I almost 568 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 2: compare him in some ways to when Lebron joined the 569 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 2: Heat and the way in which they became the story 570 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 2: that we talked about in the NBA for several years, 571 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 2: but they were not universally loved by fans on the road. 572 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 2: They were an easy team to dislike, and I think 573 00:29:57,760 --> 00:29:59,959 Speaker 2: when you look at it in a vacuum, even setting aside, 574 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 2: even before the the Epai New Zuhara story came up, 575 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 2: I was I was thinking to myself that, especially when 576 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 2: he goes into the ballparks in San Diego and San Francisco, 577 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 2: because those are two places that that don't like the 578 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:24,400 Speaker 2: Dodgers to begin with, exactly, So Sho has now joined 579 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 2: a team that that, even apart from this controversy, is 580 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 2: one that among other teams in the division are are 581 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 2: not are not famably received, Whereas the Angels, when you 582 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 2: think about it, for all, for all the superstars they've had, 583 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 2: the Angels are not exactly a hated behemoth in the 584 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 2: game of baseball all the way of it right exactly 585 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 2: that they're not the Yankees, they're not the Red Sox, 586 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 2: they're not the Dodgers. And so I think that whenever 587 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 2: you sign a record contract with a big money team 588 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 2: and you joined with a couple other former MVPs, it's 589 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 2: free emitted bets, you're going to invite a lot of criticisms. 590 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 2: So I really think that even before this whole story unfolded, 591 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 2: that Shoe was going to have an experience unlike any 592 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 2: that he's had in his career, which is potentially being 593 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 2: booed or jeered on the road. Because think about it, 594 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 2: last year, Scarlett, there were a lot of fan bases 595 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 2: that were being very kind to him. Seattle is one 596 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:26,880 Speaker 2: that I would mention because they thought they had a 597 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 2: chance to sign him. So they were being almost almost 598 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 2: overly kind and gracious towards them because he wanted to say, Wow, 599 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 2: what nice fans they are there. I want to sign 600 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 2: with that seen this offseason. 601 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 5: Well, JP, I'll tell you know one thing about all 602 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 5: this show, Heyotani thing? I mean what I mean? Vegas 603 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 5: loves this man, The sportsbooks love it. I'm looking at 604 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 5: Mookie Bets, Freddy Freeman. They were both predicted to win 605 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 5: the ENOL and they were higher odds to win the 606 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 5: nl MVP before Shoeo Tani. Now Tani's bumped. 607 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 4: Up ahead of them. 608 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 5: Right, So the controversy seems to be good, and it 609 00:31:58,000 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 5: looks like Vegas thinks that show. He is going to 610 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 5: be able to contend with it pretty well. But you 611 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 5: know you were there, man, you were in South Korea. 612 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 5: You know you saw them and played the PODJAST talk 613 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 5: to us about this year's Los Angeles Dodgers. Are they 614 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:10,719 Speaker 5: really the odds on favorite to win the World Series? 615 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 2: Well, it's interesting. I do think that they are the 616 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 2: most talented team. Well, I would also say this, and 617 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 2: this is a very good point. Well, here's the thing 618 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 2: Bill Shakin wrote recently in the LA times, and I 619 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 2: think it's a very important insight that they're probably not 620 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 2: going to win the World Series. They're probably not because 621 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 2: when you look at the way that the baseball playoff 622 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:39,520 Speaker 2: structure is set up, with the short series to begin 623 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 2: with the layoff before the top seeds end up playing, 624 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 2: it's not exactly set up for the top seeds to 625 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 2: be protected. It's interesting that you mentioned that I was 626 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 2: just in Korea, amazing experience. Here's how the Korean playoffs works. 627 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 2: This is fascinating. By the way, the team that has 628 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 2: the best record gets an autumnmatic buy to the Korea 629 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 2: series automatically, So think about it. So basically, I believe 630 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 2: it's so that the top seed gets an automatic buy 631 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 2: and then the subsequent division, the subsequent teams just have 632 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 2: like a continual ladder playoff all the way to the end. 633 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 2: So like the fourth and fifth seeds will play, Okay, 634 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 2: the winner that plays the third seed, the winner of 635 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 2: that series plays the two seed, and then. 636 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 5: Eventually they I guess the argument against that is divisions, right, 637 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 5: I mean, you have certain so you yes, and. 638 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 2: I'm using a very extreme example. But the point there 639 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:43,800 Speaker 2: is the baseball playoffs are designed to have maximum competition 640 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 2: and to honestly expose your top division teams to a 641 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 2: real challenge early on in the postseason and the way 642 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 2: that it's set up. And Bill made this point in 643 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 2: the La Times recently that over the last ten years 644 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 2: there were as many wild card teams who became World 645 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:06,959 Speaker 2: Series champions as teams that had the best record that 646 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:11,040 Speaker 2: became World Series champions. It just it affirms that once 647 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:14,320 Speaker 2: you get to the playoffs, it's all a very random 648 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,840 Speaker 2: and exciting playoff. And we have to remember this that 649 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:21,240 Speaker 2: was most of the same players. Obviously, Otani has now joined, 650 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:24,360 Speaker 2: and Yamamoto has joined, and Glass now was joined, but 651 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 2: with a lot of the same players. The Dodgers didn't 652 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:30,280 Speaker 2: just lose in the playoffs last year and fall short 653 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:33,400 Speaker 2: of the World Series. They did not win a postseason 654 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,879 Speaker 2: game last year. So we're asking a team that did 655 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,680 Speaker 2: not even win a postseason game to sail right through 656 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:43,359 Speaker 2: win the World Series. It's just not it's it's not 657 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,200 Speaker 2: It is not that likely, to be honest with you. 658 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,840 Speaker 2: They may have the best chance, but that chance is 659 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:51,560 Speaker 2: like twenty five percent and the rest of the field 660 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 2: has seventy five percent. 661 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:54,640 Speaker 5: Well, JP, I mean, look, we could spend all day 662 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 5: talking about the Dodgers. But who cares, right, I mean, 663 00:34:56,560 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 5: we care about the Yankees and the Mets and like 664 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 5: what I really and and the Tigers sorry and yeah 665 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:03,520 Speaker 5: you so listen, I look at them. 666 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 2: They'll be better. They'll be better, Michael, I promise, yeah, buddy, better. 667 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:10,200 Speaker 5: So I look at these teams. I look at like 668 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:12,239 Speaker 5: some of these core major media markets, and their teams 669 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 5: are nowhere to be found near the top. I mean, 670 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 5: the Yankees are the colaster you're gonna find. I think 671 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:17,279 Speaker 5: Vegas has them as like the four or five seed, 672 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 5: you know, to win it all. But you know, then 673 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 5: I look at Al MVP and I look at Wan 674 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:23,880 Speaker 5: Soto and I look at Aaron Judge, and they're right 675 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:26,160 Speaker 5: at the top there. I mean, does that two headed 676 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:29,320 Speaker 5: monster get it done this season? Or with all these injuries? 677 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 5: I even think I didn't Dj LeMay, I think he's injured. Now, 678 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:34,880 Speaker 5: I mean, what is going on with the Yankees and 679 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:36,719 Speaker 5: the Mets and the Red Sox and maybe. 680 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 6: The two right? 681 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:39,960 Speaker 2: Oh well, you're fair. And so here's the thing about 682 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 2: about the Yankees. I think they're going to be good 683 00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 2: this year, and I'm concerned about Lemayhew as you mentioned, 684 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:48,839 Speaker 2: but I look at the way that the Yankees are 685 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:53,319 Speaker 2: set up with with Soto and Judge together, and I 686 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:54,880 Speaker 2: believe that that is going to be one of the 687 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 2: most dynamic duos we have ever seen in a Yankee uniform. 688 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 2: I believe this team finds a way to with the 689 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:03,240 Speaker 2: division that Soto's gonna bring out the best of Judge 690 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:06,879 Speaker 2: and vice versa. Would not surprise me at all if 691 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:09,160 Speaker 2: one of them ends up being the MVP of the 692 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:12,879 Speaker 2: American League. So I'm on the Yankees. As far as 693 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 2: the Mets, I agree that we're not expecting nearly as 694 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:19,799 Speaker 2: much from them as we were a year ago. I 695 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 2: do like the signing they made of JD. Martinez, but 696 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:27,000 Speaker 2: this is not their year to compete in my opinion, 697 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:30,280 Speaker 2: especially with the Code I Singa injury to begin the season. 698 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:33,480 Speaker 2: I believe the Braves and the Phillies are the class 699 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 2: of the National League East. As for the Red Sox, 700 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 2: You're right, they really have gone off the map in 701 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 2: terms of being a team that we talk about a lot. 702 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,400 Speaker 2: They just haven't invested in the roster as much as 703 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:47,040 Speaker 2: they have in the past. So they're going to be 704 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,800 Speaker 2: a team that I think is somewhere in the middle 705 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:52,480 Speaker 2: to the bottom of the American League East. But I 706 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:56,120 Speaker 2: do expect the Yankees to be a very, very prominent team. 707 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:58,239 Speaker 2: But then I think out West, we have a chance 708 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,399 Speaker 2: for some pretty interesting stories. I think the pod raised 709 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:03,279 Speaker 2: in the NL West are better than people realize. I 710 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:05,520 Speaker 2: think the Giants are better than people realize in the 711 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,240 Speaker 2: American League West. I like the Seattle Maritors. I realized 712 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:11,279 Speaker 2: that he's got some tough injury news with Brian Wu, 713 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 2: but I like their rotation overall. Julio Rodriguez one of 714 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 2: the more talented players of the game. So I look 715 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:19,840 Speaker 2: at the Meritors as being another team that we maybe 716 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:22,840 Speaker 2: look at and focus on as a possible postseason contender 717 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:24,080 Speaker 2: again this season. 718 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 6: John Morosi with the MLB Network, I love you man, 719 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 6: Thank you, Buddy. 720 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:33,359 Speaker 2: Likewise, to all of you and Michael, we will see 721 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:36,080 Speaker 2: you in Detroit for the postseason this year. 722 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:40,360 Speaker 6: Yeah, Buddy, I got my twenty ready special. Thanks to 723 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:43,799 Speaker 6: MLB Network insider John Morosi for joining us now. If 724 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,640 Speaker 6: you missed any part of that conversation, find it on 725 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:51,960 Speaker 6: demand now on the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast. Find 726 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:56,080 Speaker 6: it on Apple, Spotify, and anywhere you get your podcasts. 727 00:37:56,880 --> 00:37:59,919 Speaker 6: Thanks for listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports show. 728 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:02,680 Speaker 6: We are here each and every week at the same 729 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:06,759 Speaker 6: time for my colleague Scarlett Food and Damian Sasaur. I'm 730 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,800 Speaker 6: Michael Barr. Tune in again next week for the latest 731 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:12,920 Speaker 6: on the stories moving big old money in the world 732 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 6: of sports. You're listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports 733 00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:19,240 Speaker 6: from Bloomberg Radio around the world.