1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports. Let's talk Super Bowl 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: and Fox Sports. Guarantee money isn't necessarily guaranteed. One major 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 1: League soccer owner is leading out fifty million dollar investment, 4 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: deploring of the lines between sports team owners and the 5 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: sports gambling space. How high can these valuations go? Evan 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: Williams Off the field, the NBA has never been buzzier, 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: and the leaders in the sports industry, Major League Baseball 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: Commission to Rob Manfred Fidy O'Neill is President of Director 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: Consumer in that game, then the race car driver Elio 10 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: Castro and Evs Jared Smith, president of Ticketmasters. Bloomberg Business 11 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Hello, Michael bon I'm Evan 12 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: Novide Williams. Every week at this time, plus Mondays and Wednesday's, 13 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: we explore the big money issues in the world of sports. 14 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: Today we sit down with Jason Lake, founder and CEO 15 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: of Complexity Gaming, the sports team part owned by the 16 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: Dallas Cowboys. That is straight ahead on the Bloomberg Business 17 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: of Sports show. But first let's look at some of 18 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: the top stories of the week. And let's begin with 19 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: I think is a great idea. We had talked about 20 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: this about bringing old games, whether it's baseball, football, whatever, 21 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: during this work stoppage the YES Network. They're having Yankee 22 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: legends involved in broadcast of the games. And what's going 23 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,759 Speaker 1: to happen is that while the game is being played, Uh, 24 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: some of the legends will tweet and make comments during 25 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: the game. Yeah. I think this is a great idea. 26 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: And again, you know, I think we hit the nail 27 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: on the head last last week. You know, just simply 28 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: re airing old games I don't think is good enough 29 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: to get people involved. But away you can is if 30 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: you bring in people who played in those games, people 31 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 1: who coached in those games, producers who produced those games, 32 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: and either on the TV itself or you know, on 33 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: a second screen in this case, as you said, Twitter, 34 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: allowing them to you know, bring fans deeper into what 35 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: those experiences were like. So, as you said, the Yankees 36 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: are doing this with with y S Network there their 37 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: regional sports network. You know, they had David Cone tweeting 38 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: recently about the World Series clinching game against the Atlanta Braves. 39 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 1: They're gonna have Paul O'Neill do one of these. They're 40 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,239 Speaker 1: gonna have Michael k do one. They have YES Network 41 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: producers that are hopping in as well. I think this 42 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: is a great idea. Oh, I'd love this idea. I'd 43 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: love to see you know, old announcers, uh come in 44 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: and and add their splash to the game. Uh. And 45 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: we're kind of funny too. Is like maybe someone commits 46 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 1: an error during the game, someone tweets in it's like, yeah, 47 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 1: I remember you did that. Yeah, it's funny. I saw 48 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: someone saying that during one of the things Joe David 49 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: Cohne was talking about how hard Wade Boggs need him 50 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: in the back of the head when they were all 51 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 1: piling on celebrating the fact that they had won a 52 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: World Series. You know, it's little things like that that 53 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 1: I think, are you know, kind of exactly what fans 54 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: want to hear. And they don't get that experience obviously 55 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 1: when you're watching a live game. So you know, why 56 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: not be able to provide that, you know, in retrospect, 57 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: especially now when they when there's when there's fewer options around. 58 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: But this can work for any game, like it was 59 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 1: any sport. It's like we were saying earlier, it's this 60 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: will work for a football game or or whatever. I'd 61 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: like to see more of this, I hope this catches 62 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: on is a good idea about the YES Network. Something 63 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: else that's a good idea for Major League Baseball. Uh, 64 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: they're going to pay minor league as four dollars per 65 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: week at least until May thirty one. Obviously they're not 66 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 1: playing because of the coronavirus crisis. Yeah, there's a lot 67 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: of tension right now between Major League Baseball and minor 68 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: league baseball, which we can't get into right now because 69 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: we don't have the time. But you know, I think 70 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: kudos to Major League Baseball for agreeing, as you said, 71 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: the backstop four d a week weekly allowance for for 72 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: minor league baseball players at least through the end of May. 73 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,119 Speaker 1: I believe their season was supposed to start April eight, 74 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: you know, so that you know that covers them at 75 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: least for a little bit. If I think about, you know, 76 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: the sports properties, big sports properties that are most affected, 77 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: I think by by the fact that these games aren't 78 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: going on, Minor League BASEBA teams might be top of 79 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: the list. And you know, folks who aren't familiar with 80 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: how the whole economy works, Minor league baseball players themselves 81 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: are paid by Major League Baseball, which is why baseball 82 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: is stepping in to do this. But I am a 83 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: little concerned about maybe the long term effect of whether 84 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: teams can stay operational if games aren't happening at all. Well, 85 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: this is interesting because weekly minimum salaries on full season 86 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 1: minor league teams range from two at class say to 87 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: five two dollars at Triple A over the five month season. 88 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 1: And what it could mean not a lot of money. 89 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: It's not a week is a lot of money. It's 90 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: not that much at all. But some of these players 91 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: might make more during this work stoppage, at least during 92 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: this time. Yeah, and I would imagine they would probably 93 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: trade the opportunity to play and potentially move up in 94 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 1: levels versus maybe getting a little bit more on the 95 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: on the weekly allowance. But yeah, I mean I think 96 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 1: that those numbers are are stark to me because remember, 97 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 1: you know, those are not you can't multiple by that 98 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: out just to get their their annual salary because they're 99 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: not getting paid when they're not playing, you know. But 100 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: no question, two a week, you know, for a Class 101 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: A monor league baseball players is not a lot of money. 102 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: And just to give you a sense of how potentially vulnerable. 103 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: You know, these situations are if baseball, you know, theoretically, 104 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,359 Speaker 1: if this game's can't start in May, if they have 105 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 1: to go into June or July, or you know even worse, 106 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: maybe even deeper into the season, if baseball can't continue 107 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: to backstop these salaries, you know, shows you how how 108 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: quickly things might fall apart. And there is another major 109 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 1: casualty from the coronavirus crisis. It was the Tokyo Olympics 110 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: earlier and now a tennis great Wimbledon has been canceled 111 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 1: and some players have described it as a kick in 112 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,719 Speaker 1: the gut not felt since the World Wars. That's the 113 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: last stoppage for Wimbledon. And if you think about you 114 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: mentioned the Olympics, you know, which was supposed to take 115 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: place in Tokyo in late July and early guest Wimbledon also, 116 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,600 Speaker 1: you know, kicks tipped off I believe end of end 117 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: of June, the final week of June and then into July, 118 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: which gives you a sense of how far in advance 119 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,559 Speaker 1: some sports properties are thinking right now about how long 120 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: they may have to go without either having fans in 121 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: attendance at events or even having the events at all. So, 122 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: I mean, I think that Wimilton certainly resonated this year, 123 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 1: this this week, even though you know, all the sports 124 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: are canceled. I think because it made people realize, oh man, 125 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: end of June, early July, they're already calling that off. Now, 126 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: we may be in for a much longer stoppage than 127 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,239 Speaker 1: than maybe a lot of sports fans were hoping for. 128 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,719 Speaker 1: What when the NBA made its first move almost three 129 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,840 Speaker 1: three weeks ago, I don't see how any sporting event 130 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: can take place at least till the end of summer. 131 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: And we're talking about now starting in September. Maybe the 132 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: NFL can get something going, but I don't see any 133 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: other leagues doing anything. You're You're right, Michael. And to 134 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: think that, you know, when when when the NBA pulled 135 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: the plug on its season, you know, in mid March, 136 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: you know, the original thought was maybe maybe a month, 137 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: you know, maybe thirty days and maybe we can get 138 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: back to playing. You know. Since since that, I think 139 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: a lot of people but Major League Baseball postponed it's 140 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: opening day for two weeks, you know, so there was 141 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: certainly a lot more optimism. We know, a lot more 142 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: about what's happening, right now and I think that the 143 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: science has pervaded a little bit more. But I think 144 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: you're right, And if I was an an NFL owner, 145 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: I would be thinking right now about potential contingency plans. 146 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: What does this look like if we can't start on time, 147 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: What does it look like if we can't have fans 148 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: in the stadium in the beginning, Same with college football. 149 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I think that every every week it feels 150 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: like we're talking about an elongated timeline in terms of 151 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: sports being dark. We are honored to have on the 152 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: podcast today E Sports O. G. Jason Lake, founder and 153 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: CEO of the sports organization Complexity Gaming. Jason, thanks for 154 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: joining us, Thanks for having me. So we have spent 155 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: the last two or three weeks, maybe four weeks even 156 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: talking to folks executives in the sports world who are 157 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: struggling without their games. It's actually kind of refreshing, I 158 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: think for all of us to have a conversation with 159 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: someone whose business, at least the core business, is still 160 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: up and running. Can you give me a sense of 161 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: exactly where Complexity Gaming is right now from a business standpoint, 162 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: and how much of what you're normally doing you're still 163 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: able to do even in these crazy times. Yeah, it's uh, 164 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: definitely crazy times. Um. The irony is, you know, the 165 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 1: sports world kind of started working from our home bedrooms 166 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: and over Skype and other technology back in the day. 167 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: So for us, it's taking a step back into the past, 168 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: a little blaste in the past, but it's still full 169 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 1: steam ahead. Um. You know, our competitions are are going on. 170 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: You know, albeit have been moved online and in a 171 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: lot of brick and mortar type of events have been 172 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: canceled obviously, UM, but we're still having a lot of 173 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: entertainment in competition and I think this time E sports 174 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: is a good aberration is Uh, we're still moving forward. 175 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: Can you give us a sense, just for folks who 176 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: who maybe aren't familiar with complexity gaming, how many individual 177 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 1: teams do you have and where are they located? They're 178 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: not all centrally down in Dallas, right, Yeah, at any 179 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: one time, we generally have eight to ten teams. E 180 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: sports is kind of an umbrella term that encompasses pro 181 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 1: video gaming across multiple games, UM, and we have players 182 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: all around the world. Are our core teams generally live 183 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: and train in Dallas um at our headquarters were headquartered 184 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: at the Star in Frisco, which is also, um, you know, 185 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: the home of our sister company, the Dallas Cowboys, and 186 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: we've built out a pretty futuristic training facility there. Unfortunately, 187 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: you know, as things have played out, we've we've actually 188 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: gone ahead and closed that. I guess a few weeks back. 189 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: I'm losing track of the days at this point, and 190 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: everyone is everyone's working remotely and playing remotely. Um. But 191 00:09:56,000 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: we're surprisingly um effective that at doing so. Our sales 192 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: teams can take their calls, our our video guys can 193 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: can edit their videos. Um. You know, we use Discord 194 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: and Slack and other technologies to to have our meetings 195 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: and stay in touch with our corporate partners, and our 196 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: gamers can play an online events, which aren't you know, 197 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 1: ideal traditionally pro e sports as best um you know, 198 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,559 Speaker 1: completed at at what we call land events where everyone's 199 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: kind of in the same place and there's very little 200 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 1: latency and there's referees on sites and things like that. UM. 201 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: But you know, in times like this, we can move 202 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,199 Speaker 1: our events online and still have competition, which you know, 203 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 1: it's kind of funny to me. I've been in the 204 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: space seventeen years and for years and years debating you know, 205 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:42,559 Speaker 1: our E sports real sports, and that I thought that 206 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: though it's like it's kind of irrelevant now is we 207 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: seem to be the only sports? That's when I ask, 208 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: It's like, it's unfortunate why you guys are the only 209 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: game in town, but here it is. And uh, now 210 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: we've got IndyCar virtual racing, We've gotten NASCAR our virtual racing. 211 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: So I mean this at least for you guys can't 212 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: help but to boost your product. You know it is. Yeah, 213 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: you hate that it's UM because of this reason, and 214 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 1: it's obviously a global tragedy in a really tough situation. 215 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:18,439 Speaker 1: But you know, my father always taught me, if you 216 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: handed a bunch of lemen as, you try to make lemonade, 217 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: and if you can sell that lemonade, And and his 218 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 1: sports has definitely been pushed to the forefront of sports entertainment. UM. 219 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: The other day there was a Nastar Pro Invitational um 220 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: Eye Racing series that had like one point three million 221 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 1: viewers UM and that was on Fox and and NBC 222 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 1: just denounced very recently that they're going to be doing 223 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,079 Speaker 1: some different kind of racing and broadcasting that um E 224 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 1: s l has their counter Strike league that was meant 225 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 1: to be played in Malta and I was supposed to 226 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 1: be going over there, but that was moved online and 227 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: it saw a concurrent viewership of over three hundred and 228 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: fifty five thousand. UM. You know for online matches that 229 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: that's a significant NUMB or you know twitch in general. 230 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: UM in the news just this morning announced the twenty 231 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: three percent increase UM from March of last year. UM. 232 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: People are watching gaming, they're participating in gaming, and record numbers, viewership, 233 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 1: set record numbers, and uh, it's a really interesting time 234 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 1: for our business, you know, on the human level, setting 235 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: us to the business for a moment. And I think 236 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:27,439 Speaker 1: gaming is always UM then one of the favorite selections 237 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: for this generation UM, as far as just entertainment and 238 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 1: and escapism and just relaxation. And during this really difficult time, 239 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: I think gaming is providing a conduit for people to 240 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 1: stay in contact with their friends and relax and you 241 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: know and kind of get away from from the every 242 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 1: day while while being in quarantined. So not only is 243 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: it exploding in viewership and participation. You know, the World 244 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: Health Organization came out with an article a day or 245 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: so ago talking about how gaming could be a really 246 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: healthy path time during this difficult time and get people's 247 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: minds off things and communicate with their friends and do 248 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: different activities. And it's a bit ironic because not too 249 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 1: long ago, the World Health Organization was bashion gaming is 250 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: this horrible unhealthy pastime. Um, so, yeah, it's it's strange days. Indeed, 251 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: it's funny you're talking about the kind of the growth 252 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: in gaming potentially during this and and I think a 253 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,599 Speaker 1: lot of people associate the sports and gaming as a 254 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: game thing, and they're not exactly you know, they're they're 255 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 1: certainly related. I'm curious if you think that. You know, 256 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: I think the traditional thought was that the gateway to 257 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: e sports was gaming, and that if you played the 258 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: games and understood the games, you eventually kind of naturally 259 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: gravitated towards the people that were doing it at a 260 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: much higher level than you. This opportunity right now, with 261 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: all the other sports shut down, almost feels like it's 262 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: a potentially totally new gateway where it's a gateway from 263 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: people who love watching other pros to to pros in 264 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: a different sport instead of maybe you know, grassroots up 265 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: from the gaming side. Yeah, I think you're right, you know, 266 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 1: what traditional sports are on hiatus. It's almost looking like 267 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: this is going to be a catalyst um for the 268 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: growth in the e sports business. Like like you correctly 269 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: mentioned gaming, gaming is kind of the larger um big 270 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: brother to E sports, which is a sub segment that 271 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: we're seeing a lot more people be exposed with. There's 272 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: incredible vacuum of any competitive activity and compelling you know, 273 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: entertainment unless you want to sit in Venice Netflix all 274 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: day that there's just not a lot of content. So 275 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: so E sports has been able to kind of fill 276 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: in that gap and step in and provide entertainment to 277 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: people that otherwise, you know, might have never considered sitting 278 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: and watching a digital race on Fox right. Um, which is, uh, 279 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: which is kind of interesting, But you know, I think 280 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: gaming is providing a very healthy pastime for for millions, 281 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: if not billions of people. Um. You know, Verizon was 282 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: quoted as saying gaming those up seventy I think month 283 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: over month at one point, and uh, you know, overall, 284 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: it's it's a difficult situation for a lot of people, 285 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: but you know, at the end of the day, I 286 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: think a lot of people are getting exposed to what 287 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: we do and and the fact that this entertainment and 288 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: competition is very compelling. And you know, I think a 289 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: lot of sponsors and people that invest in sponsorship dollars 290 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: in the equosystem are gonna really need to recalibrate how 291 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: they look at their spends moving forward. And I think 292 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: this is proving once again that the sports are digital 293 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: sports for the whole new digital era that we live in. 294 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, I think over the next year 295 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: to maybe even three years, it's gonna be interesting to 296 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: see how many people want to really fill these stadiums 297 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: um for traditional sports and watch some of these events. Um. 298 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 1: You know, obviously we all hope we're going to return 299 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: to normal sooner rather than later. But the beauty of 300 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 1: the sports is we can just move back online and 301 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: have our competitions and run our businesses. And it's both 302 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: to ahead. And I'm a huge racing fan. And if 303 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: someone would have told me I would be sitting down 304 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 1: on a national telecast watching an E Sports race, I 305 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: would have said they were crazy. But there I was 306 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: glued to the TV set when they were racing at 307 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: Texas or the Virtual Texas. Uh. And and in Homestead, Miami, Florida. Uh, 308 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: this is gonna be I'm wondering if this is going 309 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: to expand not only to racing, because you can do 310 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: it very well for racing, but will we see it 311 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: for football? Will we see it for baseball? Having a 312 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: conversation earlier this morning, UM, you know how e A 313 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: had to be out, you know, looking for media deals 314 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: and looking for different content distribution channels right now because 315 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: they've got FIFA and they've got Mad in NFL and 316 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: in different games that might be really fun for people 317 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: to watch. And you know, it's going to be interesting 318 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: to see what games really translate well on traditional television. 319 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: You know. We we've always kind of been on the 320 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: internet and distributed our content over the Internet, and many 321 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 1: of the games are played over the Internet, and we've 322 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: had mixed success really moving into the traditional television markets. Um. 323 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, the the NASCAR event did phenomenal and I 324 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: think we're going to see um much more of that 325 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:21,199 Speaker 1: as networks you know, are starred for content and you 326 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: know ESPN theres some interesting quote unquote sports from time 327 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: to time. Um, you know, and I want call any 328 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: out and get in trouble, but I can only imagine 329 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: their executives are out, you know, really scouring the esports 330 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: landscape to find which games and which competitions might be 331 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: best suited for their audiences. Are you Are you getting 332 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: those phone calls? I mean, he's your phone in the 333 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,159 Speaker 1: past two weeks. Are you getting calls from sponsors that 334 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: you maybe haven't worked with, or from networks that you 335 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: haven't worked with, asking about you know, maybe some opportunities 336 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: with you guys. Yeah, I mean it's still a pretty 337 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: surreal time. You know, we always have active conversations going 338 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: on where we're educating brands about the sports and discussing 339 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: def are ways we can collaborate to get their brands 340 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: integrated into the sports. UM. Some of those conversations have 341 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,679 Speaker 1: really slowed to a halt as offices and corporations have 342 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: have been closing, UM and others have kind of sped 343 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,120 Speaker 1: up to where, you know, they've got different marketing budgets. 344 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:16,879 Speaker 1: Brands need to advertise that that's not going to change 345 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: those levels in the economy. Yeah, where are the outlets 346 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,239 Speaker 1: that are really getting the eyeballs and things like that. 347 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 1: So we've had some really exciting calls and some inbound interests. UM. 348 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: You know, I think a lot of companies are are 349 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: still reeling a little bit and you're trying to figure 350 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 1: out what the game plan is moving forward. But I 351 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: do expect that we're going to see a lot more 352 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: brands UM already on the back of a lot of 353 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: blue chips that have figured out the sports is a 354 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,919 Speaker 1: great way to reach this generation, the next generation, you know, 355 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: younger people that are a computer and tech literate, usually 356 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: college found they're gonna have discretionary income in the near 357 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: future to spend on their brands, and they don't have 358 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,880 Speaker 1: that brand loyalty. You know, if I'm a Ford guy, 359 00:18:57,880 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: I'm always going to be a Ford guy forty eight 360 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: years of all them over the hill. But if my son, 361 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: you know, it has exposure to different car brands because 362 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 1: they're activating in spaces that he cares about, like watching 363 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: the sports. You know, those brand decisions haven't been made 364 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 1: in the sports has that will continue to be a 365 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: really viable option for different brands to you know, speak 366 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 1: to the next generation and speak to the you know, 367 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: the younger valuable demographics. So I think, you know, unfortunately, 368 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 1: the situation UM, you know, has been rough on a 369 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: lot of people and just this morning the numbers came 370 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: in for six point six million new unemployment claims, and 371 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: it's just you know, it's heartbreaking. Um. But for people 372 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: in our industry, I think the future the sports is 373 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: bright and despite the circumstances, I think we might actually 374 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: come out better on the other side of this. One 375 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: thing that has happened with the sports, it was starting 376 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 1: to take off in high schools. They were high school 377 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: teams that had e sports. My son was on the team, 378 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: and then unfortunately a lot of schools canceled for the 379 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 1: rest of the year. Hopefully that will pick back up 380 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:08,880 Speaker 1: starting maybe in the fall when we were past all 381 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: of this. But can you give your thoughts about the 382 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,359 Speaker 1: high school the sports teams. Yeah, it's a great point. 383 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:19,479 Speaker 1: And you know, the scholastic sports really started more at 384 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 1: the collegiate level UM to where colleges were quickly discovering 385 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,920 Speaker 1: many of their students, um competed in these games and 386 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: and they were very interested in and having you know, 387 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: collegiate level teams. So when this started happening, scholarships started 388 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: being created. UM, I mean given us not like you know, 389 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: nt double a Division one football scholarships, but hey, there's 390 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: scholarship money to be had if you're good at video games. 391 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: Now who you know, Mom never would have thought, right, 392 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,120 Speaker 1: And what those scholarships started to arise. High schools started 393 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: kind of uh, you know, their eyebrows raising, the like, 394 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: wait a minute, our students might be able to get 395 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: help going to college because they're good at video games. So, 396 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: you know, high school teams had been forming and all 397 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: around the country. And the beautiful thing about competing in 398 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:07,600 Speaker 1: video games is, in some ways it's much more aspirational 399 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: than traditional sports because not everyone is six pounds, not 400 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: everyone can dunk a basketball, but a lot of people 401 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 1: can sit down and put in the time and use 402 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:19,920 Speaker 1: their you know, use their natural God given abilities and 403 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: you know, in brain power to to be good at 404 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: video And in that way, it's a lot more aspirational 405 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: for a larger segment of the high school population than 406 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 1: some traditional sports. And I think we're going to continue 407 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: to see the proliferation of high school sports moving forward. 408 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: You hear this question a lot in other sports, but 409 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 1: you've been in gaming for such a long time. How 410 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:46,159 Speaker 1: much better are gamers now than the quote unquote elitist 411 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 1: gamers you know, twenty years ago in uh, playing computer games, 412 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: I'd say significantly better. Um. You know the analogy I 413 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,880 Speaker 1: use is, you know, golfers were pretty good, but once 414 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: he started seeing tiger wood swinging golf up when he 415 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: was two years old, you could see the exponential kind 416 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 1: of increase in the overall skill set. And you know, 417 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 1: now gamers are starting to play with their mom and 418 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:13,439 Speaker 1: dad younger and younger. And my son started at two 419 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 1: years old and he has grown up with a controller 420 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 1: and a keyboard and you know, in his hands and 421 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: some of the skill we're seeing from thirteen fourteen year 422 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 1: olds is quite staggering. We have a summer camp at 423 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 1: our headquarters that Game Stop Performance Center, and in the 424 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 1: Game Stop Reformance Center, we have IPAs um. It's a 425 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:34,879 Speaker 1: system built by Momba Sports Academy which is designed to 426 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: measure your twitch, reaction speed, color pattern recognition. Basically how 427 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: fast are you? How fast can you react to things? 428 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: And you know, when we bring in thirteen year old 429 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: and they're scoring as highest scores as some of our 430 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 1: older gamers, making six figures, you know, it just makes 431 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: me smile because the next generation is really fast and 432 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:55,880 Speaker 1: they're gonna be really good at games. You know, as 433 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 1: we talked about earlier, you have athletes around the world 434 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 1: right now who are still competing obviously they can compete digitally, 435 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: in in in the actual games themselves. How much are 436 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: you guys kind of struggling with you know, providing them 437 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: the services that you usually do when they're all in 438 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: one place or sitting in a house, you know, mental 439 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 1: health or even physical health services that might be a 440 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 1: little harder when everybody is you know, in disperate places. Yeah, 441 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: that's a great question. We've actually invested a significant amount 442 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 1: in our infrastructure, like I mentioned earlier, in our headquarters 443 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: UM was really built to be at the cutting edge 444 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 1: of performance UM and taking care of our gamers and 445 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: and focused on on their mental health. And you know, 446 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: we have an area of our headquarters called the Decompression 447 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,160 Speaker 1: Porch where they can go just to relax and kind 448 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:45,439 Speaker 1: of you know, meditate, and you know, our our performance 449 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: coach meets with them UM and a COG lab with 450 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 1: the short recognition lab and uh, you know, so that 451 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 1: infrastructure is obviously idle right now, which is which is disappointing. UM. 452 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: So are our sports psychologists meeting with their players over 453 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: the phone rap a than in person. Um, we don't 454 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,439 Speaker 1: have the same level of physical training because all of 455 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,400 Speaker 1: our gamers have memberships. Two cowboys fit on the property. 456 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: You know, we have a sports hospital across the street, 457 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,400 Speaker 1: so if there's any kind of reactive medical care that's 458 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:17,919 Speaker 1: needed or physicals that are needed, we just walk across 459 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:21,520 Speaker 1: the street and all this infrastructure. For Nowedge Chocker, we're 460 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:26,120 Speaker 1: doing our touch go ahead. The idea of your gamers 461 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 1: working out alongside the cowboys at that at that facility, 462 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: I find I find very fun Visually. Yeah, we we 463 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: take great lengths and spent a year and a half 464 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 1: designing our facilities to really, you know, mirror the best 465 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:45,399 Speaker 1: parts of traditional sports at the professional level. You know, 466 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: they eat alongside the cowboys at the Cowboys training table, 467 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 1: breakfast and launch five days a week, and that's obviously closed, 468 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: and they get their exercise on property which is closed, 469 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: and their medicine on property which is closed. UM. So 470 00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 1: it's not ideal, and we're making do like like everyone 471 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: else this difficult time, um, you know, with phone calls 472 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 1: and making sure that we're checking in on people and 473 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:07,480 Speaker 1: doing the best we can to support them. We're it 474 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 1: is grateful that our our sport can continue to take 475 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 1: place and our competitions can can move forward while you 476 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: know a lot of others are our supper during this time. 477 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: So it's not ideal, but like I said a couple 478 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: of times, it's still the head of complexity. A salute 479 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: to super duper engineering producer Charles Wolmer with this question, 480 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,359 Speaker 1: and it's a great one. What's the average length of 481 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 1: a gamer's career? It is a great question, and you know, 482 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:37,199 Speaker 1: we've seen the gamer careers actually get longer and longer 483 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: for years. We started to wonder in the late twenties 484 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: if they were losing their twitch reactions, speed and skill, 485 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: or if it was an economic variable that was causing 486 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: people to retire. And as the economies of our business 487 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: have grown significantly, we're seeing people play well into their 488 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: you know, younger to mid thirties at the professional level, 489 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: kind of settling once and for all, if not necessarily 490 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:03,159 Speaker 1: that you get slow when you get older. You know, 491 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: they were getting girlfriends and Beyonce's and uh boyfriends and 492 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,360 Speaker 1: marrying off and you know, going into more lucrative careers. 493 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,880 Speaker 1: And so now we're starting to see careers last quite 494 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,000 Speaker 1: a bit longer, and you know, we make significant investments 495 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:20,640 Speaker 1: into some of our top gamers, so we make sure 496 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: that their physical therapy and all that takes place so 497 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 1: we can try to ward off things like carpaltono and 498 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: tennis elbow and other problems. Um. But yeah, I think 499 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: we're going to continue to see longer careers as the 500 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: sport grows over the coming years. Jason, I want to 501 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,120 Speaker 1: change change gears a little bit. You've mentioned a few 502 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: times the situation you guys have on the ground in Frisco. 503 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 1: You know, I think that that facility, what Jerry Jones 504 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:47,160 Speaker 1: built there is kind of a modern day or maybe 505 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:50,119 Speaker 1: even just the future of the way that sports teams 506 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: become more than just a team. They become you know, 507 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: real estate moguls and and and can build community community 508 00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: centers for multiple teams. For our listeners that don't know, 509 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: give us a sense of what it's like down there 510 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:03,680 Speaker 1: in Frisco. UM, and kind of all the things that 511 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 1: are on the ground at your fingertips when you're there. 512 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, it's the Star is really a fantastic facility. 513 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: It's a multi use facility which is obviously home to 514 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: the Cowboys, and they have an indoor football field inside 515 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 1: of a center called Board Center that seats sixteen thousand people. 516 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: There's an Omni hotel in the property. UM. There's a 517 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 1: large office complex on the property, and there's also restaurants bars, 518 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 1: um you know, Sushi, Hanburgers, Pacha ice cream, steakhouse. So 519 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 1: in this almost small community, UM, there's a lot of 520 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,120 Speaker 1: entertainment options. There's a fitness gym called Cowboys Fit. There's 521 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: a sports hospital by Baylor Scott in White right across 522 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 1: the street. There's luxury apartments across the street. So when 523 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: you enter into the facility, it's not like a traditional 524 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 1: facility that might be kind of out in the countryside 525 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 1: surrounded by cheam winds, since it's very much open to 526 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,879 Speaker 1: the community and almost like a hub of activity and 527 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 1: the Frisco area. So our employees and gamers really until 528 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: coming here because you know, they can get breakfast, do 529 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: churches breakfast and launch five days a week, and get 530 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 1: their exercise, they can get the medical care and then 531 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 1: you know, after work they can go out and have 532 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 1: sushi with their coworkers. UM. So it's really something special 533 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: that they've built. You know, it's uh. I think a 534 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:24,679 Speaker 1: lot of teams will probably replicate it in the future, 535 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: and we are still really honored and blessed to have 536 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,440 Speaker 1: our e Sports team alongside you know, America's team, the 537 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 1: Dallas Cowboys. All right, I have a suggestion this This 538 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 1: is if you take this idea. Remember I'm the guy 539 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,479 Speaker 1: that gave you this idea, and I wanted, all right, 540 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: here's my idea. What if we had a virtual game show? 541 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 1: Because everybody now can get in on the virtual game show, 542 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 1: So I mean you have it. You know, everybody in 543 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: America can get in, log in on their computers and 544 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 1: you know whatever you want, you know, you senior cards 545 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: and letters, whatever, or you get selected and the person 546 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 1: on the other end can play this virtual game show. 547 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:13,480 Speaker 1: I think that's a fantastic idea. I want in this. 548 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 1: That's it. You can come up with the concept of 549 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 1: the game show, man, This would be great. You know, 550 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 1: see see you have and I'm worth something. Man, that 551 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: is a fantastic idea. You need to have. It sounds 552 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: like trivia HQ in some ways. Yeah, that's the first 553 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:33,719 Speaker 1: thing that came to my mind too. That's that's been 554 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: resurrected back up and running apparently, but which I think 555 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 1: was smart. Ah See, I'm in on this, man. I 556 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: want to be great idea. Well done, Jason, We'll let 557 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 1: you out on this one. Have you talked to Jerry 558 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 1: Jones during this time. I've always felt like E sports 559 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: have done such a good job of relating to young 560 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 1: people on social media with with quick video content, etcetera. 561 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 1: And certainly at times and you know, sports are not 562 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: running traditional sports teams need to learn those skills. I'm 563 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: curious if the Cowboys have reached out to you at 564 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:09,960 Speaker 1: all asked for maybe your expertise or some some of 565 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 1: the social media guys that you have, just to give 566 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 1: them advice on what the best way it is to 567 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: reach people when the games themselves aren't happening. Uh. Yeah. 568 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 1: I Cowboys have a really great social media and content 569 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: production team that's got a full TV studio on the 570 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 1: property and a full podcast studio. Um and we've been 571 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:32,719 Speaker 1: even well before this collaborating on like best practices from 572 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: what we see on our end, since we were kind 573 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: of board and bred in the digital age, and what 574 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: they've learned about, you know, catering to fan bases and 575 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: providing contents as is valuable. And we've had those conversations 576 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: for the last two and a half years since we 577 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 1: centralize our operations here in Texas, and you know, we've 578 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 1: learned a great deal and it always makes me feel 579 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 1: good when when they come to us and you're like, hey, 580 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: we've learned a lot from you guys too, like you 581 00:30:57,320 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: said about quick video and some of these different things. 582 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: So you know, we collaborate with their organization on multiple levels, 583 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: from finance and who we go and marketing and social 584 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 1: and content and and a lot of different things. So 585 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: you know, it's been a joy working with their team. 586 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: I think they're one of the best in the business. 587 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 1: And it definitely makes a smile when I get a 588 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 1: call from Derek over there and saying, hey, you know, 589 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 1: we picked this up with you guys, and we're going 590 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 1: to use this boys. Is there an example that you 591 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 1: can give from something that you guys have kind of 592 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 1: provided for them that they took and run with it. 593 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 1: Um There's been a lot of different specific examples, but 594 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:37,680 Speaker 1: generally speaking, like you said, it's a lot about short form. 595 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:39,959 Speaker 1: It's but it's a lot about in and out um 596 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 1: content that doesn't take long to consume, that's kind of 597 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: catered for digital and mobile and things like that. A 598 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: lot of those paths they were already on, but when 599 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: they could take a look at esports and and how 600 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: we kind of cater to the younger generation, it kind 601 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 1: of gives them a guide. Um, when the average age 602 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: of their fans is kind of scaling up, and you're 603 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 1: gonna see NFL um and the NBA is already doing this, 604 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:05,880 Speaker 1: starting to create content that is custom creative for younger fans, 605 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: a younger generation, because they need to get those younger 606 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: eyeballs that my generation ages out and h really interesting seeing. 607 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: I think you'll you're gonna see a lot more NFL 608 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 1: teams going that direction over the next two years. In 609 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: my opinion, they might be a little behind the NBA 610 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: in that regard, so it'll be fun to watch. So 611 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 1: while we're kind of on that topic, I'm not sure 612 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 1: if you saw this, but when the NFL earlier this 613 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 1: week announced that it is, you know, the broadcast partners 614 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,680 Speaker 1: for its two additional playoff games. The one that's going 615 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:37,000 Speaker 1: to be on CBS is going to have a simulcast 616 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 1: version on Nickelodeon that will be a totally different broadcast 617 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 1: exactly youth. I'm curious you are you know the youth 618 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 1: audience better than most is a telecast on Nickelodeon the 619 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 1: right way to do that? Or is a telecast on 620 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 1: Twitch the right way to do that? I guess I'm 621 00:32:54,320 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 1: curious still. Yeah, the Twitches and the YouTube eyes of 622 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: the world, but I guess, you know, you want to 623 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 1: start somewhere. And that's just more evidence to what I 624 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 1: said earlier is they need to start scaling those ages 625 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: down and they're gonna be actively reaching out to the 626 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: younger demographics, you know, And I think on us they're 627 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 1: always thinking six steps ahead. That's why they're so successful. 628 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: And one of the reasons they got into He's Worth 629 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,120 Speaker 1: with Complexity was they realized, you need to have these 630 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: different products that can constantly speak to the younger generation. 631 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 1: Those demographics are very valuable to sponsors, and uh, what 632 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,240 Speaker 1: we're trying to build here, you know, is really a 633 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:38,880 Speaker 1: digital sports property and multigenerational billion dollars sports property for 634 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: the next generation, for kids that grew up on video games, 635 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 1: for kids that grew up watching video games. And that's 636 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:47,120 Speaker 1: what we're about to do, and I thine we're going 637 00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 1: to do it. Jason Lake, founder and CEO of Complexity Gaming, 638 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining us and talking about this. 639 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:57,080 Speaker 1: It was fun. Thanks so much for having me. Jason Lake. 640 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: He liked my idea having the virtual games show live. Man, 641 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: this would work. You'd go on. It doesn't even have 642 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:09,120 Speaker 1: to be trivia. It could be anything. It could be concentration, 643 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: it could be anything you want. And and you've got 644 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:15,360 Speaker 1: two contestants or whatever and they're all going at it. 645 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 1: I want to see that comes. So I got a 646 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 1: few takeaways. One, I want Bloomberg to install one of 647 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:24,000 Speaker 1: those decompression porches. When we're all back in the office. 648 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 1: I think we should be banding together to get one 649 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 1: of those, uh to you know, obviously, as he said, 650 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 1: this is not the way you want to see an 651 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: opportunity for for your industry. But now that it is here, 652 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,040 Speaker 1: it does seem as though, you know, there's an opportunity 653 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: here for E sports to maybe lend some of its 654 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 1: practices around the traditional sports world and also maybe to 655 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,800 Speaker 1: grow some more eyeballs um. And then lastly, you know, 656 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 1: producer Charlie a good question there on the on the 657 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 1: length of the sports careers. This idea that the sports 658 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,800 Speaker 1: careers seemed like they were short just because of the 659 00:34:56,880 --> 00:35:00,399 Speaker 1: economic opportunity, Wasn't there so people eventually at an age 660 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 1: where they needed to do something else. But now that 661 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:06,399 Speaker 1: there's a lot more money in the sports, they're kind 662 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,120 Speaker 1: of redefining the length of a career. I think that's 663 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: a really interesting, you know, economic and sports study kind 664 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:16,920 Speaker 1: of seeing when those two things combined. Gosn't known it 665 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:18,960 Speaker 1: feels better to be number one than number five. I'll 666 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:20,719 Speaker 1: wear a number because of Mike. We have a chance 667 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 1: to go for three in a row because numbers at 668 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 1: a good time. And I first started wearing the number, 669 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: I would just have you in Bloomberg Business of Sports, 670 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:30,360 Speaker 1: the number of the week. We have to give credit 671 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 1: for the number of the week to Michael McKee, the 672 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 1: extraordinaire talent here at Bloomberg for this question. And this 673 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:43,839 Speaker 1: is involving the NHL. Except for the lockout in two 674 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:47,279 Speaker 1: thousand five, there was only one other year when the 675 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: Stanley Cup was not awarded? What year and why? Now 676 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 1: we have to admit that stumped me at first, and 677 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 1: then we all had to cheat and peek at the answer. 678 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 1: So you guys at home, don't peak at the ants 679 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 1: is even even come up with it? I'll give you 680 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:07,080 Speaker 1: a hint. The irony of it is similar to what 681 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 1: might happen this upcoming season. Yeah, so I kind of 682 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:14,359 Speaker 1: assumed that this was going to be a world war 683 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:18,120 Speaker 1: because so many of the other major sports leagues shut down, 684 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:21,879 Speaker 1: didn't have events, tournaments were canceled, etcetera. But answer turns 685 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:26,000 Speaker 1: out that it's um and it was canceled right at 686 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:27,800 Speaker 1: the end. They were they were pretty close to the 687 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 1: to the having to awarding a champion, but the Spanish flew. 688 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:34,920 Speaker 1: For folks who understand the year, because of that pandemic, 689 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,920 Speaker 1: h the actual event between the Canadians and the Seattle 690 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:42,800 Speaker 1: Metropolitans never actually got finished. And you're right, Michael, I 691 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:45,080 Speaker 1: do wonder if you know this trivia is going to 692 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:47,400 Speaker 1: have an addendum to it in a couple of months, 693 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 1: and unfortunately that addendum maybe that the second time that 694 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:53,320 Speaker 1: the Stanley Cup was not awarded was also because of 695 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 1: a global pandemic. You've been listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports, 696 00:36:56,920 --> 00:36:58,799 Speaker 1: where you're each and every week at the same time, 697 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: plus online where every you get your podcasts and you 698 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 1: can catch those Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. I'm Michael bar 699 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 1: on Twitter at Big Bar Sports. I'm Evan Novie Williams 700 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:10,960 Speaker 1: at nov Underscore Williams. Please tune in next week when 701 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:13,520 Speaker 1: we speak with the biggest and brightest in the sports 702 00:37:13,560 --> 00:37:16,160 Speaker 1: business world. You're listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports from 703 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:17,879 Speaker 1: Bloomberg readio around the world.