1
00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,760
Speaker 1: This is the business of sports. Should Major League Baseball

2
00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,840
Speaker 1: shorten up the season? How do we present football to

3
00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:08,920
Speaker 1: the audience of the future. I don't think that most

4
00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:12,040
Speaker 1: players understand the power that they have. Michael. The future

5
00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,920
Speaker 1: of IndyCar racing is looking bright. Scott Sashnik very basic

6
00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,959
Speaker 1: math here, more bidders means more money. Evan Nobody Williams,

7
00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,079
Speaker 1: the team value has essentially quadruples. And the leaders in

8
00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,480
Speaker 1: the sports industry time to bringing our guest al Stinbrunner,

9
00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,320
Speaker 1: National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Betman, Atlanta Braves president Derek Schiller,

10
00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:34,919
Speaker 1: Patriots President Jonathan Kraft. Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Hello,

11
00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,000
Speaker 1: I'm Michael barn I'm Evan Noby Williams, and I'm Scottshnik.

12
00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,280
Speaker 1: Every week at this time plus Monday's, Wednesdays and Thursdays,

13
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,720
Speaker 1: we explore the big money issues in the world of sports.

14
00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,360
Speaker 1: On this week's show, we have part owner of the

15
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:53,319
Speaker 1: Milwaukee Bucks, West Eaton's who just beat the living daylights?

16
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:58,560
Speaker 1: Oh sweet four games? Poof tough for you because it's great, guest,

17
00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,480
Speaker 1: it's so accomplished. Obviously co founded Fortress Investment, so we

18
00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,800
Speaker 1: bought the Milwaukee Bucks with Mark Laste Jamie din In,

19
00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,200
Speaker 1: turning out to be a good investment. Now, let's get

20
00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:10,520
Speaker 1: into our topics for the week. Let's start with Kansas

21
00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,679
Speaker 1: and a deal with Adidas or Audie Das, depending on

22
00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,920
Speaker 1: which side of the river that you are on. What

23
00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,399
Speaker 1: river is that the tham I thought it was I

24
00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:26,399
Speaker 1: would stick? Yeah, just I mean, isn't Adidas sort of

25
00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:32,000
Speaker 1: involved in this college sports problem have been? Yeah? Pretty

26
00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,160
Speaker 1: funny timing here. Kansas has been with Adidas for a

27
00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,280
Speaker 1: number of years now, arguably alongside Louisville, you know, the

28
00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:41,320
Speaker 1: most important school in the Adidas uh stable. They just

29
00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,840
Speaker 1: signed a fourteen year extension a hundred and ninety six

30
00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,400
Speaker 1: million dollars, right, so that comes out to about fourteen

31
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,680
Speaker 1: million dollars a year coming out of time. As you said,

32
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,720
Speaker 1: when you know this college basketball now also college football

33
00:01:53,760 --> 00:02:00,960
Speaker 1: bribery scandal is happening. Adidas technically responsible for you committing

34
00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,960
Speaker 1: fraud against Kansas. To me, this this fully highlights did

35
00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,799
Speaker 1: you just entiten Adidas? He is I mean Jim Ghatto,

36
00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,680
Speaker 1: who is in Adidas executive you know, has been found guilty. Right,

37
00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,960
Speaker 1: He got jail time Jim Ghatto agreed to pay back

38
00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,840
Speaker 1: the University of Kansas law fees. Right, it's three d

39
00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,200
Speaker 1: something thousand dollars. Uh, there have been you know, there

40
00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,000
Speaker 1: have been decisions there, so you know what we should

41
00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,400
Speaker 1: we should re up? Yeah, to me, it just lays

42
00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,000
Speaker 1: bare exactly how you know, the idea that you know,

43
00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:37,840
Speaker 1: schools are the victims of you know, bribery perpetrated by

44
00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:42,440
Speaker 1: either middlemen or shoe companies is pretty a ridiculous notion.

45
00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,560
Speaker 1: Just a lot of Again, it's just when just saying

46
00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,239
Speaker 1: a wash and money, the number, the number of years

47
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:50,400
Speaker 1: and the total dollar figures. Again, I like I doubled.

48
00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,760
Speaker 1: I was like how much? Yeah, fourteen million dollars is

49
00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,600
Speaker 1: a lot um. It's not if I'm wrong. Like Kansas

50
00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,640
Speaker 1: basketball fairly well respected, top ten, very well, the football

51
00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:03,160
Speaker 1: team much less so, yeah exactly. But again, if if

52
00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,040
Speaker 1: Kansas really felt like it had been wronged by Adidas,

53
00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,320
Speaker 1: it would not be re upping with Adidas. Well, speaking

54
00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,960
Speaker 1: of that, which goes into now the trial involving the

55
00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,920
Speaker 1: college let's say Shenanigans if you want to call it that.

56
00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,280
Speaker 1: Now it's spilled over into college football. Yeah, this trial

57
00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,240
Speaker 1: that is going on right now in in New York

58
00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:27,040
Speaker 1: continues to grow, becoming a bigger and bigger deal. Um,

59
00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,399
Speaker 1: you know the we talked about this earlier this week

60
00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,080
Speaker 1: on the podcast. You know there there are now you know,

61
00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,920
Speaker 1: more schools getting involved, including you know, Marty Blazer, who's

62
00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,600
Speaker 1: now talking about payments he made over a fourteen year period,

63
00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:43,080
Speaker 1: including any named a number of college football programs, including

64
00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:48,200
Speaker 1: Penn State, Alabama, Northwestern North Carolina. I think we are

65
00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,000
Speaker 1: going to continue over the course of this three week trial.

66
00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,360
Speaker 1: You know, here testimony from people that are gonna, you know,

67
00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,960
Speaker 1: drop little tidbits here and there about specific players, about

68
00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,000
Speaker 1: specific programs, about specific coaches. Hold on, I'm checking the

69
00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,360
Speaker 1: Michael Avonati twitter feed. See what's being said about the cause. Yeah,

70
00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,760
Speaker 1: there's certainly no surprise for college football fans. I think that, Oh,

71
00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,360
Speaker 1: you know that the fact that college basketball for getting paid,

72
00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:15,440
Speaker 1: it obviously makes sense. The college football players were as well. Um,

73
00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,120
Speaker 1: but you know, Sean Miller, who has vehemently denied still

74
00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:22,440
Speaker 1: playing players, there was testimony that he had told a

75
00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,760
Speaker 1: middleman that he was you know, personally handing handling those payments.

76
00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,599
Speaker 1: He may be called the test if later in the

77
00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,640
Speaker 1: trial there's a lot more that's gonna come out out

78
00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:32,480
Speaker 1: after this. To me, bar Sean Miller is still then

79
00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,080
Speaker 1: that terrible mustas is still the point guarded pit that way,

80
00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:39,799
Speaker 1: I'm not any older. Send it in Jerome nexs topic, gentleman,

81
00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,800
Speaker 1: w n B A and CBS. Let's go. Yeah, trying

82
00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,320
Speaker 1: to figure this one out from the CBS standpoint, other

83
00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,960
Speaker 1: than you need some programming that time of the year

84
00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,120
Speaker 1: and this is now. Let's let's be clear. This is

85
00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,000
Speaker 1: not the mothership CBS. This is the CBS Sports Network.

86
00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,840
Speaker 1: Important distinction, important distinction case anybody thought like, wait, the

87
00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,560
Speaker 1: w n B A is gonna be on CBS. Historically,

88
00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,200
Speaker 1: the w NBA has piggyback to the NBA agreement on

89
00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:06,320
Speaker 1: ABC in the Disney Family. Um, more exposure, good for

90
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,280
Speaker 1: the league. I don't know how much more money is

91
00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,080
Speaker 1: coming in. We haven't seen a dollar figure on this,

92
00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:14,360
Speaker 1: but if you're looking for and there has been sort

93
00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,839
Speaker 1: of this outcry from w NBA players, we need more promotion,

94
00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,320
Speaker 1: we need more commitment, we need more dollars spent, we

95
00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,320
Speaker 1: need more attention. Well we'll get some now on CBS

96
00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,240
Speaker 1: Sports Network. Yeah, the dollar figure is not going to

97
00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,480
Speaker 1: be big here from what's reported, ESPN pays I think

98
00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,080
Speaker 1: million to the to the w n B. And that's

99
00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,520
Speaker 1: also trying to keep the NBA happy, because do you

100
00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:36,159
Speaker 1: is there a part here that you think is also

101
00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,000
Speaker 1: maybe CBS trying to cozy upper maybe Curry favor with

102
00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:41,760
Speaker 1: with the NBA. Not a rights holder right now, but

103
00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,719
Speaker 1: possibly in the future. Yeah, anything you can do to

104
00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,520
Speaker 1: sort of let a league know, we might be interested

105
00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,200
Speaker 1: in what you're doing down the line. Sure, especially in

106
00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:51,840
Speaker 1: what as we know, the O T T world and

107
00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,520
Speaker 1: everybody's got something they need to to put on a

108
00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,039
Speaker 1: network or an O T T. Yeah. Um, just interesting

109
00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,160
Speaker 1: to see what they with it and if it does

110
00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:06,360
Speaker 1: indeed does result in more promotion, more fans, more viewership.

111
00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,000
Speaker 1: I like watching the w n B A it's good basketball.

112
00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,800
Speaker 1: Now let's get into this week's interview with Milwaukee Bucks

113
00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:16,599
Speaker 1: owner West Eaton's. As we talked about earlier, they look

114
00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,600
Speaker 1: great when they just swept the Pistons, Uh, and I

115
00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,400
Speaker 1: they're going to have amy have a harder time coming

116
00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,640
Speaker 1: in the next round this Sunday. Yeah, you think the

117
00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,000
Speaker 1: Celtics might put a little more fight up than the Pistons.

118
00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,000
Speaker 1: But West, of course co founded or founded Fortress Investment

119
00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,680
Speaker 1: bought the Bucks fifty million dollars. The investment bankers and

120
00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,159
Speaker 1: the sports bankers thought they were nuts, along with Mark

121
00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,559
Speaker 1: Lassar and Jamie Dinon. Uh, they thought the two billion

122
00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,800
Speaker 1: dollars Bomber paid for the Clippers was better. And you

123
00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,320
Speaker 1: know that better than anybody who heard the criticism. West.

124
00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:51,279
Speaker 1: Thanks very much for taking the time and joining us. Yeah. Yeah,

125
00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,800
Speaker 1: I'm always curious about this with owners, how do you

126
00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,400
Speaker 1: feel about owning a business where, in essence it's out

127
00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,920
Speaker 1: of your control. You can do everything right, You've got

128
00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,320
Speaker 1: your team on the floor, but a sprained ankle, but

129
00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,680
Speaker 1: a wet spot on the floor, but a bad call.

130
00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:11,320
Speaker 1: How do you deal with not having any control? Uh?

131
00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,160
Speaker 1: You know, it's you know, it's a lot like any

132
00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,400
Speaker 1: other business, right you. Um, you make plans, you have

133
00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,360
Speaker 1: the best people, you hope that they make good decisions,

134
00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,600
Speaker 1: and you know, then things play out. I mean the

135
00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,440
Speaker 1: big difference with the sports teams with an NBA team

136
00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:27,760
Speaker 1: is that, um, you know, the results are a lot

137
00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,120
Speaker 1: more evidence than they have a business in Washington TV.

138
00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,240
Speaker 1: So um, but it's it's not any different anything out

139
00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:35,120
Speaker 1: So honestly, it's just it's just more visible and it's

140
00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:38,200
Speaker 1: more fun. I've heard about you that you like to

141
00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:40,720
Speaker 1: say I like to see things the way I see it,

142
00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,640
Speaker 1: not the way other people see it. When you were

143
00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:48,040
Speaker 1: evaluating the Bucks as an opportunity, what did you see?

144
00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,920
Speaker 1: Did you see an undervalued asset? You know I did.

145
00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,960
Speaker 1: I saw you know, one curtious of that I think

146
00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,680
Speaker 1: is the best big in the world. So Milwaukee was

147
00:07:57,720 --> 00:07:59,640
Speaker 1: the franchise that has had a lot of success and

148
00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,680
Speaker 1: path um, they've gone through some hard times, but it's

149
00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,880
Speaker 1: a it's a sports crazy uh you know city and

150
00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,440
Speaker 1: the states and then the sport of the supposed to

151
00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,000
Speaker 1: us as the Packers or the Badgers or the Bullers

152
00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,200
Speaker 1: or anybody else. And we looked at the uh, you know,

153
00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:15,960
Speaker 1: the league and you know, the NBA is just an

154
00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,320
Speaker 1: incredible product and it's really well run, and you know,

155
00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,040
Speaker 1: Adam and just taken over as commissioner, and so we

156
00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,600
Speaker 1: saw nothing but you know, the positives of you know,

157
00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,320
Speaker 1: the big picture and you know the you know, the

158
00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,560
Speaker 1: new term was not so bright. But we thought, with

159
00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:32,480
Speaker 1: the right decisions, we can make a difference. And Wes,

160
00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,720
Speaker 1: how do you divvy up your time? Obviously you're into

161
00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,440
Speaker 1: so much more than the NBA, private rail lines, energy business,

162
00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,360
Speaker 1: private equity. How do you find where do you squeeze

163
00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:47,320
Speaker 1: in the bucks and all that? Well, um, it is uh,

164
00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,000
Speaker 1: it's always a juggling. Um. You know, PPI on ball,

165
00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,800
Speaker 1: my fan attended, but um, you know, the bucks are

166
00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:57,880
Speaker 1: something that I'm very passionate about. Um spent a big

167
00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:03,400
Speaker 1: cause of our family watching basketball and being fans. Now

168
00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:07,000
Speaker 1: just being in the ownership side. And you know, whenever

169
00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:10,240
Speaker 1: I can in the world, I'm trying to plug into

170
00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,640
Speaker 1: the games as many as I can and just really

171
00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,040
Speaker 1: enjoy it. Well, sir, as a native detroitter, I like

172
00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,840
Speaker 1: to thank you for having me drink at least four

173
00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:24,080
Speaker 1: beers after we got swept out of the playoffs. You

174
00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,079
Speaker 1: guys look great and uh and congratulations for that. And

175
00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:32,480
Speaker 1: guys right now in the next we're happy with the

176
00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,000
Speaker 1: first round and now the rest was just about to

177
00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,679
Speaker 1: start here on Sunday, what is the I guess I'm

178
00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:42,680
Speaker 1: gonna talk about sportsmanship. And when the Pistons went out,

179
00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:47,720
Speaker 1: Blake Griffin and I haven't seen that actually shook the

180
00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:51,200
Speaker 1: hands of reporters in the locker room. And see in

181
00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:54,280
Speaker 1: the summer and this and that wherever wasn't anything nasty

182
00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,480
Speaker 1: or anything like that. Do we need to see more

183
00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:01,839
Speaker 1: of that? The sportsmanship from the players. I think sportsmanship

184
00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:03,880
Speaker 1: is a big part of it. You know. It's uh,

185
00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:05,760
Speaker 1: you know, at the end of the day, there's thirty teams.

186
00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,120
Speaker 1: There's only one team that's gonna walk up and floor happy, right,

187
00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:12,120
Speaker 1: and you want everyone to competiate are off on the court,

188
00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,959
Speaker 1: but off the court, to treat each other with respect.

189
00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:17,959
Speaker 1: And I think I have a lot of respects for

190
00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,480
Speaker 1: Coffin kind of out of this. You know, he was

191
00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:24,880
Speaker 1: obviously not his his is his physical state was not terrific,

192
00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,160
Speaker 1: and he din'd even have to put himself out there,

193
00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,840
Speaker 1: and he did and competed, and you know, I thought

194
00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:31,520
Speaker 1: he did a great job. And I thought that the uh,

195
00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,360
Speaker 1: you know, the the jesters then were heartfelt and authentic

196
00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,000
Speaker 1: and meaningful. That's great. West. Can you give us a

197
00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:41,599
Speaker 1: sense in the New Arena playoffs? You know, obviously a

198
00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:43,760
Speaker 1: lot of momentum for you guys. How profitable is is

199
00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,000
Speaker 1: a is a postseason game for you guys, you know,

200
00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,480
Speaker 1: it's early when you think it's going to be profitable.

201
00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,120
Speaker 1: I mean, uh, we haven't had a series win in

202
00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,400
Speaker 1: Milwaukee in eteen years. So this is I'm charged waters

203
00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,000
Speaker 1: for all of us as far as the post seasons.

204
00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,920
Speaker 1: But we've had means asked to doing. Their games have

205
00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:06,160
Speaker 1: been sell off. Many of them actually sold actual standing

206
00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:10,400
Speaker 1: room only tickets the first time in decades. So um

207
00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,520
Speaker 1: and and the new arena guy, you had an opportunity

208
00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,480
Speaker 1: to go. If you have a walcome you news guest there.

209
00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,720
Speaker 1: It's it's just a great venue. Um the fans throw

210
00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:24,400
Speaker 1: it up. It's a very uh good un and great

211
00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:26,319
Speaker 1: homecong advantage to play and you Tube it's going to

212
00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,920
Speaker 1: be a big play. What the postseason for us? So

213
00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,800
Speaker 1: I've got a stupid question for you, but indulge me

214
00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:32,480
Speaker 1: for a second because it came up on the podcast

215
00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:35,319
Speaker 1: earlier this week. When you guys are up three oh

216
00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:40,160
Speaker 1: playing in Detroit, obviously you know the team looks good,

217
00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,000
Speaker 1: it's humming. Is there a part of you that's thinking,

218
00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,320
Speaker 1: you know, if we lose Game four, you know, maybe

219
00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:46,320
Speaker 1: that's not a terrible thing. We go back to Milwaukee,

220
00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,280
Speaker 1: chance to win the series at home, sell out another

221
00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:51,719
Speaker 1: playoff game. Does that Does that come into your mind

222
00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,080
Speaker 1: at all? For the record, west I said, I said,

223
00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,040
Speaker 1: no way, they just want to move on. That's you're right,

224
00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,520
Speaker 1: absolutely not didn't lasting you want to? You is and

225
00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,600
Speaker 1: tweet the basketball god who knows? And I think, um,

226
00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,280
Speaker 1: you you want to win and move on and with

227
00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,559
Speaker 1: the next you know series, and um, you know, I

228
00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,800
Speaker 1: thought I'm looking. I didn't know. I think its is

229
00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:15,240
Speaker 1: a lot of credit things you could have come in

230
00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,920
Speaker 1: and kind of mailed, and so looking down through nothing,

231
00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,400
Speaker 1: Um let's get ready for some vacation. And they did

232
00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,760
Speaker 1: the opposite. They competed really hard and it really wasn't

233
00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,160
Speaker 1: until the fourth quarters that pulled away. But no percently

234
00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,719
Speaker 1: wanted to get take care of business and move on.

235
00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,720
Speaker 1: That would play the Celtics. We are chatting with Milwaukee

236
00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:36,760
Speaker 1: Bucks part owner West Eden's and West when you're looking

237
00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,000
Speaker 1: at a team these days, and I'm curious not just you,

238
00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,240
Speaker 1: but what you see other owners are doing and would

239
00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,760
Speaker 1: be owners, prospective owners, because you're looking at many leagues.

240
00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:46,640
Speaker 1: Are we done with the days of sort of the

241
00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:48,559
Speaker 1: mom and pop shop where people own a team just

242
00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,000
Speaker 1: to own a team, where they have to be run

243
00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,000
Speaker 1: like core businesses where either it's a real estate play

244
00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,200
Speaker 1: or media play or both, but it's just a ten

245
00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,720
Speaker 1: pole as part of a bigger business. Yeah, I think

246
00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,679
Speaker 1: these are multi doing our businesses now and I think

247
00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,480
Speaker 1: you know, back you know, thirty or four years ago,

248
00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:08,480
Speaker 1: maybe it was the guy alone, you know, the Chevy

249
00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,120
Speaker 1: dealership for the deer distributorship, and I could own this

250
00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,920
Speaker 1: asset as well. But it's a it's a big enterprise. Um,

251
00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,040
Speaker 1: it is exactly described. Theres that there's a real estate

252
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,600
Speaker 1: aspect to it. There's still the media plays a huge role,

253
00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,800
Speaker 1: there's the entertainment, there's there's a lot of different aspects

254
00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,320
Speaker 1: of the business and it takes, you know, a professional

255
00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,959
Speaker 1: effort to really get the right result. For sure. I

256
00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:31,800
Speaker 1: would like to ask you a question too about the

257
00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,959
Speaker 1: valuation of the team. As of last year it was

258
00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:41,400
Speaker 1: one point zero seven five billion dollars and and I

259
00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,199
Speaker 1: don't even know what it is now this year when

260
00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:49,040
Speaker 1: you throw in media rights and whatever. Uh, how high

261
00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,719
Speaker 1: is the roof? I guess is the bottom line? Well,

262
00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,920
Speaker 1: I think, uh, you know, the answer to that has

263
00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,800
Speaker 1: a lot to do with get to U for the

264
00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,760
Speaker 1: NBA worldwide, And I think my perspective is that there's

265
00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:02,880
Speaker 1: an awful long way for the league to go, and

266
00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,560
Speaker 1: that then you know, kind of trickles down to the teams,

267
00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:08,920
Speaker 1: you know, one by one, and I think you know,

268
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:13,720
Speaker 1: the international appreciation of the sport and of the product

269
00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,360
Speaker 1: is tremendous. Um. I traveled all of the Royalist and

270
00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,480
Speaker 1: Africa visited. Are the NBA Academy there and do for

271
00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,960
Speaker 1: ursent of all with a bunch of you young kids

272
00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,040
Speaker 1: all you know, booking to become Janice or Joe Uide

273
00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,680
Speaker 1: or whoever they're their heroes are in the NBA um

274
00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:31,960
Speaker 1: and everyone wants to talk about the league. And I

275
00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:35,240
Speaker 1: think you know, soccer obviously is a joy of life sport.

276
00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,520
Speaker 1: I think basketball is right there as well. And with

277
00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,760
Speaker 1: that comes interests. With the interest comes the media, where

278
00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,200
Speaker 1: the EA comes kind of evaluation. That's those of the

279
00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:45,760
Speaker 1: things that all are added up for a pretty positive

280
00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,880
Speaker 1: results for it for the league and the owners either way.

281
00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:52,360
Speaker 1: Not a bad not a bad turn for a million

282
00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:58,240
Speaker 1: dollar investment, right yeah. I mean, it doesn't matter unless

283
00:14:58,280 --> 00:14:59,800
Speaker 1: you sell it, and you know, find to sell it

284
00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,680
Speaker 1: us for sure. So but we were fortunate enough to

285
00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,960
Speaker 1: make the investment right as the new media deal was

286
00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:09,920
Speaker 1: going in. UM that obviously figured into our calculation. And

287
00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,440
Speaker 1: it seems, you know, very archaic now, but you know,

288
00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,560
Speaker 1: our purchase price at the time Brothers was the highest

289
00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,880
Speaker 1: not ever paved for the franchise. Um that rectly lasted

290
00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,600
Speaker 1: for about three weeks before balm Upaide two Bay in

291
00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,880
Speaker 1: Oars and the Clippers. But you know, the the new media,

292
00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,240
Speaker 1: you know, I think we I did um kind of

293
00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,240
Speaker 1: take things to a new level and it's only even

294
00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:34,680
Speaker 1: kind of gone from there. Yeah, West, nobody could have

295
00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,600
Speaker 1: predicted what happened with Donald Sterling. Was there any part

296
00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,200
Speaker 1: of you in the ownership group you were already committed

297
00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,040
Speaker 1: to the Bucks and by the way, sports bankers they

298
00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,120
Speaker 1: all said, they all said they're nuts, so you've proven

299
00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,680
Speaker 1: them wrong. But was there any part of you when

300
00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,640
Speaker 1: the Clippers came up that you said, oh, if we uh,

301
00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:55,200
Speaker 1: just a few weeks, we could have had literal beachfront

302
00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:59,440
Speaker 1: property in pro sports? You know, not not there. I

303
00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,040
Speaker 1: mean I live in New York, Mark Ways, New York,

304
00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,120
Speaker 1: and so Milwaukee is a quick trip away. Um, we

305
00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,440
Speaker 1: wanted to be close to where loves and you know,

306
00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,720
Speaker 1: obviously be the real dream to own a in your

307
00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,560
Speaker 1: hometown that you know, those franchises don't come for sale

308
00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,400
Speaker 1: you know, very often at all, So Umi, fanis is

309
00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:20,600
Speaker 1: a great franchise. Links He's been a wonderful job out

310
00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,720
Speaker 1: there with them, Um giving into them last night obviously,

311
00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:27,120
Speaker 1: but uh no, we're very happy. Milwaukee is a great

312
00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,480
Speaker 1: sports town to hit an incredible um, you know, partners

313
00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,760
Speaker 1: of ours and building, you know the franchise and um,

314
00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:35,520
Speaker 1: you know we didn't we didn't really think about it.

315
00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:39,240
Speaker 1: You bought the box with Mark Lazarie, uh pretty quickly,

316
00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,560
Speaker 1: and you brought on Jamie Deneen and Mike Fashionelly. How

317
00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:45,440
Speaker 1: did the for you guys kind of divvy up decision making?

318
00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,440
Speaker 1: Is one of you the ultimate decision maker? Is it

319
00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:52,240
Speaker 1: all unanimous? How? How does that process go? You know,

320
00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,240
Speaker 1: we really running as a partnership, you know the way

321
00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,920
Speaker 1: the way that the legal structures you have to have, Um,

322
00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,480
Speaker 1: you know, one person is kind of lead have enough

323
00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,400
Speaker 1: for a period of time. That person for the first

324
00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:05,480
Speaker 1: five years is me, because about five years is just

325
00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:07,800
Speaker 1: about up and they'll switch over to Mark for five

326
00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:09,640
Speaker 1: years and then back to me kind of seen five

327
00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,399
Speaker 1: years from now. Um. But but the truth is on

328
00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,800
Speaker 1: all the material decisions, you know, so thinking to coach

329
00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,720
Speaker 1: a general manager, your president, you know those are already

330
00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,520
Speaker 1: unanimous decisions and uh, you know, and we've got a

331
00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:26,040
Speaker 1: good process. We haven't always agreed that we eventually agreed

332
00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,480
Speaker 1: to disagree and find something that is a compromise. And

333
00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:31,000
Speaker 1: I think that the results have been really, really excellent.

334
00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:38,040
Speaker 1: What's been the stickiest decision process? Um, you know, there

335
00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:41,360
Speaker 1: was a couple of personnel that that we had disagreements

336
00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:43,360
Speaker 1: about and I think it was more just a matter

337
00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:45,879
Speaker 1: of perspective in terms of what we were trying to accomplish.

338
00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:50,040
Speaker 1: And uh, um, you know, I think that, Yeah, the

339
00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,480
Speaker 1: thing about sports is very different than he had business

340
00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:54,919
Speaker 1: I've been involved in. It's just how public it is. Um,

341
00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,760
Speaker 1: as far as disagreeing businesses go, how would say these

342
00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,800
Speaker 1: are very manor and not really noteworthy when it happens

343
00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:03,920
Speaker 1: in sports becomes you know, the cover of you know,

344
00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:07,199
Speaker 1: a newspaper for some place. So um, but there there

345
00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,240
Speaker 1: hasn't really been anything. So I think that you know, all,

346
00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:13,200
Speaker 1: they're committed to having a franchise that has a chance

347
00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,520
Speaker 1: to win an NBA title. We wanted to have a

348
00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,359
Speaker 1: dustin class venue. We wanted to be the best partners

349
00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:20,639
Speaker 1: we could be. UM for the city and state, the

350
00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,879
Speaker 1: people out there. Those are shared values the same. Can

351
00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,760
Speaker 1: you agree it across on all those fronts, then everything

352
00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:28,920
Speaker 1: else kind of does fall into plays. It's funny, I've

353
00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:31,040
Speaker 1: heard you say that before, that that sports are the

354
00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,120
Speaker 1: chattiest business that you've ever been in. Is there something

355
00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:36,960
Speaker 1: you do differently knowing that, Yeah, this decision we're making

356
00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,080
Speaker 1: is probably going to be public pretty shortly after after

357
00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:44,080
Speaker 1: we make it. Versus other businesses of yours. Uh, you know,

358
00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:45,920
Speaker 1: take a minute and think about what you're gonna say,

359
00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:50,000
Speaker 1: because it definitely seems to roll around pretty quickly. And um,

360
00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:54,359
Speaker 1: you know, the rumor mill is chuge. There's you know,

361
00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,719
Speaker 1: talk radio and people on TV and lots of pumpans.

362
00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,720
Speaker 1: Everyone seems to have an opinion about every aspect of

363
00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:03,879
Speaker 1: the business. And and uh, it's not, you know, problematic,

364
00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,200
Speaker 1: it's just something that it's just an aspect of the

365
00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,880
Speaker 1: ownership that you just need to be that's all. It's

366
00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,320
Speaker 1: definitely it's definitely the chattiest business around for sure. We

367
00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,600
Speaker 1: are chatting with Milwaukee Bucks part owner West Eden's and

368
00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:17,159
Speaker 1: I'm gonna do something to you that I'm not going

369
00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,399
Speaker 1: to be proud of. Wes. I think you can handle it.

370
00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,080
Speaker 1: But we're all wondering because I know, I don't think

371
00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:28,120
Speaker 1: anybody here can do it? Can you spell onto the compou?

372
00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:31,680
Speaker 1: I would make enss of it, uh, you know, to

373
00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,119
Speaker 1: be fair, it's a couple of different ways. But I

374
00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:35,920
Speaker 1: could I do it off the top of my head.

375
00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,600
Speaker 1: I wouldn't do it, well, neither could I. But bar

376
00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,399
Speaker 1: Just for fun, if you ever need a guest radio

377
00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,399
Speaker 1: announcer or a guy in the arena, listen to Michael

378
00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:48,719
Speaker 1: Barr's rendition give me pretend to bucket was from from Johnice.

379
00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:54,199
Speaker 1: Give me it? Oh what a play. So there's your

380
00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,160
Speaker 1: filing guy if you ever need it. That's pretty good.

381
00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,320
Speaker 1: Now if you asked me to spell it, it's gonna

382
00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:02,159
Speaker 1: have a smile we face and a question. Market man.

383
00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:04,000
Speaker 1: You know what it should come with? Yes, you know,

384
00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,040
Speaker 1: let's be real. You know what, Tombo, you know what

385
00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:09,399
Speaker 1: should come with? Just dollar signs, That's what it should

386
00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:14,000
Speaker 1: come with. Can you tell me what he's worth? What

387
00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:18,800
Speaker 1: he's worth? Um? You know he's uh, he's priceless. I mean,

388
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,520
Speaker 1: you know, Jones is one of those um special people

389
00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,520
Speaker 1: that had brought with great gifts and then has done

390
00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,040
Speaker 1: everything in his power to you know, kind of maximisit? Um?

391
00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,800
Speaker 1: He's the hardest working, you know player that i'd better see, uh,

392
00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,120
Speaker 1: you know, both on the floor and off the floor.

393
00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,800
Speaker 1: He's incredibly focused on, you know, being the best and

394
00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:43,240
Speaker 1: and and really uncompromising about getting it. And I think that,

395
00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:46,080
Speaker 1: you know, we just couldn't be you know more Forcunate.

396
00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:49,719
Speaker 1: We didn't draft nas year before that, we bought the team. Um.

397
00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:51,600
Speaker 1: I know the first time I saw him, I was

398
00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:56,159
Speaker 1: watching a game and the Box on TV and when

399
00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:01,120
Speaker 1: you were watching the Knicks and the Bucks back then. Yeah, yeah,

400
00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,480
Speaker 1: so he was he was playing against the Nix and

401
00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:05,720
Speaker 1: I think it's the first time that his parents I've

402
00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:08,439
Speaker 1: been in the country, so he was very started up

403
00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:12,840
Speaker 1: and he went on score touring something points from Greece. Um.

404
00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,360
Speaker 1: And obviously he had a lot of potential, but he's

405
00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,159
Speaker 1: turned into an incredibly special player and it's been a big,

406
00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,400
Speaker 1: big part of you know, the franchise in the league.

407
00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:24,160
Speaker 1: Shifting to other sports, you mentioned soccer earlier last year

408
00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:28,040
Speaker 1: you expanded your sports portfolio, bought a piece of Aston Villa,

409
00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,800
Speaker 1: the English soccer team. I know kind of before that

410
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,680
Speaker 1: you were looking around at some MLS opportunities. Can you

411
00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:35,920
Speaker 1: give us a sense of why you know, in looking

412
00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:38,600
Speaker 1: at MLS versus English soccer, you decided to go to

413
00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:43,119
Speaker 1: go overseas with that, Yeah, I, UM, you know, soccer

414
00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,720
Speaker 1: is also something I'm passionate about. Um And I looked

415
00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,560
Speaker 1: at one MS franchise in particular, and I think the

416
00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:51,720
Speaker 1: MS product, I think he's a trific one from a

417
00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,440
Speaker 1: fan perspective. Um, And I think the quality of soccer

418
00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,639
Speaker 1: continues to improve. But there's no doubt that, you know,

419
00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:02,080
Speaker 1: just as the NBA best league for basketball in the world,

420
00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,520
Speaker 1: in the Premier League is the best league I think

421
00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:08,720
Speaker 1: for soccer. Um. There's other other obviously really fine ones,

422
00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:12,680
Speaker 1: whether A or you know or whatever, but the Premier

423
00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,560
Speaker 1: League is just really at a different level. And UM,

424
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,000
Speaker 1: I was fortunate to find a you know, situation with

425
00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:24,439
Speaker 1: the as my partner in London and that we need

426
00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,600
Speaker 1: an investment in Billa right before the season started. So

427
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,360
Speaker 1: that started my soccer journey, which has been a really

428
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:32,959
Speaker 1: really terrific one as well. It seems like an interesting

429
00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,639
Speaker 1: business though you've got this this disparity big club small club.

430
00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,080
Speaker 1: The big clubs think they generate more money, they want

431
00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,320
Speaker 1: to keep more money. You still don't have a CEO

432
00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,320
Speaker 1: of the e p L. It seems like there's some

433
00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,440
Speaker 1: trying times ahead. How do you foresee the business of

434
00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:52,360
Speaker 1: the EPO. Well, I think that's um uh, it's really

435
00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,240
Speaker 1: interesting that there's a lot more similarities I think, um

436
00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:59,199
Speaker 1: in the league's and in the teams that there are

437
00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:03,520
Speaker 1: differences to compare soccer to the basketball book, but there

438
00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,560
Speaker 1: are real differences. And um, we bought a team that

439
00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:10,200
Speaker 1: had been um uh sent down. It had you know,

440
00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,240
Speaker 1: aston Bill is a very famous team as tremendous success

441
00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,240
Speaker 1: internationally over the years. Well, if you're gonna buy it,

442
00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:16,879
Speaker 1: you want to buy it after it sent down, not

443
00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:21,320
Speaker 1: before you'd definitely go and so and you know, we

444
00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:23,840
Speaker 1: bought it right before the season started. So we were

445
00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:26,600
Speaker 1: pretty you know, constrained in terms of what we could do.

446
00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:28,679
Speaker 1: But just like with the Bucks, we made some good

447
00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:31,240
Speaker 1: decisions on people arone the same. Um, we had a

448
00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,840
Speaker 1: great CEO. We hired you know great you know manager

449
00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,239
Speaker 1: of News Sporting, the actor at CM and we've had

450
00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,480
Speaker 1: this incredible line. I was over there on Monday. The

451
00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,920
Speaker 1: team on its tenth team in a row. So the

452
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:45,479
Speaker 1: first time that's one forty five year history is one

453
00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,480
Speaker 1: ten years and row. So that's that made the playoffs.

454
00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,280
Speaker 1: So that's that's really exciting. But I think that, um,

455
00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,919
Speaker 1: you know, it's it's gonna be really interesting to build

456
00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:58,800
Speaker 1: the business there with Mossuff. I think that, um, we

457
00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:02,200
Speaker 1: think that it's just such an international sport frankly as

458
00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,159
Speaker 1: the NBA is, even more so probably with the soccer

459
00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:09,280
Speaker 1: at this point, and you know, it's again similar, it

460
00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,320
Speaker 1: is the big differences as well. Part of the argument

461
00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,639
Speaker 1: for why MLS doesn't have you know, promotion relegation is

462
00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:17,800
Speaker 1: that they don't want, you know, investors who bought a

463
00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:19,600
Speaker 1: team in a fixed league to have to deal with

464
00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:23,200
Speaker 1: now suddenly the prospect of dropping down. How does that

465
00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:25,239
Speaker 1: I mean, as you said, aston Villa is right now

466
00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,760
Speaker 1: on the outside looking in, could be up for promotion

467
00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,920
Speaker 1: this season. Um, how does that kind of change the

468
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,680
Speaker 1: way you think of things in terms of valuation, in

469
00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,280
Speaker 1: terms of investment, knowing that you know, this team can

470
00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:38,080
Speaker 1: move up, which is great, this team can move down

471
00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,720
Speaker 1: which is terrible, versus the Bucks, which is you know,

472
00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,040
Speaker 1: no matter how bad a year the Bucks have, you

473
00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:45,600
Speaker 1: know they're staying in the NBA. Yeah. I think Look,

474
00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:47,760
Speaker 1: one one thing that did I point out that people

475
00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:49,840
Speaker 1: think you're premierly just been around for hundreds of years

476
00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,479
Speaker 1: like that it actually started, So it's been it's been

477
00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:57,119
Speaker 1: pretty recent actually in terms of just the constructional league. Um,

478
00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:01,680
Speaker 1: the history of what English soccer is, the of promotion demotion,

479
00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:05,760
Speaker 1: uh you know, uh, you know kind of cycle. Um.

480
00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:10,159
Speaker 1: I think with the discrepancy and media rights between Premier

481
00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,400
Speaker 1: League and the league that below at the arsh Championship,

482
00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,280
Speaker 1: I think it's that that's a it's just such a

483
00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,240
Speaker 1: huge cliff and I do think that that's something that

484
00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:21,160
Speaker 1: could be modified. And so then the that's the perspective

485
00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,520
Speaker 1: of a new owner and somebody who is not English.

486
00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:25,960
Speaker 1: So I don't have you know, the history behind it,

487
00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:29,080
Speaker 1: but I think, you know, from an ownership perspective, you know,

488
00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:33,800
Speaker 1: the prospects of you know, being sent down are are tremendous.

489
00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,480
Speaker 1: A percentage or a million dollar figure, How big is it?

490
00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,800
Speaker 1: I think in the Premier League your lowest medio lights

491
00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,760
Speaker 1: payment there's something like a hundred and ten million pounds,

492
00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:49,000
Speaker 1: and your elite payments in the championship is like two

493
00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:54,200
Speaker 1: or three million pounds. It's it's gigantic. So I mean

494
00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:58,360
Speaker 1: the game, the promotion games, this will be the culmination

495
00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,440
Speaker 1: of the playoffs. It's just made twenty seven this year,

496
00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,200
Speaker 1: and that's what I hope we're in it. Um. These

497
00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:07,320
Speaker 1: build as you know, the kind of the biggest you

498
00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:11,520
Speaker 1: know ticket in sports because the team wins, goes up,

499
00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:15,240
Speaker 1: it usually stays down. Um, and it might well be

500
00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:17,399
Speaker 1: the biggest ticket in sport because it's just such a

501
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:20,760
Speaker 1: discoverance in between the league. We're speaking with part owner

502
00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:25,200
Speaker 1: of basketball's Milwaukee Bucks, West Eaton's, and I like to

503
00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,359
Speaker 1: call this the the ultimate farm club. And I always

504
00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:32,960
Speaker 1: believe in the youth being encouraged to either play basketball

505
00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,960
Speaker 1: or soccer or whatever sport they want. Can you talk

506
00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,840
Speaker 1: us through about what the Bucks are doing and what

507
00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:45,520
Speaker 1: the players are doing to help encourage youth to get

508
00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:49,600
Speaker 1: into the game. There's a ton of initiatives on both

509
00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:53,520
Speaker 1: sides right the the the NBA of the league is

510
00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,800
Speaker 1: very focused on the development of kids of these these

511
00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:01,760
Speaker 1: the A programs, these there's big tournaments in the summertime. Now,

512
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,040
Speaker 1: I think that they realized that, um, you know, there

513
00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,720
Speaker 1: needs to be programming that extends, you know, far beyond

514
00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,639
Speaker 1: the beginning of an NBA career, and I think that

515
00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:13,760
Speaker 1: was a part of the Labor Relations Committee and our

516
00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:17,320
Speaker 1: I think our cling achievement was last deal that we

517
00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,440
Speaker 1: team to with the players was really to kind of

518
00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,200
Speaker 1: solidify the position of this unite and you know, continue

519
00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:26,440
Speaker 1: to add to the development of players. So it becomes

520
00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,840
Speaker 1: a very real and bobble path to the NBA. Are there,

521
00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,440
Speaker 1: There's a lot more to go from from beyond that

522
00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,720
Speaker 1: when you look at you know, these youth leagues sposed

523
00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:37,920
Speaker 1: in the US. As I said, I was you know,

524
00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:43,760
Speaker 1: UH in Senegal. So our academy there the African League, um,

525
00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:47,200
Speaker 1: I think thirty five or thirty seven of our all

526
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,720
Speaker 1: of the fifty players in the NBA or either director

527
00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:55,120
Speaker 1: first generation descendants of African nations. So that's obviously a big,

528
00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:59,880
Speaker 1: big opportunity for the league. And you know, ultimately there's

529
00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:01,680
Speaker 1: there's a lot more kids that are going to play

530
00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,000
Speaker 1: the sports that are going to play a professionally. But

531
00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,920
Speaker 1: I think you know, trying to be you know a

532
00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:11,440
Speaker 1: positive impact on on these kids. To get access to

533
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:15,680
Speaker 1: you know, the training and and and the UH instruction

534
00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,080
Speaker 1: and whatnot not, just incipath toy and be able to

535
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,920
Speaker 1: path to gating and education is just a really really

536
00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,200
Speaker 1: important mandate. West we'll let you get out on this one.

537
00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:28,600
Speaker 1: With all that international appeal that you're talking about, the

538
00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:31,560
Speaker 1: NFL has been trying for years to cultivate fans, not

539
00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,440
Speaker 1: only in Europe but elsewhere. The NBA seems to have

540
00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,800
Speaker 1: a secret sauce they've been there for so long long term.

541
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:43,320
Speaker 1: Will the NBA supplant the NFL as the top revenue

542
00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:47,040
Speaker 1: producing league in sports? I think so, I really do,

543
00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,120
Speaker 1: And I say that without the respect the NFL is

544
00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,480
Speaker 1: incredible league. I saw that this is dating a couple

545
00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:54,560
Speaker 1: of days ago that I think as of just two

546
00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,600
Speaker 1: or three years ago of the top fifty network you know,

547
00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,160
Speaker 1: events on TV like forty seven date of my NFL games.

548
00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,800
Speaker 1: So before people, you know, um kind of talk about

549
00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,400
Speaker 1: the demise in the NFL. It's a tremendously popular and

550
00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:10,880
Speaker 1: uh and greatly we enjoy, you know, watching it on TV.

551
00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:14,600
Speaker 1: That's that I think. You know, we go to half

552
00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,920
Speaker 1: go to China and not the sports N see are

553
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:23,560
Speaker 1: basically soccer and basketball and how e sports, and I

554
00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:26,360
Speaker 1: enfranchise intil those things. It's not an accident. And I

555
00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,360
Speaker 1: think that for different reasons, all of them have really

556
00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:33,960
Speaker 1: feel kind of worldwide. NFL and American football is an

557
00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:37,200
Speaker 1: amazing product in the US. They've had obviously the success

558
00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:39,640
Speaker 1: with their games overseas and whatnot, But I don't think

559
00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:41,480
Speaker 1: that it has the same kind of broad based appeal

560
00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,000
Speaker 1: as other sports do in the long run, because it

561
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,640
Speaker 1: means it's going to be you know, it's gonna be

562
00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:48,920
Speaker 1: in realpalmnised. But I think that in terms of its

563
00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,400
Speaker 1: access to those those international audiences that do think it's

564
00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:56,240
Speaker 1: a less less attractive product. All right, that's West Eaton's

565
00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:58,640
Speaker 1: owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. Good luck in the playoffs, West,

566
00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,960
Speaker 1: and thank you very great. Thanks guy. Takeaways from this

567
00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,720
Speaker 1: week's show. I love the fact that we're talking more

568
00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:09,120
Speaker 1: about the sportsmanship and it's something that Wes is trying

569
00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:13,480
Speaker 1: to encourage. I like it because, yes, Mr Blake Griffin,

570
00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:15,960
Speaker 1: he had to say, hey, you know it's it was

571
00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:17,800
Speaker 1: a pleasure. You will do anything to get it back

572
00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,200
Speaker 1: to the Pistons gets swept eliminated. You're telling me about

573
00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:25,480
Speaker 1: Blake Griffin shaking media hands, taking media hands. Man, It's like,

574
00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:27,880
Speaker 1: and there's something that we already had surgery by the way,

575
00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:30,600
Speaker 1: yes he was he was playing hurt. Yeah, well that's

576
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:34,440
Speaker 1: that's because Griffin's tough. Yeah. Well, my takeaway, I'm going

577
00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:39,200
Speaker 1: before you underscore, um just how the guys involved in

578
00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:41,920
Speaker 1: the and the women involved in pro sports ownership these days,

579
00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:44,920
Speaker 1: it's this mom and pop thing is done. It's done.

580
00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:47,680
Speaker 1: You just don't buy a team anymore. And west is

581
00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:51,200
Speaker 1: looking at the globality. He he talked about the NFL

582
00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,880
Speaker 1: and he sees the NBA surpassing it. He sees the

583
00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:57,560
Speaker 1: sports because of the global nature. He wants soccer because

584
00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:00,920
Speaker 1: it's played globally. How do you scare all these businesses?

585
00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:02,960
Speaker 1: And I know I talked about scale too much, but

586
00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:05,400
Speaker 1: I'm not sure that's even a possibility because look at

587
00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:07,360
Speaker 1: a guy like west Eden's, he's looking at how do

588
00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:09,920
Speaker 1: I scale all these businesses? Which decisions do I make?

589
00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:12,040
Speaker 1: Which leagues do I invest in? What games do I

590
00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:14,520
Speaker 1: invest in? And all he's looking at is that global reach.

591
00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:20,960
Speaker 1: My takeaway, it's a n t ok. Just kidding. I

592
00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,880
Speaker 1: wrote it down. Oh wait, I wrote it down on

593
00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:25,360
Speaker 1: a piece of paper that I used for his interview,

594
00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:27,280
Speaker 1: but I don't have it here with me now, so

595
00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:29,200
Speaker 1: I can't spell it. I can't spell it, I can't

596
00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:34,840
Speaker 1: pronounce everybody. Let's tell everybody you went with the ump compo.

597
00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:38,760
Speaker 1: I was doing it on the fly. Had you had time,

598
00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,320
Speaker 1: you would have gotten the compo correct. I think I

599
00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:43,480
Speaker 1: would have spelt like it sounds right, spells like it

600
00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:46,720
Speaker 1: sounds sorry. No, that's all good. It's a serious note.

601
00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:49,080
Speaker 1: As you said, I mean, he has built a sports

602
00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,560
Speaker 1: portfolio that it exists in the things that he believes

603
00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:56,400
Speaker 1: are the future. And the future is international. So that's NBA,

604
00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,200
Speaker 1: that's E Sports with fly Quest, which we didn't get

605
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,320
Speaker 1: a chance to really talk about, and then that's soccer

606
00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:06,640
Speaker 1: with Aston Villa. Feels better to be number one than

607
00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:08,840
Speaker 1: number five. The number because of Mike, we have a

608
00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:10,680
Speaker 1: chance to go for three in a row, good numbers

609
00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:12,840
Speaker 1: at a good time. When I first started wearing the number,

610
00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,040
Speaker 1: I would just have the in Floomberg business of sports,

611
00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:20,280
Speaker 1: the number of the week, all right. Time. Now the

612
00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:21,480
Speaker 1: number of the week. And I'm gonna give you a

613
00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:23,680
Speaker 1: hint before I give you the number. Since we are

614
00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:28,000
Speaker 1: into the NFL Draft, the number I'm gonna give is

615
00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:34,360
Speaker 1: an age thirty seven thirty seven Draft related thirty seven.

616
00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:37,360
Speaker 1: Most draft players should be younger than the youngest the

617
00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:42,040
Speaker 1: youngest GM in football know is that how old is

618
00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:47,760
Speaker 1: the Rams coach. He's been thirty seven number of I

619
00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,800
Speaker 1: have no idea. Let's talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback

620
00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:57,160
Speaker 1: Ben Roethlisberger extension thirty seven exactly, and he got an

621
00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:02,680
Speaker 1: extension through one uh two years? Was it? Yeah? Two

622
00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,080
Speaker 1: year contract extension thirty seven. I'm I'm no NFL GM,

623
00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:07,960
Speaker 1: but I always like sort of the Boston Red Sox

624
00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,320
Speaker 1: way of doing things. Once you hit thirty five, it's

625
00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:15,000
Speaker 1: like thanks, no, thanks, like you're done. I'm serious like that.

626
00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:19,239
Speaker 1: They just don't give many contracts. I think they did

627
00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:21,200
Speaker 1: to Mike Lowell and it backfired on me, wound up

628
00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:25,840
Speaker 1: getting hurt. But look at Jacoby Ellsberry, Um they did, or,

629
00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:31,360
Speaker 1: as he's known among baseball fans, Jacoby Dielsberry. I'm sorry

630
00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:35,080
Speaker 1: it was too easy, Um, but you hit a certain

631
00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:39,320
Speaker 1: age and it's just like the analytics tell you the

632
00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,000
Speaker 1: production is going to go off the cliff. Here's the

633
00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:43,840
Speaker 1: other I think the other side of that right now

634
00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,000
Speaker 1: is if you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers over the

635
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:49,600
Speaker 1: past couple of years, they had three stars Levian Bell,

636
00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:53,920
Speaker 1: Antonio Brown Roethlisberger. Two of those guys left the team

637
00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:58,160
Speaker 1: under they didn't say yeah, I think I think maybe

638
00:33:58,240 --> 00:33:59,960
Speaker 1: this is this is something that the Steelers felt they

639
00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,320
Speaker 1: need to do just to keep some continuity with its

640
00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,400
Speaker 1: fan base, etcetera. Also because it seems like, you know,

641
00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:09,799
Speaker 1: they chose Roethlisberger over uh Antonio Brown in some ways.

642
00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:13,279
Speaker 1: So yeah, I agree with you. Next, he might not

643
00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:16,600
Speaker 1: be performing all that all that highly um, but you know,

644
00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:18,719
Speaker 1: this is probably something that the Steelers fans are going

645
00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:20,960
Speaker 1: to appreciate. So they're gonna draft a quarterback like the Giants.

646
00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:22,759
Speaker 1: I think that you need a quarterback now, they need

647
00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:26,240
Speaker 1: someone soon. Yeah, you've been listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports.

648
00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:27,960
Speaker 1: We're here each and every week for you at the

649
00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:30,600
Speaker 1: same time, plus online where you get your podcast and

650
00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:33,880
Speaker 1: you can catch that Monday's, Wednesdays and Thursdays. I'm Michael

651
00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:36,479
Speaker 1: Bar on Twitter at Big Bar Sports. I'm Evan Novie

652
00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,880
Speaker 1: Williams at nov Underscore Williams, and I'm Scott Sashnik. You

653
00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:42,279
Speaker 1: can follow me on Twitter at Sashnik And thank you

654
00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,520
Speaker 1: very much for joining us. Please tune in next week

655
00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:46,640
Speaker 1: when we speak with the biggest and brightest in the

656
00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:50,000
Speaker 1: sports business industry. You're listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports

657
00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:52,600
Speaker 1: from Bloomberg Radio around the world,