1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports Show, where we 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: explore the big money issues in the world of sports. 3 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: I'm Scarlet Boom. A special President's Day program ahead as 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: we take you back to last weekend's Bloomberg Power Player's 5 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Summit in Beverly Hills. The event took place ahead of 6 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: Super Bowl fifty six in Los Angeles, bringing together power brokers, 7 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: senior executives, and world class athletes to discuss key trends 8 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 1: in the six hundred billion dollar global sports industry. Today. 9 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: A view from the owner's box as Bloomberg Quick Take 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: Chief correspondent Jason Kelly sits down for a wide ranging 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: conversation with the owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and 12 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: Atlanta United of Major League Soccer. I want to start, 13 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 1: if I can with you, just on this moment that 14 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,639 Speaker 1: we're in right now. Last couple of weeks have been 15 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: quite something, uh, for the sport of football, for sports 16 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: in general. Let's jump right in if we can, and 17 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: and talk about this moment that the NFL finds itself 18 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: in talking about diversity, talking about representation. You had the 19 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: Social Justice Committee, I believe for the league. What do 20 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 1: we need to do? What needs to happen for the NFL. Well, 21 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: it's a great question. UM. I would go back and UM, 22 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: one of my very close friends in life was John Lewis, 23 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: Congressman Lewis who has passed away, and and one of 24 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: our board members for many years was Andy Young And 25 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: every time we talked to them about social justice and 26 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: where where we are and issues and what have you, 27 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: there would always stop and remind us to look at 28 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: you and you have to first recognize, you know, how 29 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: far we've come. And so I think that you know, 30 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: we either can curse the darkness a lot of candle, 31 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: and I think we have to recognize, um, initially, at 32 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,279 Speaker 1: least all the progress that has been made. And speaking 33 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: to the NFL, you know, the league office has been 34 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: your tremendous progress last year. People that were hired out 35 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: of eleven d associates that are there where women cent 36 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: we're African American. Uh, and we've seen a lot of 37 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: changes at the club level, was well with coordinators and executives, etcetera. UM. 38 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: What hasn't worked is the is the head coaches. So 39 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: that's not acceptable. UM. The commissioner said that when he 40 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: did his press conference on Wednesday, and I would certainly 41 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 1: agree with that. I serve on that committee, on the 42 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: I committee, I don't share actually the other committee, but 43 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: a monitor as well. UM. So I think what what 44 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: Roger said is what I would suggest as a businessman 45 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: looking at is that you know it's not working. Um, 46 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: you know a lot of things all working, but let's 47 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,399 Speaker 1: look at that because that is not working and take 48 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: it apaut, take the whole puzzle apout, look at every 49 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: piece of the puzzle and trying to figure out what 50 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: can we do differently? And it means we have to, 51 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,239 Speaker 1: you know, not only talk to coach Flores who follow 52 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: the lawsuit against the league against you know, three clubs specifically, 53 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: but we have to talk to other coaches, other players, 54 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 1: find out, you know, their viewpoint about what their experiences are, 55 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: bringing some folks on the outside who are not embedded 56 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: in the NFL and who have had great track records 57 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 1: and doing this, and find out what practices we can 58 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: do differently. UM. I have my own views on some 59 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: of that, but because I think there are the devil 60 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: is always in the details, and um, you know this 61 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 1: last year is an example. We have eight new head coaches, 62 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: so all six out of the eight came from the 63 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,239 Speaker 1: offensive side of the bowl, which means that, in my opinion, 64 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: we need to get a greater pool of minority candidates 65 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: where we have their offensive coordinators or the quarterback coaches. 66 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 1: This is a quarterback driven league. Uh, and you need 67 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: to have you know, people in that pool that are 68 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: touching the quarterbacks in one form another. So, you know, 69 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: I think that's a specific thing. The other thing I 70 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: would recommend enough suggest this to the commissioner is that 71 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: you know, if you have a club that forever, each 72 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: each franchise is owned independently, we'll understand that. But if 73 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: you have a club that is not performing at levels 74 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: that most people would say are reasonable based on you know, 75 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: today's stands and what the expectations are for the many 76 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: people would argue the leading professional sports world sports league 77 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: in the world. Uh, you know, I mean to bring 78 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: them to the principal's office and um and you know, 79 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: bring the owner, bring the executives, etcetera, and you know, 80 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: and talk about what's you know, why isn't this work? 81 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: And tell me what your issues are. Let's share with 82 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: you some best practices and with your other teams. So 83 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: I think the league can do some more in that 84 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: in that regard as well, But is there a sense 85 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: Arthur among the ownership broadly speaking? Is there more of 86 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: a sense of urgency now? I mean, what are you here? 87 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: You know, you guys are going to convene here or 88 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: a lot of you that this weekend. What's the mood 89 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: among the owners? Well, I think as it relates to 90 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: that question, I think it's uh uh, it's not despare. 91 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: It's that you know, I mean, you know, we got 92 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: to figure this out. I mean, we have got to 93 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: figure this out. Um. And is a difference between trying 94 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: hard and getting results. We all understand that, but the 95 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: sports or business or whatever it may be. But so 96 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: we have to we have to try hard. But I think, 97 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: you know, more importantly, we're gonna be judged by getting results. 98 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: And I think when it comes to the head coach situation, 99 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 1: we have to do more Rooney rule. And I was 100 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: on the original committee when that was adopted in two 101 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: thousand and two. Dan Rooney was our chairperson. May rest 102 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: in peace, but you know, um, you know, it has 103 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: been has been changed five times, so it continues to 104 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: be refined and refined, and there are some components of 105 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: it that are working well. So I can go into 106 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: a little detail, but I don't want to take our 107 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: twenty midicine doing that. But some pieces that are working 108 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: well in terms of the number of people that are 109 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: being interviews at a minority. But we have to get 110 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,479 Speaker 1: the decision point why are they're not being hired? And 111 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: we have to figure that out. And I and I 112 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: think there are some things that we can do about it. 113 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: But um, you know, this progress and a lot of 114 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: areas we should acknowledge that and kind of take two 115 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 1: minutes to celebrate that and then spend the rest of 116 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: the hour figuring out how do we deal with the 117 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: situation in terms Actually it is interesting to hear you say, 118 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: and and then I want to move on to some 119 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: other stuff. But this notion that the League maybe has 120 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: more power that it can that it can exert here 121 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: because you look at the n b A and and 122 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: it feels like maybe it's a slightly different dynamic figure. Yeah, 123 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: I think that's fair. Um So, I, you know, I 124 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: think the commissioner, I've you know, I've known Rogers since 125 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: well twenty years I've been in the league, and he's 126 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: you know, he's been our commissioner for seventeen years, uh, 127 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 1: six seventeen years. I think, um and uh. And he 128 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: you know, he's a very good listener. I mean, he's 129 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: a really good listen. If you work with him as 130 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: a businessman, you'd say, well, he's asked good questions and 131 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: he really listens to the answers. So I think he 132 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: you know, he cares deeply about the issues, um and uh. 133 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: And I think that he can exert some more influence. Uh. 134 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: Not overall feelings about it, but you know, directionally, how 135 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 1: are we doing uh? And if we're not doing as 136 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: well as a league, then you know, obviously call for this. 137 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 1: You know, let's examine every piece and component of it 138 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: and go from there. But you know, those clubs that 139 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: for whatever reason are not stepping up but don't have 140 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: the results, you know, have discussions with them about it, 141 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: but have discussions that are serious. UM. And I think 142 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 1: that would help a little bit. You know, it's interesting 143 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 1: to talk about that issue in the context of what 144 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: is indisputed, indisputably or undisputably, if you want to speak 145 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: to them properly. UM. An incredibly popular game, I mean, 146 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: so exciting ratings through the room at the most watched 147 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: uh television programs are all NFL games. What do you 148 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: attribute that too? Well to the game itself. I think 149 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: the game itself is you know, um, I don't know 150 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,239 Speaker 1: how many of you are football fans of American football fans, 151 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: but you know, the four games we had all the 152 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: divisional Divisional weekend, they were unbelievable and each one was 153 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: better than the other one. And and so I think 154 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: the game is, the game is intact, the game is 155 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: being run well. We continue to refine the rules and 156 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: you know, looking at a different variety of things and 157 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: probably take a look at the all the time rule 158 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: again and see if if that's gonna work as well 159 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 1: as it has in the past. And our team president, 160 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: Richard McKay happens to chair the chairs the Competition Committee, 161 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: so we'll take a look at that. Why changes the 162 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: b I don't know, but but I think the game 163 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: itself is really in good in good stin and real parody. 164 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: It's designed that way. And that's you know, you and 165 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: I were chatting beforehand. If you look at these two 166 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: teams that are playing on Sunday, you know, the Bengals 167 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: were built a certain way through the draft primarily had 168 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: a good free agency selection process this last year. A 169 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: number of their free agents are playing significant roles on 170 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: the team this year. Uh. The Rams, on the other hand, 171 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: the gentleman is a general manager to work for us 172 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:35,839 Speaker 1: for Troel thirteen years, a really good guy. I mean, 173 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: they don't have a first and second round pick to 174 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 1: so they I mean they have traded all of their 175 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: higher picks, but they've accumulated. If you look at their picks, 176 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: they've they've got like eight to ten picks, but they're 177 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:50,439 Speaker 1: in the latter rounds, so you know, their their philosophy is, 178 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: you know, we need more picks and the more dots 179 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: we throw with the ball, with the chances all we're 180 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,559 Speaker 1: going to have some success. So each team is built differently. Um, 181 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: but obviously they both are very successful. Uh. And we 182 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: should shout out our our fellow at Lantin, Sean McVeigh. Yeah. Yeah, 183 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: primeris school playing the Rams. Um. And the fun fact 184 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: that I'm sure you know that that everybody keeps bringing 185 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: up as he beat out Calvin Johnson for the high 186 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: school Player of the Year his senior year, did you 187 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: know that? I didn't know that when the state go 188 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 1: Marris my brothers went there so they'll be happy to 189 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,200 Speaker 1: hear me. I didn't go there. They remind me about 190 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: all the time. But the year that Calvin was yeah, 191 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: the Calvin was drafted was the same year that we 192 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: drafted UM. We drafted our quarterback Matt Ryan. And I 193 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:37,719 Speaker 1: remember the then owner of the well he still is, 194 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: you know, the family's of the Lions, UM built Ford, 195 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: who I knew from my experience at work at home Depot, etcetera. 196 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,599 Speaker 1: And uh Bill called me and said, well, you know, 197 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: would you like Calvin Johnson the homebown guys, you guys 198 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: when back He said, well, you know, I'm not I 199 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: don't make those decisions. Are GM Will and our coach 200 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: Will etcetera. But he what we want you entire draft 201 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,319 Speaker 1: class said that seems like a real steep price, but 202 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: I will pass it on. So that was the last conversation. 203 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: But we were obviously thrilled, you know, picking Matt, you know, 204 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: fourteen years ago and he's been a great quarterback for us. 205 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: Talk to me about the other football team that you own, 206 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: the soccer team wildly successful UM fill in your stadium, 207 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: in your pretty new stadium. In a way, how do 208 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: you as an as an owner, what are the best 209 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,479 Speaker 1: practices that sort of go back and forth and specifically, 210 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 1: what have you learned from owning a soccer team that 211 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: maybe you applied to back to the Falcons. Well, it's 212 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: really interesting, that's a that's a great question because sometimes 213 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 1: I'll press our football people, you know, to follow and 214 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 1: to understand them more. What in terms of folks here 215 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: that may not know what we hold. We've been in 216 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: the soccer business for five years. We hold all the 217 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: attendance records by game, by season, uh, playoff games, et cetera, 218 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: in the history of MLS, which is going on seven 219 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: years now. Um. But you know, the success we've had 220 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,439 Speaker 1: in soccer has been because we we really have have 221 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time at a grassroots level building 222 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: the franchise. We've been in every pub in Atlanta. I 223 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: don't know how many times, spending time with soccer folks understanding, 224 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 1: you know what their their sense of ownership and the 225 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: world of soccer. Soccer fans even more still than American 226 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,319 Speaker 1: football fans, they feel like they actually own the team. 227 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,319 Speaker 1: I mean, if you do things that they don't like, 228 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: they actually let you know it and they say you 229 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: work for us. We don't work for you, and because 230 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: our call philosophy and all of our businesses that we 231 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,559 Speaker 1: actually the people that we serve do really own all 232 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: of our businesses where they're to service them and all 233 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: of our businesses. So you know, that connection to the 234 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: everyday fans and they bring that energy to the building 235 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: and that's what's you know, that's what creates the kind 236 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: of excitement we're seeing Atlanta. And we perform well on 237 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: the pitch as well. So we've been in the playoffs 238 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: for out of five years. We won the MLS Cup. 239 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: We want to camp the Owner's Cup. We want to 240 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 1: hold a variety of cups, and there's quite a few 241 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:00,680 Speaker 1: cups of soccer. But we're in verse fess a little bit. 242 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: So on the American football side, we've tried to understand that. 243 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 1: Um it's a little bit different because the game flows differently. 244 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: You half time outs and you don't have the constant 245 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:13,319 Speaker 1: playing time that we do in soccer. But you know, 246 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: we're trying to bring that energy over because I do think, um, 247 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:20,559 Speaker 1: it's very important. It's not only the NFL, not only 248 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:22,559 Speaker 1: you know, it's the only important in terms of the 249 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: viewership and the ratings and the media deals and all 250 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: that's great, and the CBA contracts, all of that is 251 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 1: very important, but it's important to have the energy within 252 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: the building as well. Um, that's what the media companies wants, 253 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: that's what the players want. When I uh bought the 254 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:40,319 Speaker 1: team in two thousand and one, UM, I remember traveling back. 255 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,199 Speaker 1: We were playing an away game in St. Louis, and 256 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: I went to the back of the play and I said, 257 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: you know, my name is Off the black communal owner, 258 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: and is there anything I can do for you other 259 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: and stay out of your way? I said, I don't 260 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: cold plays. I'm not gonna you know, but you know 261 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: all that, he said, just fill up the building for us, 262 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: because that emotion, that energy turns onto players, it really 263 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: is very very important to them. So you know, at 264 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: that point, our fans didn't come to the stadium empty 265 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,319 Speaker 1: and of the other half of the one route for 266 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: the visiting team. So we've changed that, but uh, it's 267 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 1: still you know, the energy you get from soccer, it's 268 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: very unique in that world and it's been a thrill 269 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: for us to be in. And so let's let's talk 270 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:21,719 Speaker 1: if we can a little bit about what you have 271 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: learned about the fan. This is something you you've written 272 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: about and talked about, goes back in some ways to 273 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: you know, the customer centric model that you built it 274 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: at home depot or in J Brins and all of 275 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: all of that and associates knowing where everything is. We're 276 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 1: being required to know where everything is, what what i'll, etcetera. 277 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: I always test them when I go in to make 278 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: sure that that's still true. It is, it is right. Um, 279 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: Atlanta is such a unique place because you have some 280 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: very serious sports fans people coming as you alluded to, 281 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: you know, expats from New York and in other places 282 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: in California. Um, college football is a huge thing. The 283 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: NBA team is coming on. How do you make sure 284 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: that you're understanding your fan? Um, it's really not complicated. 285 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 1: I mean a lot of these things in business we 286 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 1: make you very complicated. If you just if you understand 287 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: if you have like deep humility, I mean it really 288 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: takes like really humility, not saying well, I'm humble, but 289 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 1: I'm actually a deep humility and understand at the end 290 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: of the day, all of whether it be today's at 291 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: home depot and really a Falcons are you know football 292 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: team or soccer team or PGA business our guest ranches. 293 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: It all starts with an inverted triangle, and I'm at 294 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: the bottom of triangle. The people that were serving up 295 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: here at the top. So the fans in this case, 296 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: since we're talking about you know, sports teams, the fans 297 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: are up here. So if you spend you know a 298 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: lot of time listening, talking and walking listening to fans, 299 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 1: finding out really what they like, what they don't like, 300 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 1: you know, what turns them on, what turns them off. 301 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: And most people, my experience has been over my business 302 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: this lifetime, is that if people really think that you 303 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: really are interested in their answer, I mean, they'll tell 304 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: you what they think. Sometimes they'll say to you, well, 305 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: you really want to know. When I said, you really 306 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: want to know? So, you know, if they have something 307 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: nice to say, you try to get that out of 308 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: the way real quickly. But you really have to take 309 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: the position, how do we get better? What are we 310 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: not doing for you that that we can do for 311 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: you that can make your experience better? And I know 312 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: you generally enjoy and you're being polite and kind, and 313 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: we appreciate that. There's got to be some things, So 314 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: we listen to those things, We focus on those things, 315 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: and I think that's what makes us better. And I think, 316 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 1: but you have to have that real sense of humility 317 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: that you know the people you're serving honestly know more 318 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: about what their needs are and their wants are and 319 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: desires are than you do. And I fundamentally believe that 320 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: in all of our businesses, sometimes they just want a 321 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: cheaper hot talk. Well, somebody wants you, that's and that's 322 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: a good example. I mean, we have food and beverage 323 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: um philosophy which we put in place and now has 324 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: been followed around the NFL, around college sports and stadiums 325 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: and arenas. Aren't really around the world, is that? Uh? 326 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 1: I remember we decided that, you know, we didn't control 327 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: our own selection, our own selection of food and beveraging 328 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: pricing at the Georgia Dome because we're run by the state. 329 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: At Mercedes ben Stadium, we do. I remember had a 330 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: meeting with our management team and I said, you know, 331 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: it's one of the things that always annoyed me. I've 332 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: I've got six children, a name and age. I have 333 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: a child. One of my sons is here works for 334 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: the NFL right over there, josh Um and uh. He 335 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 1: always to frustrate me because once you went to a 336 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: football game, a soccer game, baseball game, whatever it may be, 337 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: he always felt like you were captive in there and 338 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: they would charge you, you know, five bucks, seven bucks 339 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: for a hot dog, five bucks, seven dollars for water 340 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: or soda, wherever it may be. I said, we're not 341 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: doing that, So we're gonna we're not. We don't want 342 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: to charge a nickel more than what everybody else is 343 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: charging you. What I called on the street, they called it. 344 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,400 Speaker 1: We call it now you know, consumer friendly pricing. But 345 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: basically we cut up prices in half, in half and uh. 346 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: And when I announced that to our management team, they 347 00:16:57,920 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 1: kind of looked at me and said, like, you know, 348 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: this guy's his age has gotten to him or whatever, 349 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: he's got lost his mind. I meant, at half, you 350 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,719 Speaker 1: know what that's gonna happen to you volume, and we're 351 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: having to But I knew from my currents at HD 352 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: when you do that kind of thing, we're going to 353 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:13,879 Speaker 1: get resulting much higher revenue. So um, and that's what's happened. 354 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: It's become a model. And in fact, I remember the 355 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 1: first game we opened up Merced has been stadium. We're 356 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: playing against the green Bay Packers, and it was on 357 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: Sunday Night football and I got a letter a couple 358 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,160 Speaker 1: of days later from President Obama. He wrote to me, said, 359 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:29,639 Speaker 1: you know, I watched the game. This happens to be 360 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: a football fan, not a Falcon fail. He's probably a 361 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 1: Falcon fan. Two was a strong Bears fan. But in 362 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 1: any event, he wrote me and said, I just want 363 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: to thank you so much of what you're doing for 364 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: fans across America. This middle class of America that can't 365 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 1: afford you know, prices and what happy with the levels 366 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:47,160 Speaker 1: that being asked to pay in these stadiums and arenas. 367 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: So you know, uh, that's been incredibly successful. And our 368 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: you know, our food and beverage volumes have doubled and 369 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: tripled and voted number one since we opened up the 370 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 1: stadium for fan experience, both by the NFL and and 371 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: by Major League soccerare So it's it's been you know, 372 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: But that's an example of trying to listen to who 373 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: was serving and how can we give you a better experience. 374 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 1: On that note, or sort of along those lines, it 375 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: also feels like the relationship that management and ownership has 376 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: with players has has changed and involved especially over the 377 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: last couple of years. You know, given some of the 378 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: things we've seen in the broader world politically, etcetera. Where 379 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 1: does that go next? And when you agree with that, 380 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: and where does it go next? And how do you 381 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 1: ensure that you have the right working relationship with a 382 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 1: group of people who, rightly, I think, I would say, 383 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 1: feel more empowered, um to voice their concerns not just 384 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: to you, but to the public at large. Well, I 385 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: think you know you can. Let's use the NFL as 386 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 1: an example. I think the NFL away it's structured, it's 387 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: really a partnership. Honestly, it's not. You know, it's a 388 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: partnership between the player is in the league and our 389 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: media partners, etcetera. So my attitude has always been, and 390 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 1: has always been in all of our businesses, is that. 391 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: But let's talk about the NFL with our players. UM. 392 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,360 Speaker 1: I've told them from from day day one a couple 393 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: of things. Number one, without our fans, and I've told 394 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: us to every single team I've had for twenty years, 395 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: the one message, one of the messages is that we 396 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,959 Speaker 1: have twenty two guys playing salmon football. So you need 397 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 1: to always understand that you know your compensation, whatever levels 398 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: it's at, etcetera, really is coming on the conduit for 399 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: it our franchises, but it's coming from our fan base, 400 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,640 Speaker 1: either by being there personally or watching TV or whatever 401 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,640 Speaker 1: the events are. So you know, we have to understand 402 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 1: that and that and that puts them I think in 403 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: the right perspective. I also think they're taking on much 404 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: more responsibility is understanding there. They have a have a 405 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,399 Speaker 1: platform now and using that platform to deal with the 406 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,120 Speaker 1: social issues that we have today that we all understand 407 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 1: and there's a broad range of them. Probably America is 408 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 1: probably more tense and what's stressed now for variety of reasons, 409 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 1: not only the pandemic, but a variety of reasons between 410 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 1: the haves and the have nots, and other changes in 411 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 1: our demographics, etcetera. So you know, we we try to 412 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: listen to our players, and I my attitude has always 413 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: been that, you know, we should treat every player on 414 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,880 Speaker 1: our squad every year like they're a free agent. They're 415 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: not in the contract, they aren't a contract, but we 416 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: don't treat them like they're in the contract. So we 417 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: have to earn their respect, earn earn their desire to 418 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 1: want to stay with us because at some point they 419 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: will become a free agent, and that's a matter, you know, 420 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:35,440 Speaker 1: do they want to go live in another city and 421 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 1: play for somebody else, So they rather play for an 422 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: ownership or a franchise where they're considered to be really important. 423 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: They're not a commodity. They're treated as a person. We 424 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 1: spend time understanding themselves, their families, what their interests star, 425 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: what their values are, what their community connections are, what 426 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: they want to do, and put them in in positions 427 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: where they can have an impact, um you know, on 428 00:20:57,119 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: the community in a variety of ways. But booting the 429 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 1: setting that they are comfortable. Some players are comfortable talking 430 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: in front of school kids, some kids. Some players are 431 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: in front of you know, patients in the hospital, whatever 432 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:09,640 Speaker 1: it may be. We put them in a setting where 433 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: they feel the most comfortable. They can talk from their 434 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,959 Speaker 1: hearts and its unbelievable amount of work that players across 435 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,640 Speaker 1: the NFL do. The one day off a week on Tuesday, 436 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: it's the only day they were off. Incredible number of 437 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: players give up that one day and they prefer to 438 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: be home and be with their families, etcetera, etcetera. They 439 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: give up that one day and do something in the community, 440 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: and it's it's it's it's your pleasure to see it. 441 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: We only have a couple of minutes left. But you know, 442 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 1: I was thinking as I was getting ready for this 443 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:36,880 Speaker 1: about a conversation you and I had when your book 444 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: came out and a couple of years ago. It's a 445 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: great book, very very poured a lot of yourself into it. 446 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: Clearly it's a little bit raw at times in a 447 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: good way, you know, talking about you know, some of 448 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: your experiences in ownership and and elsewhere. One of the 449 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: stories you told was when you first became an owner, 450 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,160 Speaker 1: you had of breakfast with Robert Kraft and he talked 451 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: to you about how different this is going to be 452 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,400 Speaker 1: from being the CEO. You've been a very successful CEO 453 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 1: of a publicly traded company. You ain't seen nothing like. 454 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:08,119 Speaker 1: Now that you own a football team, You're now on 455 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: the other side of those conversations. What do you tell 456 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 1: a new owner, whether it's in the NFL or the 457 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: NBA or the MLS or whatever it is. Well, I 458 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: think you know the council that Robert gave me at 459 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: that time, and he'd been in the league for you know, 460 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: maybe half a dozen years. Then he didn't have seven rings. 461 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: I don't know, and you've got seven rings now something 462 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: like that. You got ring for almost every finger. Um, 463 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: but yeah, very quickly. But in any event, um, you know, 464 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 1: the discussion was, you know, what really said to me 465 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:37,919 Speaker 1: is that, you know, I want you to do two 466 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: things in terms of counsel to me and a commissioner. 467 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 1: Taglet boo then and asked him he was a new 468 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 1: officer at heap, breakfast with this guy, spend time with him. 469 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: He said, Number one, the values that you built, you know, 470 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 1: your great company, the home Depot, apply those same values. 471 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: Don't change any of that. People can tell you the 472 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: NFL's difference in different businesses, that don't. You know, you 473 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:00,080 Speaker 1: can treat associate's difference players different. Everything is theF and 474 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 1: I would tell you that actually that's not so he said, 475 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:05,919 Speaker 1: what is different is the media and is the coverage 476 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,640 Speaker 1: you're gonna get. So I kind of laughed, and I said, well, 477 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: you know, Robert, we're public company since nine one, and 478 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: you know we had to deal with you know, the 479 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 1: company that was moving in this direction, stock was moving 480 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 1: in the direction for all those years. Still is thank 481 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: Kevin's and uh, he said. He winked at me and 482 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,239 Speaker 1: looked at me, winked and smiled, and he said, Uh, 483 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: you don't understand it, but you will. So those you 484 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: have have children sometimes when they're really young and they 485 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: ask you a difficult question and you know you can't 486 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 1: give them like a really good answer, You'll say, just 487 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: wait a couple of years and you'll understand it. So 488 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: I think, looking back, I think, you know, the media connection, 489 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 1: the openness of the sport. Being prepared to deal with 490 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: all of that, I think is very different. But you know, basically, 491 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: the values we talked about in the book. You mentioned 492 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: good company, and uh, those values apply in all of 493 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 1: our businesses, whether we have guest ranches or you know, 494 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,040 Speaker 1: leading golf retail in America today, or soccer team a 495 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: full team. It's really all the same, but starts with 496 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 1: our associates case the NFL's players and other people that 497 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 1: support the players and running the franchise. And then it 498 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: goes obviously to the people with serving, which is our 499 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: fans and our guests and our customers. They are the 500 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 1: people at the very top, and I think if you 501 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: pay the most attention to them and listen to them 502 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 1: and really listen to them, because you're really trying to 503 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 1: get wise. The wisdom is there um and you can 504 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 1: follow that yellow brick road to to you know, very 505 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,359 Speaker 1: high success. It's great to spend some time with you. 506 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:32,399 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. Thank you have fun here in 507 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 1: l A will go Falcon. Thank you good thanks, I 508 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: appreciate it. This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast. 509 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 1: Catch us here each and every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 510 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: where we explore the world of money and sports. I'm 511 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: Scarlet Pool. Catch me on Twitter at scarlet Pool