WEBVTT - Ep5 - Michael Strahan and Constance Schwartz: Building SMAC Entertainment from the ground up. 0:00:06.360 --> 0:00:11.200 Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties podcast featuring conversations with industry 0:00:11.280 --> 0:00:15.640 leaders about the business of entertainment. I'm Cynthia Littleton, Managing 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:19.159 editor of Television for Variety, and today my guests in 0:00:19.200 --> 0:00:23.319 New York are Michael Strahan and Constant Schwartz. The two 0:00:23.360 --> 0:00:27.560 are business partners in the production and management company Smack Entertainment. 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:31.040 Michael is all over TV these days as the co 0:00:31.160 --> 0:00:36.000 anchor of ABC's Good Morning America, a football analyst for Fox, 0:00:36.080 --> 0:00:39.040 and the host of ABC's primetime game show One hundred 0:00:39.040 --> 0:00:43.200 thousand Dollar Pyramid. But behind the scenes, Michael and Constance 0:00:43.240 --> 0:00:46.360 are busy developing and producing a wide range of content, 0:00:46.920 --> 0:00:50.200 and Smack is the management home to talent ranging from 0:00:50.520 --> 0:00:55.080 Whiz Khalifa to Aaron Andrews to Dion Sanders. Here the 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:58.240 two talk about the steady growth of Smack, where the 0:00:58.280 --> 0:01:03.880 company motto is, how so like you're broke. Welcome to 0:01:03.920 --> 0:01:07.520 my guest, Michael Strahan and his business partner, Constant Shorts. 0:01:07.520 --> 0:01:09.959 We're going to hear a lot about the business that 0:01:10.000 --> 0:01:14.480 they are running together, Smack Entertainment. Uh people know, of course, 0:01:14.480 --> 0:01:17.120 anybody that watches TV know that Michael Strahan is one 0:01:17.120 --> 0:01:20.080 of the hardest working TV personalities, but they probably don't 0:01:20.120 --> 0:01:24.520 know that. Behind the scenes, Smack Entertainment is producing shows 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:28.320 like The Joker's Wild hundred thousand Dollar Pyramid, lots of 0:01:28.400 --> 0:01:33.000 documentary features for NFL Networks and other outlets, and also 0:01:33.480 --> 0:01:35.800 on in all of your spare time. There's also a 0:01:35.880 --> 0:01:39.520 management of talent management component to the business. Let's unpack 0:01:39.640 --> 0:01:42.440 Smack Entertainment. Let's start with the name. How did you 0:01:42.440 --> 0:01:46.520 guys come up with? Well? Smacks dance for sports, music 0:01:46.560 --> 0:01:48.920 and culture, and it's kind of everything that we are 0:01:48.960 --> 0:01:51.760 involved in. We're involved in the sports element with myself 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:54.360 and some of the other clients that we manage. Um music, 0:01:54.400 --> 0:01:57.040 we were involved in that because with Khalifa, one of 0:01:57.040 --> 0:02:00.800 our clients, and con background and culture because what we 0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:03.480 do kind of speak to what the culture is is today. 0:02:03.520 --> 0:02:07.120 So kind of all encompassing and what we what we built, 0:02:07.160 --> 0:02:10.359 and what we how we operate and it's really pretty 0:02:10.480 --> 0:02:14.919 pretty simple. S m A. C. Leave the koff for savings, 0:02:14.919 --> 0:02:20.040 I guess as a Mattress commercial constance. When did you 0:02:20.080 --> 0:02:24.000 and Michael joined forces together as business partners? We joined 0:02:24.320 --> 0:02:27.120 forces to start the company about seven years ago, but 0:02:27.240 --> 0:02:29.600 We met over twenty years ago when I worked at 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:31.840 the National Football League and he was playing, and then 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:34.200 I started managing him right when he retired, which is 0:02:34.200 --> 0:02:37.440 about ten or eleven years now. Yeah, can you she 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:39.480 was the baby back when I met her twenty than 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:44.240 years ago. She was um teen. Yes, I was a job. 0:02:45.000 --> 0:02:48.280 I'm just saying. It was a progy in high school 0:02:48.480 --> 0:02:51.200 with agewise. But but no, we met. She was at 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:55.680 the NFL over twenty years ago, five years ago, and 0:02:55.720 --> 0:02:58.440 I retired ten years ago. But in between that time 0:02:58.480 --> 0:03:02.080 of myself of con being at the NFL, her leaving 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:05.160 the NFL to go in another direction, and my still 0:03:05.160 --> 0:03:07.799 being in the NFL, we always remained close. We were 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:12.880 always great friends. And when I retired, it was just natural, 0:03:13.120 --> 0:03:16.040 because she was in this business for me to say, hey, 0:03:16.080 --> 0:03:18.640 would you help me out? And I gave him a 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:20.920 lot of credit because when I left the NFL, a 0:03:20.919 --> 0:03:23.079 lot of people didn't stay in touch with me because 0:03:23.360 --> 0:03:25.320 you know, there was no benefit to them anymore, like 0:03:25.360 --> 0:03:28.000 no more Super Bowl tickets or game tickets and things 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:30.079 like that. And that's okay. And I give Michael a 0:03:30.160 --> 0:03:31.760 lot of credit because he really went out of his 0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:34.280 way because I left New York and moved to Los Angeles, 0:03:34.280 --> 0:03:35.960 and every time he came out there, we got together. 0:03:36.520 --> 0:03:38.400 We got pancakes that I hoped, and I brought my 0:03:38.400 --> 0:03:45.640 own syrup, and that was a little embarrassing that I 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:48.280 wouldn't crawl under the table, But then again, you have 0:03:48.720 --> 0:03:52.080 very specific taste in syrup. One of our mutual best friends, 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:55.600 Jay Glazer's family owns a farm in Vermont and they 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:58.880 make this amazing like homemade syrup from a tree, and 0:03:58.960 --> 0:04:01.280 so it was so good that I at the time, 0:04:01.320 --> 0:04:03.680 they didn't make travel size bottles, so they sent me 0:04:03.720 --> 0:04:05.560 the big jugs and I poured it in my temp 0:04:05.560 --> 0:04:08.520 aware and off we went. But you did use my Sarah. 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:10.520 I didn't want you to be embarrassed, Alan, so I 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:17.520 stuffed it. And what in this transition period, what was it? 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:20.039 What was the opportunity that you saw that could be 0:04:20.080 --> 0:04:24.880 filled with smack? I had great experiences. I worked at 0:04:24.920 --> 0:04:27.039 the National Football League for ten seasons. I worked at 0:04:27.040 --> 0:04:28.920 a record company for a year, and then I worked 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:31.160 at a management company, which is where I became Snoop 0:04:31.160 --> 0:04:33.960 Dogg's manager and worked with many other clients and it 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:37.360 was amazing and I love what I've done and continue 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:40.080 to do, but the time came that I wanted to 0:04:40.080 --> 0:04:43.080 start doing it for myself. And in hindsight, I probably 0:04:43.080 --> 0:04:45.200 could have started this sooner, but I just needed that 0:04:45.279 --> 0:04:47.120 kick in the pants because I didn't have that, I 0:04:47.120 --> 0:04:49.080 think sense of self confidence. I needed to go out 0:04:49.120 --> 0:04:51.839 on my own. And so when this opportunity arose, it 0:04:51.880 --> 0:04:55.520 was really because there was no company like what we've created. 0:04:55.720 --> 0:04:57.599 It was, you know, either you're going to be a manager, 0:04:57.720 --> 0:05:00.719 you're going to produce television shows, or with my background, 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:04.160 it was branding, marketing, and endorsements. And so that's we're 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:06.760 really where Smack came from because they said, if we 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:09.880 can take the last twenty years of our collective experiences 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:12.520 and start this and build it, who knows what what 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:14.560 could come of it? And you know, I want to 0:05:14.600 --> 0:05:17.880 say when we did started, he was still just doing 0:05:18.040 --> 0:05:20.520 not just but he was on NFL on Fox, and 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:23.640 that was it from a television perspective, and so we, uh, 0:05:23.720 --> 0:05:26.520 we're just grinding and hustling. And one of our mantras 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:28.600 is still to this day, hustle like you're broke. And 0:05:28.640 --> 0:05:31.960 that's not just our mentality, but our entire company and 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:34.559 all of our clients to today, what is the size 0:05:34.600 --> 0:05:37.080 of the company in terms of employees and in terms 0:05:37.080 --> 0:05:42.640 of thirteen employees to offices l A, New York, UM 0:05:42.680 --> 0:05:45.520 trying to open one in the Caribbean. She wants to 0:05:45.960 --> 0:05:48.039 kind of one in the Caribbean. Other you know, we 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:51.159 never get any work done if we moved. But yeah, 0:05:51.160 --> 0:05:55.080 but thirteen employees, two different offices across New York and 0:05:55.080 --> 0:05:57.760 and l A and the third team probably do the 0:05:57.760 --> 0:06:01.640 work of thirty. And we have a very dedicated team. 0:06:01.640 --> 0:06:04.359 It's more like a family. Is how we operate and 0:06:04.360 --> 0:06:08.120 how we how we go forward with our business, and 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:11.040 we we we give everybody responsibility. We're not we're not 0:06:11.480 --> 0:06:16.120 micro managers. Everyone is trained and everyone is given a responsibility, 0:06:16.160 --> 0:06:19.000 and everyone's given the the understanding that hey, if you 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:21.159 have an idea, you're part of this. You don't work 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:24.159 for us, you work with us. And through that we've 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:27.680 been able to build UM or have people when we 0:06:27.760 --> 0:06:30.599 work with who really dedicated what they do and go 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:32.680 out of their way and they understand what we're trying 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:34.880 to build and they are a big part of it, 0:06:35.120 --> 0:06:37.520 and and they take pride in that and really get 0:06:37.560 --> 0:06:39.960 their business. They're very empower and we don't give titles 0:06:40.120 --> 0:06:43.440 because one of the challenges I faced coming up because 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:45.880 I started as an assistant, which people would look down 0:06:45.920 --> 0:06:47.400 upon you or not listen to what you have to 0:06:47.400 --> 0:06:49.480 say if you had a lesser title than them. So 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:51.720 we intentionally don't let them have titles. So if we're 0:06:51.760 --> 0:06:54.200 sending someone into a room on our behalf, if we 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:56.320 trust and respect them, then we expect the same from 0:06:56.320 --> 0:06:59.280 the other side of the room. What was the breakthrough 0:06:59.640 --> 0:07:02.120 piece of business that really made you feel like you 0:07:02.120 --> 0:07:04.799 guys were really running a company? You know, it's it's crazy. 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:08.240 I think that's Constance said when we when we've first 0:07:08.360 --> 0:07:11.240 like really start doing this. I only had for me 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:15.320 personally was only Fox NFL Sunday and a few little 0:07:15.400 --> 0:07:17.680 music things here and there. But it was it was 0:07:17.720 --> 0:07:20.440 a big chance and a big step to have this 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:22.520 office space in l A. At the time, we were 0:07:22.560 --> 0:07:24.520 renting in place. Now we've moved on to buy our 0:07:24.560 --> 0:07:26.800 own building, but that's when I felt we made it. 0:07:26.840 --> 0:07:29.200 That was the break yeah, for Constence, when we bought 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:33.200 our own office and and that was her big breakthrough. 0:07:33.280 --> 0:07:37.800 I think my big breakthrough hasn't happened yet. I mean 0:07:38.080 --> 0:07:42.640 I understood. I think my big breakthrough is when I 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:46.320 don't know, I don't know when it happen from one 0:07:46.360 --> 0:07:50.160 who's sitting Yeah, where we are, I think because I 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:52.240 know the potential of where we are, where we can go, 0:07:52.280 --> 0:07:54.880 and where we are heading. So and I'm always never 0:07:54.920 --> 0:07:57.240 somebody who looks back, because if I look back, then 0:07:57.280 --> 0:07:59.240 I think it keeps me from looking forward. I was 0:07:59.240 --> 0:08:02.160 always like that in sports and everything else. But I 0:08:02.200 --> 0:08:04.240 would say, from where we started to where we are 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:07.520 now is night and day. Because we were trying to 0:08:07.600 --> 0:08:11.880 develop a daytime television, you know, we had uh Telepictures 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:14.440 came and said, Michael, we'd like to we consider, you know, 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:17.520 we like to possibly develop a daytime show around you, 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:19.840 and put together a list. We put together as a 0:08:19.880 --> 0:08:24.680 list of all these names of TV personalities, actresses, um 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:28.440 and and just personalities. And we reached out to so 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:30.680 many of them and couldn't get a call back. I 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:33.480 couldn't even get a sniff, couldn't even get a response 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:37.120 except for a few who I always respect. I'll always 0:08:37.120 --> 0:08:40.800 go out of my way for and to now be 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:42.760 able to pick up the phone and call that anybody 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:45.400 will pick up, you know, And now the people think 0:08:45.440 --> 0:08:48.400 that the success that they see was easy and it 0:08:48.480 --> 0:08:50.920 wasn't like we've been grinding at this for a long time, 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:55.760 and and and and we're still still building. I mean, 0:08:55.800 --> 0:08:59.160 we're still and we consider ourselves a start up. Yeah, 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:00.920 but I think we grind that if we feel that 0:09:00.920 --> 0:09:03.920 that that respect of disrespect. I guess in the sense 0:09:04.000 --> 0:09:06.880 that people didn't think that we would be successful in 0:09:06.920 --> 0:09:08.760 what we're doing, and now that we have some success 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:10.679 with it, we're not letting it go. We're going to 0:09:10.720 --> 0:09:13.400 continue to push until we you know, eventually moved to 0:09:13.400 --> 0:09:19.640 the Caribbean WIS concept in twenty years the Jamaica office. Um, 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:22.760 but understandably that respect factor. You know, so many people 0:09:22.800 --> 0:09:26.880 see production companies that are that are involved with talent 0:09:27.040 --> 0:09:29.439 as a vanity place that it's not, you know, it's 0:09:29.440 --> 0:09:32.000 not a serious company. You know, you guys have bought 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:34.560 a building and have employees that that is it, That 0:09:34.679 --> 0:09:37.920 is a serious company. What would you say, was it? 0:09:38.000 --> 0:09:41.600 Was it? You know, really building a roster of productions? 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:44.400 Was it? I know, you have you have business in 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:46.720 the retail area, you have enough line of apparel. What 0:09:46.760 --> 0:09:49.200 was it that was that foundation that allowed you to 0:09:49.320 --> 0:09:52.120 be taken seriously as a company. I think, for in 0:09:52.160 --> 0:09:54.760 my opinion, we helped create and still continue to co 0:09:54.840 --> 0:09:58.160 executive produce the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Sports Awards, which are 0:09:58.280 --> 0:10:00.880 going to be in their fifth year. And the fact 0:10:00.920 --> 0:10:04.040 that it started out from just a general meeting with Nickelodeon, 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:07.200 and you know, that's what came out of it, and 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:09.760 people world gets I mean, you know it's a small town. 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:12.960 Word gets around that we are hands on, not just me, 0:10:13.080 --> 0:10:15.480 but Michael. He's on all the calls, he's in every 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:19.160 meeting and the same just as continued when Sony approached 0:10:19.240 --> 0:10:23.480 us about doing the hundred thousand dollar Pyramid reboot, and 0:10:23.880 --> 0:10:26.560 they'd heard great things about Michael as well, and they're 0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:28.280 the first to say they can't believe like how he 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:30.800 self produces while he's on set like after you know, 0:10:30.840 --> 0:10:33.040 in between, he's in the control room with everybody. He's 0:10:33.040 --> 0:10:35.160 in rehearsals when he doesn't need to be. And I 0:10:35.200 --> 0:10:37.120 just think that that's what gets around town, is that 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:39.240 people find out like how hard we work, and we 0:10:39.320 --> 0:10:42.360 don't end when production ends. That's when you know, we 0:10:42.440 --> 0:10:44.400 say the gap goes out there and makes the rounds 0:10:44.400 --> 0:10:46.960 because Michael then can go on any talk show, any 0:10:47.000 --> 0:10:49.520 interview to then promote the shows, whether he's on them 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:52.200 or not on them. But yeah, but I also think 0:10:52.240 --> 0:10:53.600 that you know, Coln given me a little bit too 0:10:53.679 --> 0:10:57.000 much credit because it is truly a team that team 0:10:57.120 --> 0:11:00.280 effort and they point me in a direct in and 0:11:00.320 --> 0:11:03.240 I go, basically, it's what it is. But but I 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:05.040 do believe for both of us are very important to 0:11:05.040 --> 0:11:07.200 be involved in anything because if you're gonna get credit 0:11:07.240 --> 0:11:09.240 for it, you can feel good if you're taking credit 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:11.440 for something you really were part of. And if you're 0:11:11.480 --> 0:11:13.480 gonna get blamed for something that with the failure, at 0:11:13.559 --> 0:11:15.080 least you know you put your best in it because 0:11:15.120 --> 0:11:17.160 you really put everything into and you can accept that. 0:11:17.440 --> 0:11:21.600 I don't think we could accept failure if on something 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:23.360 that we were attached to it that we didn't put 0:11:23.400 --> 0:11:25.960 the effort into it. And and I think between the 0:11:25.960 --> 0:11:28.079 both of us and our team, we understand that for 0:11:28.120 --> 0:11:30.880 everything we have, we put maximum effort into it. And 0:11:30.920 --> 0:11:32.920 the production side has been great. I mean we've done 0:11:32.960 --> 0:11:36.360 Tackle My Ride, a hundred thousands dollar Pyramid, the Joker's Wild, 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:39.880 Nickelodeon Sports Awards. Um. Now we have the religion of 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:44.800 sports with a big series with with Gotham Chopra and 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:48.120 and Tom Brady, and it's just been a great ride 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:51.040 and it's mostly off of reputation of people know that 0:11:51.160 --> 0:11:53.400 if your work with us, we're gonna do everything we 0:11:53.400 --> 0:11:56.079 can to make it successful and concept I make the 0:11:56.240 --> 0:11:59.600 rounds for programs from Joker's Wild with Snoop posts, but 0:11:59.640 --> 0:12:01.559 we do sit so why am I not going to 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:03.920 support that? And plus some great friends with Sup why 0:12:03.960 --> 0:12:06.200 would I support him? So it's like a family if 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:09.240 one and one person and our rosters doing something from 0:12:09.280 --> 0:12:13.600 Whiz to Beyond to Kurt to Aaron Andrews, anybody, we 0:12:13.679 --> 0:12:16.199 all support and we all make a big push through that. 0:12:17.040 --> 0:12:19.400 It's a It's a challenging time in television right now, 0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:22.680 particularly on the business side. There's never been more television 0:12:22.760 --> 0:12:24.800 than ever before, but it can be it can be 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:29.719 challenging to be to have shows be profitable, Audiences are fragmented. 0:12:29.960 --> 0:12:33.600 You know, it's a challenging market. But clearly you guys 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:37.160 have been able to build a real business with with 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:40.040 the with on the production side, what do you think 0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:44.080 is the where do you see the most opportunity for 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:47.000 you right now? For us right now I think, you know, 0:12:47.040 --> 0:12:49.360 if you just see what's happening with the reboots. I mean, 0:12:49.360 --> 0:12:52.720 I'm excited Murphy Brown's coming back, and I've been watching Rosanne. 0:12:52.840 --> 0:12:54.920 I mean, look at what we've done with the game shows, 0:12:55.320 --> 0:12:58.719 a hundred thousand dollar pyramid. Sony property. They came to us, 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:01.160 which was great, and Snoop came on as a guest 0:13:01.200 --> 0:13:03.480 in season one and when when the show wraps, he 0:13:03.520 --> 0:13:05.120 pulled to the side and said, I used to watch 0:13:05.200 --> 0:13:08.040 Jokers Wild with my grandmother. Helped me bring it back, 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:10.360 and so we started doing some research and it turned 0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:13.160 out Sony happened to own it, and so the two 0:13:13.240 --> 0:13:15.199 of us, you know, just really like dug our heels 0:13:15.200 --> 0:13:16.960 in and went to bat for it. And you know, 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:20.320 we just uh we premiered season two, episode one this 0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:23.160 past week. And and to echo what you're saying about 0:13:23.160 --> 0:13:25.800 how challenging it is, it's not just about the Nielsen 0:13:25.880 --> 0:13:28.520 ratings anymore. And now they're these ratings that they're seeing 0:13:28.520 --> 0:13:31.120 what's happening on social media and you know, chatter and 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:34.000 the Internet. So it's a whole new set of challenges 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:37.000 that that we have to look at and address. And 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:39.720 when a studio like Sony comes to you to do 0:13:39.800 --> 0:13:42.280 something to start with, like a hundred thousand dollar pyramid, 0:13:42.520 --> 0:13:45.840 that that gives you a certain leg up in negotiating 0:13:45.840 --> 0:13:47.960 a deal with them, I would imagine in terms of, 0:13:48.080 --> 0:13:50.319 you know, making sure that that that the venture from 0:13:50.320 --> 0:13:54.559 a financial standpoint is also profitable for you. Yeah, definitely 0:13:54.559 --> 0:13:57.439 a big difference with somebody wants you if you're going 0:13:57.480 --> 0:14:00.120 out there like please help us. So definitely when they 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:01.959 came to us, it was a big surprise to us. 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:06.040 I never hosted a game show, and for them to 0:14:06.120 --> 0:14:08.080 be able to say, you know what, we have this 0:14:08.120 --> 0:14:09.920 show if you've heard of it, and I'm going who 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:14.000 hasn't heard of a hundred dollars back in the day 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:17.480 and ten thousand with Dick Clark, But who hasn't heard 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:19.200 of that? And to be able to give the opportunity, 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:22.080 given the opportunity to host it and ep it and 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:24.400 really be a part of it as a company and 0:14:24.440 --> 0:14:27.440 as an individual. Um was was really special and really 0:14:27.440 --> 0:14:30.480 a big chance from by Sony and through the trust 0:14:30.520 --> 0:14:33.560 of how we handled that. That's how Joker's Wild came 0:14:33.600 --> 0:14:36.120 about because they knew how we were in operating in 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:38.400 business and we try to be great partners to our 0:14:38.400 --> 0:14:42.040 business partners, and Sony has been fantastic, fantastic with that. 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:46.360 So you know, we've we've hopefully our reputation speaks for 0:14:46.400 --> 0:14:49.440 itself and that's why these opportunities have come and hopefully 0:14:49.640 --> 0:14:53.320 keep speaking in this way and more opportunities continue to 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:54.920 come as well. And I know we're working on another 0:14:54.960 --> 0:14:59.480 show Money Made. So Martin reached out to us and 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:02.840 not you know, that's another big breakthrough moment where I 0:15:02.880 --> 0:15:04.360 call him. I said, you're not going to believe this, 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:10.120 said Wink Martin Dale Tick Tack Dog is interested in 0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:12.320 working with us and the two of us. I mean, 0:15:12.360 --> 0:15:14.240 I was just jumping up and down because that what 0:15:14.320 --> 0:15:16.600 a big honor, you know, considering that Dick Clark is 0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:19.440 no longer with us, Like to me, Wink is just 0:15:19.520 --> 0:15:22.040 the legend. And so we've got a couple of his 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.360 shows that he's allowing us to take out. Are you 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:28.440 able to in the deal structure? Are you able to 0:15:28.480 --> 0:15:34.360 retain ownership of shows? At times when if we create it, 0:15:34.400 --> 0:15:36.800 we can, But when it's an existing I P that 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:39.600 someone else owns, you can't get ownership. But we do 0:15:39.680 --> 0:15:43.760 work hard for ancillaries, whether it's you know, slot machines 0:15:44.000 --> 0:15:46.200 or global rights, because when you have a talent like 0:15:46.280 --> 0:15:50.160 Snoop who's known internationally, then you're able to go to 0:15:50.240 --> 0:15:53.360 you know, partner together and take it out globally if 0:15:53.360 --> 0:15:55.680 it makes sense. And in some of the things like 0:15:55.720 --> 0:15:58.240 you do for NFL Network like Tackle My Ride and 0:15:58.280 --> 0:16:00.720 things like that, are those are those properties that you 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:04.000 own outright and then can exploit in other in other windows. 0:16:05.080 --> 0:16:08.400 That one's a partnership, so we can take that one 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:11.360 out each one. Every show is different. That's why I'm 0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:12.720 looking at him. I was like, I can't remember like 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:14.600 some of them obviously, you know they come to us, 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:16.080 but there's a few of them when we come up 0:16:16.080 --> 0:16:18.480 with them or we have a partner and we can 0:16:17.880 --> 0:16:23.200 and even like Nickelodeon's Kid Choice Sports, it's we have 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:25.960 another show that we're working with them on that came 0:16:26.040 --> 0:16:28.720 off of something that we did within that show, because 0:16:28.720 --> 0:16:31.160 we realize there are certain moments within that show that 0:16:31.200 --> 0:16:33.840 are big moments that everyone sees to remember that everyone 0:16:33.880 --> 0:16:36.040 gravitates to. So we said, well, how about we take 0:16:36.040 --> 0:16:39.240 some of these big moments and make that a show itself, 0:16:39.680 --> 0:16:41.600 not in the long form content of a two or 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:44.640 three hour show for kids, but in the short term, 0:16:45.080 --> 0:16:48.080 a short a shorter content um, a shorter span of 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:50.520 content that be interesting for kids and their families. So 0:16:50.560 --> 0:16:53.080 we're working on something like that right now. But I 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:54.960 think for us, it's kind of paying attention to what 0:16:55.000 --> 0:16:57.560 you're in and don't get so engulfed and just what 0:16:57.600 --> 0:16:59.560 you're doing, but always have your eyes open for different 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:01.560 opportunit of need that come off of the opportunity that 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:03.760 you have right now, especially because, like you mentioned it, 0:17:04.040 --> 0:17:06.800 it's a much wider net now. And so there's one 0:17:06.840 --> 0:17:09.200 project we have with Aaron Andrews that we're not even 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:12.280 going to linear television. We're looking for some sponsors to 0:17:12.280 --> 0:17:14.400 partner with and just push it out in conjunction with 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:18.960 the brands. That's another you know, there's so many avenues 0:17:19.000 --> 0:17:21.680 to get content on the air, So you know, having 0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:24.680 a company like that with with you know, creative minds 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:26.840 that are coming up with things that seems like a great, 0:17:27.040 --> 0:17:28.960 you know, a great moment for that. I would say 0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:31.160 the NFL was like I couldn't have gotten a better 0:17:31.280 --> 0:17:33.800 education than starting out at the National Football League, Like 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:35.760 I didn't get an MBA, like I got my MBA 0:17:35.840 --> 0:17:38.600 there during those ten seasons and you did the same thing. 0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:41.080 I mean, he's super humble, but I mean when I 0:17:41.119 --> 0:17:43.679 met him, we had him on CDs that we were 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:48.680 putting out NFL Country and NFL Jams. I want to 0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:51.440 hear that. No, that's why we don't play them anymore. 0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:53.560 I think Mom was a hit. Then Randy Travis got 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:57.520 on it and kind of messed it up. But he 0:17:57.600 --> 0:18:00.359 was a correspondent for a show that NFL Films produced 0:18:00.359 --> 0:18:03.040 called Under the Helmet while he was still playing. So 0:18:03.440 --> 0:18:05.560 you know, those are things that were nunheard of back then, 0:18:05.560 --> 0:18:07.840 whereas now, like you mentioned earlier that a lot of 0:18:07.840 --> 0:18:10.359 the current athletes are looking, you know, to him for 0:18:10.400 --> 0:18:13.080 the sort of the model template. And Michael is you know, 0:18:13.200 --> 0:18:15.080 top of the list of people of athletes that have 0:18:15.160 --> 0:18:18.280 really navigated that that transition. And obviously some of it 0:18:18.359 --> 0:18:21.000 is the the secret sauce that you bring to the table. 0:18:21.080 --> 0:18:24.479 But but I think for athletes, and in particular anyone 0:18:24.520 --> 0:18:28.480 in particular who's known for doing one thing and that's 0:18:28.480 --> 0:18:32.679 all you've ever done, not only does usually the public 0:18:32.720 --> 0:18:35.480 think that's all you can do, but in your own 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:37.840 head you kind of convince yourself that's all I can 0:18:37.880 --> 0:18:40.200 do because all I've been known for, and you don't 0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:43.400 take chances on trying something else. And when you're an athlete, 0:18:43.520 --> 0:18:46.199 I played fifteen years, which is unheard of, and I 0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:48.639 was still thirty six when I retired, So it's like 0:18:48.680 --> 0:18:51.880 thirty six years old. Career is over. Life is over 0:18:51.920 --> 0:18:54.760 in a certain sense. And just didn't feel like that 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:56.840 with the case. And thank goodness for constance in our 0:18:56.880 --> 0:18:59.920 relationship because I would go to the office before we 0:19:00.080 --> 0:19:01.879 working together, she just managing me, and I would have 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:04.800 an opinion about stuff, and then eventually she said, well, 0:19:04.840 --> 0:19:07.199 why are you sitting here basically here every day. You're 0:19:07.200 --> 0:19:09.000 getting on our nerves. You might as well be a 0:19:09.080 --> 0:19:11.960 part of your mother being a part of what's going on. 0:19:12.000 --> 0:19:15.040 You already involved anyway, And that's really how we became 0:19:15.119 --> 0:19:17.240 partners in all of this. But I think we both 0:19:17.280 --> 0:19:19.120 have a work ethic, and we both have a respect 0:19:19.160 --> 0:19:22.800 for each other, and we both are very similar and 0:19:22.840 --> 0:19:24.840 the way we think and are and and and everything. 0:19:24.880 --> 0:19:27.240 I mean, she's a single child. I'm the youngest of six, 0:19:27.800 --> 0:19:30.240 so but but it's kind of like we out of that. 0:19:30.560 --> 0:19:33.960 We have the same sensibilities and and and it's just 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:36.359 amazing to work with somebody who understands that, who works 0:19:36.359 --> 0:19:39.120 hard as you do, if not harder, and I she's 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:42.440 a one person I can never complain to about working hard. 0:19:44.200 --> 0:19:48.240 Oh yeah, sometimes I do, just so you leave me alone. 0:19:49.000 --> 0:19:51.480 But but it's great. I think athletes finally now in 0:19:51.600 --> 0:19:53.960