1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Scott, I'm Evan, Nobi Williams and on Michael 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,000 Speaker 1: bar And this is the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast, 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: where we explored the big money issues in the world 4 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: of sports today. To begin with a shocking loss for 5 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: US basketball just this morning, getting knocked out of the 6 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: World Cup by France. Evan and I were debating how 7 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: shocking this is. If you saw the team. A lot 8 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: of the headline stars in the NBA dropped out, didn't participate. 9 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: So what level NBA player would you say makes up 10 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:34,319 Speaker 1: the US roster here? C level? I mean you're you're 11 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: probably looking. I mean this is Donovan Mitchell, Jason Tatum, 12 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: the best player got hurt. Um. You know Kemba Walkers 13 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: on this team, so probably your twenty thirty range best 14 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: players in the NBA. It's not dream team for sure. Um, 15 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: but yeah, you know it's seventy maybe lay in the 16 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: fourth quarter and then you know, things kind of fell apart. 17 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: I consider this a shocking You know, the line was 18 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: eight and a half points. I think they were one 19 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: to four favorite, even even wider than that. Um, this 20 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: is a team that hasn't lost in it hasn't not 21 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 1: won a gold medal in more than a decade in 22 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: big international competition's been following though. I mean, they've been 23 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: one shot away with the prime players. You've got Rudy 24 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 1: Gobert and the old days. Yet Tony Parker, it just 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: it doesn't surprise me that a team of the not 26 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: best American players cannot just roll the ball out and 27 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:27,559 Speaker 1: win anymore. Yeah, and that is that is definitely true. 28 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: And I think you're seeing two things happening kind of simultaneously, right, 29 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: that the cachet of playing on Team USA doesn't seem 30 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: to be as alluring for the biggest stars in the 31 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 1: NBA anymore. That outside the Olympics, stars at least outside 32 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: of the Olympics around the world, by the way, they 33 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: take the World Championship more seriously than them. Yeah. And 34 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: then that's the second point that that other countries take 35 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: this more seriously and other countries are just getting better 36 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: at basketball. And and those two lines are kind of 37 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: starting to meet in the middle in some ways, which 38 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: was the plan kind of all along. Rights as we 39 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: have discussed. If you go back to pre ninety two 40 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: when the Dream Team came in, Russ Grantic his plan 41 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: and David Stern the plan was to insert the best 42 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: players from the NBA in order to show the rest 43 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: of the world how to play, in order for them 44 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: to want to play, in order for a young yell 45 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 1: ming to say I want to play basketball, and little yes, 46 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: I mean back in had games like Angola You're Gonna 47 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: get You had years of blowouts. But little by little 48 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: you saw the rest of the world start to catch up. 49 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: You see the number of international players in the NBA 50 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: starting to creep up. This is the end result. And 51 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: from a dollars and cents point of view, by doing that, 52 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: you have created fans around the world, which is now 53 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: how how you scale all those video clips and why 54 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: House of Highlights is popular? You can send it all 55 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: over the world. Yeah, but that and back then, remember 56 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: the ninety two Dream Team. The other teams that were 57 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: getting blown out, they were asking the players on the 58 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: US Dream Team for autographs. I mean, that's how the 59 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: game has evolved now to today. Who's the one player 60 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:02,679 Speaker 1: on the Dream Team? Most people forget? If I asked 61 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: you to name the team, you you could probably go 62 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: through a name of all, But who's the one player 63 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: most Oh, that's a good question. Um, do do do? Do? Do? Answer, 64 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: answered Christian later, that's right, there you go. That's right, 65 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: You're right. I did forget about it. Moving back to 66 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: Feba for a second. Another kind of part of this thread, 67 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: Three on three basketball is making its Olympic debut next 68 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 1: year in Tokyo. That was also essentially a pitch to 69 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: make a basketball competition in the Olympics that the United 70 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: States was not guaranteed the moment the thing started. Um 71 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: and the US team in that three on three is 72 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: also fairly good, but it is not NBA players. I 73 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: would say that of our listeners could not name a 74 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: single one of the players or wouldn't know them if 75 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: they even saw the names. Uh. So, you know there 76 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: there is a big push, as you said, Scott, to 77 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: make competitive basketball international basketball. Uh No longer just an 78 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: assumption that the U S team is going to win. 79 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: The NFL could only wish that it had a roster 80 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: of international stars akin to the NBA, because as we've seen, 81 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: is there a saturation point of popularity within the US border. Maybe, 82 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: but they are looking towards Europe the NFL games in London. 83 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: They're trying to export American football around the world and 84 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: replicate what the NBA has, particularly in the world's most 85 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: popular nations. Is there a chance that this is just 86 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: all one big pendulum swimming swinging back and forth, that 87 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: dream team comes together blows out the world. You know, 88 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: ten years later, you know that the team he struggles 89 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: a little bit two thousand and six, doesn't even win 90 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: the bronze medal at the at the at the World Championships. 91 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 1: You know, suddenly the team gets really good against plowing 92 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,280 Speaker 1: people out. Are we just not back in the You're 93 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: gonna You're gonna have routinely, You're gonna have World Championships 94 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: and Olympic competitions where you don't know which one of 95 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: seven or eight teams is going to win. Argentina, Spain, Canada, France, 96 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: the US, they're all going to Germany, They're all going 97 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: to be in the mobe is caught up, like you said, 98 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 1: absolutely playing and playing this well. Yeah. But the other 99 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: the reverse side of that argument is if US basketball 100 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: is struggling and the players like Lebron James and Kevin 101 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: Durant decide, oh, we can be the ones that bring 102 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: this back again, similar to what happened about a decade ago, 103 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: But that team still blows out all the other teams 104 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: in the world. But but it's getting closer and closer. 105 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: Were even an a list, and we've seen a list 106 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 1: teams go in the Olympics and come down to final 107 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: shot ball in the air. So no, you could. You 108 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: could have had those Argentina game teams, those Spanish teams. 109 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: You gotta remember, they've been playing together forever and they 110 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: play a style of ball. It's a little different international 111 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: rules that the Americans are not used to, and then 112 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: they go head to head and they're not afraid anymore, 113 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: not at all. You could if you can put Louis 114 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: Scola and Genobii on a court, they're just not afraid anymore. 115 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: Paul Gasol, Marc Gasol, Rubio, I mean, they're they're just 116 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: not afraid. So if you're a FIBA executive right now, 117 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 1: there's there's a silver lining here and that, you know, 118 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: parody is great for your products moving forward long term. 119 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: You've also lost, you know, the team in the tournament 120 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,280 Speaker 1: that is obviously the biggest draw internationally, not just here 121 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 1: in the US. Are you Are you happy with this 122 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: result there because they're so passionate about the basketball they're 123 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: gonna watch anyway. Yeah, this isn't a case of way 124 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: back when where let me just see Michael Jordan's Magic 125 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,799 Speaker 1: Johnson play up. Next, we turn to the NBA, where 126 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: plans to create an investment vehicle to buy minority shares 127 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: of teams is garnering some broad support among owners. Yeah. 128 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: We we broke the story not long ago about the 129 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: NBA's plan to look into creating some sort of investment 130 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: to be able to buy these limited partners because the 131 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 1: valuations have just gotten so high and it's hard for 132 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: LPs to get out of these positions. Um. So I 133 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: asked the NBA, Hey, what's the feedback. Then they asked 134 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 1: the owners to send in the feedback by this week, 135 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: and the league was like, well, we'll just let it be. 136 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: We'll keep it in the house and we'll see. So 137 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: I rang up about a third of the league's owners, 138 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 1: and near as I can tell from from the conversations 139 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: I had, there's widespread support for the plan. Details are 140 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: still scarce, they need to be worked out. Uh. Some 141 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: big market team said, well back the plan, but we're 142 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: not going to participate, mainly because we don't have to. 143 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: These big market teams and these owners asked to remain 144 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: anonymous because they weren't supposed to be talking about it. 145 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: But they have a runway of people who are looking 146 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: to invest in limited stakes, so they don't really have to. 147 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 1: But depending on price, I heard that a lot from 148 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: at least four owners, depending on price, maybe we can 149 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: be in as part of this investment. Can we actually 150 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: just explain just exactly what this thing is for I 151 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: think for some people who maybe don't understand the way 152 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: sports teams are invested in, UH, may not exactly understand 153 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: what the NBA is proposing here. But give us a 154 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: sense of what this looks like. Actually, Okay, let's say you, 155 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: you and I own a team together. Let's say we 156 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: own you that other is made up of limited partners. 157 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: It can be as big as somebody with nine or 158 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: oftentimes somebody it's it's all splint it up one percent, 159 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: one percent, two percent, two percent. And there's tons of 160 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: reasons why those folks buy those little those little pieces 161 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: summer ego. Some is the ability to train for a 162 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: majority stake UH in the future. Some it's the ability 163 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: to travel on the team plane for their core business, 164 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: A will close a deal. It can be anything. But 165 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: those folks now when they're looking to sell that one 166 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: percent to percent. The valuations on these franchises are so 167 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: high that you could be asking fifty sixty million dollars 168 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 1: for an essence, a piece of a team that has 169 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: no say, no governance, no anything. You might not even 170 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: have tickets, no joke. So why would anybody pay for that? Now? 171 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: It was easier when the franchise are when they were 172 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,959 Speaker 1: worth as much they're willing to pay five thousand. That's 173 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: a different story. So the league is proposing some sort 174 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 1: of vehicle where maybe they can help those people get out, 175 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: and people then can buy in and have a stake 176 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 1: of the entire league. It wouldn't just be one team, 177 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: it would be across the league and these limited Yeah, 178 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 1: it almost be like an index fund, would be the 179 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: NBA index fund exactly. So you may have a five 180 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: percent stake in the Bucks and a five percent stake 181 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: in the in the in the Lakers or not probably 182 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: not the Lakers, but let's say the Jazz and maybe 183 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: in the thunder all kind of owned by the same 184 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: group that obviously profits the better that the entire league 185 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: does as a whole. Right, And I wouldn't necessarily say 186 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: not the Lakers, while they probably do have people lining 187 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: up like Patrick Sung Chong to take pieces, maybe he 188 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: wants to get rid of one percent. And if the 189 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: number is better in this vehicle, then it would be 190 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: trying to unload it on the open market because again 191 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: you don't get much work. Maybe that's where it goes. 192 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: And is there any are there concerned from the people 193 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: you talked to? Are their concerns about conflict of interest 194 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 1: if you know this conglomerate owns pieces of some teams 195 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: but not others, and ones playing in the finals against there. 196 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: I didn't run into too much of that, but I 197 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: think that would fall under the we need to know more. 198 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: There was that nothing's been worked out yet, and the NBA, 199 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: in its memo to the owners earlier was pretty clear 200 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: that none of this is is finalized and all of 201 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: this needs to be flushed out and discussed, so please 202 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: bring us your ideas. And the NBA owners are meeting 203 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: in a couple of weeks here in New York, or 204 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: in a week or so in New York, and that's 205 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: when they'll have those talks, and surely this won't be 206 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: the end of it. And finally, some news from the 207 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: Washington post concerning the brand new white out receiver for 208 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: the New England Patriots, Antonio Brown UH. In case people 209 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: have not been keeping up about it, there have been 210 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: now rape accusations against Brown from his former trainer UH 211 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 1: and so now there's a question if he can be suspended. Well. 212 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:46,839 Speaker 1: The vehicle by which the NBA has created to deal 213 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: with these situations, it's something called the Commissioner's Example List. 214 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: Where he goes on this exemple list, he gets paid, 215 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: but he's not allowed to play your practice with the team. 216 00:10:55,280 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 1: This happened with right Yes, yes, so it's their way 217 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: of giving the player the money. But nothing has been 218 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: proven yet. But still the allegations are so bad that 219 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: the NFL does not want these players participating in practice 220 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: or games. According to the post, it's possible they could 221 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: put him on this list. It's possible that he could 222 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: still be allowed to play while they're while they investigate. 223 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: So a lot of possibilities UH still with Antonio Brown. 224 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: But here's one thing that is not probable or possible. 225 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: That the New England Patriots wanted to deal with this 226 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 1: headache along with what had already occurred with Brown getting 227 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 1: out of l A. It seemed like this was going 228 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: to be a perfect fit for the Patriots, bringing a 229 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 1: great player you want to play there. Of course Belichick 230 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 1: can make it work. This is now a whole different 231 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,079 Speaker 1: ballgame where Belichick is going to have to be asked 232 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: about it, and it's it's not good. For a few 233 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 1: a few quick notes here, we should mention one, Antonio 234 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: Brown has vehemently denied the allegations and has said that 235 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: he will be fighting this and through every means necessary, 236 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: including reverse litigation. This is also this is a civil suit. 237 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: This is not a criminal suit, and to to our 238 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: knowledge at least right now, we're not aware of any 239 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:18,079 Speaker 1: criminal investigations. Uh moving forward, It does to me kind 240 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 1: of underline the major flaws in the way that the 241 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: NFL has structured it's it's player punishment set up right 242 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:29,680 Speaker 1: in that you know, the NFL is gonna presumably a 243 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: start its own, you know, parallel investigation to whatever law 244 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: enforcement is doing. It does seem kind of silly to 245 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: me that Roger Goodell is responsible for for for leading 246 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: this thing. I mean, the as we go through the 247 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: next round of collective bargaining between the players and the owners, 248 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,680 Speaker 1: one of the biggest things on the list to address 249 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 1: is player conduct policy, right, because right now Roger Goodell 250 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: is the soul the judge, jury, the execution, and and 251 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: instances like this where if if the NFL is suspense 252 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: him without knowing anything more than we know right now, Uh, 253 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:05,560 Speaker 1: it's gonna anger a lot of people and it's gonna 254 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: make a lot of people happy. Just to me, underscores 255 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,959 Speaker 1: the reason why you don't have Roger Goodell in this position. 256 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: There's different levels of punishment depending on where it stands. 257 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: Just the accusation can get you on the commissioner list, 258 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: which means you're paid. If he's charged, then he under 259 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: the personal conduct Polly he can be put on administrative 260 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 1: leave that means he can't play, but he can go 261 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 1: to meetings. So that there's this sliding scale based on 262 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,839 Speaker 1: where we are in the process. But you know one thing, 263 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: we do know that in the collective bargaining, the players 264 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: want discipline away from Roger Goodell, which it should which 265 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: it should be. Yeah, there should be an independent body 266 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:46,839 Speaker 1: of some sort. And you may know better than me 267 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: what what happens in the NBA for example, Uh, when 268 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 1: when things like this occur, there are a couple of 269 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: facts I want to bring up about this too. Antonio 270 00:13:55,880 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: Brown says that he knew this trainer way back when 271 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 1: he used to go to sent to college at Central 272 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 1: Michigan University. That's how they met when they were in college. Uh. 273 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: This is a federal lawsuit. And like you said, no 274 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 1: no charges yet have come about uh. And Uh so 275 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: we come back to Roger Goodell canon accusation without any charges. 276 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: Yes to the end of the career he ken, Yeah, sure, 277 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 1: um and and and Roger has been criticized in the 278 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: past a number of times for both for not acting 279 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: fast enough and in other instances for acting too quickly. Uh. 280 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: And that you know he's going to be in that 281 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: position right now no matter what. And to me again, 282 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: it just kind of underscores why there needs to be 283 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: some overhaul of the way this process works in the NFL. 284 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: This came all out of the Adrian Peterson case when 285 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: he was put on the examples. By the way, on 286 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: this September eleventh, never forget and uh we want to 287 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: express our work dolens Is eighteen years later after the 288 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: nine eleven attacks. This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast. 289 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 1: Not Michael Barr along with Scott Sasnik and Evan W. Williams. 290 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: We are here each and every Monday, Wednesday end Thursday 291 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: exploring the world of money in sports. Join us again 292 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: at the end of the week when we speak with 293 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: George Steinbrenner, the fourth the youngest owner in IndyCar right now, 294 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: and a name that a lot of our our listeners 295 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: will know. You're listening to The The Bloomberg Business of Sports 296 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio around the world and online wherever you 297 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: get your podcast.