1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Michael barn and I'm Scottshnik. On this weekly podcast, 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: we explored the big money issues in the world of 3 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 1: sports and talk to some of the biggest players in 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,319 Speaker 1: the industry. On this week's show, we are speaking with 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: Boston Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy. He talks wins, losses, branding, 6 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: and the value of the Red Sox Yankees rivalry. What 7 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: you know you may read or here think there's mutual 8 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: admiration and respect. We'll have more without our interview with 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 1: Sam Kennedy in a few minutes, but first let's look 10 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: at the top stories of the week. Joining us is 11 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business of Sports reporter Evan Novie Williams, and let's 12 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: start with the Karda McGregor Floyd Mayweather fight. I saw 13 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: this baby, I paid for it. I'm sorry. It was 14 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: an entertaining fight. I don't care what anybody says. Somehow 15 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: I knew of the tech savory three million that didn't 16 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: pay for it. Michael Barr would not be included in 17 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: it was. It was. It was an enjoyable fight and 18 00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: leaves a lot of questions business questions moving forward to 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: especially for McGregor. I mean, say what you will about 20 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: how he performed. He did not embarrass himself and that 21 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: probably leaves the option open for him to continue boxing 22 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: should he want to. And he made more in this 23 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: fight than he has his entire UFC career, all those 24 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: titles he's made, the rays up to being the most 25 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: visible star, the most bankable star in UFC, all of 26 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:21,919 Speaker 1: the money he's made his entire four year UFC career 27 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: pales in comparison to what he made on one night boxing. 28 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: That's gonna be a hard lure for him to turn down. 29 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: And still he's not the happiest guy. The happiest people 30 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: after this whole event are the traditional TV folks, that 31 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: linear TV guy who's like, ah, look at that. He 32 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: tried to have a big event. All I hear is streaming, 33 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: all I hear is digital, and all the problems that occurred, 34 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: there's already a lawsuit. There were refunds of those who 35 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: couldn't log on. So those traditional TV folks are still 36 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: they're they're laughing all the way to the bank, saying 37 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: get on your couch, get your h D t V, 38 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: big screen, and enjoy because it worked for us. It 39 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: does seem as though every time we have a big 40 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: fight like this. I mean, this is this big fight, 41 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: was bigger than than Pacquiao Mayweather. You know, Maywether there's 42 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: going to make probably three d million dollars on this fight. 43 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: McGregor might bank a hundred million. Uh. It does seem 44 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: like every time we have fights of this magnitude there 45 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: is something wrong, either with the pay per view or 46 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: the digital I believe the lingo the lexicon and industry 47 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: is concurrent streams, as when you try to concurrently stream 48 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: that many that many viewers, things go wrong. Well, I 49 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:28,399 Speaker 1: can currently dialed up the cable company to have this 50 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: fight for pay per view, which, by the way, that's 51 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: the way to do it. See, if you order it 52 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: by the TV itself straight, you only get it on 53 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: one TV. But I called the cable company, so I 54 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: got in on both of my TVs upstairs and down. 55 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: It was so said, I saw the picture on Facebook, 56 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: that bar postage. It's like these three guys with pot 57 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: bellies and the chips were right right now, that's what 58 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: that's what it about. By the way, did you see 59 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: the story about the gambler who earned two hundred two 60 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 1: thousand dollars on the Floyd Mayweather kind of make Gregor 61 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 1: fight Betett through William Hill. Now he had to put 62 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: up one one million dollars to do it, but can 63 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,839 Speaker 1: you imagine the first three rounds what he's thinking. Oh no, 64 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: because I'm sorry McGregor was winning those rounds. And not 65 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: just him, I mean the entire Vegas sports betting industry. 66 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: This was the biggest liability that Las Vegas has ever 67 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: had on a sporting event. Was was McGregor winning. There 68 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: was so much betting early on in this process on 69 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: McGregor to win, just because there are a lot of 70 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: fans out there that thought he had a chance, and 71 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 1: and the sports books, because they knew Mayweather was such 72 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: a heavy favorite, didn't want to balance the action, so 73 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: they ended up in this position where if Mayweather had lost, 74 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: this would have been a massive man the worst payout 75 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: in Las Vegas sports betting history. They didn't make a 76 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: nickelaf may I'm one of those people who have to say, 77 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: didn't see the fight. Woke up at two thirty in 78 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: the morning and uh, you know, clicked on the phone, 79 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: Oh okay Mayweather one, okay, good, I that was hit. 80 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: I didn't see it. Oh man. Anyway, that's chef to lacrosse, 81 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: and the cross league expands to San Diego with an 82 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: Ali Baba billionaire. Yeah. The key here is the National 83 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: Lacrosse League the NLO, that's the indoor league. They want 84 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: blue chip owners. They want guys who also won NBA 85 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: teams NHL team because they're looking to add two teams 86 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: per year for the next five years. So they need 87 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: guys who can come in and make an investment in 88 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: the league. And they got one in Josie. He's the 89 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: vice chairman of Ali Baba, but net worth of eleven 90 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: and a half billion dollars played lacrosse at Yale. This 91 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: guy is invested in the sport. He's invested in the league. 92 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: They're not done yet. This is a great announcement for NLLO, absolutely, 93 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: and I'm more interested, I think in what Josiah has next. 94 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: I mean, this guy is a multi multi, multi time billionaire. 95 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: A five million dollar investment is pennies literally for him. 96 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: And if this team increases in value a hundredfold in 97 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 1: the next ten years, which frankly it's not going to do, 98 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: that's still pennies for him. I think this is the 99 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: first step in what is a much larger push into 100 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: sports ownership here in the US and a Scott As 101 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: you've reported, he's interested in the nets, right, that's that 102 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 1: that maybe more share the nets. He he's one of 103 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: the guys looking at the team, so this is the 104 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: cross team kind of gets him into a smaller type 105 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: of boys club. Um, and that can be the launching 106 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: point for something more. And finally, all this is all 107 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 1: I have to say. LaVar Ball and the Facebook show, 108 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 1: That's all I need to say. Yeah, but no, you 109 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: have to say something else, which I didn't pick up 110 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: on the name of the show. Michael Barr Ball in 111 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: the family way Glenn Miller played we do it on 112 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: the side, has no idea? What if I say Archie Bunker, 113 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 1: do you know who? That is? Barely okay? Well, but 114 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: for all the people always annoying, Oh LaVar Ball, get 115 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: rid of I'm rooting against his son. Maybe there was 116 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: a method to the madness. He's got a show on 117 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: Facebook now about his family. It's just promotion for the 118 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: brand and the kids. I always feel like it's like 119 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: the Kardashians. Everybody laughs at the Kardashians. They are going 120 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: to the bank. So is he doing something right? Yeah? 121 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I wouldn't call the guy a genius, but 122 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: there's no question that people love to watch him. And 123 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: this Facebook show on Facebook Watch, which is going to 124 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 1: be launching nationwide. I believe pretty soon it's going to 125 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: be people will watch it for sure. LaVar drew people 126 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: to the Vegas Summer League. I mean there's something about it. 127 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: They it's compelling and people want to see it. Old man, 128 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: borrow watch it on the Facebook thanks to Bloomberg Business 129 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: of Sports reporter Evan Nobody Williams. Now, let's get to 130 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: our interview. We're speaking with the chief executive Officer of 131 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: the Boston Red Sox, Sam Kennedy. He is a native 132 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: of Brookline, Massachusetts, has been president of the Red Sox 133 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: since and was elevated to CEO just last month. Well, Sam, 134 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 1: I think we should start with the congratulations. I mean, 135 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: it's only a couple of weeks in, but you add 136 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 1: a little something to your business card. No, congrats on 137 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: the new gig. Well, thank you very much. It's my 138 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: six teap year with the organization, and um, thanks to 139 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: John Henry and Tom Warner, they've decided to to keep 140 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: me around for for a little bit longer. So if 141 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,679 Speaker 1: it's a great voter confidence in our senior management team. 142 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: We've got a great group up here and we all 143 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: feel feel very fortunate to be a part of the 144 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: Red Sox. This is gonna be difficult, I know, but 145 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: if you can siscinctly some up the Red Sox and 146 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: the Red Sox brand now versus what both of those 147 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: things were when you joined the franchise, well, it's hard 148 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: to do succinctly, but uh, we we try and focus 149 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,559 Speaker 1: really in three key areas of winning baseball games, first 150 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: and foremost, and seconds to preservation and protection of Fenway Park, 151 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: and third is being active participants in the Boston community. 152 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: So I hope that others can judge how we've done 153 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: visaly those uh goals or objectives each and every year. 154 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: But that's what where we that's really where we we 155 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: focus our efforts. And if we're doing well and those 156 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: three fronts, um we'll we'll be just fine. But it's uh, 157 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: it's all ball, playing baseball in October, and hopefully we're 158 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: on that path again this year. Although the the Yankees 159 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: are are absolutely more than nipping at our heels. They're 160 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: they're right there with us. Yeah, but let's let's be 161 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: honest about things. While the fan bases may hate each other, 162 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: I mean there's that rival, we know, but on the 163 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: business side, there's nothing better for baseball more synergistic than 164 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: the Yankees and the Red Sox. It's just great for business, 165 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: is it not? Absolutely no question? And we actually, uh, 166 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: despite what you know you may read or here think, 167 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: there's there's mutual admiration and um respect. John Henry began 168 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: his ownership interest in baseball with the New York Yankees, 169 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: ironically way back, and uh, he's got a great respect 170 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: to the Steinbrenner family. And I actually heard it as 171 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 1: an intern for the New York Yankees back in and 172 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 1: many of my colleagues from that time period are still there. 173 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: So we have a lot of fun going back and 174 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: forced with each other. I particularly liked when Brian Cashman 175 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: called us the Golden State Warriors of Major League Baseball 176 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: this passed offseason when we made the deal for Chris Dale. 177 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: Cash always has a good line or two, and sure enough, 178 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: but here they are the Yankees being the Yankees. They're 179 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: they're right in it. And what a great job he's 180 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: done building a young, competitive team that seems to be 181 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: built for success for a long long time. So yeah, 182 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:32,719 Speaker 1: we've got fun. We have a lot of fun with 183 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: the rivalry, a lot of mutual respect um. And you know, 184 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: I'd be lying if I didn't say we watched the 185 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 1: results and the scoreboards of their games each and every night. 186 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: The president of your Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski, who came 187 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: from Detroit, serve many years with the Tigers and now 188 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: he is with the Boston Red Sox. Let's talk about 189 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: the importance of a smooth running operation in the front office, 190 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 1: and you guy seem to have it. Well. We're fortunate 191 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: to have Daves. He joined us UM in August the 192 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: two thousand and fifteen after a great run with the 193 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: Detroit Tigers. I think the Ill family will tell you 194 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: that he did a terrific job out there, winning a lot, 195 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: playing postseason baseball more often than not, and that's the 196 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: goal for any franchise. And so we had the opportunity 197 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: to bring Dave in to leet our baseball operations department, 198 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: and he's done a great job of um evaluating the 199 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: team of people off the field and on the field. 200 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: Perhaps one of the most impressive things that that he's 201 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: done is recognized some of the great talent in the 202 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: front office and are scouting network and promoting individuals like 203 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:51,719 Speaker 1: Eddie Romero and Gus Quadelbaum and roquelfer Era, Brian O'Halloran, 204 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: names that aren't necessarily household names, but folks would have 205 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: been with the organization for a long long time. Dave 206 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 1: did not come in and clean how alice, In fact, 207 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: just the opposite. He really leaned on the existing talent 208 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: within our organization. One of the first things he did 209 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 1: was was promote Mike Hasn when he arrived and and 210 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: Hazen has now moved on to become the top baseball 211 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 1: operations official at the Arizona Diamondback. So there's been a 212 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: great recognition of our scouting and player development capabilities. Uh. 213 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,559 Speaker 1: And then he's obviously brought his thirty seven years of 214 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: baseball operations experience to the table and we were able 215 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: to win a division last year and and hopefully get 216 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: back to the postseason this year. And he made a 217 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: lot of great moves in the off season and at 218 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: the trade deadline. So it's been um, he's a he's 219 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 1: a really nice guy. He's got a reputation for being 220 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,959 Speaker 1: a terrific guy, a great communicator. But yeah, he's recognized 221 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: some of the great assets that we've had in our 222 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: minor league system and um promoted them, probably more quickly 223 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: than uh, he may have thought he would. And uh 224 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: it's worked out really well. We think about guys like 225 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: Andrew ben Attendee and Raphael Devers and just to name 226 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: a few. So, uh, he's mixed in that young group 227 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: of talent with veteran leadership, acquiring guys at Greig Kimball 228 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:14,000 Speaker 1: and Chris Sale and David Price and folks who have 229 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: been around for a while. And uh, that's always the trick, 230 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: is trying to build that chemistry, and uh, he's done 231 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:21,719 Speaker 1: a really good job of that. That said, he'd be 232 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:23,320 Speaker 1: the first to tell him. We got a long way 233 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: to go here in two thousands seventeen, and we're hopeful 234 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: to get back to the postseason. We are chatting with 235 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy, and Sam, you just brought 236 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,319 Speaker 1: up an attendee's name at the All Star break, I 237 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: would have said it's it's a no brainer. Aaron Judge 238 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: is the rookie of the year. I'm not so sure anymore. Well, 239 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: you know, it'll be a fascinating race for for the 240 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 1: sort of season ending awards and uh and honors. Um 241 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: but uh and and you know you mentioned Aaron Judge 242 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: and some of the great young players in the game. 243 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: We're experiencing, I think a renaissance in baseball with lots 244 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 1: of great young players have captured the imagination of our fans. Uh. 245 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: It's been very, very positive and good for baseball. The 246 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: home run derby was was really exciting. Uh and uh. 247 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: I think that's what the game needs to continue to 248 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: to grow. We've got under Rob Manfred's leadership, we've had 249 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,839 Speaker 1: a good period of growth and we need to keep 250 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,439 Speaker 1: that going as an industry. So young players translate to 251 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 1: younger fans. Everybody knows the baseball demo excuse a little 252 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 1: bit older. Everybody's trying to win that millennial fan base. 253 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: What are the Red Sox doing to win millennials? And 254 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: how's baseball doing overall? We're doing better overall as an 255 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: industry given the emergence of some of the young stars 256 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: that we're talking about, whether it's Bryce Harper, Mookie Betts, 257 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:45,599 Speaker 1: or Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, Andrew Benintendie. You know, 258 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: the list goes on and on. But here at the 259 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: Red Sox in our tottle corner of the world, we're 260 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,599 Speaker 1: trying to first and foremost provide access. You need to 261 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: be able to come to Fenway Park and see the 262 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: Red Sox in person and fall in love not just 263 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: with the team, but with this beautiful, historic, traditional ballpark. UM. 264 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: And the way you do that is you price your 265 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: tickets affordably. We started a nine dollar student ticket for 266 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: any one in the New England area to show your 267 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: student I d middle school, high school, college, and you 268 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: can come in for nine bucks on a day game purchase. 269 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: So you got to give people access, and then once 270 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: they get here, you got to give them a great 271 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: experience when they come. So we've tried to make changes 272 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: to the ballpark, added virtual reality video games, areas to 273 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: uh throw and hit and pitch and catch and UM. 274 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: That's important because the days of sitting there watching a 275 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: three hour or even a four hour baseball game are gone. 276 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: People are gonna be um distracted. Our attention spans are 277 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: just shorter they are, so we need to read and 278 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: react to that. Uh. And then finally, we need to 279 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: be where our fans are. If they're not coming to 280 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: Fenway Park. So what does that mean kids aren't I 281 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: don't think kids are consuming television the way that we 282 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: did when we were kids. So thanks to Baseball that 283 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: we through our digital media company MLB dot Com, we 284 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: were able to reach a deal to stream our games 285 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: in market, so kids and and others can take Red 286 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: Sox Baseball with them and watch and their iPhones or 287 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: mobile devices they can stream games and and and I 288 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: know as a parent of a fourteen year old and 289 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 1: a twelve year old, they consume content through their mobile 290 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 1: device almost exclusively. So it's really important that we're reaching 291 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: that next generation of fans. And that's something that we're 292 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 1: going to continue to focus on. And you mentioned about 293 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: the history Fenway Park, and it is rich in history, 294 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: a beautiful park. One of the owners that used to 295 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: be there in Boston is Thomas Yoky and there's Yawky Way. 296 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: But now there is a push and h it's led 297 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: by the owner of the current owner of the Red Sox, 298 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: John Henry, to rename Yawky Way. And yes he was 299 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: and owner of the team, but there was also a 300 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: racist legacy involved in that. Uh. Can you expand more 301 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: about renaming Yawkey Way? And and your thoughts about sure, Well, 302 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: when we arrived in two thousand and two, UM, we 303 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: have a few of us have been in San Diego together. 304 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: John Henry had been with the Florida Marlins as their 305 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: principal owner UM. When we came in. One of the 306 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: very first things that John Henry and Tom Warner and 307 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: and Larry Luchino, who is my mentor and UM my predecessor, 308 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: one of the first things they did is publicly acknowledge 309 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: the shameful fact that UM with the Boston Red Sox, 310 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: where the last team in Major League Baseball to integrate 311 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: UM period end of sentence. Not something that we are 312 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: proud of as an organization. It is part of our history. 313 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: We need to acknowledge it, we need to own it. 314 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: And that's exactly what they did. And then we spent 315 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: the next fifteen years trying to make send a park 316 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 1: as UM warm, as welcoming, as open UH as we 317 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: possibly can UM. And in the wake of some unfortunate 318 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: incidents back in the beginning of the season, we had 319 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: a racial flur hurl at Adam Jones, and center fielder 320 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 1: for the Baltimore Orioles, who's a terrific guy and a 321 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 1: great baseball player. Uh. Then we had another incident the 322 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 1: next night, unbelievably within twenty four hours, and it really 323 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: caused a deeper examination of what else we could do 324 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,360 Speaker 1: as a as a club, as an institution to try 325 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:42,439 Speaker 1: and remove some of the symbols that that have service 326 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: reminders of of sort of that path that we're not 327 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: so proud of. UM. And frankly, John and Tom have 328 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: been talking about the possible removal of the Yawky Way 329 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: name UM for for a long long time and that 330 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: those conversations intensive fight over the past year, and UM 331 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: John publicly sent a very strong message recently UH in 332 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: his his public statements where he called for us and 333 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: others in the community to have a conversation and possibly 334 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,119 Speaker 1: changed the name. So that's exactly what we're doing. And 335 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: again it's not an indictment of the great work of 336 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: that's being done by the Yaki Foundation. UM. John Henry 337 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: Tom Werner did not know Tom Yawki, I did not 338 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: know Tom Yauki. UM. So they're they're really the discussion 339 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:37,120 Speaker 1: is about a symbol that UM. We've heard from stakeholders 340 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 1: in the community, from employees that makes some uncomfortable and 341 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 1: that's the last thing we want to We want Fenway 342 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 1: Park to be a place where everybody feels welcome, accepted, 343 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: UM and is a part of this great thing called 344 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: Bret Sox Nations. So uh, we'll continue to have that 345 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 1: conversation and work with our partners in the community, uh 346 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 1: neighborhood groups. So the officials to continue to examine that 347 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: issue in the coming weeks ahead. Sam, every time I 348 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: hear Red Sox, I think of Fenway Park. I've actually 349 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: walked on the field that that wall is so big, 350 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:13,000 Speaker 1: it just looms so large as a presence. It's such 351 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 1: a big part of the organization. And you guys realized 352 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,160 Speaker 1: that not a lot of seatings. So to monetize you said, 353 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 1: let's do other things. You've got hockey games there, winter festivals, 354 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: college football, high school football, snowboarding. Is this all a 355 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:30,479 Speaker 1: part of sort of revamping what the Red Sox mean 356 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: opening up that facility to everyone? Absolutely? Uh. You know, 357 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: we we talked about the ballpark UM earlier on in 358 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: our discussion, and we we want to affirmatively established Fenway 359 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: Park as open uh, as welcoming to different demographic groups. 360 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: And that means uh, including treating people right when they 361 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 1: come to Red Sox games. It also means staging different 362 00:19:56,760 --> 00:20:00,200 Speaker 1: events as you've alluded to, So whether it's concert it's 363 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:05,959 Speaker 1: in the summertime, or international soccer matches, or snowboardings, he humping, 364 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: uh irish hurling, college football games, the list goes on 365 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: and on. We were situated in an amazing part of 366 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: one of the best cities on earth, and that's that's 367 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: downtown Boston, and we have great public transportation, great accessibility. 368 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 1: So it's a it's a venue that um has the 369 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: great luxury of great geography, and it really serves as 370 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: a community gathering place and these different events and Boston 371 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: Mayor Marty Walsh and his team have been outstanding and 372 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: partnering with us to bring these new and unique in 373 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: different events to to Boston, and we hope to do 374 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: more and more of that as as the years go on. 375 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: Here from a cash register perspective of the ability to 376 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: generate revenue, was Fenway Park tapped out? Or is there 377 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 1: more you can do? You know there's more we can do. 378 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: I think there's h were really only limited by our 379 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,239 Speaker 1: own create ativity. Uh So, as long as we can 380 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 1: come and think of new and different creative ways to 381 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: use the ballpark. Um, we're limited, we'd only be limited 382 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: by creativity and uh and and I'd just ta Boston 383 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: fierce Boston winters. Although we have scheduled, we've had outdoor 384 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: ice hockey four times here at Fenway, we've had skiboarding 385 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,719 Speaker 1: and snow jumping. Um, but uh, we we are sometimes 386 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 1: limited when we get when we get blizzards coming through. 387 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 1: And I have a marketing idea wrapped in the question. 388 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 1: See I love scoreboards, and I love the scoreboard at 389 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: Fenway Park. What about making a mini scoreboard for sale? 390 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: I'd be I'd be the first one in line to 391 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: buy it. Would that work? Something like a mini version 392 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: of Fenway Park sold or something like that, take the 393 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 1: rest of the day off. That's a great idea. He's 394 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: been working until this point. Let's will double what we 395 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: paid you last year thirteen dollars. And they probably are 396 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 1: more Fenway Park Green Monster scoreboard murals painted on kids 397 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: bedrooms and basements all over New England. So yes, I 398 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 1: think that would be very popular. See he's got he's 399 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: being nice, Sam. How does how do the Red Sox 400 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: fit into the entire empire? That is John Henry, he 401 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: owns Liverpool Ralph. Fenway Racing owns half of that. I 402 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 1: mean Lebron James is a client of Fenway Sports Management. 403 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,679 Speaker 1: There's a lot of disparate parts. How do they all 404 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: come together and how do they work syenergistically? So basically 405 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: we um uh John Henry and and Tom Warner own 406 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: with their partners a company called Fenway Sports Group and 407 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 1: that is the parent company that owns the Red Sox, 408 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: New England Sports Network, Liverpool Football Club, English Premiarerly soccer 409 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: team Roush, Fenway Racing and NASCAR team and Fenway Sports Management, 410 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: which is a sales and marketing company which has that 411 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:11,160 Speaker 1: relationship with Lebron James and uh SO. John and Tom 412 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: have been partners since two thousand and two, since coming 413 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 1: together to originally acquire the Red Sox in Fenway Park 414 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: and nesson uh and they've grown a Fenway Sports Group 415 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: from a baseball from Major League Baseball team and television 416 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: network into a much larger enterprise given their entrepreneurial nature. 417 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: And like you said, Fenway Racing. And I'm a big 418 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 1: NASCAR fan, but NASCAR is going through something many other 419 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 1: sports are going through. When you see a race sometimes 420 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: that the stands aren't filled to capacity. I think in 421 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: general sporting events and sport, whether it's NASCAR or hockey 422 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: or basketball or baseball football, Um, you go through cycles 423 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: where there's some ups and downs. We are extremely fortunate 424 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 1: here or in Boston with the Red Sox, and that 425 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: speaks to the passion of our of our fan base 426 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 1: where we've had great support. Um. But the key is 427 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: you've got to provide good entertainment and good value. So UM, 428 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: that's that's what we try to focus on with with 429 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,719 Speaker 1: all of the properties that were involved with I can 430 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 1: pivot from NASCAR easily. You grew up in Brookline. You 431 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: didn't need a car, you could walk to Fenway Park, 432 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: So it was how often did you make that trip? 433 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: And did you ever sneak in? Yeah, of course. I 434 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: don't think there's a kid who grew up in Boston 435 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 1: who hasn't tried to sneak into Fenway Park. So my secrets, 436 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, yeah, but you had the hole 437 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 1: in the fence fixed exactly. And I was very, very 438 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: fortunate because the uh to grow up in a household 439 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: My father was an episcopal clergyman, and and back in 440 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: those days in the seventies, sixties, seventies and eighties. Um 441 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 1: they were they had access to a standing room pass 442 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: as a member of the clergy, and uh so I 443 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 1: was able to come in on my father's the clergy path. 444 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 1: And in fact, one of the security guards who used 445 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: to let me in still works here and he remembers 446 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: saying to me, as a young young boy, you look 447 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,360 Speaker 1: way too young to be a member of the clergy. 448 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: I don't. I did get out of here kid aspirational, 449 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: he said, I aspire to be that. That's but it 450 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,719 Speaker 1: sounds like a millennial marketing gig, like a standing room 451 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: only pass. That sounds like what the teams are doing 452 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 1: millennials these days. Absolutely right, and look, in all seriousness, 453 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: it really is important to you know. I fell in 454 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: love with baseball because I was fortunate and I grew 455 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,640 Speaker 1: up in a household with a with a father mother 456 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: who were passionate about baseball. But I also had something 457 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,199 Speaker 1: very unique, which was my parents couldn't afford season tickets, 458 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 1: but they had access. And access is really important. So 459 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 1: we're very focused on that. And lastly, for you, Sam, 460 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 1: I would think at at Brookline High if you were 461 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:57,119 Speaker 1: thinking of the Pantheon of Sports Hall of Fame possibilities. 462 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:01,439 Speaker 1: Someone would surely have to nominate CEO of the Red Sox, 463 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,360 Speaker 1: and then the discussion would happen and somebody would say, 464 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: but wait a minute, we also have a guy that 465 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: you were in class with by the name of Theo Epstein. 466 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 1: That's just terrible luck on your part. Well, the truth is, 467 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: as I recently attended the Brookline High Um Sports Hall 468 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: of Fame dinner. Uh and I'm proud to say that 469 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,640 Speaker 1: neither Teo Epstein nor I were inducted. But the goalie, 470 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: and you'll appreciate this, Scott, the goalie on my high 471 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 1: school hockey team from the class of Mike Kelly, was 472 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:40,440 Speaker 1: inducted for his role as the starting goaltender on our 473 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: ice hockey team where we went to the state championship game. Unfortunately, 474 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 1: we lost three to one to Barnstoo Bull High. I 475 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 1: remember it like it was yesterday in the old Boston Garden. 476 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: But Mike went into the Hall of Fame about twenty 477 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: six years I guess at post graduation. Uh So THEO 478 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: and I are still waiting with the call. Something tells 479 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 1: me THEO will get that call before I will. That's okay, 480 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: I still love a region that prioritizes its ice hockey. 481 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 1: Well done, buston. Sam Kennedy, CEO of the Red Sox, 482 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 1: thank you very much. I want to see the scoreboard. 483 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 1: Great to be with you so much. Takeaway, Scott, And 484 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 1: it's a serious issue because we're talking about yaw Key Way, 485 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: which is right in front of Fenway Park and the 486 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: Big Drive. Now to rename that. Now, there are two 487 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: things about this. Yes, first of all, he was an 488 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,200 Speaker 1: owner of the Red Sox, so you can't erase that 489 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: historical part of it. But at the same time, we're 490 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,439 Speaker 1: talking about a guy who denied people such as Jackie 491 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: Robinson and Willie Mays. Yeah. Absolutely, and they said that 492 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: John Henry has been looking into this for quite some time. 493 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:50,159 Speaker 1: Seems after Charlottesville the time is now. The time is right. 494 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 1: My takeaway the creativity of Sam Kennedy and the Red Sox, 495 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,719 Speaker 1: the way they're utilizing Fenway Park, you don't get rid 496 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,479 Speaker 1: of it. They're limited in seats, they're limited in size, 497 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 1: they're using it for other events, I mean a snowboard 498 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 1: hill in Fenway Park at Winter Festival. Just the creativity 499 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:10,640 Speaker 1: needed required to generate more revenue out of that ballpark 500 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 1: and they're doing a good job of it. Better to 501 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: be number one than number five. I'll wear a number 502 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 1: because of Mike. We have a chance to go for 503 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: three in a row numbers in a good time. When 504 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:23,359 Speaker 1: I first started wearing the number, how would just have 505 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 1: the Floomberg business of sports? The number of the week's 506 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: got the number of the week you have? It is 507 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 1: six six and it's not six feet, it's not six million. 508 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: This time it's six seconds. Because you're going to see 509 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 1: ads during NFL games on Fox that are only six 510 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 1: seconds long. We're used to that when you open up 511 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 1: something on your browser, but not on TV. Fox is 512 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: experimenting with this. They've used it before, but not in 513 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: NFL games. Is this the future of advertising? Yea, Technically 514 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: they could put five of those six second ads in 515 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: thirty seconds. And wonder how they're gonna work this out 516 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: in like a fifteen and the sixth. I wonder how 517 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: they're gonna plan this well? I wonder because right off 518 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: the bat, I don't know about you, but when I'm 519 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: watching a game and as soon as the commercial comes on, 520 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: I'm on that second Streen experience. I lift up my phone. 521 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: I'm on Twitter, I'm looking elsewhere, So it's about my attention. 522 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: Is that the shorter attention where I'm not gonna get 523 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: thirty seconds or am I looking at all? I'm not 524 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 1: even looking at six seconds. They're gonna have to measure 525 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: the effectiveness of these ads and then they'll see which 526 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: way advertisers want to go and more importantly, where they 527 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: want to spend their money. You've been listening to Bloomberg 528 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: Business of Sports. We are here each and every week 529 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: at the same time, exploring the world money and sports. 530 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,680 Speaker 1: I'm Michael Barr and I'm Scott Sah. Thanks for joining us. 531 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 1: Please tune in next week when we speak with Demorris Smith. 532 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,040 Speaker 1: He's the executive director of the NFL Players Association. It's 533 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 1: gonna be good. You're listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports 534 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio around the world and online as an 535 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: Apple podcast on iTunes.