1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports. Let's talk Super Bowl 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: and Fox Sports every single thing that occurs. I want 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: people to remember, this is a business. Guaranteed money isn't 4 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: necessarily guaranteed. Michael Ball, How high can these valuations go? Scott? 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: Everybody loves rooting against him, right, Evan Williams Off the field, 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: the NBA has never been buzzier. And the leaders in 7 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 1: the sports industry Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfreddy Michael 8 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: Riscoe is the commissioner of the American Athletic Conference. Here 9 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 1: In Smith, president of Ticketmasters, and the race car driver 10 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: Elio Castro and Evs Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Hello, 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 1: I'm Scott, I'm Evan, Novie Williams, and I'm Michael Barr. 12 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: And this is the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast, where 13 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: we explore the big money issues in the world of 14 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: sports today. We begin with a Baseball Hall of Fame. 15 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: Long time Yankees captain Derek Getah came within one vote 16 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: of being a unanimous pick for baseball's highest honor, falling 17 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: just shy of joining team made Marianna Rivera as Baseball's 18 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: only unanimous elected. Well, congratulations first of all, to Derek Jeter. 19 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: You didn't even mention the other inductee I know, Mr Walker, Yeah, Canadian, 20 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 1: Yeah it was it was his last year of eligibility 21 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: or Montreal too. Wasn't Larry Walker with Montreal to definitely 22 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: played Montreal. Yeah, but let's talk about Derek first of all, 23 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: the whole and I was preparing for this, and of 24 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: course we got it. This outrage that it's not a dent, 25 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 1: it's not you know, who cares? It just stopped pop. 26 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter. But far from the business perspective, I 27 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: was wondering if Mariano being the first unanimous there sort 28 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 1: of was this bump to his memorability as the first 29 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: to do it. I was wondering, is there some sort 30 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: of memorabilia bump in value if Jeter would have been 31 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: the same. So I sent it over to Ken Golden 32 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: of Golden Auctions, that exact question, and he just says none, 33 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: in my opinion, no bump at all. Quote. It actually 34 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: gives his fans a talking point to complain that he 35 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: should have been and the outrage establishes more interest and 36 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: will keep him in the news. Called rivera fluke, uh 37 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,239 Speaker 1: said Griffy wasn't unanimous, and there won't be unanimous in 38 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: the next ten plus years. We'll see first and well, 39 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: this is the reason why is because the one loan 40 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: vote he voted now and then left the rest of 41 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: the ballot blank. Yeah, so it's like, well, okay, then 42 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't even see who it was. By 43 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: the way, and again you know, everybody has their right 44 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: to vote, but it's you know, that's where they also 45 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 1: when when there's four hundred and twenty five whatever the 46 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: total number is votes and you are approved on all 47 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: but one, in my opinion, that is right. There's always 48 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: gonna be a contrarian or someone who feels out the bat. 49 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: There's always gonna be something. But if you're getting four 50 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: four or four votes or whatever, the whole thing is, 51 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: that to me is is unanimous. Another thing on the 52 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: business side, as we keep talking about this, people who 53 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: are not complaining. People in Cooperstown, the history. You love 54 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: to have local guys Cooper Towns about a hundred and 55 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: eighty miles away from New York City. Um, people who 56 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: are super popular, as Derek Jeter was, uh, the memorabilia shops, 57 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: the restaurants, the ends, the hotels, the bus services. Everybody 58 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: is preparing for what they think and they've been talking 59 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: about for years, ever since Cheater retired, to kind of 60 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: put this five year stop watch on the on the 61 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: town respect, is that right? Not even not even a sponsor. 62 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: We're giving them free, free airtime, but everybody, everybody is expected. 63 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: You know, the Cooperstown is a tiny town, right, There's 64 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: eight people in the entire town as well as a 65 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: twenty thousand on a normal induction ceremony. You know, would 66 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: would Jeter's induction get a hundred thousand? I don't think 67 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: people would be shocked by that, right, So that there's 68 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: gonna be a massive influx of dollars coming to Cooperstown stuff. 69 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: I'm all the people in Cooper's Town and i Island 70 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: businesses there, all the core of the Yankees. I'd never 71 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: want them to retire the same year. You want the 72 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: ladder that this year is Jeter here, then it was 73 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: it was Mary got year. That's what you got to 74 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: stagger these popular players for what it's worth. By the way, 75 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: Ken Golden did say that Larry Walker would see a 76 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: significant pump in his memorability. I would imagine for a 77 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: guy who maybe, maybe maybe not Hall of Famer, that 78 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: suddenly you get this, you get this vote in your 79 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: last chance eligible and that makes you know, that makes 80 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 1: you a part of Baseball royalty in the way you 81 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: weren't before. For Jeter, I mean, everybody knew, whether it 82 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 1: was unanimous or nine eight percent of the votes, whatever 83 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: it was, everyone knew he was going to be a 84 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer. I can't imagine, but maybe this this 85 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: does boosting Mary Walker signing member Billy on Board Street 86 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: next to p Roads. By the way, you know who's 87 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 1: getting closer and he got more votes. Kurt Schilling, he's 88 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: getting closer. And Barry Bonds. Also, how is Kurt Chilling? 89 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 1: Forget the politics, forget the whether a nice guy not? 90 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: How is Kurt Chilling not a hall agree with stuff 91 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: like that steroids or not whatever? How is Kurt Schilling, 92 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: by any measure of his accomplishments are not all of 93 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: you will not get any word of disagreement for me, 94 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 1: I think this is this exact conversation is why these 95 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: votes are silly, right because there everybody, every writer has 96 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: their own interpretation of how they think criteria looks, like 97 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 1: the fact that there's first ballot and not first ballot, 98 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 1: I think is silly, and I'll rail against that until 99 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: until it gets changed. But yeah, I think the of 100 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: the major hall of Fames, there's no question that the 101 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: baseball one likes to hold itself to a standard that 102 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: it thinks is more elite, more selective than than you 103 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: know what people are talking about it. I mean, yeah, 104 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: look at I mean, the others don't really have a 105 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: whole lot of conversation around the well, almost everybody gets 106 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: in right too many. The three of us could probably 107 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: get into the Football of Fame if we played pays. 108 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: Excuse me, if there was a lightweight football Hall of Fame, 109 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: perhaps you'd I'm following bar if he's here, you're my 110 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 1: You're the blocking back. I'm not really fast. No, you're 111 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: a fullback. I'm not really fast enough to be the 112 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 1: running back. But I have to play some role here. 113 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: He's the receiver, sall me the throwing it to Edinar. 114 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: I'm running behind you, and I'm picking running behind you. 115 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: What a great segue I picked up on it. Uh. 116 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: Turning to some ownership news now, receiver wide receiver Arizona 117 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 1: Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald has purchased a minority stake in the 118 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: Phoenix Suns, joining a small club of active NFL players 119 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: invested in an NBA franchise. Uh yeah, him and Aaron 120 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: rodres Well. Robert Sarver can use some popular figures in 121 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: his ownership group because the team is not winning a 122 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: whole lot um. They're refurbishing the arena, right, but getting 123 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: some upgrades to the arena. Yeah, I think that that 124 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: arena package two or thirty million dollar arena package. I 125 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: think Fitzgerald actually played a pretty big role in advocating 126 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: for that publicly a couple of years ago. I can't 127 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: think of a more popular sports figure in Arizona than 128 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 1: Larry Fitzgerald. And he's gonna play another year. He said, 129 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: what what it A A really wonderful guy, has done 130 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 1: great things in the community. That's the kind of person 131 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: you want. You always talk about strategic partners. What do 132 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: you bring to the table besides money, And that's the 133 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: kind of the InVogue thing these days. If you're If 134 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: I'm a general partner, I can probably get lots of 135 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: people to come in and give me some money, but 136 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: you better bring an expertise in media, in real estate, whatever. 137 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: You know what Larry Fitzgerald brings that Sarver does not 138 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: have likability. People love him, Yes, make them the face 139 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: of the franchise if you can. I mean, he really is. 140 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: And and I've covered him in Super Bowls before. Um 141 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: I told you the story when when they played the Steelers. 142 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: I was sitting right in front of his father when 143 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: he ran that slant pattern and broke away. Was there 144 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: like a minute and a half left in the game 145 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: against the Steelers, and and I just turned around, was 146 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: like looking at his dad, who was trying to remain 147 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: impartial as a reporter at the time. And you can 148 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: see him busting at the scenes. But it's just like this, 149 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: He's got this ten thousand watts smile. Such a good guy, 150 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: just a good, good, right, perfect person to bring in 151 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: if you're Robert Sarving. We don't know the terms of 152 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: the investment. Suffice it to very, very just to kind 153 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: of put things in perspective. Larry Larry Fitzgerald paid sixteen 154 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: seasons in the NFL as one of the best players 155 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: in the league almost the entire time, made a hundred 156 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: and seventy five million dollars, and that probably doesn't buy 157 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: ten of the Sun's right, even if he saved every 158 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: single dollar he had made and never spent a dime. 159 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: So assuming this is a very small steak, but you're right, Scott, 160 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: this is this is a strategic partnership right that brings 161 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,599 Speaker 1: Robert Sarver stuff that he does not necessarily have in 162 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: the community right now, and it's probably a great for 163 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: for Larry Fitzgerald as well. This is on a I 164 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: would say, on a smaller scale, this is an equivalent 165 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: of Magic Johnson being part of the Dodgers ownership group. 166 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: Sort of Magic interviewed all of the perspective bidders, because 167 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: if you're gonna get something done in l A, it 168 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: really helps to have again the mega watts smile of 169 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: Magic and the gravitas and the personality that Magic is 170 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: in l A. So it's on that scale, on a 171 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,959 Speaker 1: smaller scale, but he gets to stay involved, he gets 172 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 1: to and we one of the reasons people buy these 173 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: help stakes, Eve and as they get to learn the ropes, 174 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: maybe down the road there's something more for Larry Fitzgerald, 175 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: who for my money and for all the guys I've 176 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: hung around and by no means am I there every day, 177 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: but one of the favorite guys for me to talk 178 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: to We would talk photography, we would talk a bunch 179 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: of things that had nothing to do with football. Really 180 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: good guy. By the way, for those of you playing 181 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: at home and help me out on hit me up 182 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: on Twitter. Has Larry Fitzgerald every sports had big bar sports? 183 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: You should have had that in there, you know, just 184 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 1: not any old Twitter handled. Uh. Has Larry Fitzgerald ever 185 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,959 Speaker 1: won the Walter Payton Award? I don't know. If only 186 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: we have to a vehicle by which we could search 187 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: these things, I will go to the Encyclopedia Britannica and 188 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: think back in my head real quick. I believe he 189 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:04,959 Speaker 1: wanted in two thousands. So yes, Larry Fisherald won the 190 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: award a couple of years ago, two thousand and sixteen. No, 191 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 1: let's see, didn't he deserved it? I understand. Moving along 192 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: to the Ringer, the sports and culture media company founded 193 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: by Bill Simmons, is reportedly in talks about a sale 194 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,839 Speaker 1: to Spotify Technology. I don't care about the fact that 195 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: it's in talks. It's the price tag that Bill Simmons seeing, 196 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: I guess, reportedly is looking for two hundred million dollars. 197 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: And my guess, this is my guess is This is 198 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: one of those situations where Bill said, you know, I'm 199 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: gonna put a crazy price tag out there and maybe 200 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: somebody will give it to me, and if they do, 201 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: I'll sell. But the one thing, and I have not 202 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: spoken to Bill Simmons about this, UM. I have emailed 203 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:50,959 Speaker 1: Bill about coming on this show, and I'm gonna do 204 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 1: it again now and when we're done here. But the 205 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: one thing I think I have gleaned about Bill Simmons 206 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 1: over the years is that he probably doesn't really want 207 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: a boss. You know, makes you say, yeah, exactly. I'm 208 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 1: gonna let the last one. I'm gonna let everybody go 209 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: to the Google machine and do Bill Simmons ESPN and 210 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: and see how that worked out. But the valuation on 211 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: the Ringer at two hundred million seems to be high 212 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: for what I think is big revenue generator is the 213 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: podcast million and what somewhere around there. Yeah, the two 214 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: hundred million dollar number comes from a front office sports story. 215 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: The Yeah, the Ringer does both podcasts and print. From 216 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,079 Speaker 1: what I understand the podcast all that well, they have 217 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: over thirty podcasts, I believe, and those get over a 218 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 1: hundred a hundred million annual downloads. Maybe maybe those those 219 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:44,320 Speaker 1: numbers are wrong, but yes, it's it's a massive podcast company, 220 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: and that's necessarily not a bad thing, right spot Spotify 221 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 1: just bought Gimblet Media, which is primarily podcast They paid 222 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: two hundred million dollars for that. I don't know the 223 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: finances of Gimblet versus the finances of the Ringer, but 224 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: just because it's a podcast company doesn't hurt them. But 225 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: from what you know, people seem to be saying already 226 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: two hundred maybe a little high, but there's nothing wrong 227 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: with asking for Hey, don't get you know what, we 228 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 1: need a sounder. Old man bar is about to tell 229 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,679 Speaker 1: a story which comes into what you said about I'm 230 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: gonna throw that figure out there. Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth unbranded. 231 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:21,199 Speaker 1: It's perfect, that's and they called up Elizabeth Taylor. They said, 232 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 1: we wanted to star the producers of Cleopatra. I wanted 233 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: it to star in Cleopatra. And Elizabeth Taylor was like, 234 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: all right, I'm just gonna throw some crazy This is 235 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 1: like nineteen sixty or something around. She said, Okay, I'm 236 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: gonna throw some crazy figure out there. A million dollars. 237 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: They said, okay, fine, we want you to come on 238 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: there and and all of a sudden it was like, Oh, 239 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: I guess I've better do this. So I'm wondering if 240 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: Bill Simmons I meant to say three million dollars that 241 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: yes came way to. Let that be a lesson, go 242 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 1: way high. Other news real quick in the sports media world, 243 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: The Athletic, the digital startup that is, you know, hoovering 244 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: up hiring every writer who's around around around the country 245 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: and now around the globe, apparently just raised fifty million 246 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: dollars at a five hundred million dollar valuation. So kind 247 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: of put that in perspective with where the ringer is 248 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: and and and the athletics opportunity there as well. Anytime 249 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: you see a sports writer start a tweet with some 250 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: personal news, the Athletic is invaric a. This is the 251 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast, not Michael Barr along with 252 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: Scott Slashnik. Welcome back, my friend, Thank you. We are 253 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 1: here each and every Monday, Wednesday Thursday exploring the world 254 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: of money and sports. Join us again at the end 255 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: of the week when we speak with the biggest and 256 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: brightest in the sports business world. You're listening to Bloomberg 257 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: Business of Sports on Bloomberg Radio around the world and 258 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: online wherever you get your podcasts.