1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports. 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 2: Sports is business, and whenever you are procuring chwent, you 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 2: must start with the criteriating owners of this league and 4 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 2: wanting our league to be the best in the world. 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 3: How do we make it better? 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 4: The valuations are getting so high at the list of 7 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 4: people who could purchase the teams getting really short. We 8 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 4: have eight strategic investment areas. 9 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,240 Speaker 5: When you look at the world of sports, yembs already 10 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 5: two hundred and countries around the world. 11 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 3: NFL is an amazing thing for the sports betting industry. 12 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 4: We have the World to upcoming in twenty twenty six 13 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 4: to North America. 14 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 5: Hey, if I get a million dollars, We're going to 15 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 5: a school testy. 16 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: How be there? Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 17 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports show, but we 18 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: explore the big money issues in the world of sports. 19 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: I'm Michael Barr Scarlett foo is off this week and 20 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: we'll hear from Damian Sasaur a bit later in the program. 21 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: Sitting in this week we have Vanessa Perdomo. She is 22 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: editorial lead for Sports on Bloomberg Originals and Bloomberg Sports 23 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: Business Reporter Randall Williams on the way will turn to 24 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: a unique corner in the sports world, jetsuit racing. That's right, 25 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: you heard me. We'll talk with Richard Browning. He is 26 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: the founder and chief test pilot for Gravity Industries, which designs, building, 27 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: and flies jetsuits. 28 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 6: So to paint a picture, you are wearing a backpack 29 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 6: which has the fuel and other engine management systems in it. 30 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 6: You have then depending on the model, you have between 31 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 6: one and three engines in the back that are lifting 32 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 6: you from the back. And then on each arm you 33 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 6: have a pair of little engines, little jet engines, and 34 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 6: the net result of each pair feels like you are 35 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 6: just leaning on a surface, you know, it's sort of 36 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 6: balanced around each arm. 37 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 1: We'll also talk with Randall and Vanessa about their experience 38 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: on Radio Row for the first Vegas Super Bowl. We'll 39 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: hear some conversations they had from Radio Row and get 40 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: their thoughts on the future of sports in Las Vegas. 41 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: That is all straight ahead on the Bloomberg business of sports, 42 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: but first we talk combat sports. Markel Martin is founder 43 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: and chief executive officer of three point zero Labs. It's 44 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: a sports advisory and innovation company with ties to the 45 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: Combat Sports. Francis and Ghano is one of the top 46 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: fighters in the world and one of Martin's top clients. 47 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: Here to talk with us about in Gano's future as 48 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: a boxer, plus some of what three point zero Sports does. 49 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: We welcome Markel Martin to the Bloomberg Business of Sports. 50 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 7: Michael Vanessa, Rynold, thank you guys for having me on. 51 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 7: It's an honor. 52 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 5: But starting with Francis, he's. 53 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 7: Absolutely that guy who's always bet on himself, right. So 54 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 7: you know, when I started representing him six years ago 55 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 7: and he told me a little bit about his life story, 56 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 7: and I'm just giving this for context, He's the guy 57 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 7: that's always bet on himself, right. So to see where 58 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 7: he's at today, undisputed UFC Heavyweight champion turned boxer, it's 59 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 7: to no surprise to myself, but very much as a 60 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 7: prize to many others in this sense that he's always 61 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 7: had this dream of becoming a boxer when he first 62 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 7: left Africa, and to see what he's doing today on 63 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 7: the on the biggest stage is nothing short of incredible. 64 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 7: It's it's a movie, and I'm just honored to have 65 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 7: been a part of his journey and life and come 66 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,919 Speaker 7: March eighth. He's gonna show the world again what he's 67 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 7: capable of. 68 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 2: Marcolle, Can you talk a little bit about the trials 69 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: and tribulations over the past couple of years. I feel 70 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: like it's been written about a lot, but hasn't been 71 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 2: spoken about in terms of just your conversations with the 72 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 2: UFC that eventually led to the deal with the PFL. 73 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: The PFL essentially saying, hey, we're open to Francis boxing 74 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: as well. We just want to make sure he joins 75 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 2: back in there decagon. Again, it's not an octagon for 76 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 2: people listening, it's a decagon. 77 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 5: I believe. 78 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 7: Yeah, the the journey you know for for combat sports. 79 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 7: You know, obviously it's it's one of the greatest sports 80 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 7: in the world, but at the end of the day, 81 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 7: like all sports, it's it's a business, right Uh. And unfortunately, 82 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 7: and from my perspective, the business things of combat sports 83 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 7: haven't yet caught up to you know, the big four 84 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 7: that we know right in the other sports world. So 85 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 7: in dealing with UFC and mind you, you know, I 86 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 7: worked at UFC for for close to five years right 87 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 7: prior to them than being acquired by by W and 88 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 7: ME and uh, you know, when I started representing Francis, 89 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 7: one of my goals were for everyone that I represented 90 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,559 Speaker 7: is to educate them on on the business as a whole. 91 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 7: Right Having worked at UFC, that gave me kind of 92 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 7: a different lens and perspective. Now, of course, naturally you're 93 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 7: you're gonna if you kind of buck the system, uh 94 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 7: so to speak. 95 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 5: You're going to get natural pushback. 96 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 7: My job as a manager, as as a representative is 97 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 7: to represent my client. I have, I have a fiduciary 98 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 7: obligation to them, right, I want to get them most 99 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 7: amount of value for what it is that they represent 100 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 7: and do and to me, in the case of Francis 101 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 7: and Ganu, what he represented was was more than just 102 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 7: a fighter. Obviously, you have to win right in the 103 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 7: competition that you have at hand. But knowing the business 104 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 7: of the sport, UFC is a global sport, MMA is 105 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 7: a global sport, right, and the fan base that Francis 106 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 7: has gone er throughout his talent and with his story 107 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 7: is again amazing, and so you know, my job is 108 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 7: to make sure that he's compensated for that. Unfortunately, you know, 109 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,840 Speaker 7: UFC had a different side of things. Right in the UFC, 110 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 7: the UFC is the brand and they do a tremendous job. 111 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 7: I'm not here to throw shade at them, like I 112 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 7: love them. I'm still a fan. I still watch the Square. 113 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 7: What Dana White has done has been incredible. But one 114 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 7: of the greatest opportunities for any athlete is to understand 115 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 7: their market value. Right, So when it came to be 116 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 7: a chance for him for Francis to be a free 117 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 7: agent in December of twenty twenty two, he wanted to 118 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 7: explore that and PFL rightfully so, as a growing organization 119 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,119 Speaker 7: in the MMA space, right the co leader in MMA, 120 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 7: as I'd like to say, they saw the value in 121 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 7: Francis and wanted to recognize that. So we were able 122 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 7: to put together an amazing deal for Francis and the PFL, 123 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,720 Speaker 7: which allowed him Francis to also realize his value on 124 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 7: the boxing side. So I think at the end of 125 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 7: the day, UFC, you know, is still going to be UFC. 126 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 5: Right, we all know and loved them. 127 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 7: PFL is growing and making a name for themselves, and 128 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 7: Francis has the opportunity to really show his skill sets 129 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 7: across multiple disciplines for the world to see. 130 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 8: Now you've talked about you know, combat sports in the 131 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 8: UFC not really being up to date with the rest 132 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 8: of the main four, as in athletes don't have as 133 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 8: much say over their career. And so do you think 134 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 8: that UFC's deal with wm is gonna hinder maybe some 135 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 8: progress where they could go down that path or do 136 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 8: you see there's still a path for you know, fighters 137 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 8: to take more control over their career. 138 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 5: No, that's that's a great question, Vanessa. 139 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 7: I feel as though with w ME, you know, kind 140 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 7: of being new ownership, I think it almost helps propel 141 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 7: UFC in the right direction, not only for themselves as 142 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 7: an organization, but for the fighters. I think that they're 143 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 7: understanding that, hey, you know, the world is changing, right, 144 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 7: Information spreads like wildfire, the fans are demanding, you know, 145 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 7: a great product year over year. 146 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: You know. 147 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 7: What they're doing in terms of forming t KO right 148 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 7: and kind of having the w WWE right, which is 149 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 7: which is a storied entity in and of itself, and 150 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 7: combining out with UFC, I think it only helps fighters 151 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 7: right in the future. But what I'm curious to know 152 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 7: and learn, and it's still kind of kind of new 153 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 7: right t k O forming is how they intend to 154 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 7: allow crossover right because one of the things that we 155 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 7: understood from UFC in past is that, uh, these fighters 156 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 7: don't have as much rights and say so over their 157 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 7: brand and and likeness and what I mean by in 158 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 7: terms of other sports, right, you can you can see 159 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,319 Speaker 7: what a first round pick is making and negotiate off 160 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 7: of that. It's kind of like set there's more of 161 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 7: an opportunity. There's there's a players association, right, that's that's 162 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 7: in place in college. 163 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 5: There's name, name, image and likeness. 164 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 7: So I think that overall things for combat sports and 165 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 7: the landscape and MMA in particular is trending upwards, right. 166 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 7: And I think that's from a business standpoint in just 167 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 7: terms of legitimizing the sport globally and as from a 168 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 7: league standpoint, but also from a fighter standpoint. But it's 169 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 7: up to the fighters at the end of the day. 170 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 7: It's up to the fighters, in my opinion, to really 171 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 7: advocate for their rights, right, advocate for their opportunities where 172 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 7: there's sponsorship, where there's brand value, and it's important. 173 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 5: Right. One of the things that I've always set out. 174 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 7: To do is just educate these athletes on understanding their 175 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 7: value and realizing that value. And that makes for a 176 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 7: better product for everyone, not just themselves. 177 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: Huddle around the set, kids, old man Bars tell a 178 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:50,199 Speaker 1: story here about boxing. Well, back in my day, you 179 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: know they old day, we used to wait. We couldn't 180 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: even believe it. When Muhammad Ali and Howard go Sell 181 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 1: would get together on Wide World of Sports and they 182 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: would do the interview and they just talked. It was like, 183 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: oh my goodness, you know. And and back in the 184 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 1: day when yeap, when Ali and Joe Frazier fired, didn't 185 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: even call it pay per view. It was closed circuit. 186 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 1: That's that's how old I am back in the day. 187 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 1: Now today boxing has kind of slipped compared to you know, 188 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: the MMA and stuff like that. Cana Francis in Ganu 189 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: bring it back to where people are saying, hey, I 190 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: got to watch his boxing match. 191 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 7: Oh, Francis is doing that and has already done so 192 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 7: with him fighting Tyson Fury. Right, And I'd be remiss 193 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 7: if I didn't mention a new kind of figurehead in boxing, 194 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 7: which is his excellency Turkey. I'll share from from from 195 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 7: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Right when Francis made a 196 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 7: trip to Saudi Arabia about a year and a half 197 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 7: ago he met his excellency, right, and the first thing 198 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 7: he asked him, frances what do you want to do? 199 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 7: He said, I want to box? He said where? He said, 200 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,560 Speaker 7: I would like to box in Saudi Arabia? Right, And 201 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 7: now you're seeing the issue with you know, and maybe 202 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 7: I mean you're you're a little bit. 203 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 5: Older than me, right, because you just dated yourself. 204 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:25,680 Speaker 7: But I will say the issue is boxing has been 205 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,839 Speaker 7: that the fights that people want to see don't always 206 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 7: get made. Of course, in the ALI days, I'm sure 207 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:33,719 Speaker 7: you know the best, we're fighting the best. Then it 208 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 7: became more of a commercial kind of kind of product. 209 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 7: And now what I think we're seeing is going back 210 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 7: to the best fighting the best. So now Francis your questions, 211 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 7: can Francis bring that back? I think he can and 212 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 7: he's already doing so because you have not only the 213 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 7: boxing world looking at these athletes in a different light, 214 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 7: meaning MMA athletes coming over, but you're seeing the MMA 215 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 7: audience which is younger, which has a better understanding of 216 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 7: of the sport of MMA, right, and it's bringing that fandom. 217 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 7: So I think there's a yearning brewing across all of 218 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 7: combat sports, and I think it's going to start with 219 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 7: Francis and Ghanu continuing on this opportunity for Hey, if 220 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 7: you're a fighter, you fight, period and that's and that's 221 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 7: what we're seeing today. 222 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: Markel Martin, founder and Chief executive Officer of three point 223 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: zero Labs Incorporated. You, sir, are golden just for coming 224 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,559 Speaker 1: on the show and joining us here with the Bloomberg 225 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: Business of Sports and we appreciate your knowledge. Thank you again, sir, 226 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: God blessed. 227 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:36,439 Speaker 5: Thank you guys for having me. 228 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: That's Markel Martin. He is founder and CEO of three 229 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: point zero Sports and represents top fighter Francis and Ghanu. 230 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 1: Special thanks to him for joining us up next return 231 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 1: to jet suit racing. Yeah, buddy, that is straight ahead 232 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: on the Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around world. 233 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. This 234 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,320 Speaker 1: is the Bloomberg Business of Sports show where we explored 235 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: the big money issues in the world of sports. I'm 236 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:16,439 Speaker 1: Michael Barr. Gravity Industries wants to pioneer a new era 237 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: of human flight. It designs, builds, and flies jetsuits and 238 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 1: then they're gonna raise them. This week in Dubai. Gravity 239 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: is going to help launch the very first sporting contest 240 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: in the world featuring opponents who take flight without an 241 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: aircraft in the Dubai Jetsuit Race. Earlier this week, Damian Sassauer, 242 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: Vanessa Pernomo of Bloomberg Originals and I got to sit 243 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: down with Richard Browning, founder and chief test pilot for 244 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 1: Gravity Industries, to talk about the race and more. Let's 245 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: listen in on that conversation, starting with him describing the 246 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: type of technology his company uses. 247 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 6: I guess quite a few folks listening might have come 248 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 6: across the visuals of what we talk about here. This 249 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 6: is a jetsuit from Gravity. They might have seen a 250 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 6: medic flying up a mountain. They might have seen what 251 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 6: looked like a Royal Marine soldier flying onto a Navy boat. 252 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 6: Two of those films. I mean, we've had those going 253 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 6: around a few years and they've done hundreds of millions 254 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 6: of views. It's that technology. We're talking about, a bunch 255 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 6: of little jet engines attached to a human being in 256 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 6: a way that allows you to fly, in many people's 257 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 6: minds as close as you can get to a superhero flying. 258 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 6: Except now, having done over three hundred events in forty 259 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 6: five countries, and built a medic and military business. We're 260 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 6: going one step further and building an actual race series 261 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,239 Speaker 6: and that is happening in Dubai. 262 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 9: So it's pretty exciting. 263 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 2: So Richard tell us about the suit here, told us 264 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 2: about what it costs to build the suit, how much 265 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 2: it costs to fly the suit, how heavy the suit is, 266 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 2: what's the duration for each play? 267 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 5: And how are you structuring this race? 268 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 7: I mean, how are people going to I mean, I 269 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 7: have to believe it's pretty expensive, right, so I mean 270 00:14:58,080 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 7: talk to us about how many people are involved in 271 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 7: the how's it going to work? 272 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 6: Firstly, so to paint a picture, you are wearing a 273 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 6: backpack which has the fuel and other engine management systems 274 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 6: in it. You have then depending on the model, you 275 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 6: have between one and three engines in the back that 276 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 6: are lifting you from the back. And then on each 277 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 6: arm you have a pair of little engines, little jet engines, 278 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 6: and the net result of each pair feels like you 279 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 6: are just leaning on a surface. You know, it's sort 280 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 6: of balanced around each arm. And then by using amazing 281 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 6: human balance and stability, and I mean amazing in the 282 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 6: fact that humans can walk and run about on two legs, 283 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 6: we train people in La London and soon Dubai to 284 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 6: be able to fly these things. We've trained over six 285 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 6: hundred people. Even my kids learned when they were thirteen. 286 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 6: And it is one of those bicycle snowboarding, skiing processes 287 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 6: where it's very hard to explain how you do it, 288 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 6: but the least you think about it, the quicker you 289 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 6: pick it up on our training tether and then off 290 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 6: you go. So it's a very small piece of equipment really, 291 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 6: and it's very much using human balance and physicality. I mean, 292 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 6: we have retailed them very carefully to a little leap 293 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 6: number of people for about four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 294 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 6: Our main markets really are the military and medical community, 295 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 6: but as the race series grows, we will be retelling 296 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 6: the more and more of these for specific racing over 297 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 6: water to keep it safe. 298 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 9: But then really, compared to a NASCAR. 299 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 6: And IndyCar, I mean that's you know, the most components 300 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 6: on those cars cost more than that. 301 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 9: If you throw them in the water, which is part 302 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 9: of the racing. 303 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 6: You know, you're not supposed to do it, but when 304 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 6: it inevitably happens, then it's a few thousand dollars to 305 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 6: refurbish it and off you go again. So you know, 306 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 6: in the scheme of top end sport, this is a 307 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 6: very cost effective way of delivering what to most people 308 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 6: will look like real life Marvel superheroes pushing the limits 309 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 6: of human and machine capability. 310 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. 311 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 8: Absolutely, I mean it does look like Ironman's just flying 312 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 8: up there. But I'm also glad you said that part 313 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 8: about like snowboarding and skiing, it's it's hard to describe 314 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 8: how you do it because I have been trying to 315 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 8: learn how to become an avid snowboarder and it's not 316 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 8: panning out exactly how I would like, but I can 317 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 8: kind of do it. So who, what are the other people, 318 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 8: the other athletes that are going to be in the circuit, 319 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:05,879 Speaker 8: and how do they get trained and how long does 320 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 8: the process usually take? 321 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:11,160 Speaker 6: Right, So we are, you know, essentially building from scratch 322 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 6: what we hope to be a new whole sporting franchise 323 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 6: alongside all the events and all the other activities we do. 324 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 6: And so to kick that off, rather than having exactly 325 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 6: this conversation of me, even though it's radio, waving my 326 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 6: hands around and explaining what it is I want within 327 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 6: the space of the next week to be sharing with 328 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 6: the world all the visuals of what. 329 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 9: This really looks like. 330 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 6: But essentially it's going to be a lot of my 331 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 6: team pilots, guys and girls who are event pilots and 332 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 6: medic pilots and demonstration pilots. They will all be taking 333 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 6: part in this race. And I mean, we haven't done 334 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 6: this before. This is going to be, you know, proper innovation. 335 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 6: We really do walk that walk or fly that fly, 336 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 6: if that's a phrase. We are going to be really 337 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 6: just creating a showcase. We are calling it the inaugural 338 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 6: Showcase in partnership with Dubai who are very much throwing 339 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:02,200 Speaker 6: their weight behind this and races two, three, four, et cetera. 340 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,360 Speaker 6: Will then start to have other pilots from our network 341 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 6: of other trained people from the worlds of media, social media, 342 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 6: sport and other places, who will increasingly then have other 343 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:14,719 Speaker 6: sponsors they bring to the table to sponsor suits. We've 344 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 6: already got quite a few sponsors coming in. And really 345 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 6: where I'm going with this is the world of motorsport 346 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,120 Speaker 6: has built an amazing playbook over one hundred plus years. 347 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 6: Or how do you have sponsored teams, sponsored locations, sponsored pilots, 348 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 6: constructor championships all of this good stuff. There is no 349 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 6: reason why, if we are genuinely delivering value to our 350 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 6: audience and sponsors, why we can't just build that out. 351 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 9: But this is ground zero. 352 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 6: This is starting from scratch, and the visuals, if you like, that, 353 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 6: will go out after the race, will have to show 354 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 6: just how spectacular this it is, which I really you know, 355 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:49,119 Speaker 6: I mean it looks pretty spectacular even from the stuff 356 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,959 Speaker 6: we put out already. So we are very much going 357 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 6: to be, you know, playing from that same motorsport playbook. 358 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: Well lurd you mentioned NASCAR don't have the big one 359 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 1: man doing these things in the jet backs. This is 360 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:06,360 Speaker 1: a this is rather dangerous if you're racing them. How 361 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:10,280 Speaker 1: many are in a race or a heat or how 362 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 1: does that even work? 363 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 6: So we're going to be, again, very much motorsport. We're 364 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 6: going to be starting slow with individual pilots going around 365 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 6: testing the course and then starting to lay down personal 366 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,200 Speaker 6: best times. Again it's just like a motorsport, and then 367 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 6: we'll put head to head you know, pilots where you've 368 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 6: got let's say the slowest to next fastest, next fastest pairs, 369 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 6: so you've got a bit of the competitive elements. So 370 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 6: they're starting to get used to the course and with 371 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 6: other pilots in the air, and the whole thing snowballs 372 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 6: up to the sort of final race day where you've 373 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 6: got eight seven or eight pilots all going off at 374 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 6: the same time, all explosively launching and all hammering around 375 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 6: the course, with inevitably some people getting it wrong and 376 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 6: going in the water. And the lovely thing about this 377 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:51,679 Speaker 6: is you deliver that critical thing for sport, which is 378 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 6: that perception of risk and peril and jeopardy. And yet 379 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 6: actually you get it wrong, you fall into water. So 380 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:01,120 Speaker 6: it's actually got we believe, far less risk than most 381 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 6: motors board and yet it's going to look at it. 382 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 5: You mentioned medical, you mentioned military. I mean, where does 383 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 5: the live and breathe right now? 384 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 6: So if I just wind it back briefly, so I 385 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 6: was a fifteen year career commodity trader in the city 386 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 6: of London, but my whole family came from the world 387 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:20,199 Speaker 6: of aviation and engineering, and I've also had a bit 388 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:22,199 Speaker 6: of a military background as well alongside that. And so 389 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,199 Speaker 6: if you put all that in a pot with a 390 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 6: healthy dose of liking a crazy challenge, I hatched this 391 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 6: idea of could you augment human physicality and balance with 392 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 6: just a bit of technology and flying away that everybody 393 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,360 Speaker 6: thought was impossible. And if you think about it, a bicycle, 394 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 6: as I'm glamorous as that might sound, does that really well? 395 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 6: You put a bit of steel and rubber on a 396 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 6: human and suddenly they can hammer around, you know, forty 397 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 6: miles an hour and travel hundreds of miles and yet 398 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 6: that bicycle by itself can't even stand up. 399 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 1: You know. 400 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 6: It's when you think about it that's amazing, so inspired. 401 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 6: In the same way, I thought, if you just add 402 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 6: some minimal equipment it's to still use human balance and physicality, 403 00:20:57,359 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 6: could you kind of achieve this? And I did it 404 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 6: in twenty sixteen. There's a whole ludicrous investment story which 405 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 6: I can share with you if you're ingested, which is 406 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 6: was not planned, but anyway, we ended up building a 407 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 6: really quite successful business out of this from just doing events. 408 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 6: Using my military background, it started to dawn on us 409 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 6: that if you need to move special Forces soldiers over minds, 410 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 6: mud wire, water at night in bad weather to deliver 411 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 6: an objective and self extract, we can do that better 412 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:25,360 Speaker 6: than any other platform out there. And so we've even 413 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,719 Speaker 6: operated in Ukraine we've operated in UH with special forces 414 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 6: all over the world, and we are now live with 415 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:35,320 Speaker 6: a number of special forces doing exactly that. So I 416 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,120 Speaker 6: mean not that I tried to build a real life 417 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 6: Imaan suit here at all. It's funny how we are 418 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 6: copying from so many elements of that film, because yes, 419 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 6: it's fun, but behind the scenes we are not any 420 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 6: delivering special Forces soldiers over any terrain to deliver objectives. 421 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:53,879 Speaker 6: We're also now pushing the whole use of that to 422 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,439 Speaker 6: deliver first respond on medic capability in very hard to 423 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 6: operate terrain, and so that's really starting to happen now too. 424 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 7: Well. 425 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 8: You know, it's interesting to me there is that you're saying, 426 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 8: you know, when you first started out, that wasn't your goal, 427 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 8: and that you had these this crazy, you know, investment story. 428 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 8: I'd love to hear because you know, when if that 429 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 8: wasn't your goal when you first started out, well, you know, 430 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 8: when you first had this idea, what was you know, 431 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 8: the application for you? And then when you started going 432 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 8: to VC backers and potential sponsors, what were those initial pitches, like, 433 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 8: how did you get them to sign on? 434 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 6: Nothing about what we've done is normal, which is sort 435 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:27,920 Speaker 6: of applies to my life. 436 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:28,439 Speaker 9: I think so. 437 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 6: But to answer your question, I had no business model, 438 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 6: I had no business plan. I just thought one or 439 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 6: two opportunities in life, let's just try something that everybody 440 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 6: says it is impossible, where I see a tiny inkling that 441 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 6: they might be wrong, being in the spirit of innovation, 442 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 6: which is all about taking risks as long as that 443 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 6: risk is recoverable, as long as you can get back 444 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 6: up again and fight another day. If you're running a 445 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 6: trading book, is you know you guys know you have 446 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 6: to be able to do that, or you don't keep 447 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 6: your seat well. In the same way when it comes 448 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 6: to innovation, as long as you can get get back 449 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 6: up financially, reputationally, and from a safty perspective, you just 450 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 6: keep iterating. And that's all I did, and I ended 451 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 6: up arriving at something that I still for the first 452 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 6: year of presenting this around the world, had engineers sto 453 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 6: up and go, there's no way this should work, and 454 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 6: I'd just flown it for them in their parking. Anyway, 455 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 6: Having got into work, we launched with Wired and Red Bull, 456 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 6: which were two brands that between them absolutely catapulted us 457 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 6: in the right direction. Especially for the British media, which 458 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 6: is very primed and ready to stick you in the 459 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:25,880 Speaker 6: lunatic bin. 460 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 9: Dangerous. 461 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 6: I have to say, your good country is far more 462 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:34,879 Speaker 6: open to the crazy, and hence why you've got so 463 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 6: many billion dollar companies and you know, on the other 464 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 6: side of the Atlantic not so much, right, And it 465 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 6: comes from that receptiveness that we don't have to the unusual. 466 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 6: But on the way to do ten twenty seventeen, I 467 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 6: got asked by Boost VC, run by Adam Draper, Tim 468 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:53,120 Speaker 6: Draper's son. If you know, you know Tim Draper pretty 469 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 6: famous in the VC world. I didn't know who they were. 470 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 6: I was too focused on destroying my reputation in front 471 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,679 Speaker 6: of the ted crowd, and I did a little parking 472 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:04,200 Speaker 6: lot flight for them, and Tim Draper rushed up with 473 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 6: one hundred dollar bill gave it to me as a 474 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 6: bit of a joke as my first revenue for blowing 475 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 6: out his parking lot because I blew dust everywhere. And 476 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 6: then he chatted to his son and said, right, we 477 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 6: have to be part of this. How about six hundred 478 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,479 Speaker 6: and fifty thousand dollars for ten percent of the company. Actually, 479 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 6: strictly speaking, he said half a million dollars, and I 480 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,679 Speaker 6: quickly put my trader hat on with the engine still cooling, 481 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 6: and said, oh, you know, I should I sort of 482 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:27,959 Speaker 6: sort to myself, I should haggle here, And I haggled 483 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 6: into six fifty and raised that money in the parking 484 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 6: lot in event number one. 485 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 9: In a week one of revealing the world. 486 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 6: So yeah, and then it just kind of, you know, 487 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,199 Speaker 6: spiraled from there really, and we genuinely have applied the 488 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 6: same curiosity and willingness to experiment in a recoverable way 489 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 6: to the commercial side of the business as we have 490 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,400 Speaker 6: the engineering side. And so we've just tried all sorts 491 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 6: of things and the businesses I've already mentioned are all 492 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 6: the successes out of those experiments. And before we did 493 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:01,439 Speaker 6: our successful Series B raise last year, we were actually 494 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 6: a net profitable company for a startup flying jetsuits. How 495 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 6: crazy is that, right? I mean, we were actually a 496 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 6: profitable business. We were earning more than we were spending. 497 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 6: I mean, no one does that in the start of world. 498 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 1: That's Richard Browning. He is founder in chief test pilot 499 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: for Gravity Industries. Special thanks to him for joining us 500 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: on the Bloomberg Business of sports. Up next, we had 501 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: boots on the ground in Las Vegas for the Big Game. 502 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: We'll check in on what they learned about the future 503 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: a big sporting events in Vegas. Plus, take a listen 504 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: to a few of their special conversations during the Super Bowl. 505 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: That's straight ahead on the Bloomberg Business of Sports from 506 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Radio. Around the world. You're listening to Bloomberg Business 507 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. This is the Bloomberg Business 508 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: of Sports show, but we explored the big money issues 509 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: in the world of sports. I'm Michael Barr, Scarlett Fu 510 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 1: and Damian Sasauer will be back next week. Do have 511 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:03,640 Speaker 1: special guest host with us, but Anessa Pernomo is back. 512 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: She is the editorial lead for Sports on Bloomberg Originals 513 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: and Bloomberg Sports Business reporter Randall Williams. They were both 514 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 1: in Las Vegas on Radio Row for the Super Bowl. 515 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: I want to start with you, Vanessa. What was it like? 516 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 7: Man? 517 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 8: You know, it's funny because it is lucky, right. It 518 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 8: was an amazing experience. You know, you see everyone walking 519 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:26,200 Speaker 8: around and you just have to pretend like it's totally 520 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,879 Speaker 8: normal that Emmitt Smith and Joe Montana and Gronk and 521 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 8: everyone's just walking past you and you're like, hey, what's up. 522 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 8: But you know, it was it was great. It's really 523 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 8: long process. So we talked to a lot of interesting people. 524 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 8: Sae Quon Barkley Austin Eckler talked to them both about 525 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 8: you know, free agency and the running back market, and 526 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 8: then just about Vegas and how interesting this super Bowl 527 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 8: being there was and how different it was compared to 528 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:55,399 Speaker 8: other ones. Right, Randall, it's like very different experience than 529 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:56,159 Speaker 8: we've had before. 530 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: By the way, Rander, sure, yeah, I love it. The 531 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 1: way Vanessa just dropped some Yeah, Emmi Smith came by, 532 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: you know, I told yo. 533 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:12,199 Speaker 2: But it was Clark Hunt, it was my homes, it 534 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 2: was Gronk Edelman or it was so many different people. 535 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 2: I think Vegas was really one of the rare. It 536 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 2: felt like a perfect sports or super Bowl city, I'll say, 537 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 2: because you have the parties, you have the luster, you 538 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 2: have the food, you have the players and everyone really 539 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 2: just wanted to be there. 540 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 5: So it was a good experience. 541 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 1: It was NonStop. 542 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 2: I mean, I would never spend a week in Vegas 543 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,160 Speaker 2: for anything other than the Super. 544 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:40,159 Speaker 3: Bowl and maybe a wedding. 545 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 2: But yeah, by the end of it it was. It 546 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 2: was great, but we were both so exhausted. 547 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I wish I could say that. 548 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:46,679 Speaker 3: But. 549 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 2: You know you had, Michael, you had, you had no 550 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 2: reason to go, your lions folded. I mean, let's let's stop. 551 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 3: Tell what it is. You could have won. 552 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,120 Speaker 1: But you know what back in the day, you know, remember, 553 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 1: you know, back they used the super Bowl used to 554 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: be back in Miami for several years. And you know, 555 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:15,160 Speaker 1: I'm wondering now, Vanessa and Randall, if you know, if Vegas, 556 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: because that's the money maker right there, Vanessa, if that's 557 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: gonna be numerous on the slate forever? 558 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 8: Oh, definitely, you know, you know, talking to people there, 559 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 8: you just knew it was gonna be. Now, it's definitely 560 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 8: in the rotation, and I think as the years go on, 561 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 8: it'll be in a very heavy rotation, like I could 562 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,919 Speaker 8: see it being every three or four years, you know 563 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 8: kind of a thing. Because it just was, like Randall Sedley, 564 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 8: it was very perfect. Except for the traffic. I will say, 565 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 8: they need to figure that out because that was horrific. 566 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 8: And it's not like New York, you know, it's it's 567 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 8: very different. I me and Randall, we are talking about 568 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 8: the lights just feel like they take like five minutes 569 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 8: to change. But other than that, you know, it is 570 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 8: like the perfect city, and I think it works out 571 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 8: perfectly for the city and for the NFL because you 572 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 8: have all the people that want to be there. All 573 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 8: the players want to be there because they know they 574 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 8: can make a lot of money this week, even if 575 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,479 Speaker 8: they're not playing in the game, maybe even more if 576 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 8: they're not playing in the game, right, because the reality 577 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 8: is they get paid to go on radio row and 578 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 8: talk about a lot of products and then get paid 579 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 8: a lot of money to do it. 580 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 2: The thing is, with more new stadiums being built, there's 581 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 2: going to be more cities vying for an opportunity to 582 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: host the Super Bowl. But Vegas has everything you want there. 583 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 2: You have the casinos, you have the hotels, and like 584 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 2: I said, the food and everything else, and it's all 585 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 2: in a close proximity. That's why the traffic was so 586 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 2: bad is because there's so many people around now. The 587 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 2: traffic wasn't nearly as bad as when I was at 588 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 2: F one, but it is what it is, Vegas. I 589 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 2: think Vegas will definitely be twice a decade, maybe three 590 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 2: times a decade of Super Bowl appearances. 591 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 1: Vanessa and Randall, thanks for taking the time to step 592 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: in on the show today. Now let's take a listen 593 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: to some of their conversations they had from Vegas at 594 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl. Starting with Tony Gladney. He's a former 595 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: NFL pro who spent time on the San Francisco forty 596 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 1: nine in his career. Now he's at MGM Resorts International 597 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 1: serving as vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Let's 598 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 1: listen in on some of his conversations with Randall and Vanessa. 599 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: Starting with his thoughts on having a big game in 600 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: Las Vegas. 601 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 10: I personally from being a former UNLV you know, student 602 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 10: athlete playing on the football team and even you know, 603 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 10: having a short career with the forty nine ers and 604 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 10: coming back, I would have never thought that, you know, 605 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 10: the Super Bowl would would be here. But I think 606 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 10: it came into fruition through opportunities, opportunities for different sports 607 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 10: teams coming here, opportunities. Who would have ever thought that, 608 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 10: you know, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, uh, the the Aces, 609 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 10: you know Women's w n B A right champions, back 610 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 10: to back, right Vegas Golden Knights Champions, Las Vegas Raiders. 611 00:30:56,760 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 10: So I believe that, you know, throughout we were able 612 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 10: to I think really show that as. 613 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:06,719 Speaker 3: A part of what our core is. 614 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 10: That that sports capital potential is starting to come to 615 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 10: fruition even more than the entertainment and capital of the world. 616 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 2: So I did some some calculations because we just did 617 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 2: this Las Vegas is trying to become the sports capital 618 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 2: of the world story and it's over or nearly seven 619 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:28,720 Speaker 2: billion dollars invested in sports properties and teams over the 620 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:30,479 Speaker 2: course of forty years, and a lot of that has 621 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 2: really picked up recently. I spoke to Bill and Bill 622 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 2: told me, Hey, if the NBA comes in town, we're 623 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 2: gonna offer up T Mobile arena. Talk to me about 624 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 2: how that would work and the potential there. 625 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 10: Well, I think it's a potential. I think it's a potential. 626 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 10: As Bill expressed that we are really open to opportunities 627 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 10: such as you know, the NBA potential. You know, I 628 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:57,719 Speaker 10: think that, you know, it's our core. We have you know, 629 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 10: mini arenas, we have rapid basketball fans, absolutely rapid basketball fans, 630 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 10: and MGM has a history of you know, entertaining from 631 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,200 Speaker 10: a sports perspective back to the days of boxing. Yeah, 632 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 10: and so I believe that our company's up to the 633 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 10: task if that potential presents itself, And as Bill expressed, 634 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,920 Speaker 10: I believe our company would do a great job at 635 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 10: give it the given opportunity to be able to host that. 636 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 2: This is almost like an audition in a sense. 637 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 1: There's no event. 638 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,200 Speaker 2: I mean, the only thing that's probably bigger than the 639 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 2: super Bowl is a presidential election or something that makes 640 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 2: national news. But in sports, the super Bowl is it. 641 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: I spoke to the NFL for the story, and one 642 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 2: of the things that they said is they want you 643 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 2: all to be in the rotation of super Bowl host cities. 644 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 2: How quickly do you want something like this back? And 645 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 2: what can you improve upon to make sure today this 646 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 2: is great, but let's make it amazing next time. 647 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 10: I've had the pleasure of being the co chair of 648 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 10: the Community Affairs UH subcommittee for the NFL Host Committee, 649 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 10: and our dialogue has been this is going to be 650 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 10: one of the best super Bowls, if not the best 651 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:15,960 Speaker 10: super Bowl that the NFL and its fans have seen, 652 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 10: and we believe that. 653 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:18,480 Speaker 3: That is all right. 654 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 10: What makes Vegas is that is obviously our tourism experiences, Obviously, 655 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 10: our amount of rooms, room availability, our entertainment venues. I 656 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 10: look at a company like MGM Resorts, you know how 657 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 10: we have a plethora of properties or we have entertainment 658 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 10: venues to serve you. But I think even more important, 659 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,960 Speaker 10: I think it's our community. You have citizens and you 660 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 10: have community members from every uh you know, city and 661 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 10: state and region that move here, and so uh it's 662 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 10: not you know for us, We're no stranger to that. 663 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:03,640 Speaker 10: And so we believe that we do things big, we 664 00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 10: do things the best, and when we do have a weakness, 665 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 10: we make sure that we build on our weaknesses and 666 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 10: if I can really you know, link that one of 667 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:19,880 Speaker 10: our core concepts with customers is that we want customers 668 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 10: to have an experience that they will keep coming back. 669 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 10: Our key is that repeat business. And so it's no 670 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 10: different than when we talk about the super Bowl and 671 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 10: when we talk about specific expansion of different types of 672 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:36,840 Speaker 10: uh you know sports coming well. I think the great 673 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:41,400 Speaker 10: part is we really take great pride and our properties 674 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 10: that you can have that one stop shopping experience in 675 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 10: our properties to where obviously there's opportunities to be able 676 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 10: to you know, uh leave you know that property, but 677 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:58,839 Speaker 10: we make sure that you have everything that you need 678 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 10: to be able to to have that one stop shopping experience, 679 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 10: to be able to make sure that you're comfortable, to 680 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 10: be able to be within the property. 681 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: We're in Mandalay. 682 00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 10: Bay now, now you know everything's been available to you 683 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:14,560 Speaker 10: and a whole lot more while you're here. 684 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 3: We hope, and that's what our goal is. 685 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 1: That's Tony Gladnie. He's VP of Diversity, Equitting an Inclusion 686 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 1: at MGM Resorts International, speaking with Vanessa Pernomo and Randall 687 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: Williams from Vegas on Radio Row at the Super Bowl. 688 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 1: Vanessa and Randall also spoke with NFL star running back 689 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: sa Kwan bark Ley while they were hanging out in 690 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 1: Las Vegas. Let's listen to some of their conversations, starting 691 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 1: with his thoughts on the market for top flight running 692 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:45,799 Speaker 1: backs in the NFL and his impending free agency. 693 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 3: It's the NFL, Yes buys right now, that's the trend. 694 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:52,240 Speaker 3: It's going to change. 695 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:56,279 Speaker 4: I do think though, with the franchise tag obviously going 696 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,440 Speaker 4: through that, I feel like there's got to be a 697 00:35:58,520 --> 00:35:58,919 Speaker 4: new way. 698 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 3: Sadly, it's not gonna happen for another couple of years. 699 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:03,120 Speaker 5: That's just how it. 700 00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:05,799 Speaker 3: Works with the CBA. But think about it this way. 701 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:08,319 Speaker 4: If the Giants were too franchise tag me, not saying 702 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,400 Speaker 4: that they are, but they were a franchise tag me, 703 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:14,040 Speaker 4: I would be on one team for seven years, which 704 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:16,480 Speaker 4: I love New York and I love Everyone knows that, 705 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:20,720 Speaker 4: but never ever really getting a chance to maximize another contract. 706 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:24,560 Speaker 3: And that's not fair. I won't say fear. I hate 707 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:25,840 Speaker 3: use the worth fear because. 708 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 4: At the end of the day, we're playing a game 709 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:31,439 Speaker 4: called football. Have been playing since I was a little kid. 710 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:34,239 Speaker 4: Majority of my life I've played for free, and you're 711 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 4: still making millions of dollars and it's all relative front. 712 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:39,399 Speaker 4: So I want to say fear, but in that way 713 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 4: it's you know, I never really got that chance. If 714 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 4: that was to happen, I don't think it should be. 715 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,400 Speaker 4: I don't think any player should be handcuffing. To be honest, 716 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:51,320 Speaker 4: For some players, franchise tagg's not bad franchise tag. It's 717 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,200 Speaker 4: still twenty seven million dollars. I don't know what the 718 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:55,680 Speaker 4: ward receivers. That's the first thing I think of around there. 719 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:56,239 Speaker 3: I don't know the. 720 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 4: Exact number, but you know, there's some guys in the 721 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:02,800 Speaker 4: locker room that's like, please, so it helps in some cases, 722 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:05,319 Speaker 4: but I think in a case where you could get 723 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:08,200 Speaker 4: a player for being good, for getting drafted high, for 724 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:10,520 Speaker 4: getting drafted the first round is a negative thing that 725 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 4: comes behind it where you get to it's like a punishment, 726 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 4: says right. 727 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:16,719 Speaker 1: That is NFL star running back Saquon Barkley talking with 728 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:20,160 Speaker 1: our colleagues Vanessa Prodomo and Randall Williams while they were 729 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 1: in Las Vegas at the Super Bowl. And that does 730 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 1: it for this week's edition of The Bloomberg Business of Sports. 731 00:37:26,360 --> 00:37:29,879 Speaker 1: I'm Michael Barr, Scarlet Fuld, Damien Sasaur. We'll be back 732 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:33,000 Speaker 1: next week, and a special thank you to Vanessa Perdomo 733 00:37:33,160 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 1: of Bloomberg Originals and Randall Williams of Bloomberg News for 734 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 1: hopping into that. Tune in again next week for the 735 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:43,880 Speaker 1: latest on the stories moving big old money in the 736 00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:47,080 Speaker 1: world of sports. You're listening The Bloomberg Business of Sports 737 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 1: from Bloomberg Radio around the world.