1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: You're listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, I'm Jason Kelly, and I'm Mike Lynch and 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: I'm Michael Barr. And this is the Bloomberg Business of 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Sports podcast, where we explore the big money issues in 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: the world of sports. All Right, we are psyched today, 6 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: to use a technical term. We've got John Worthe on 7 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: with us, executive editor of Sports Illustrated. He often joins 8 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: us at the US Open. He's a senior writer at 9 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 1: the magazine. He's also got a new book, which is 10 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: Incredible Glory Days, The Summer of nineteen four and the 11 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: ninety Days that Change Sports and culture Forever. It's on 12 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: sale now, John, great to have you with us. All Right, 13 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: let's let's jump right in because this is one of 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,599 Speaker 1: those times, and Kiddley, one of those conceits where you're like, yeah, 15 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: that that did happen. It's just incredible. I mean, since 16 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: we are talking about business, the sports business changed so 17 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: fundamentally that year, and I'm thinking especially about ESPN, I'm 18 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: thinking about Jordan's coming on the scene. As you look 19 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: back on it, do you agree sort of the economic 20 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: landscape change for sports then too. Yeah, I mean I 21 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: think I think that's the that was the big change 22 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: in the summer. And it wasn't this sort of a 23 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: moment of social activism, or it wasn't one of these 24 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: moments that everyone can pinpoint. But you look back, and 25 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: this was the summer of Jordan's where he and his 26 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: agents said, wait a second, I've got a lot of 27 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 1: value here, and companies want to align with me. Never 28 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: mind what I make from my NBA contract, I can 29 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: make a lot more money by endorsing products, starting with 30 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: a signature tennis shoe. I don't just want to be 31 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: on a poster. I want my own shoe. That same summer, 32 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: you had really the rise of cable. ESPN was sold 33 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: to ABC and Cable was really people were realizing this 34 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: was a force that was gonna be here for a 35 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,639 Speaker 1: long long time. You had Vince McMahon and David Stern 36 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: and this was really, you know, some of this was 37 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: in keeping you know, this wasn't keeping with the the 38 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: Reagan eighties and the free market and the regulation, and 39 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: this was sort of the summer sports said, you know what, 40 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: we're not a mom and pop into three. This is 41 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: big business. This is big media. This is big tax. 42 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: See I said, I was not going to mention that 43 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: in four the Detroit Tigers won the World Series. But 44 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: so I'm not going to mention that part. What what 45 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: I am want to talk about is that that era 46 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: you saw a lot of the old school players that 47 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: we used to grow up with was starting to be 48 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: phased out. Here comes that new era coming in. I 49 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 1: guess that was a big moment in the shift in 50 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: how we viewed sports. Out with the old end with 51 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 1: the new. Yeah exactly, And um, you know again this 52 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: was Jordan is kind of the centerpiece of the book. 53 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: But we had a new look Olympics, and we had 54 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: again we we had this this new look NBA commissioner 55 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: David Stern a few weeks on the job and he's 56 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 1: sort of saying, you know enough with the doctor j model. 57 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: We we've got to align ourselves with with youth, with globalization, 58 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: and with with cable. We had Vince McMahon saying, you 59 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 1: know what, enough of these regional wrestling promotions. We need 60 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: to consolidate all the is and sports really looked a 61 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: lot different. You know that. It sounds crazy to say it, 62 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 1: but I mean sports looked a lot different on Labor 63 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: Day than it did on Memorial Day. And this was 64 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: the summer that again there was this sort of awakening. 65 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: Like you said, I mean, the old way of doing 66 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 1: business is cute and quaint, and everybody has nostalgia for 67 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: sort of the small world eight sports, but there's a 68 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: lot of value that hasn't been unlocked that we're going 69 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: to unlock that that really came about that summer of 70 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: eighty four. Hey, John, it's Mike Lynch up in Boston. 71 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: I had a front row seat to a lot of 72 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: these events you wrote about and have great memories. Was 73 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: there one seismic event from the summer of eighty four 74 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: that we're still filling the aftershocks from? Uh, that's a 75 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: great question, and I mean I think there are a 76 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: lot of them. I mean the big one is Jordan. 77 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: I think who And I don't think he gets enough 78 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: credit for this. I mean we all still talk about 79 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: what he did as a player and and six rings 80 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: and uh, is he better than Lebron? What people forget 81 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: is what the athlete in a team sport looked like 82 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:02,279 Speaker 1: before Michael Jordan's and what he did to athlete empowerment, 83 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: to athlete economics, to leverage the talent has I think 84 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: he still hasn't gotten his full do. And the other 85 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: thing that just became clear to me was cable completely 86 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: changed sports. And in the summer of eighty four, ESPN said, 87 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 1: you know, wait a second, why are we paying to 88 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: get on these cable systems. No one wants cable if 89 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: it doesn't have ESPN. We're the ones that bring value. 90 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: We need to get a subscriber fee. We need to 91 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: get money from the cable systems, completely turning the model 92 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: on its head. And it started out as a few 93 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: pennies a month, right now it's something like seven dollars 94 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: a month. And the billions and billions and billions of 95 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: dollars that ESPN got from these subscriber fees, that is 96 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: what has enabled them to pay right fees, which has 97 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: made athletes wealth. Here. I mean, the cable has really 98 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: done more than any force I would argue to prop 99 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: up where sports are today. And and cable really came 100 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 1: of age that summer of eighty four. John talked to 101 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: us about the Olympics because those eight four games were critical. 102 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 1: As you write in the book, you know we're on 103 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: the verge of a we think delayed Tokyo Olympics. Now, 104 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: the Olympic movement certainly has had some fits and starts 105 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,119 Speaker 1: and some twists and turns between then and now. But 106 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: but what did eight four mean and what is it 107 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: portend for the Olympic movement. In seventy two you had 108 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 1: the the terrorist attack mar the Games in Munich. In 109 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: seventy six you had these wildly expensive overruns in Montreal 110 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: that took decade for Montreal Canada payoff. And eight you 111 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: had a boycott. Four Newsweek had a cover story are 112 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 1: the Games Dead? I mean, there were there were thoughts 113 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: that this might be, this might be the last Summer 114 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: Olympics and the l A Games, and Peter U Bross 115 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: took this this struggling sort of the sputtering Olympic movement, 116 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: and they probably benefited from the fact that there was 117 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: a Soviet boycott. They had all of these sponsors. I mean, 118 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: people at a certain age like myself still remember watching 119 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 1: because he got free Big Max and fries whenever Americans 120 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: got metals. You had sponsorships, you had network revenue, you 121 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: had no no drama, no terrorism, and I mean the 122 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: games were remarkably smooth and the summer of eighty four A, 123 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: the Games had a surplus of like more than two 124 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 1: or fifty million dollars, so economically they were successful. It 125 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: was feel good. It was ratings Bonanzo's most watch programming 126 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: in US TV history at the time. And the Olympics 127 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: really got this second win from the l A Games, 128 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 1: and um, you know we remember it for you know, 129 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: Mary lou Retton, Carl Lewis Jordan's but the real heroes 130 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: of Olympics was Peter Ubro. You're talking to an auto 131 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: racing nut and you're talking about cable and auto racing 132 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: exploded thanks to ESPNE. The Dayton CBS they went flagged 133 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,119 Speaker 1: to flag. That's the first time that's ever happened live. 134 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 1: And then all of a sudden in eighty four and 135 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: in that era, ESPN picks up all these other NASCAR 136 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: races North Wilkesboro, Richmond, all the other stuff, and all 137 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: of a sudden, NASCAR fans, racing fans in general like, hey, 138 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: this isn't like gold to us. You know, ESPN before 139 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: it had the money to spend on NFL rights and 140 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: on college basketball rights, it you know, broadcast the America's 141 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: cupt sailing. It was the way you're right way into 142 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: auto racing. It had Australian rules football. And so while 143 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: ESPN was gathering steam and gathering subscribers and trying to 144 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: sort of get its balance sheets in order, ESPN did 145 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: a ton to help these niche sports. And I think 146 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: that's part of ESPN that doesn't get told enough that 147 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: while this network was getting its finances in order, and 148 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: while they were trying to you know, ESPN was bleeding 149 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: money for the first five years really until but while 150 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: it was bleeding money, it did so much to help 151 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: popularize and prop up all these other sports while they 152 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: were or you know, getting the war chest ready to 153 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: start bidding on the NFL. Hey John, another Boston story 154 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: uppere that Michael Jackson tour that summer, which was financed 155 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: by Chuck Sullivan, the son of Billy Sullivan, who won 156 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: the Patriots, was really the start of the success the 157 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: current success of the New England Patriots due to the 158 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: Philly And it's hard to believe that anybody could lose 159 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,119 Speaker 1: money on a Michael Jackson tour, but the Sullivan family 160 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: found a way to do so, and that that still 161 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: has a long tail which is still wagging today. And 162 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: I'm curious whether people. I mean, I didn't. I guess 163 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: I kind of sort of knew this story, but I 164 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: didn't know all the details. I mean, to me, this 165 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: is one of the great sort of sports yards that 166 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan is the most. Michael Jackson is the most 167 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: popular performer in the world. He's coming off a thriller 168 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: and his parents basically say, you know what you need 169 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 1: to make the whole family rich. So the Jackson family 170 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: does the Victory tour. Don King somehow insinuates himself and 171 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,839 Speaker 1: as a promoter. Michael Jackson doesn't really want it beyond 172 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: this tour with his siblings. They squabble, it loses money. 173 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,719 Speaker 1: They're all these to overrun their hundreds of dancers and 174 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 1: the statues the size of a football field, and basically 175 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,319 Speaker 1: it's a big money loser as a concert tour. And 176 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: the guy who's financed it is Chuck Sullivan, who owned 177 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: the family own the New England Patriots. They collateralize the 178 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: tour with Sullivan Stadium. Basically, the tour loses so much 179 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: money that the Sullivan's have to sell the Patriots, and 180 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: through a bunch of twists and turns, it ends up 181 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: with Bob Kraft, and I don't think it's a total 182 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: stretch to say the Patriots dynasty may never have happened 183 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: if Michael Jackson's victory tour had been more of a success. 184 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: I mean, it is amazing to to think about it, 185 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: and you know, it brings us to I think one 186 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: of the most fascinating sort of elements of this book 187 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: that while it is a sports book and in some ways, 188 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: and you are the executive nitor of Sports Illustrated, this 189 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: is really a book about the culture in many ways 190 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: and the economic culture of night and you alluded to 191 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: it at the top of the conversation. You know, we're 192 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: in the midst of the Reagan era, but sport it's 193 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: become intertwined into our lives in a in a new 194 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: and different way. It feels like John, you know, beyond 195 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: sort of just something we watch, but sort of integrate 196 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: themselves into our you know, our very beings and certainly 197 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 1: are our economic beings. Is that something that that you 198 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: sort of found as you were going through this absolutely 199 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: and again sort of these forces of well, you've got cable, 200 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 1: now you've got network devoted entirely to sports. I don't 201 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: have to wait till you know that the game of 202 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 1: the week or Monday night football. I can watch sport 203 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: on this new network called ESPN, And I think athletes 204 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: who are realizing just how much economic power they had. 205 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: And if if you're Michael Jordan's and you're this young 206 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: up and coming player and you're exciting and you just 207 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: want to gold medal, and you've got a big smile, 208 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: and you're in a big media market, there's a lot 209 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: of money on the table that you can be making 210 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: beyond the five hundred and sixty thou dollars that you're 211 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: rookie contracts with the bowls entitles you two. So as 212 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 1: we wrap up here, John, just one last thing. Got 213 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: to ask you about tennis because we get to visit 214 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: with you often at the US Open. Hopefully we'll get 215 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: to do that again this year as the world reopens. 216 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: You know, was a big year for tennis. But fast 217 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: forward to one. What's the state of tennis as you 218 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 1: look at it. We're coming out of the French Open, 219 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: now we're looking ahead to Wimbledon and the US Open. 220 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 1: It feels like we're at a pretty seminal moment in 221 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: the game across both the men's and the women's game. Yeah, 222 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 1: i'd agree with that. I mean, you know, tennis is 223 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: like this this global business that is not killing it 224 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: in the US right now, but I think it's pretty 225 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: healthy globally. It's a strange time in the sense that 226 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: you have these four absolutely dominant players. I mean think 227 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,679 Speaker 1: about this, They're forty majors played every year, I mean 228 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 1: every decade, right for four years, and uh Djokovic has nineteen, 229 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: Nadal has twenty, Better has twenty, Serena Williams has twenty three. Um, 230 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: so you've got more than than eighty major titles amongst 231 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: four players years and they're not going to play forever. 232 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: And I think tennis is sort of you know, celebrate 233 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 1: these four titans, but I think there's also a bit 234 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: of like what do we do for encore? So it's 235 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,319 Speaker 1: it's a transition time for tennis. Um, you know, it's 236 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: none none, it's very well positioned globally, and Naomi Osacca 237 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: is highest paid female athlete in the world. Um, you know, 238 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 1: Roger Federer makes more than a dred million dollars all in. 239 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: So in some ways it's very healthy. But I do think, um, 240 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: it's got to figure out if it's a global sport. 241 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: It's played everywhere. The days of one country dominating are over. 242 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 1: You know, It's it's very different than it was in 243 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: when you and all these Americans. But I do think 244 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 1: the big challenge for tennis is what are we gonna 245 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: do when these four stars finally exit the stage. Yeah, 246 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: well a big question. We know. We'll be talking to 247 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: you as that story goes on in the meantime. Congratulations 248 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,080 Speaker 1: of the book. It's terrific, glory days, the summer of 249 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty four and the ninety days that change sports 250 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:57,079 Speaker 1: and culture forever. The author, of course, John Worthime. He's 251 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: the executive editor of Sports Illustrated and as senior writer, 252 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: are one of the most prolific guys out there. Also 253 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: follow him on Twitter. He's terrific to get the zeke 254 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: guys to what's going on, John, Really really good to 255 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: catch up with you, and congrats on the buck. Thanks again, 256 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: and uh we'll see you guys at the US Open. 257 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: All right, thanks a lot, Thanks, thank you, John. This 258 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: is the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast. I'm Michael Barr 259 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: on Twitter at Big Bar Sports, and I'm Mike Lynch. 260 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: You can follow me at Lynch w CVB and I'm 261 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: Jason Kelly. Find me at Jason Kelly News. We're here 262 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 1: each and every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday talking about the 263 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: world of money in sports. Johnny's again. At the end 264 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: of the week, we're gonna catch up with Pete Baba Kway. 265 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: He is the chairman of the NBC Sports Group. You're 266 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports on Bloomberg Radio around 267 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: the world and online wherever you get your podcasts.