1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports. 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 2: The business of sports can be intimidating or hard for 3 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 2: a start to break into. 4 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 3: We really appreciate when our owners are actually there, you know, 5 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 3: with us through the journey. 6 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 4: Teams ours especially have been very intentional to diversify at 7 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 4: all levels. 8 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 5: Of the company. 9 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 6: I think we're in the bolden years for the NFL 10 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 6: and college football. 11 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 7: Our demographic reach has continued to explode. 12 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 8: This is going to be really unlocking the streaming platform 13 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 8: for sports fans. 14 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 2: Sports evaluations are rising. We'll see when they peak. 15 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 6: You don't have to be the best in your sport 16 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 6: to make a whole ton of money. 17 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 18 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 2: This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports, where we explore 19 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 2: the big money issues in the world of sports. Michael 20 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 2: Barr along with Damian Sassauer and Vanessa Perdomo. Scarlett fou 21 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 2: is on assignment. Coming up. We are all about racing. Yes, 22 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: the Indianapolis five hundred is this weekend and we'll get 23 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 2: you ready for it with Indy Car and Indianapolis Motor 24 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 2: Speedway President Doug bowl. 25 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 5: So. 26 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 7: Racing over the last a few years has been really 27 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 7: good here at the Speedway. There's a lot of tradition 28 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 7: around the speedway, the number of people that come back 29 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 7: for generations in year over year, and we're beginning to 30 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 7: build stars again in. 31 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,680 Speaker 6: The IndyCar Series like we had several years ago. 32 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,839 Speaker 2: We'll also hear from trailblazing NASCAR driver Catherine leg All 33 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 2: of that and more is on the way on the 34 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: Bloomberg Business of Sports, But first, Amazon is betting big 35 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:31,119 Speaker 2: that sports, with its Prime video streaming platform, will carry 36 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 2: it through its sports lineup. Touts New York Yankees games, 37 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 2: NASCAR boxing, and will add NBA games next season, and 38 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 2: the crown jewel at the moment is the rights to 39 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 2: NFL Thursday Night football games and Amazon. They believe that 40 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 2: this year's slate of games will be its strongest yet. 41 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 2: Joining us now to dive into Amazon's big sports plans 42 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: or Prime Video is Amazon VP and Global ahead of 43 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: Prime Video Sports, Jay Marine, as well as Bloomberg News 44 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 2: media reporter Hannah Miller. 45 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 3: Thank you. I'm happy to be here, Thank you for 46 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 3: having me. 47 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: There's a lot to talk about. Let's I want to start. 48 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:13,679 Speaker 2: First of all, you guys got the Thursday night viewership 49 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 2: and I'm looking at this I got a lot to 50 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 2: say about this NFL schedule, but I'm going to start 51 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 2: with the Thursday night schedule, which is a pretty solid schedule. 52 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 2: You guys are coming out the blocks week two, September eleventh, 53 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 2: Commanders at the Packers. 54 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 3: Absolutely, this schedule is the best Thursday night football schedule 55 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 3: we've ever seen, and it shows you the continued trust 56 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 3: that the NFL has in us. You know, I know 57 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 3: we'll walk through it, but we have ten divisional matchups. 58 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 3: We start in Lambeau, as you said, with the Commanders coming, 59 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 3: huge Black Friday and Christmas games we can talk about, 60 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 3: and then you know, we have that little Detroit game 61 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 3: versus Dallas, so you can decide which team's America's team. 62 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 4: Well, James, let's chang Jay and let this jump right in. 63 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 4: You graduated from Universe Michigan. You grew up in Michigan. 64 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 4: I said, here here next to Michael barn All, here 65 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 4: is Detroit, Michigan. We ate Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers. 66 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 4: JJ McCarthy against his former coach wanted for you, Michigan 67 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 4: Blue Boys. I mean, that's a pretty Did you have 68 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 4: anything to do with that? I'm just I mean, like, 69 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 4: let us know right now, I'd like to take credit 70 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,079 Speaker 4: for that. I'd also like to take credit for the 71 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 4: National Championship. It was glorious. 72 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,239 Speaker 3: I did happen to be at the Rose Bowl in 73 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 3: the National Championship? 74 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 2: Were you there? I wish I was. I wish I 75 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 2: was at that super Bowl. By the way that we see, 76 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: I want to check the pronown here so you all 77 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 2: understand why. Jay obviously also a native detroiter in that area, 78 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: and when we hosted the Super Bowl, I wanted so 79 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 2: much to go. My best friend he got to go 80 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 2: because at the time he worked for Xerox, so he 81 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 2: had to man all the Xerox machines. I see, man, 82 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 2: how to go? Can I carry your luggage? Can I 83 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: do anything for you? Man? Is like, this has got 84 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 2: to be again. You've got in Hannah jump in here. 85 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 2: With this schedule for the NFL is going to be 86 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: very exciting for you guys. 87 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, like I said, we we could not be happier. 88 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 3: You know, when you look at our audience has been 89 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 3: up over almost forty percent from the first year of 90 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 3: Thursday Night Football through to our third year, so continued 91 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 3: growth in the audience. We have an audience that's eight 92 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 3: years younger than an audience that watches NFL games on 93 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 3: Linear and so all of that lines up with what 94 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 3: the NFL is looking for. They want to reach newer fans, 95 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 3: they want to reach younger fans, and this schedule reflects it. 96 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 3: We have the Super Bowl champ Philadelphia Eagles twice on 97 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 3: this schedule. Yeah, we have Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen 98 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 3: twice on this schedule. 99 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 4: And Jay, it's a lot of divisional games, right, I mean, 100 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 4: I've never seen a slate of divisional games like this 101 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 4: coming in actually on a Thursday night. 102 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 3: Before tension matchups, and those are so key because you 103 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 3: know they're always going to matter, and they're going to 104 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 3: matter more because of the impact on the division. So really, 105 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 3: you know, our whole team is a static. You know, 106 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 3: Michaels and Al Michaels is very had. We had a 107 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 3: lot of texts going on yesterday that the team is 108 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 3: very Kirk's coming back just a great and then you 109 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 3: know our halftime crew with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Richard Sherman 110 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 3: Andrew Whitworth, so their fun crew. But I think the 111 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 3: younger audience has really responded to that. We've really tried 112 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 3: to come really get people right off the field who 113 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 3: are fresh faces. You know, we talk about if you 114 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 3: guys ever came to one of our games at a 115 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 3: pre game, we talk about how many of the current 116 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 3: players come up to these guys and it's like non stop. 117 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 3: You know, they come up to Sherm, they come up 118 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 3: to Wit because they just got done battling with these 119 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 3: guys a couple of years ago, right, So they know 120 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 3: the league in and out, and we're having a lot 121 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 3: of fun. We can't wait to get going this year. 122 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 4: Well it's not just the NFL either, right, I mean, 123 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 4: you guys had a pretty big year. 124 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 2: I mean, let's talk. 125 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 4: About the NBA a little bit, right And by the way, 126 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 4: talk about Thursday Night. You guys can own Thursday Night Sporting, 127 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 4: right because you got the double headers on Thursday, you 128 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 4: got the double headers on Friday. We're talking basketball here, 129 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,559 Speaker 4: and I think you have some black Friday sprinkled in there. Also, 130 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 4: not to mention six out of the next eleven NBA finals, 131 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 4: I mean that's some slate, you know, well done there, 132 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 4: I mean exciting stuff. 133 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 3: The NBA is a big deal for us, big deal 134 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 3: for the company, and that's an eleven year deal starts 135 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 3: in the fall. As you said, just an incredible package 136 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 3: of playoff games. We'll have about a third of the 137 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:41,119 Speaker 3: playoff playoffs we'll have every year. We'll have the play 138 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 3: in games, and we'll also have the n Season Tournament. 139 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 3: And we think that N Season Tournament's just going to 140 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 3: continue to grow. And we have a bunch of ideas 141 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 3: there and we've introduced some of our talent there. We're 142 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:58,599 Speaker 3: gonna have Blake Griffin, Dirk Novinsky, Steve Nash, Dwayne Wade, 143 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 3: like Candice Parker so and the chemistry I'm already seeing 144 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 3: with that group is just fantastic. 145 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 4: And I think Dwyane Wade is the best men and mellow. 146 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 4: I love that commercial. 147 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 2: He's the best. And you know why Hannah is here 148 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: because this is number one entertainment, especially for a dude 149 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 2: like me. 150 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 8: And Yeah, well, I was going to ask, like, what 151 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 8: are you planning on doing with the viewing experience on 152 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 8: Prime for people? You know, we saw NBC come out 153 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 8: with all these changes that they're doing, the Peacock for 154 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 8: the NBA. You know, you got graphic overlays, statistics and 155 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 8: mobile game coming out. What are you guys doing? 156 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you're going to see a lot of 157 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 3: innovation from us. We're going to take the exact same 158 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 3: approach we took with Thursday Night Football. So for anyone 159 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 3: has seen some of the AI innovations we brought to 160 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 3: Thursday Night Football in our alternative cast called Prime Vision, 161 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 3: you know, we've created something called defensive Alerts, which essentially 162 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 3: is highlights players that may blitz. But this is happening 163 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 3: real time in the broadcast without latency, So when you 164 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 3: work with Ryan Fitzpatt, it's what a quarterback has to identify. 165 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 3: And so we've rolled out a number of those on 166 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 3: Thursday Night Football. But now pointing to NBA, you're going 167 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 3: to see that similar investment. And I think we have 168 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 3: a pretty unique approach. We have a whole team in Israel, 169 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 3: a data scientist, AI experts, machine learning experts. This is 170 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 3: kind of in our DNA and the special sauce is 171 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 3: really combining those people with people who know the game, 172 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,079 Speaker 3: like a Blake Griffin and a Juwyane Wade, combined with 173 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 3: our production people who know how to storytell. You know, 174 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 3: it's very easy just to throw a lot of data 175 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 3: up on the screen. That's not super helpful. It's got 176 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 3: to be concise. It's got to really advance the education 177 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,199 Speaker 3: of the fan and the storytelling. So you're going to 178 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 3: see exact same approach we took with Thursday Night Football 179 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 3: and stay tuned for the details on that. 180 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 4: Well, Jay, I'd love to stick with that theme of 181 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 4: storytelling because your Amazon original sports documentaries are just unbelievable. 182 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 4: And now we're talking by By, you know, we're talking 183 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 4: Coach Prime. But you know what stories haven't been told yet? 184 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:06,840 Speaker 4: You know, like what's coming up? 185 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,839 Speaker 3: It's a good question. There's a lot more to be told. 186 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 3: And I think you know what's interesting is sports are 187 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 3: the greatest unscripted show on Earth, and there's so much 188 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,079 Speaker 3: drama that happens, and there's so much drama that happens 189 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 3: behind the scenes that you can't really learn about until 190 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 3: some time passes and people are ready to talk about it. 191 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 3: And so when you saw that with Bye Bye Berry, 192 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 3: for example, I want it. 193 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 2: Now you are a native Detroiter. I'm a native Detroiter, 194 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 2: and I want to get to this schedule that we 195 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 2: got for the Detroit Line, Baby Glynn. Now look, we 196 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 2: got the second toughest schedule overall, and I already want 197 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 2: to get into what the road game is all about. 198 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 3: I am incredibly excited, but I'm with you, that is 199 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 3: a tough schedule. It is a brutal, brutal schedule. And 200 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,560 Speaker 3: obviously we've lost a couple of assistant coaches, fantastic coaches. 201 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 3: But I trust Dan Campbell. We're gonna get to the 202 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 3: promised Land sooner or later. 203 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 4: Here, Jay, I just have to ask you, you know, 204 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 4: because you know, when I think of Amazon and what 205 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 4: a beast it is, and you know, I mean in 206 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 4: terms of just the company itself and what it does, 207 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 4: and then I look at, you know, the suite of 208 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 4: not forget about the NBA, forget about the NFL for 209 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 4: a second. I'm talking one Championship, Premiere boxing. I'm Champions 210 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 4: League football in the UK, Cricket New Zealand, cricket in India. Yeah, 211 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 4: copa football, I mean Brazil. I'm just looking at this 212 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 4: slate and I'm like, how do. 213 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: You manage that? 214 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 9: Like? 215 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 2: What your day job must look like? 216 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 4: I mean, and are you traveling to these places and 217 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 4: dealing with the local providers and all. 218 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 2: The I mean, how does that all? 219 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 4: I mean, what's your day job look like? 220 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 5: Here? 221 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 3: I have a very fun job, first of all. And 222 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 3: my wife often says, they are going to pay you, right, 223 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 3: I think so. 224 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 2: I think so. 225 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 3: Listen, this is a childhood dream. I grew up sports. 226 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:02,959 Speaker 3: I love sports. No one's probably played or watch more 227 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 3: than I have, and so I love it. And yes, 228 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 3: we are really all over the world. In fact, it's 229 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 3: interesting we started our entry into sports in the UK. 230 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 3: I was over there at the time actually, and we 231 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 3: started that with our entry into the Premier League and 232 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 3: that was around twenty seventeen, and really it was the 233 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,319 Speaker 3: first major league that ever put any games on streaming 234 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 3: exclusively in the home country, and. 235 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 4: That was only eight years ago. 236 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, exactly. 237 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 3: And you know, we've learned a lot over that time 238 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 3: and we've built up the credibility. And now, as you said, 239 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 3: we have Champions League in the UK, Germany, Italy, Wimbledon 240 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 3: and Germany. I mean this is Grimbledon in Germany. We 241 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 3: have the French Open in France, we have soccer in 242 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 3: lat Ham and so oh, and we also have hockey 243 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 3: in Canada. So what you're really seeing is we are 244 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 3: focused on having the biggest Tier one sports in every country, 245 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 3: you know, and so it's less about having worldwide rights 246 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,319 Speaker 3: necessarily because fans live in one country per se and 247 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 3: there's only a few sports that really are worldwide. Now 248 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 3: NBA is one of them. They've done a fantastic job 249 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 3: and that deal is a worldwide deal for us that 250 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 3: we're incredibly excited about. But all of that innovation and 251 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,839 Speaker 3: all that time spent is really why we've been able 252 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 3: to have such a quality streaming experience, such picture quality, 253 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:31,079 Speaker 3: because we've been at this for a long time, and 254 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 3: what we did in Europe was part of the reason 255 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 3: that gave the NFL confidence that we could do that here. 256 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:42,559 Speaker 2: Aber thanks to Amazon Prime Videos head of Sports and Advertising, 257 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 2: Jay Marine for joining us, as well as our own 258 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 2: Hannah Miller. Up next, we'll talk to a NASCAR trailblazer, 259 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 2: Catherine leg For Damian Sasawa and Vanessa Bernomo. I'm Michael bar. 260 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 2: You're listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg 261 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 2: Radio around the world. 262 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 263 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 2: This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports where we explore 264 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 2: the big money issues in the world of sports. I'm 265 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 2: Michael Barr, along with Damian Sasauer and Vanessa Perdomo. We're 266 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,680 Speaker 2: all in on racing the rest of the way as 267 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 2: we get ready for the ND five hundred this weekend, 268 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:25,439 Speaker 2: plus a slate of big NASCAR races, including the Coca 269 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 2: Cola six hundred. Trailblazing NASCAR racer Catherine Legg will be 270 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 2: competing in that race, and earlier this week, our own 271 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,199 Speaker 2: Vanessa Perdomo got a chance to sit down with her. 272 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,000 Speaker 2: Let's take a listen to their conversation. 273 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 5: You're the first woman to compete in the NASCAR Cup 274 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 5: Series in since twenty eighteen, right, And I mean it's surprising. 275 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 5: It's not surprising, right, but given you know how female 276 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 5: athletes have been treated over the last few years, right, 277 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 5: but seven years? You know, tell me about your journey 278 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 5: because you've you've been professional for a very long time. 279 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 5: This isn't new, right, But tell me about your journey 280 00:13:58,440 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 5: to get here. 281 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:00,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, long time. 282 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 9: You're aging me now. But I have literally driven everything 283 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 9: in my career, like I have one of the most 284 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 9: diverse careers in racing. I've driven open wheel and electric 285 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 9: cars and sports cars, and I did a handful of 286 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 9: NASCAR races back in twenty eighteen, and I loved it, 287 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 9: and I wanted to do more of it, but it's 288 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 9: it's almost a different sport. It's not, but it's a 289 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 9: different paddock, it's different people, and I just didn't know 290 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 9: how to like break into it per se. So a 291 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 9: long come ELF and with the most wonderful partnership where 292 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 9: they're truly empowering women right like they say it. A 293 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 9: lot of people say it these days and it's just 294 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 9: a buzzword, but they actually stand behind it and they 295 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 9: mean it. And we were going to do The Night 296 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 9: five hundred this year and we didn't get cars, so 297 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 9: we like were pivoting to NASCAR, and we went all 298 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 9: in on NASCAR. And so I feel incredibly fortunate that 299 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 9: I have such a powerhouse company standing alongside me, you know, 300 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 9: breaking down these barriers. And it is surprising that it's 301 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 9: been so years. But it's also you know, it's a 302 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 9: really tough business to be in. Whether you're man, woman, black, white, 303 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 9: no matter what it is, it's it's really tough. So 304 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 9: hopefully hopefully there'll be more following in my footsteps. 305 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 5: Yeah absolutely, And yeah I want to get into that, 306 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 5: you know, the partnership with ELF a little bit more. 307 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 5: And because they were your partners, also went in IndyCar before, right, 308 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 5: and I listened to you on your podcast you had 309 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 5: talked about it and said, you know, the event last 310 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 5: year that you did with them was one of the 311 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 5: most rewarding of your career. Can you elaborate a little 312 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 5: bit on that and on the partnership there? 313 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 9: It really was. It was special and I had no idea. Okay, 314 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 9: so going into Indie last year, it was the second 315 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 9: year that I'd partnered with them, but they wanted to 316 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 9: go do it in a big, splashy cool way and 317 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 9: really make a difference because, like I said, they really 318 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 9: do stand behind the company ethos, and so they're out 319 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 9: there empowering all these women and some men by making 320 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 9: them look and feel better. Right, And then they they say, Okay, 321 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 9: we want to do activations. We want a pink car, 322 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 9: we want X, Y and Z. And I'm thinking, oh goodness, 323 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 9: pink car. That's so cliche, Like, ah, there girls driving 324 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 9: the pink car. It was the coolest thing that ever happened. 325 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 9: Because what I've been trying to do for like twenty 326 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 9: years of professional driving is rallied the women and have 327 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 9: this girl power movement. And I've tried supporting other young 328 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 9: and upcoming female drivers. And I do do that because 329 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 9: I feel like without men and women, I wouldn't be 330 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 9: where I am today. So I think it's important to 331 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 9: realize that it takes both. And so we went into 332 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 9: Indy and they had this big activation where they saluted 333 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 9: the women that had come before me, you know, Janet Guthrie, 334 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 9: Lindsa and James Danica and really kind of like paid 335 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 9: homage to them and to me at the same time, 336 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 9: and got behind all the women at the racetrack and 337 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 9: for the first time ever, the women found were seen 338 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 9: right because there've been a lot of sponsors on a 339 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:07,640 Speaker 9: lot of race cars, but there they were the first 340 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 9: beauty brand, yes, and everybody can relate to Elf right, 341 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:18,719 Speaker 9: So there was this massive, like I don't know, all 342 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 9: the women got along, there was no competition between them, 343 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 9: like team Elf, team Catherine, Let's get behind the pink car. 344 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,400 Speaker 9: And it was just this really cool thing that happened 345 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 9: that I'm really hopeful what happened on the NASCAR side 346 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 9: this year because we're doing the same thing at Charlotte 347 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 9: and they've got a big activation. It's going to be 348 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 9: slightly different. It's going to be really cool. It's centered 349 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 9: around their Jumbo power Grip primer, so it's like a 350 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 9: teal car instead of a pink car. 351 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 3: It's beautiful. 352 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 9: And I'm hoping that the same thing happens with that 353 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 9: fan base as well, that you know, they all get 354 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:52,719 Speaker 9: just as excited as Indy Codd. 355 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 5: Yeah. I love that what you were saying there, and 356 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 5: you when you first started talking about oh, no, pink 357 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 5: car and the woman's driving the pink car. But that's 358 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 5: I feel like what was happening for a while in 359 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 5: women's sports was beauty brands weren't getting involved, and maybe 360 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 5: even the people running the teams weren't asking them to 361 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 5: get involved because they were like, oh, just because we're women, 362 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 5: doesn't mean we should have beauty brands. But the reality 363 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,719 Speaker 5: is you can have both the traditional you know, sponsors, 364 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 5: the beer sponsors, the airlines and all that, but still 365 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 5: have the beauty brands because you're speaking directly to your fans, 366 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 5: to your consumers, right. 367 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. 368 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 9: And I think there's this this I don't know, misconception, 369 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 9: let's say, in women's sports, that you shouldn't be seen 370 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 9: as women, you shouldn't be seen as feminine. And I 371 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 9: was super guilty of it for the first fifteen years 372 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 9: of my career or whatever it was that I just 373 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:42,280 Speaker 9: wanted to be seen as a race cut driver. I 374 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 9: didn't wear makeup. I didn't want to be I didn't 375 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 9: want to play on the fact that I'm female, and 376 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 9: I still don't want to play on that fact. But 377 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:52,640 Speaker 9: I do think that I can be authentically who I am, 378 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 9: which is I want to be feminine, right, Like who 379 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 9: doesn't want to be seen as attractive or feminine? Are? 380 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 9: You know, if that's what you want, then go for it. 381 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 9: But I think there was this thing where you should 382 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 9: just be seen as another robot or driver or in 383 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 9: case of soccer, like I don't know, it's like it's 384 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 9: a sport, we shouldn't be too girly and that's rubbish. 385 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, absolutely, and I love the way that it's changed too. 386 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 5: But it's like you said, it's authentic. Some some female 387 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 5: athletes don't wear makeup, but some like to completely do 388 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 5: a whole face. You can go out there on the 389 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 5: field and you can be amazing athlete and still be 390 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 5: super girly, super whatever you want to be. 391 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 9: But you know, no, I totally get it, and I 392 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 9: think you should be able to do, you know, wear 393 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 9: whatever you want to wear and feel however you feel. 394 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 5: And I think that speaks to what has really unlocked. 395 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 5: Would you say for women's sports and the growth in 396 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 5: the last few years, it's finally speaking to women's sports 397 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 5: fans as a separate entity almost and they consume in 398 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 5: a different way or how would you think about that? 399 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 9: I think it's segregated. So I think if you look 400 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 9: at it, let's say, the last decad has changed, but 401 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 9: before that, it was just sports, right. There wasn't women's sports, 402 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,159 Speaker 9: male sports, But the women were not watching women's sports. 403 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,439 Speaker 9: The women were watching If they watched any sports, they 404 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 9: were watching male sports. And I think now they realized 405 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 9: that there are women's sports, like women's soccer. I had 406 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 9: no idea how huge it was over here until I 407 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 9: came over here and experienced it. And you have the 408 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 9: best team in the world, right, So I think that 409 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 9: you have to get the women rallying around that and 410 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 9: supporting it like the men's support the men's soccer. And 411 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 9: there's absolutely no reason and I think you're seeing it 412 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 9: a lot more now why there isn't crossover. You know, 413 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 9: women watch men's sports or sports, and men can watch 414 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:48,360 Speaker 9: women's sports and so I think that it's much more acceptable. 415 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 9: You know, there was a I don't know, a misconception. Again, 416 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 9: the women's sports was not as good as men's sports 417 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 9: because they weren't going far, shooting as much, or whatever 418 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 9: it may be. But now you've got like Kaitlin Clark 419 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 9: with WNBA and like she's yeah, change the game, and 420 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 9: you get these people women's tennis, you have like Selena 421 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 9: change the game. And so I think that men aren't 422 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 9: just watching it now to be like, oh, so I 423 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 9: think it's really cool. 424 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 5: Yeah, that's awesome. And as we talk about that, and 425 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 5: we were talking about the growth of women's sports as 426 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 5: a whole, one of the things I do hear though 427 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 5: from a lot of people is how come there aren't 428 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 5: more you know, women drivers in Formula one and NASCAR 429 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 5: and things like that, as they are now watching the 430 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 5: WNBA and things like that. So when you look at that, 431 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 5: do you think that racing has has more to do 432 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 5: to catch up? Like, how do you think there can 433 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:48,439 Speaker 5: be more women in racing? So it's not you know, 434 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 5: seven years until the next person. 435 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 9: I think racing is different, and I think racing is 436 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 9: unique because there is absolutely no reason why we can't 437 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 9: compete with the guys. It's not an outright strength or 438 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 9: fitness thing, Like I am not going to bench what 439 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,880 Speaker 9: some guy can bench if we're both training the same 440 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 9: it's just physically an impossibility. But can I do the 441 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 9: same thing three hundred times, three thousand times and do 442 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 9: the repetitive thing and take the g forces and everything 443 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 9: else that racing takes. Absolutely I can, And there's absolutely 444 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 9: no reason why we should be segregated. And what's really 445 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 9: interesting about racing is as soon as they did segregate 446 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 9: the women, there haven't been any women turn pro. So 447 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,719 Speaker 9: if you look back to when I turned pro, there 448 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 9: was there was like a handful of us at the time. 449 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 9: There was Danica, there was Me, there was Simona, there 450 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 9: was Beer, there was there was like six or seven 451 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,640 Speaker 9: of us. And since then they've kind of either retired 452 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 9: or like Beer, went and had babies. Like they put 453 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 9: the women in an old female series called The F 454 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 9: one Academy. It was a w series transition to the 455 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 9: F one Academy. And because they're not competing against the 456 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 9: best of the best, they're competing against each other, they're 457 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 9: not getting as good as they could be if they 458 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 9: were out there in the real world, racing against the guys. 459 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 9: So I think that segregating us in that situation has 460 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 9: made for this big gap that they're not going out 461 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 9: and they're not turning pro. There are no women in 462 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:21,120 Speaker 9: IndyCar right, There are no women in the Exfinity Series 463 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 9: or the Cup series. There are maybe two, maybe two 464 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 9: gold rated women in sports cars, So why what happened? 465 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,239 Speaker 9: And all I can think of is by putting them 466 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 9: all together, they're not racing against the best of the best. 467 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 9: If you're playing against the best, it makes you better. Right, 468 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 9: if you're anything in life, if you're competing against the best, 469 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:47,880 Speaker 9: it makes you better. So I think that they've done 470 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 9: them a massive disservice. Well, I think it's great that 471 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:52,679 Speaker 9: it's opened the doors and it's highlighted women in sports 472 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 9: and women in racing. I think that it should be 473 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,200 Speaker 9: like a year entry level max, and then they should 474 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 9: be supported against the guys to be able to be 475 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 9: the best. Right. 476 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:03,719 Speaker 5: So I had spoken to one of the F one 477 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 5: Academy drivers who now has gone on too in next 478 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 5: series and talked about you know, she told me about 479 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 5: one of her struggles was getting sponsors to get her 480 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 5: time in the car, and I think that's something not 481 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 5: a lot of people understand. Can you elaborate a little 482 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 5: bit on that and how it's so important as a 483 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 5: driver you have to get your own sponsors to get 484 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 5: time in the car, and it really is one of 485 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,119 Speaker 5: the struggles to make it so high. 486 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 9: It is, And I think that's another reason why women 487 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:33,679 Speaker 9: have struggled in the past. You know, we haven't had 488 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 9: beauty brands like Elf come on board. And it's tough 489 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 9: because you have to look at it like a business, 490 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 9: Like it's not just about driving the car. You have 491 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 9: to find partners and sponsors to folly, you have to 492 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:48,639 Speaker 9: do pr and you have to do like all the 493 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 9: things that's around it which make it incredibly difficult. The 494 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 9: guys have to do it too, right, right, Like, let's 495 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 9: be real, it's hard for everybody unless you come from 496 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 9: an uber wealthy family. Dad can spend six million a 497 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 9: year on an indy car ride. I know, I don't know. 498 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 9: I don't know many people who who that happens to you, 499 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 9: to be honest, but I think it has been a 500 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 9: bit harder. Well, it's gone for you, and it's gone 501 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,239 Speaker 9: against you being female and racing because it's gone for 502 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 9: you and that you get a lot more eyeballs because 503 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 9: you get a lot more attention because you're an anomaly 504 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:23,199 Speaker 9: and it used to be like a gimmick, which I 505 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 9: hated and wanted it to be more mainstream. So in 506 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 9: a way that helps because sponsors that come on board 507 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 9: get way more bang for their butt because they get 508 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 9: a lot more eyeballs. And that's at the end of 509 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 9: the day, what you want the b to be, the attention, et. 510 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 3: Cetera, et cetera. 511 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 2: That's NASCAR driver Catherine leg speaking with Vanessa Berdomo. Up 512 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:43,919 Speaker 2: next week stick with fast Cars and talk with the 513 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:48,400 Speaker 2: president of Indy Car and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Doug Bowles. 514 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 2: I'm Michael Barr, and you are listening to the Bloomberg 515 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,679 Speaker 2: Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world. 516 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 517 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us on the Bloomberg Business of Sports, 518 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,639 Speaker 2: where we explore the big money issues in the world 519 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 2: of sports. Michael Barr along with Damian Sasaur and Vanessa Perdomo. 520 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 2: The greatest spectacle in racing is this weekend and it's 521 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 2: looking to have a huge audience. The Indianapolis five hundred 522 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 2: will hit Indianapolis Motor Speedway with its grandstands sold out 523 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 2: for the first time in nearly a decade. Plus, a 524 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 2: local TV blackout that had been in place since nineteen 525 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 2: fifty one was lifted, which will boost the TV numbers. 526 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 2: Here to take us through all of the prep for 527 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:44,719 Speaker 2: the race and more is IndyCar and Indianapolis Motors Speedway 528 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 2: President Doug Bowls. Doug, welcome to the Bloomberg Business of Sports. 529 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 6: Well, thanks for having me. 530 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 7: This is the best time of the year for me 531 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 7: as we get ready for the weekend and the running 532 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 7: of the Indianapolis five hundred. So I love your energy 533 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 7: level kicking off because that's exactly how I feel today 534 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 7: is I'm just ready to get going. 535 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 2: Let me explain for first of all, anybody that's going 536 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 2: to call me, I don't call me because I've got 537 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 2: First of all, I'm starting off with the Grand Prix 538 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:16,159 Speaker 2: of Monaco, and then of course the greatest spectacle in racing, 539 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 2: the Indianapolis five hundred, and then we're going to finish 540 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 2: it off with the Coca Cola six hundred NASCAR. Doug, 541 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:29,159 Speaker 2: What an exciting time for racing, especially at the brickyard. 542 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 7: Yeah, you know, you captured it. It is an amazing 543 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:34,679 Speaker 7: day for racing. You can literally get up in the 544 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:38,640 Speaker 7: morning watching F one race and tune into an IndyCar race, 545 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 7: watching the Indianapolis five hundred, take a break for a 546 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 7: few minutes, and go right back into the Charlotte event, 547 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 7: the six hundred down Charlotte Motor Speedway. 548 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 6: So yeah, it's a fun. 549 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,439 Speaker 7: Weekend of racing, and it really is sort of that 550 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 7: last weekend as we all roll into summer and just 551 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:54,680 Speaker 7: sort of that attitude we all have when you get 552 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 7: out of winter and spring. 553 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 6: Especially in the Midwest and summers around the corner. 554 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 7: But excited about the one hundred and ninth running of 555 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:03,240 Speaker 7: the eighty five hundred, of all those events we just 556 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 7: talked about. You know, we've been around a lot longer 557 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:08,239 Speaker 7: than most and it's pretty amazing just to see this 558 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 7: place fill up with three hundred and fifty thousand people 559 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 7: on race day and just the way we all celebrate 560 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:14,880 Speaker 7: summer around the corner. 561 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 6: Certainly the race. 562 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 4: Isself, Doug, I hate to go there, but it has 563 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 4: been a busy week for you. Senior leadership team Penske 564 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,199 Speaker 4: cheating scandal. Talk to us a little bit about what 565 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:26,639 Speaker 4: happened there. I mean Joseph Newgarden trying to become the 566 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 4: first driver to win three straight Indy five hundreds. Now 567 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 4: he's a plus one thousand in the back row. Talk 568 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 4: to us a little bit about what happened this week, 569 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 4: what the implications are ahead of this weekend. 570 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 7: Yeah, you know, on our last qualifying to get into 571 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 7: the fast twelve. So the fastest twelve cars in qualifying 572 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 7: on last Saturday get a chance on Sunday to compete 573 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 7: for positions one through twelve. And in the technical inspection 574 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 7: line where the car went through technical inspection, the Joseph 575 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 7: Newgarden car and the Little Power Car, both Team Penske 576 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 7: cars unfortunately failed the inspection. And it was a part 577 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 7: in the back of the car. That is a part 578 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 7: that you are not allowed to modify in any way. 579 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 7: You have to use it as supplied and the team 580 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 7: had made some modifications to it. And there's an argument 581 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 7: over why the piece was modified. The team says it 582 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 7: was modified for looks, make it look better and that's 583 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 7: you know, Team Pinsky's cars to look better than others. 584 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 7: But others said, hey, that is maybe a performance advantage 585 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 7: there and so the rule said you have to start 586 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 7: at the back of your qualifying group, which is would 587 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 7: have put them at eleventh and twelfth. And as we 588 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 7: really sat down and thought about it, this is the 589 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 7: biggest race in the world, and just making sure integrity 590 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 7: there is paramount, and it was on such a grand 591 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,240 Speaker 7: stage and there was some question about it, we decided 592 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 7: to move those cars to the back of the grid, 593 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 7: so they will start thirty second and thirty third. So yeah, 594 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 7: it's been a challenging week really talking talking through that, 595 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 7: and it's taken a little bit of the focus away 596 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 7: from the excitement of three hundred and fifty thousand people 597 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 7: and spent a lot of time talking about. 598 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 2: Rules for the audience. The part that's being talked about 599 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:06,959 Speaker 2: is called the attenuator and what it does is that 600 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 2: and you're right, you cannot alter that. But what it 601 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 2: does is if a driver hits with the rear of 602 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 2: the car into the wall, it's supposed to help cushion 603 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 2: to blow. But then that's when it all ran in 604 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 2: the problems when. 605 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 5: That's it, right, And I mean, obviously the main thing 606 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 5: everyone is concerned about the safety, right Doug of course, 607 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 5: and in the week of something like this when you 608 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 5: have Penske who owns the team and they own the 609 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 5: Indianapolis Winter Speedway, an Indy car. Is this where you 610 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 5: look at it and say, hey, maybe we do need 611 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 5: things to run independently, and because outside forces may look 612 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:49,400 Speaker 5: in say there are some sort of you know, favoritism 613 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,640 Speaker 5: potentially or to get away from the idea of favoritism. 614 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 6: Yeah, I think the latter is really where it is. 615 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 6: It's an optics issue for sure. 616 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:02,640 Speaker 7: When you have officiating that is, you know, Roger didn't 617 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 7: have anything to do. Roger Pinsky didn't have anything to 618 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:06,719 Speaker 7: do with the decision we made or wasn't involved at 619 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 7: all in the conversation and the teching side of things. 620 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,240 Speaker 7: But if you're a competitor in the series and Roger 621 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:14,440 Speaker 7: Pinsky owns a car in the series and he owns 622 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 7: the series and the racetrack, at least for the Indianapolis 623 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:20,720 Speaker 7: five hundred, there is an optics issue and that is 624 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 7: a challenge. We've had a couple of these with Team Penske. 625 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 7: We have problems with other teams too. They're not the 626 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:31,240 Speaker 7: only one, but it is a challenge when the company 627 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 7: and the person that owns the series is also being penalized, 628 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 7: and I think for me, in the penalty that they received, 629 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 7: it's maybe I need to go back. I've only been 630 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,479 Speaker 7: in the job on the Indy Car side for ninety days, 631 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 7: but it's maybe one of the most severe, if not 632 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 7: the most severe penalty that has been given to a 633 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 7: team for an infraction, moving them to the back of 634 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 7: the field, find each of each of the team's one 635 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 7: hundred thousand dollars, suspended two of their key personnel, and 636 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,719 Speaker 7: then took away their qualifying points. Hopefully people see that 637 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 7: in those decisions there that we were not taking it 638 00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 7: easy on Team Penske. Unfortunately for them, they have to 639 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 7: live up to a higher standard at some level because 640 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 7: they have to make sure there's. 641 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 6: No appearance of optics. 642 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 7: So we've talked about do we outsource the officiating, so 643 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 7: race control and tech inspection to a completely solely independent 644 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 7: organization that has nothing to do with Roger Pinsky, Penske 645 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 7: Entertainment or the series. 646 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 4: Well, Doug, let's talk about some good news here. This 647 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 4: is the first ever Indy five hundred with your new 648 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 4: broadcast partner, Fox Sports. You've got a sold out crowd 649 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 4: of nearly three hundred and fifty thousand people. I think 650 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:37,880 Speaker 4: you sold out the grand stands for the first time 651 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 4: in nearly a decade. So you know, what's driving me interest? 652 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 4: I mean, talk to us a little bit about, you know, 653 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 4: this weekend, what the fan engagement's going to look like, 654 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 4: what comes next. 655 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 6: Well, certainly, I think the Fox relationship. You know, this 656 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 6: is the first year with Fox. 657 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:51,920 Speaker 7: We were with ABC forever and then we had a 658 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 7: nice run with NBC and we just switched to Fox 659 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 7: beginning in twenty twenty five. And the promotion that they've 660 00:32:57,040 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 7: put into the relationship has been outstanding in terms of 661 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:02,320 Speaker 7: the way they use you know, we have ads in 662 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 7: the Super Bowl. There's all kinds of promotions even across 663 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 7: their NASCAR platform, which has been really helpful. So I 664 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 7: think that's driven some of it, but I think a 665 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 7: lot of it has been just the racing over the 666 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:13,680 Speaker 7: last a few years has been really good here at 667 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 7: the Speedway. There's a lot of tradition around the Speedway, 668 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:18,480 Speaker 7: the number of people that come back for generations in 669 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 7: year over year, and we're beginning to build stars again 670 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:24,000 Speaker 7: in the IndyCar Series like we had several years ago, 671 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 7: and I think that's helpful. So people like Joseph Nugarten, 672 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 7: who will start from the back, will be entertaining to 673 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 7: watch as he comes forward. Pado Award has turned into 674 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 7: this just phenomenal superstar, popular race car driver in our series. 675 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 6: So I think all of those. 676 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 7: Components together are really what make it so successful and 677 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 7: gave us an opportunity to sell out the two hundred 678 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 7: and thirty two thousand seats we have in our grand stands. 679 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 2: And you got to keep your eye on Kyle Larson 680 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 2: because he is going to do the double. He's going 681 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:52,479 Speaker 2: to do the Indianapolis five hundred, and then he's going 682 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,160 Speaker 2: to try to get to the Well. I like to 683 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 2: call it the World six hundred because I'm old, but 684 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:01,440 Speaker 2: he is someone to watch. He's going to try to 685 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:01,719 Speaker 2: do it. 686 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 7: Yeah, you know, he did it last year and the 687 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 7: rain kept him from actually being able to get in 688 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 7: a car once he got to Charlotte. He had a 689 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:10,399 Speaker 7: really good run here in the five hundred. Last year 690 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:12,759 Speaker 7: he had a pit violation, speeding violation that hurt him 691 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:14,319 Speaker 7: a little bit, so he didn't finish as high up 692 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 7: as I think he might have. He's just been really 693 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 7: he's been really consistent this year. He's had a couple 694 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,799 Speaker 7: of incidents, which in a lot of ways people say 695 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 7: is probably helpful because he knows where the edge of 696 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 7: the car is, which will make him smarter on race day. 697 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:28,319 Speaker 7: Last year he was able to skate through and not 698 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 7: have one of those instance instances. Kurt Busch, Indy car 699 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:33,520 Speaker 7: driver or sorry, NASCAR driver that ran the Indy five 700 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:35,759 Speaker 7: hundred few years ago, had a crash on the last 701 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 7: practice before the Indy five hundred. He will tell you 702 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:39,960 Speaker 7: that that was maybe the best thing to happen to him, 703 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 7: to know where the edge of the car was, and 704 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 7: he came and ran in the top ten all day 705 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:46,320 Speaker 7: in that race. So I think Kyle Larson's still definitely 706 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 7: going to be a factor. And what a story that 707 00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 7: would be if he could eve been finish in the 708 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 7: top three or four here at the Speedway and then 709 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:54,040 Speaker 7: head on over to Charlotte and have a great finish 710 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 7: over there. 711 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 5: Doug, when we're talking about, you know, other great stories 712 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 5: happening for the five hundred, we had to talk about 713 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:04,040 Speaker 5: the rookie who won pole position this year. I was actually, 714 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 5: you know, I've been following along with Premo because I did. 715 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:08,360 Speaker 5: I came to the first race of the season in 716 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:11,320 Speaker 5: Saint Petersburg and I did a story on Prema. They've 717 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:15,160 Speaker 5: joined IndyCar for the first time this year. Robert Schwartzman rookie, 718 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:19,839 Speaker 5: won pole position on his first ever oval track. I mean, 719 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:21,839 Speaker 5: that's that's unbelievable. I mean, tell me about that, tell 720 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 5: us about that story and how quickly Prema has been 721 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 5: able to really adapt. 722 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:28,439 Speaker 6: How many Yeah, for sure. 723 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 7: Prema is an Italian based team that decided to join 724 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:34,040 Speaker 7: the Indy Car Series this year, which is a pretty 725 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:36,279 Speaker 7: tall task. You're you're competing against teams that have been 726 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:39,759 Speaker 7: doing this for years, some of them for decades, and 727 00:35:39,800 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 7: they know the cars in and out, they know the 728 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:46,200 Speaker 7: tracks in and out. You're stepping into shark infested waters 729 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:48,960 Speaker 7: and they have been. They struggled it, to be honest 730 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 7: with you, for most of the season, trying to get 731 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 7: their feet under them really understand it. And going into 732 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:58,719 Speaker 7: qualifying weekend, I think they would have been maybe one 733 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 7: of the teams, two or three teams that we would 734 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:04,040 Speaker 7: have thought might be at risk of not even making 735 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 7: the race. 736 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 6: Because we weren't sure they could be fast up. 737 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:08,840 Speaker 7: And then when Robert had such a great qualifying effort 738 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:12,440 Speaker 7: on Saturday that allowed him to compete Sunday in the 739 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 7: top twelve. I think everybody came out of at though. 740 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 7: That's very cool, but he's probably going to end up 741 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:18,960 Speaker 7: in eleventh or twelve. And then for Robert Schwartzman and 742 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 7: that team to sit on the pole to be the 743 00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:24,360 Speaker 7: fastest of qualifying on Sunday is such a great story. 744 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,319 Speaker 7: And Robert is he just celebrated in a way that 745 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,160 Speaker 7: I think was our fans really appreciate. 746 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:30,000 Speaker 6: We're looking forward to that. 747 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 4: Talk to us a little bit, Doug about you know 748 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:34,839 Speaker 4: what comes next. How are you you know, you know, 749 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 4: approaching your fan base, trying to grow it, trying to 750 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 4: grow the sport. 751 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:41,480 Speaker 7: Yeah, you know, it's really important that we focus on 752 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:44,400 Speaker 7: the platform that our new TV partner gives us with 753 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 7: Fox and really trying to extend the reach of the 754 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 7: IndyCar brand. And I think we've got a great opportunity 755 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,279 Speaker 7: to do that with with Fox. The other thing I'm 756 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:56,160 Speaker 7: really focused on is the Indianapolis five hundred. Obviously the large, 757 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:58,319 Speaker 7: huge event. We need to figure out a way to 758 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 7: make sure that our other events are the races become events. 759 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 7: So working with promoters to continue to elevate those Vanessa 760 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:07,719 Speaker 7: talked about. Saint Petersburgh's a great way to kick the 761 00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:10,280 Speaker 7: season off. It feels like an event. Long Beach feels 762 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 7: like an event. But we need all seventeen of our 763 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:13,879 Speaker 7: races that feel like events. So that's going to take 764 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:16,440 Speaker 7: a lot of work in those individual markets, so supporting 765 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:18,359 Speaker 7: our promoters as they go for it. And then, as 766 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:21,320 Speaker 7: you noted, we have to get younger. We're all trying 767 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 7: to get younger. We've gotten younger a little bit over 768 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:25,720 Speaker 7: the last ten years, but we have to get substantially younger. 769 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,359 Speaker 7: So things like our edm concert we do here at 770 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:30,560 Speaker 7: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are connecting to some of those 771 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 7: young personalities. 772 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:33,760 Speaker 6: Finding ways to really reach. 773 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 7: Out to that next generation a potential fan that is 774 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 7: a priority for us. So we've really continuing to work 775 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:41,359 Speaker 7: on how do we make that happen. And then from 776 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:44,320 Speaker 7: a commercial standpoint, working with our teams, bringing in the 777 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 7: right partners, and when those partners come in as sponsors 778 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:48,400 Speaker 7: on teams, we've got to get them to activate. We 779 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:52,680 Speaker 7: need to see brands that people know in retail outlets, 780 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:55,440 Speaker 7: so whether it's you know, picking a Pepsi up out 781 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:58,040 Speaker 7: of the convenience store, or whether and ready global brings 782 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:00,479 Speaker 7: in somebody like Chili's. How are we working with those 783 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:04,239 Speaker 7: partners to build our brand. So it's a combination of things. 784 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:06,400 Speaker 7: There's no silver bullet to continue to grow the sport, 785 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 7: but working on all of those as we go forward. 786 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:11,680 Speaker 2: A well, thanks to Doug Bowles joining us. He is 787 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:16,160 Speaker 2: the president of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway and thank 788 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 2: you for joining us. For my colleagues Damian Sasauer and 789 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:22,239 Speaker 2: Vanessa Perdomo, I'm Michael Barr. Tune in again next week 790 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:24,520 Speaker 2: for the latest on the stories moving big old money 791 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:26,880 Speaker 2: in the world of sports, and if you missed anything, 792 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 2: catch it on demand now with the Bloomberg Business of 793 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:34,520 Speaker 2: Sports podcast on all your favorite podcast platforms. You're listening 794 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:38,280 Speaker 2: to the Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around 795 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:38,880 Speaker 2: the world.