1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio News. This is the business 2 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: of sports. 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 2: Our aim is always to leverage the global appeal of football. 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 3: Having representation in college sports is even more important than crow. 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 4: Ten percent of Americans now claimed soccup to be that 6 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 4: favorite sport. 7 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: We estimate the UTH sports audience has three trillion dollars 8 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: in spending power. The nature of baseball is it is worldwide, 9 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: it is floor. 10 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 5: I'm very happy for the WNBA and how the NBA 11 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 5: has embraced them. 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 6: Sports books are not going anywhere, and sports betting is 13 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 6: only growing. 14 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,239 Speaker 7: We have a super team running this league, and this 15 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 7: league is here and it's here to stay. 16 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 17 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 7: This is the. 18 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 5: Bloomberg Business of Sports, where we explored big money issues 19 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 5: and the world of sports. 20 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: Michael Barr, I'm Vnesco, Putamo Maglione and. 21 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 8: I'm Miranda Williams. 22 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 5: Coming up today. We are talking a whole lot of 23 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 5: soccer as we are less than one month away from 24 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 5: the FIFA twenty twenty six World Cup. 25 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 2: We're gonna chat with the LAFC CO president Larry Freeman 26 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 2: and speak to the CEO of Hometown Soccer. 27 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 8: Holdings But first we are checking in with the baseball legend, 28 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 8: five time World Series Champion, World Series MVP, and the 29 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 8: only player ever to be unanimously inducted into the Baseball 30 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 8: Hall of Fame, Mariano Rivera. 31 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,199 Speaker 5: Vanessa, lucky you. You spoke with him last week in Miami. 32 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 5: Give us a little teas into the interview. 33 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 2: Okay, so this was really exciting for me as a 34 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 2: Yankee fan to talk to a true legend. I spoke 35 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 2: to him right before he was awarded the Bionato Award 36 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 2: at the Latinos and Sports event in Miami for being 37 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 2: a trailblazing Latino in the world of sports. We talked 38 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 2: about the influence of Latino culture in sports as well 39 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: as his thoughts on this current group of Yankees. 40 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 5: Let's take a listen into the conversation Vanessa had with 41 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 5: five time World Series Champion and Hall of Famer Marianna Rivera. 42 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 7: Okay, so you're being honored with the Pioneer Award. Tell 43 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 7: me what it means to you to be honored for 44 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 7: your legacy, for what you did for Latinos in sports. 45 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 9: But for me, it's for me something special, because I mean, 46 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 9: I've been honored, Y just for what I did, you know, 47 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 9: which is for Latino. It's tremendous, especially with a Latino organization. 48 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 9: You know, Pioneto Award is something that is there with 49 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 9: the rest of the awards that I have received, you know, 50 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 9: because I mean that that represents us as a Latino 51 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 9: as people, you know, as competitive that we are. You know, 52 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 9: for me, something special. You think I won't take it 53 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 9: for granted, you know, being away from the game or 54 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 9: already thirteen years this year, you know, I receive award. 55 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 10: You know, this magnitude is caliber, is something special, and 56 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 10: I thank you for that. 57 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 7: Do you think, oh, I already got all my words? 58 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 7: And did you even expect to win anymore at this point? 59 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 10: Yeah, you know I was expecting. 60 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 9: I was just doing, you know, doing what I love 61 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 9: to do, you know, compete normally competing, but you know, 62 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 9: doing it for the greatest organization there is in sport periods, 63 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 9: you know, with the greatest fans there are in in 64 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 9: the sport period To me, that means doing it in 65 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 9: New York and doing the way that we did. 66 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 10: Style in classic that was something special. 67 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 3: Yeah. 68 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 7: Baseball is you know, huge part of the Latino culture. 69 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 7: You know, Latino has been dominating the MLB for a 70 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 7: long time. But to have an organization that celebrates not 71 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 7: just you know, Latinos and baseball, but across all different 72 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 7: sports and executives and sports and all that. What do 73 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 7: you think that's as about the Latino influence in sports 74 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 7: as a whole. 75 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 10: Were having an organizational latin in sport. 76 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 9: I mean it's something that we needed, you know, Thank 77 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 9: god they appear because I mean we need to assault 78 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 9: all those people, all those Latinos. They have done it, 79 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 9: Northern baseball, basketball, soccer, football. 80 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 5: You name it, we're there. 81 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 10: We like the white rice all over. 82 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 9: So I mean, yes, being a Latino and it's it's 83 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 9: just there's something specially you know, as a Latino, we're passionate, 84 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 9: you know for the sport that we love. 85 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 10: You know, me baseball, I was. 86 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 9: Passionately, still passionately uh just being retired still, you know, 87 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 9: washing the games and all that stuff, throwing the remote 88 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 9: to the TV. 89 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 10: It's time to time, you know. But but yes. 90 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 9: I mean the organization, you know, Latino and Sport organization 91 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,919 Speaker 9: has done amazing job. And we needed them. Like I 92 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 9: said before, we needed them, you know, thank God for them. 93 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 9: I wish then the best and uh and most work. 94 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 9: You definitely need a lot of. 95 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 10: Work on this, but just to to to to. 96 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 9: Bring out our talent and bring it to the world. 97 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 9: If the world doesn't want to know, don't don't know, 98 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 9: well that the sport will let the world know that 99 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 9: we are people with passion and hard workers, you know, 100 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 9: and thank. 101 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 10: God for that. 102 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 7: Passion is really on display this summer with the World 103 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 7: Baseball Classic. 104 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 10: What do you think of the Tournamentment was great tournament. 105 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:37,840 Speaker 10: I mean I was, I was, I was. 106 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 9: I was happy with the results, the tournament being in Venezuela, 107 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 9: the one the uh standing mound, the last you know, 108 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 9: celebrating that was great. 109 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 10: That was great. I mean they need something like that. 110 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 9: They needed it as a country, they needed something that 111 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 9: that's something possive, something good, you know, and the sport 112 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 9: baseball has the opportunity and the power to connect people 113 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 9: and feel you know, different, And I was, I was. 114 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 10: Happy for them. 115 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 7: We saw a lot of different teams, you know, become 116 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 7: more competitive than they really ever have before. 117 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 10: Everyone thought it. 118 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 7: Was just gonna be japan Us kind of show or Dominicans. 119 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 10: Obviously, it was really strong. 120 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:19,840 Speaker 7: What do you think like the overall baseball landscape is 121 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 7: across like internationally. 122 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 9: Well international baseball all over across in Anti we saw uh, 123 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 9: team Italy. 124 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 10: You know, it was interesting. It was beautiful, man, I 125 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 10: mean I. 126 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 9: Mean again, you know, I mean this, this, this baseball 127 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 9: event that we just had was something special. You know 128 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 9: that are above all things, you know, just playing the 129 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 9: game and seeing all these teams competing the way they did, 130 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 9: you know, I mean again, Team Italy was something you 131 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 9: know that we were were like wow, yeah, I was 132 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 9: pushing them to all the way, but you know, it. 133 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 10: Was it was it was nice. 134 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 9: It was good to see them play the way they play, 135 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 9: you know, with the passion that they show. So I 136 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 9: mean I think that we're seeing a different sport, different 137 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 9: level of competition, and hopefully that continues. 138 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 7: What does Team Panama have to do to get more competitive. 139 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 9: Well, I mean we need to continue playing hard, you know, 140 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 9: and give our best. I believe that if we give 141 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 9: our best, we will be competitive the. 142 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 10: Way we should be. 143 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 9: So, I mean, uh, definitely, we have the talent, we 144 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 9: have the determination, the passion, you know, we just have 145 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 9: to be more focused and what we have to deliver, 146 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 9: you know, and and at the end, just get it done. 147 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 10: Because we have the artemists. 148 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 7: Yeah, talking about Panama. 149 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 10: You have a hot sauce coming out, which is something. 150 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 2: I really want to now, Pa. 151 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 7: All druve refridge dedicated all sexual. My fridge dedicated different 152 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 7: kinds of sauce. Tell me about tell me about your. 153 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 10: Sauce, Vanessa. This house has is something special, you know. 154 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 9: Most heat, bringing the heat for so many years into 155 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 9: the mound, you know, now bringing. 156 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 10: The heat to your house, to your kitchen. You know. 157 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 9: It's a great Panamanian sauce. Have an arrows, great selection 158 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 9: of peppers. 159 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 10: Half pepper. 160 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 9: But you know the passion that we have as a country, 161 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 9: density that we have as a country, that's what we 162 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 9: have put in this sauce, you know. And this house 163 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 9: sauce is a tremendous in the quarter because one another one. 164 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 10: The corble which is also and then the sinker. 165 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 9: All of three ass sauces are amazing that you must try. 166 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 10: You must have to have your house, definitely you have. 167 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 7: You have you spoke my languages. 168 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 10: Might see how we're speaking the language. 169 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,839 Speaker 9: Yes, you know, and this is especially especially because it's 170 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 9: out Aunticity from It has a recipe for one hundred 171 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 9: and twenty years since we started Canal. Imagine that all 172 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 9: the Caribbean workers that came to Panama and bring that 173 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 9: saus you know in the Caribbean with them especial. That's 174 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 9: why most heat is something special. Then you must have 175 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 9: a home, okay, you know, having there. I mean, we 176 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 9: we're proud this. It's not like we're doing something else 177 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 9: to do. You know, I'm a I'm an owner and 178 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 9: also a co founder of the company as Angle, which 179 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 9: is here with me too. I mean, we both have 180 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 9: don amazing job and I'm proud. If I have to 181 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 9: be proud, I'm really I'm proud of these hassles because 182 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 9: it's good. 183 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 7: Yeah, okay, on the scale of one to five five 184 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 7: being spicies, where is it right now? 185 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 10: It's it's it's a five. 186 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 9: It will be a five because it's not it's not 187 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 9: something we're gonna like this when it's not something that's 188 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 9: gonna burn your mouth. No, no, no, I want something something nice, 189 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 9: something professional, something you. 190 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 10: Know my style, you know what I mean. 191 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 9: I'm not a blieby guy, a crazy guy. 192 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 10: Or it's nice, easy, or it's even even you know. 193 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 10: So this has sauce is just like that. 194 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 5: You know. 195 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 10: The harder is the corner. You have to try. The 196 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:28,839 Speaker 10: hardest is the. 197 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 9: Corner, and then the next one is the red one, 198 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 9: the corbo, and then the thinker is the other one, 199 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 9: which it is good combination. Good bass have an arrow. 200 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 9: The red one is the red han arrow. The green 201 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 9: green have an arrow. 202 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 10: But the co the cord is mixed between the two. 203 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 10: That's the more spicy. It's delicious. I mean, I'm telling 204 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 10: you I can I can have it, and I'm a 205 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 10: guy that I don't. I don't like we have. I 206 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 10: put it in my sea crazy seaf so I may 207 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 10: put this one. 208 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 9: Is it's all natural? Yeah, you know, legit natural great stuff. 209 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 9: So I mean you must again. So you we're going 210 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,839 Speaker 9: to have this, and we're going to start this on 211 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 9: the fifteen May fifteen merely baseball in the city. We're 212 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 9: going to have the opening there. So Vanessa, you got 213 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 9: to have this and tell you gotta try. 214 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 10: I gotta be there. You have to try it now 215 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 10: we have here, Okay, perfect. 216 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 7: I love to hear it. I can't wait to try 217 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 7: it all right now, obviously we have to talk everybody. 218 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 10: Yankees, you got you got to tell me how's the 219 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 10: team going to be? 220 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 9: Well, it's for me, they're going to win all. You know, 221 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 9: the Yankees have done amazing, doing amazing job. You know 222 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 9: what I like is the starting rotation guys. You know, 223 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 9: I mean the hitters, all these guys. I mean, they're 224 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 9: doing the job. You know, it's a lone seastem lone 225 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 9: season and a lot of things can happen. But unhappy 226 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 9: with what I see now the youngsters. The young guys 227 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 9: are doing amazing javenue rotation. Yeah, you know, so for me, guys, 228 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 9: that's good. 229 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 10: That's key. Yeah, piching is the key. Yes, and I 230 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 10: think that we we have a good pitching. 231 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 9: My prayers are and my prayer is that they all 232 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:21,439 Speaker 9: stay healthy to the end. 233 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 10: We can stay healthy to the end. We're gonna be shocking. 234 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 7: Yeah, what do you think the reason is? Why has 235 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 7: it been so hard to get Ring twenty eight? 236 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 10: Why is it so hard? 237 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 9: Because it's not easy, And that's what tells is easy. 238 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 9: You know, you're competing with great teams, word playing, very athletes. 239 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 9: You know out there. It's linked to the crack a 240 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 9: few times. You know, I believe this year is the one. 241 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,679 Speaker 8: That was unanimous. Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. 242 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 5: Up next, we're talking soccer. That is straight ahead on 243 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 5: the Bloomberg Business of Sports. For Vanessa, for Bilbo Maglione, 244 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 5: speach is very now. So you have to have the 245 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 5: magazone party and Randon Williams, Michael Barr, you're listening to 246 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 5: the blue Burg Business of Sports from Bloomberger Radio around 247 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 5: the world. 248 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 249 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 5: This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports when we explore 250 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:16,959 Speaker 5: the big money issues in the world of sports. 251 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 2: I'm Michael Barr, I'm Vanessa Prodoma Maglione, and I'm Randa Williams. 252 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 5: We are talking about soccer because guess what, the FIFA 253 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 5: World Cup is less than a month away. 254 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 2: In April this year, investment firm KKR made a huge 255 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 2: bet on soccer by investing in Major League Soccer's at 256 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:34,959 Speaker 2: Next Pro level. 257 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 8: The idea behind the investment is to accelerate MLS Next 258 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 8: Pro in the overall development system in the US. 259 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 5: Here to talk about the new venture is Tom Glick, 260 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:48,079 Speaker 5: chief executive officer of Hometown Soccer Holdings. Welcome to the 261 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 5: Bloomberg Business of Sports now with Vanessa and her strong 262 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 5: soccer background and Randall and his very strong sports background, 263 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 5: and I know both of them are I'm going to say, like, look, 264 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 5: don't embarrass us when you asked this first question, So 265 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 5: I want to because you've done is so many things 266 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 5: connected here MLS Next Pro, Yes, and it was just 267 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 5: established in twenty twenty two. That's right, and I forgive 268 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 5: me for putting it this way. Is it like the 269 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 5: farm club for MLS. 270 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 3: Michael, That's exactly right. So these are the reserve players 271 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 3: for LA Galaxy here here in New York, NYCFC, the 272 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 3: New York Red bull And these are players who are 273 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 3: generally eighteen to twenty two years old, and they are 274 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 3: a year or six months or one month or one 275 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 3: weekend away from playing in the first team you know, 276 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 3: at City Field or Yankee Stadium and soon to be 277 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 3: Eddie Hud Park here in New York or at Sports 278 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 3: Illustrated Stadium. So those are really talented players. Since the 279 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 3: league started, there's two hundred and fifty more than two 280 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 3: and fifty that have moved up to Major League Soccer. 281 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 3: So it's really productive, really important for the sporting directors 282 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 3: and the managers of each of those Major League Soccer clubs. 283 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 2: It's really important. I mean this is the thing that 284 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 2: MLS in the US soccer system has been missing, right, Tom, 285 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 2: Like this really deep rooted academy system, really deep rooted 286 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 2: next level system to get the players ready for the 287 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 2: big leagues. 288 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 3: Right, absolutely, right. And you know, I think one of 289 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 3: the things that has been missed because these players have 290 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 3: been playing generally in small stadiums or empty stadiums or 291 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 3: training grounds, is they haven't been noticed the way they 292 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 3: could be if they were playing in front of big crowds. 293 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 3: And they should be and that's where we come in. 294 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 3: But the player development has been incredible and it will 295 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 3: get better as these players play with more pressure in 296 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 3: front of fans, you know, who have a rooting interest, 297 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 3: and that's part of what we're doing. And the members 298 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 3: of the squad have come from the elite academies. So 299 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 3: these are young professionals who have earned a professional contract 300 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 3: after coming through the academy. Not all of them do. 301 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 3: There's also some players from college drafted or undrafted free 302 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 3: agents in these squads who are still dreading their professional 303 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 3: career in next pro. And then you have some young internationals, 304 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 3: increasingly from Eastern and Western Europe, from Africa, the Middle East, 305 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 3: Central and South America who are coming here at eighteen 306 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 3: nineteen years old, starting their career here and then moving up. 307 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 3: So really exciting mix of talent, but also fueling the 308 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 3: US men's national team at the senior level and the 309 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 3: under twenty one level. 310 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 8: That's what I was going to ask next, We're going 311 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 8: to watch the national team compete here in just under 312 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 8: thirty days, and I wonder, what impact do you think 313 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 8: that MLS Next Pro is going to have long term? 314 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 8: I mean, we've seen so you know, the last World 315 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 8: Cup there was the ESPN guy who was ranting about 316 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 8: the system of which US Soccer is operating in and 317 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 8: how you know it hasn't had as big of an 318 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 8: impact as it could. And I wonder as you look 319 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 8: long term, whether it be five to ten years, three 320 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 8: to three to five years, what impact do you hope 321 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 8: MLS Next Pro has And how will you define success? 322 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 3: On one level? If we think about player development, it 323 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 3: will be how many players are being developed up through 324 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 3: this level of the game, through all of these three 325 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 3: pathways that I was just describing. That's a that's a 326 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 3: real measure of success for the Major League Soccer clubs, 327 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 3: for those sporting director, general managers, and their owners have 328 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 3: I am I creating a succession plan, you know, for 329 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 3: my center midfield or my striker, my goalkeeper from from 330 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 3: from that level? Am I? Am I actually producing some 331 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 3: players who can also go and play elsewhere globally. Could 332 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 3: they play in the English Premier League? Could they play 333 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 3: in La Liga? And are we helping them in their progression? 334 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,239 Speaker 8: So let me let me cut in real quick. You 335 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 8: mentioned those two leagues and I wonder what your perspective 336 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 8: is on that In particular, would the goal be for 337 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 8: some of these players to stay in the MLS And 338 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 8: obviously the Premier League, La Liiga Bundesliga are considered to 339 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 8: be upper echelon leagues globally, But is your goal to 340 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 8: keep these players in the MLS so that the talent 341 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 8: stays domestic instead of going international? And you know what 342 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 8: to respect to Christian Polistic, there's someoneho would say if 343 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 8: you was here, soccer might be a bigger deal. 344 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 3: Randall's is great question, and I think a player is 345 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 3: always going to find his or her level and want 346 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 3: to be challenged in front of it in the biggest 347 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 3: matches against the best players. MLS is still a relatively 348 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 3: young league. It's thirty two years old this year. I 349 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,159 Speaker 3: used to I grew up in the Boston area, just 350 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,959 Speaker 3: to show my age. When I was a sixth grader, 351 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 3: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were rookies and the NFL, 352 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 3: or excuse me, the NBA was thirty two years old, 353 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 3: like the MLS was thirty two years old. Then you 354 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 3: think about the run that the NBA has been on 355 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 3: in the eighties and Michael Jordan in the nineties and 356 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,119 Speaker 3: the like. So if you go back five years, ten years, 357 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 3: fifteen years in Major League Soccer and you look at 358 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 3: it from a distance, there's a real noticeable change. Definitely 359 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 3: in the stadiums and the fan support, which are incredible, 360 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 3: but the level of play. The owners have continued to 361 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 3: invest more and to create rules that allow them to 362 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:54,120 Speaker 3: invest more in younger players who are advancing their careers, 363 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 3: and so the quality of play is getting better and better. 364 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 3: You see players now choosing to come here to advance 365 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 3: their career, not just to finish their career. And so yes, 366 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 3: there'll certainly be players who will say, look, I'm capable 367 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 3: of playing in Europe and I'd like to go do that. 368 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 3: But the level of MLS is really, really strong, and 369 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 3: getting better every year. 370 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 5: See you you brought up about you know your age 371 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 5: and you saw Magic Johnson as a rookie. I don't 372 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 5: even want to bring up I saw the Willis Reid game. 373 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 5: Is like, that's how much of a geezer I am? Here? 374 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:28,479 Speaker 5: Tom Gleick, he is the CEO of Hometown Soccer Holdings, 375 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 5: which brings us to the next question, how Hometown Soccer 376 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 5: Holdings your pitch? See what I did? 377 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 10: I know soccer? 378 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:44,479 Speaker 5: How are you connected now? And you brought in your 379 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:48,400 Speaker 5: venture with Major League Soccer and the investment firm KKR. 380 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, so we we were really excited about the partnership 381 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 3: we've created KKR. You know, world class private equity fund 382 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 3: and investor in a whole host of business categories, but 383 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 3: increasingly in sports, media and entertainment. Super passionate excited about 384 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 3: building something great here in Major League Soccer and then 385 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 3: Major League Soccer who brings great player development skills, but 386 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 3: also there they're part of our cap table and so 387 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,239 Speaker 3: fully aligned with us on building a great business. And 388 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 3: what we're building is a commercial engine for the league 389 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 3: so that these players that we're talking about can play 390 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,159 Speaker 3: in great new stadiums built for fans and built for 391 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 3: sponsors that will be the beating heart of the downtown 392 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 3: of the city that has them and the place to 393 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 3: be and playing games of consequence in front of fans, 394 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 3: and and and have these fans be able to follow 395 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 3: them get excited. These players in these clubs belong to them. 396 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 3: And you know, our business will be tickets and premium 397 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 3: seating and local and national sponsorship and food and beverage 398 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 3: and merchandise and other live events. Will be creating venues 399 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 3: with municipalities that will host our soccer clubs, but also 400 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,960 Speaker 3: other events other sports you think of. Any sport you 401 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,119 Speaker 3: play in a rectangle is going to work perfectly at 402 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 3: our venues when the soccer team is on the road, 403 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 3: live music, festivals, corporate and private events. So it's a 404 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 3: really exciting venture. We're building it from the ground up. 405 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 3: We'll be introducing twenty twenty five new clubs across the 406 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 3: country to markets that deserve to have their own club 407 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:26,119 Speaker 3: but don't yet have one. And we'll be working from 408 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,120 Speaker 3: a blank sheet of paper. So what we can do 409 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 3: with the technology and the systems, whether it be ticketing 410 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 3: or food and beverage, or how we communicate with our fans. 411 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 3: We can do that with one single source and be 412 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 3: really efficient and really productive and serve our fans and 413 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 3: sponsors really well. 414 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 8: We'd be remiss if we did not talk about the 415 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 8: twenty twenty six Men's World Cup. And I wonder, from 416 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:54,160 Speaker 8: your perspective, from someone who's in soccer every single day, 417 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 8: what impact do you think the twenty twenty six Men's 418 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 8: World Cup is going to have on us side specifically? 419 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 3: Well, first off, I hope, I hope our team does 420 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 3: really well. 421 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 8: How important do you think that is to the successive things? 422 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 3: If we do really well, I mean watch out. But 423 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 3: but I don't think that's a prerequisite. I think we 424 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:15,119 Speaker 3: all would like to see the team play well, the 425 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:17,400 Speaker 3: team get out of the group stage, win a knockout 426 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 3: round match or two or more, and that would be 427 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 3: a ton of fun. It would be, but irregardless of 428 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 3: how how the team performs, because it is a knockout tournament, 429 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 3: so you know, this is this is not a league. 430 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 3: Over many, many months, the presence of this tournament I 431 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,439 Speaker 3: think is going to surprise people, the scale of it, 432 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 3: the passion that comes out, and it will be hard 433 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 3: to ignore it, and there'll be patriotism across. But I 434 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 3: think just a real appreciation and exposure for casual fans 435 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 3: and new fans to the game. And I think therein 436 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,640 Speaker 3: lies a big part of the opportunity is UH, new 437 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:01,199 Speaker 3: residents of the US who become fam become interested in 438 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 3: the game, and I think there's an opportunity for us 439 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 3: to then further engage them and to get them to 440 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 3: get them to be more and more avid fans. And 441 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 3: those who are those who are already excited to do 442 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 3: the same thing, which is to you know, how do 443 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 3: we how do we get them, you know, even more 444 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 3: involved and more excited. And that's part of our opportunity 445 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 3: with hometown soccer holdings in MLS, next pro is to 446 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,719 Speaker 3: have a local professional club right in their city. If 447 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,159 Speaker 3: I can drive ten minutes, go downtown and go to 448 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 3: a professional games, see some of the best young town 449 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 3: in the country right in my city in the Midwest, 450 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 3: or in the southeast, or here in the northeastern, uh, 451 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 3: you know, the Mountain West. That that's something that needs 452 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 3: to happen and UH and that's what that's what we're 453 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 3: building towards. 454 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 2: And tom what what are the venues like, uh, specifications 455 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 2: of those going to look like is it five thousand? 456 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:49,360 Speaker 2: You know, seat venues kind of thing. 457 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 3: Most of our venues will be between six and eight thousands, 458 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 3: and we'll have all of the the amenities and the 459 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 3: comforts that you would expect at a major league or 460 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 3: a larger stadium, So suites and tunnel clubs and field 461 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 3: club seats and great scoreboards and you know, standing areas 462 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,160 Speaker 3: for supporters, and you know, a real atmosphere, but intimate 463 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 3: and right size for those cities. If it's a city 464 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 3: of a half a million people, city of six seven 465 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 3: hundred thousand people, a six to eight thousand seat stadium 466 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 3: is perfect, and we'll create the right experience for that, 467 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 3: and it comes at a lower ticket price. And so 468 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 3: as we create partnerships with municipalities, it becomes more achievable 469 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 3: to figure out the math for that. 470 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 5: See old man bar knows what jersey he wants? Payn 471 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 5: a Cosmos real quick before you go. 472 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 8: I want to ask about storytelling. One of the things 473 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 8: we've seen around sports in particular is we see Netflix, 474 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 8: we see HBO Max, we see Amazon do storytelling right 475 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 8: after these moments are created. And there's there's the US 476 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 8: men's national soccer team. I believe it's on HBO Max, 477 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,199 Speaker 8: but don't quote me. How important is storytelling in the months, 478 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,640 Speaker 8: in the weeks, either during or following the World Cup 479 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:04,919 Speaker 8: to the success of this entire event. To have something 480 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 8: that people who are like, oh, this is what they 481 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 8: were going through? Do you think that's important? 482 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 6: I think so. 483 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 3: I think so. I think we've seen so many examples 484 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 3: across all sports that learning about what these players go through, 485 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 3: with the teams, go through, the coaches, fans, parents really 486 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 3: really interesting if it can be done and told in 487 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 3: the right way. And there will be forty eight clubs, 488 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,920 Speaker 3: you know, and twenty four players on each of these 489 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 3: forty eight clubs and teams, all within their families and 490 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,360 Speaker 3: all with their own own stories. So I'm really excited 491 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 3: to follow the tournament, but also to follow the athletes 492 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 3: and the teams and the drama, and then to hear 493 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 3: about what was going on after the fact. I think 494 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:50,360 Speaker 3: it's I think it's an incredible opportunity. 495 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 2: That was CEO of Hometown Soccer Holdings, Tom Glick up. 496 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 8: Next, we are sticking with soccer and talking about the 497 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 8: biggest sporting event ever, the twenty twenty six feet A 498 00:25:59,160 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 8: World Cup. 499 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 5: Is straight ahead on the Bloomberg Business of Sports. I'm 500 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:07,640 Speaker 5: Michael Barr with Vanessa Perdomo, Magleone and Randa Williams. You're 501 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 5: listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio 502 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 5: around the world. 503 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. 504 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 5: Thank you for joining us on the Bloomberg Business of Sports, 505 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 5: where we explore the big money issues in the world 506 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 5: of sports. 507 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 2: I'm Michael Barr, I'm Vanessa Prodomo Maglione, and. 508 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 5: I'm Randa Williams. Vanessa, we know you have been paying 509 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:37,119 Speaker 5: close attention to the World Cup and you recently spoke 510 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:41,160 Speaker 5: with the LAFC co president Larry Friedman. 511 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 2: He's also the co chair of the LA host committee 512 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:47,239 Speaker 2: for the World Cup. So we spoke about how LA 513 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 2: is getting ready to host the US men's national team 514 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 2: and how LAFC is preparing for the world's attention to 515 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 2: be on soccer this summer. 516 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 8: Let's take a listen to Vanessa's interview with LAFC president 517 00:26:57,280 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 8: Larry Friedman. 518 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:00,440 Speaker 2: It is such an exciting time for soccer in the 519 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:04,479 Speaker 2: US and LA, specifically for you being president of an 520 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 2: MLS team and a co chair of the LA Host Committee, 521 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 2: How would you describe this time for the city and 522 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 2: for soccer. 523 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 6: It is like no other. 524 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 4: The last time the US was involved in hosting a 525 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 4: Men's World Cup back in ninety four, there really wasn't 526 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 4: the first Division men's league, so you didn't have teams 527 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 4: that were sending players off to participate in that World Cup. 528 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 4: And you fast forward thirty some odd years to now 529 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 4: MLS has thirty teams that are sending players to their 530 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,679 Speaker 4: national teams, and many of those players are on teams 531 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 4: that qualified. 532 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 6: For this tournament. And it's a really. 533 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 4: Exciting time to showcase how are league has developed and 534 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,680 Speaker 4: the level of player and level of play has evolved 535 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 4: and improved. And then for Los Angeles hosting the US 536 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 4: men's national teams opening game at Sofi Stadium, Sofi Stadium, 537 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 4: hosting eight matches across the tournament, and hopefully we're going 538 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 4: to have travelers from all over the world doing what 539 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 4: we at the Host Committee are suggesting, which is start 540 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 4: your World Cup journey in southern California. 541 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 6: So it is really really exciting. 542 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 2: Not a bad place to start your World Cup journey, 543 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 2: I don't think. 544 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 10: So. 545 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 7: Like you mentioned the US, you know, the US are 546 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 7: playing their first game there. They have two games there, 547 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 7: and they'll be around southern California, right, it's their home base. 548 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 7: What are the expectations for you having them in market 549 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 7: and how big of an impact do you think that 550 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 7: has for the for the region. 551 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 6: I think it's a huge impact. 552 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 4: When we set out as a host committee to bid 553 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 4: on hosting games, we were focused on the opening more 554 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 4: so than the final, because the opening is a moment 555 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 4: when all forty eight teams, all forty eight countries, have 556 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 4: complete hope and all dreams are alive. Right by the 557 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 4: time you get to the final, you have two countries, 558 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 4: two teams left participating. So we think that being at 559 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:45,040 Speaker 4: the focal point at the beginning is really an incredible 560 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 4: opportunity for this market, for this region, and ties into 561 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 4: the start your World Cup journey here why because this 562 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:56,560 Speaker 4: is where it's starting. 563 00:29:57,200 --> 00:29:59,479 Speaker 7: That's really interesting. Do you think that there's going to 564 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 7: be a bigger economic impact for having the start of 565 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 7: the tournament versus the end that ties into everything, Like 566 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 7: you were saying, having all the teams and all of 567 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 7: the excitement, Well. 568 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 4: I think it's hard to pick that one apart because 569 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 4: out in New York, New Jersey at MetLife Stadium. They 570 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 4: are hosting a full slate of games as well, So 571 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 4: it's hard to you know, isolate the impact of the 572 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:35,479 Speaker 4: final by itself as opposed to the full impact of 573 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 4: the slate of games that are being hosted out there 574 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 4: versus the one game here, get pulling that out of 575 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 4: you know, if it was standalone versus the eight matches 576 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 4: that we have. But we like to think, you know, 577 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 4: the economic impact here is going to be over a 578 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 4: half a billion dollars and that is really significant from 579 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 4: hotel room nights, various communities stepping up and doing you know, 580 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 4: watch parties and events in and around the matches and 581 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 4: people going to restaurants, people going to theme parks, people 582 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 4: going to concerts at other venues during that time period. 583 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 4: It's really going to be a wonderful thirty nine days 584 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 4: here in southern California. 585 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 2: LA is already a pretty big soccer market, right, There's 586 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 2: a lot of soccer fans that are already there. So 587 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 2: how much bigger do you think it could actually get? Like, 588 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 2: who are you targeting in order to grow the game 589 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:37,960 Speaker 2: even if it's already pretty big there? 590 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 6: Sure, So we like to say, as do other markets. 591 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:46,080 Speaker 4: But we think we're right that, you know, LA is 592 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 4: the home of soccer in this country. You have three 593 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 4: first division teams participating. You've got the LA Galaxy, you've 594 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 4: got Angel City Football Club and NWSL and you've got LAFC. 595 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 4: And the beauty of it is when we joined MLS, 596 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 4: our audience grew, as did the Galaxies. 597 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 6: We didn't cannibalize their audience. It was one plus one, 598 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 6: what was three? 599 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:17,240 Speaker 4: And then you add Angel City to the mix, who 600 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 4: came after we did, and the same thing happened. You know, 601 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 4: new fans, new audience, the aggregate audience grows. And what 602 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 4: we think the real opportunity is with the wild and 603 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 4: wonderful diversity in this market, which is twelve or fifteen 604 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 4: million people depending on where you draw the circle for 605 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 4: the DMA, there's incredible opportunity to bring more people into 606 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 4: the tent, you know. To be use a specific example, 607 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 4: there is a large large population in Los Angeles that 608 00:32:56,400 --> 00:33:04,560 Speaker 4: follows Ligamax down in Mexico cruz Azul Club, Leone, Monterey, 609 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 4: Club America, Chieva Squadalajara, and there's ample opportunity to convert 610 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 4: some of those folks into MLS fans you know, we 611 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 4: all support more than one team, often more than one 612 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 4: team in the same sport. Maybe they play in different leagues, 613 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 4: maybe they play in the same league. But there's so 614 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 4: many football fans in this market who are watching the 615 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 4: Bundesliga in Germany, they're watching Siria in Italy, they're watching 616 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 4: the Premier League, they're watching Liga Max. They're watching football 617 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 4: all over the world, and believe it or not, they 618 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 4: haven't yet tuned in or shown up for an MLS match. 619 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:52,840 Speaker 4: And so this is an opportunity when the captain of 620 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 4: the defending champion Argentina is playing in the World Cup, 621 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 4: or the captain of the South Korean national team is 622 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 4: playing in the World Cup, for people to connect the 623 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 4: dots that Hay, wait in a minute, those guys play 624 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,600 Speaker 4: an MLS. Maybe I should go to an MLS game 625 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:19,600 Speaker 4: when LAFC is in Austin, Texas, or Chicago, Illinois, or Nashville, Tennessee, 626 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:23,760 Speaker 4: or I should go see Inner Miami play in Columbus, Ohio. 627 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 2: So it's interesting because it's definitely something that the women's 628 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,439 Speaker 2: side struggled with for a little bit of time right 629 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 2: before the NWSL really kicked off in the way that 630 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 2: it is now, I'm extremely popular, But for a long 631 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 2: time when the women were you know, winning all of 632 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 2: these things, they didn't always come back to the women's 633 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 2: league that was you know, in the US, and they 634 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:48,319 Speaker 2: couldn't connect those dots. So how are you trying to 635 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:51,240 Speaker 2: connect those dots to make sure that people know, yes, 636 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 2: that Sun is playing on the LAFC and that you know, 637 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,920 Speaker 2: people do come back to the MLS after, you know, 638 00:34:59,080 --> 00:34:59,919 Speaker 2: after the World Cup. 639 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,040 Speaker 6: We will be telling. 640 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 4: The story early and often. You know, we're going to 641 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:12,800 Speaker 4: make a big deal of the send off or players 642 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 4: on our roster in addition to Sonny, who are going 643 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 4: off to play for their national teams. Example, you know, 644 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:23,480 Speaker 4: Matthew Chanier, one of our midfielders, will be on the 645 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 4: Canadian national team, you know, another host country participating in 646 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:32,360 Speaker 4: this tournament, and we will be following them along the way. 647 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:36,040 Speaker 4: We will be working with local media to make sure 648 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:40,120 Speaker 4: that those stories are being told, those players are being followed, 649 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:43,560 Speaker 4: and we're going to get out in the community and 650 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:48,640 Speaker 4: we are going to be doing some soccer celebrations around 651 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 4: some matches in and around LA where we go and 652 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 4: meet the people where they are and celebrate the beautiful game. 653 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 4: At the same time, it gives us an opportunity to 654 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 4: tell a story. When we're at an event that's built 655 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:10,439 Speaker 4: around a Mexico Korea match in the group stage, it's 656 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:14,120 Speaker 4: very easy to say, hey, you see number seven, that's 657 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 4: our guy, and you should come to be most stadium 658 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:19,000 Speaker 4: to see him in three weeks or four weeks. 659 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:23,759 Speaker 2: Absolutely, tell me a little bit about your you know, 660 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:27,240 Speaker 2: your seats on both the Host Committee and in UH 661 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:30,839 Speaker 2: for LAFC, working for both sides, and I can I 662 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:34,080 Speaker 2: imagine you have a lot of insight to how both 663 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,440 Speaker 2: are working together at the same time, tell us a 664 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 2: little bit about how the Host Committee works with the 665 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 2: MLS works with LAFC to you know, be a you know, 666 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 2: holistic sort of approach to growing the game of soccer 667 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 2: in the US. 668 00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:54,600 Speaker 4: Sure, I think there is cool. There has been coordination 669 00:36:54,760 --> 00:37:00,319 Speaker 4: and collaboration. This is a project DOT we have been 670 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 4: working on since twenty seventeen, give or tape right. The 671 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:11,480 Speaker 4: original bid goes in with the US, Mexico and Canada 672 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:17,040 Speaker 4: to be the you know, co hosts of a World Cup. 673 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 4: We get awarded the bid in twenty eighteen and we've 674 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 4: been working together, you know, at the club level, the 675 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:35,080 Speaker 4: league level, the host committee level ever since, because there's 676 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:37,919 Speaker 4: such a natural fit. 677 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:41,360 Speaker 6: This is a global football tournament. 678 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:47,800 Speaker 4: We have thirty teams in thirty markets that have shown 679 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:53,080 Speaker 4: support and love for the game, and you have fans 680 00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:59,879 Speaker 4: that are the most likely candidates to participate in some 681 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 4: form or fashion, whether it's in soccer celebrations, it's official 682 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 4: fan fests, it's buying tickets to go to games, whatever 683 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:15,600 Speaker 4: form that participation takes. You know, the most natural place 684 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:19,319 Speaker 4: to start is to turn to the club level fan 685 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 4: bases and say are you interested? 686 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 6: Are you in? 687 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 2: That was LAFC President Larry Freeman. 688 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 5: That's it. That's the show. It went by so quick. 689 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:31,400 Speaker 5: That's it for the day. Thank you for joining us. 690 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 5: Tune in again next week for the latest on the 691 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:36,280 Speaker 5: stories moving big old money in the world of sports. 692 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:38,520 Speaker 2: And don't forget to catch our podcasts on all your 693 00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,400 Speaker 2: podcast platforms, and go to Bloomberg dot com to subscribe 694 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:44,120 Speaker 2: to the Bloomberg Business of Sports newsletter to stay up 695 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:45,920 Speaker 2: to date on all our juicy insights. 696 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:49,520 Speaker 5: You are listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports Bloomberg 697 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:51,080 Speaker 5: Radio around the world 698 00:38:51,440 --> 00:38:55,120 Speaker 8: But stay with us today's top stories and global business 699 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:59,960 Speaker 8: headlines are coming up right now.