1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Evan, Novie Williams, and I'm Michael barn. This 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: is the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast where we explore 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,399 Speaker 1: the big money issues in the world of sports, and 4 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: today we are joined by special guest host Jason Kelly. 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, who is with us for the whole week Jason, 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to the show. Virtual bro Hugs all around. I'm 7 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: so excited to be here with you guys. Longtime listener, 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: first time special guest host. This is cool. I listen 9 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: to you guys every weekend, and I'm obsessed with these topics. 10 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:31,319 Speaker 1: So I just I can't wait to get into it. 11 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: Weld In, and let's get into it. There we go. 12 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: All right, let's get on with the podcast, and let's 13 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: talk about the Miami Dolphins and CEO Tom Garfinkel revealing 14 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: possible changes to this stadium that would help people adhere 15 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: to social distancing guidelines. Evan, how are they doing that? Yeah, guys, 16 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: the big question on everybody's mind when live sports come back, 17 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: what do they look like? When you know we might 18 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: be ready to have fans in stadiums, and the Dolphins are, 19 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: to my knowledge, the first you know, major US pro 20 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: sports team to say Oh, this is what we're looking about. 21 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: This is this is what it might look like, and 22 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: it includes you know, six foot you know, markings on 23 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: the pavement leading into each turnstyle giving people specific times 24 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:15,119 Speaker 1: for when they should be checking in so you don't 25 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: get this huge crush getting to the gates all At 26 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: the same time, he also mentioned you know, specific ways 27 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: of exiting in which you know, you go row by row, 28 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: he said, similar to what you do in church. So 29 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: again it's not this massive crunch going in and out. Jason, 30 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: this feels like a lot of a lot of new 31 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: rules restrictions for sports fans. You know, my big question 32 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 1: when I look at what the Dolphins are planning, and 33 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: certainly and talking to other teams about what they may 34 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 1: be thinking about as well, is how much kind of 35 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: extra coordination is too much for your average sports fan. Yeah, 36 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: I mean I read this was such fascination Evan and 37 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: Michael because for a couple of reasons. I mean, first is, 38 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: somebody's got to be the first to figure this out, 39 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: and there's gonna be a te blitzet and everybody's going 40 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: to have their variations on it. One of the things 41 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: I was fascinated about because We're talking about this every 42 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: day with our own workplaces, right like, how are we 43 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: going to get in and out? Is they're gonna be testing, 44 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: especially in a place like New York City where the 45 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: three of us normally work and go into a big 46 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: office and a big, busy city. It does strike me 47 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: one of the interesting things about the Dolphins being on 48 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: the front end of this. Their owner Stephen Ross, big 49 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: commercial real estate guy. You know that he's thinking about 50 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 1: this across his office buildings, his retail shops. Ultimately they 51 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 1: own Equinox, So they're thinking about all of these things. 52 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: Steven Ross and related companies are, and so I wonder 53 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: how much they're bringing into this that is going to 54 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: dictate not just what we do as sports fans, but elsewhere. 55 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: I also am fascinated by the idea that this is 56 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: happening in Florida, and there's been a lot written, some critically, 57 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: some positively about how Florida, the state has handled this, 58 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: and I do feel like lots of people are gonna 59 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: be looking to that part of the country for cueues 60 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: on on how we go forward here. Yeah, I think 61 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: that's a really interesting point. Going back to the first 62 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: thing you said, you know, Michael Barr. One of the 63 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: things that that reading this made me think of. I 64 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: don't know if either of you have seen the photos 65 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: of you know, mock ups for what casino tables may 66 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: look like when casinos reopen and they have you know, 67 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: it's full, you know, clear glass or clear plastic partitions. 68 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: Everybody looks like they're sitting in their own essentially little pod. 69 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,639 Speaker 1: You know, you can't. You know, there's glass between each 70 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: of each of you, between you and the dealer, you 71 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: and the table. Um. You know, it's certainly feels as though, 72 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: you know, sporting events like going to casino, in my mind, 73 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: are very social events. You know, you're you're going and 74 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: you're you're buying beer with your friends and you're going 75 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: to you know, get your kid a T shirt or 76 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: a hot dog. You know that there's so much about 77 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: the the ancillary spending at events as well. Um and Michael, 78 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: I I guess I I again, I'll ask you as well. 79 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: You know how much if if all the rules are 80 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: in place, you have to check in two hours before 81 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: game time, specifically because that's when your row is voting 82 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: and you can't be near you know, the people on 83 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: the other side because they have to be six feet away. 84 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: And you know you can't go to a you have 85 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: to go to a specific bathroom at a specific time, 86 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: and and you can't go to get food has to 87 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: be delivered to you. At what point is there just 88 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: too much for your average fan to come through? Right 89 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: when you started the first part of your sentence, right 90 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: from the subject, verb and predicate. Look, and I'm in 91 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: my home. I can watch it on TV. I can 92 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 1: go to the bathroom whenever I want to. I can 93 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: eat whatever I want, I can drink whatever I want 94 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: right there on my couch. Now I'm being told that 95 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: I got to deal with this experience, which brings me 96 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 1: to the next point. Hard Rock Stadium can hold six 97 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: fans for a football game. The Dolphins are saying, well, 98 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: it might be down to fifteen thousand fans next season. 99 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: That's not a lot. But I'm wondering are they going 100 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: to raise the ticket prices to help make up for that. 101 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: I would just want your thought. It's a it's a 102 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: great question, and you know one of the big problem 103 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,719 Speaker 1: that sports teams always have. And Jason, actually, before we 104 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: move on, I want to get your thoughts on this too. Um, 105 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: how do you price your tickets right, because you want 106 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: to have a select few people in there that have 107 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: the means and are able to pay a lot of 108 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: money for really sweet access. And you also don't want 109 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: to price out, you know, maybe your lower income fans 110 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: who maybe save up a lot of money to get 111 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 1: to one game a year. That's a very different calculus 112 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: when you're letting sixty people into your stadium than when 113 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: you're letting in And and as you said, Michael, because 114 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 1: revenue is so tight right now, there's going to be 115 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: pressure I think on these teams to to cater that 116 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: fifteen thousand person experience to the people who can pay 117 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: the most. And I would hope that they are going 118 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: to figure out some ways to maybe try to keep 119 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: the balance of really expensive ticket prices and affordable ticket 120 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: prices as opposed to just going to the you know, 121 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: the most expensive fans. Yeah, I mean, I think that 122 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: raises such a fascinating point about the broader epidemic here. 123 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: The broader pandemic, I should say, which is, you know, 124 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: we're revealing all of this about haves and have nots, 125 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: and listen, hasn't have not have been something that any 126 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,119 Speaker 1: of us have gone who have gone to a sporting event. 127 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: We are very very well aware of that, you know, 128 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: all the money that's poured into sweets, all the money 129 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: that's poured into high priced, high level experience versus the 130 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: average person, the average family that's really been priced out 131 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: of this in many ways. And the way that I 132 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: read this, at least, it feels like it takes out 133 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 1: some of the really that some of the most fun 134 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: parts about this. You can't I have a hard time 135 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: imagining a really robust tailgating situation. I mean, I'm thinking 136 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 1: about going to a game at you know, a MetLife 137 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: and I know we're gonna talk about colleges in a second, 138 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: but and that's a whole other issue. But you know, 139 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: this whole sort of common fandom that I think Michael 140 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,679 Speaker 1: is alluding to in this notion of if somebody scores 141 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: a touchdown, can't high five your neighbor. You know, it's 142 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: like you're you're like, what are you doing, like making 143 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: a sign through the plexiglass, Like I don't even know 144 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 1: what that looks like, if you know, And it seems 145 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: to take away so much of what we care about 146 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: as fans, And like you said, the economics have just 147 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: got to be completely upside down here, and I don't 148 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: think people want to do a joyous thing, which I 149 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: think going to a supporting event is if they're scared. 150 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: And that's what it comes down to for me. Yeah, 151 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: and all the sports teams, you know, and all the 152 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: leagues are thinking about all this stuff right now. The 153 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: NFL has a little bit of an advantage and that 154 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: they start later. Their stadiums are outdoors, which from folks 155 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: I talked to is it could potentially be a massive 156 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: difference now that I think this calculus of what your 157 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: arena looks like is a little different if it's an 158 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: indoor facility versus as opposed as opposed to you know, 159 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: a big outdoor, outdoor football stadium. Uh. Let's talk about 160 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: college and we're starting to see universities putting together preliminary 161 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: plans to ensure that they will be open this fall. 162 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: And uh, Evan, I'm sure that a lot of online 163 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: betting sites in Las Vegas are saying, please open mus 164 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: have a college football season as a lot of money 165 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: in that. Absolutely sports of sports fans as well in general, 166 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: I mean the college We haven't talked that much on 167 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: the show about the college sports and specifically the college 168 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: football world, but you know the entire you know, elite 169 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: college football, you know, coaches, athletic directors, everyone has drawn 170 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: a line in this stand and said we cannot have 171 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: college football in the fall if students are not on campus. 172 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: And if if they had said otherwise, I think they 173 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: would have been a whole ball of problems. But that 174 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: raises the stakes for what it takes to get college 175 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: football on campuses in the fall. You know, the NFL 176 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: teams don't have you know, a twenty thousand person community 177 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: that needs to be up and active before they can 178 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 1: host games at hard Rock Stadium in September. Colleges do. 179 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: To my knowledge, I don't have an exhaustive count. It 180 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: seems like over twenty of the of the big time 181 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: Power five college football schools have all announced their plans 182 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: uh for reopening. But definitely, Jason, you know there there 183 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:57,080 Speaker 1: is a lot more that's going to go into getting 184 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: the college football season off the ground. Then there will 185 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: be in l off the ground. Well, I have to say, 186 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: this is a story I've been similarly obsessed with, in 187 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: part because I grew up down South and you know, 188 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:13,319 Speaker 1: SEC country, and every weekend when you live down South, 189 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 1: and probably in the Midwest as well, is completely built 190 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 1: around college football. And and so I have a hard 191 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: time imagining what autumn in the South looks like without 192 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,839 Speaker 1: college football. So I'll start there. I mean, also from 193 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: a very parochial perspective, I think about the idea of 194 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: college campuses because I've got a junior in high school 195 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: who's like looking at schools and trying to figure all 196 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: of that out. And and also know a lot of folks, 197 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: you know, just here in my neighborhood in New York, 198 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: whose kids are either starting college or may or may 199 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: not be going back to college. This is the number 200 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: one issue for so many people, and I think so 201 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: many people listening to us right now. It's a safety question, 202 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: but it's also a huge question of economics for the schools. 203 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: And I wonder what you guys make of this notion 204 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:05,479 Speaker 1: that it's one thing to think about the overall economics 205 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 1: of an academic institution, but it also I think bears 206 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: repeating or reminding folks that so much of the athletic 207 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: budget for so many of these schools comes from college football, 208 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: especially these big time schools, right without a question. Yeah, 209 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: And and and this is the kind of the big calculus 210 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: that a lot of people are trying to figure out. 211 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: And and when we talk about higher education, there's so 212 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:29,199 Speaker 1: many other economic forces going on right now. I understand 213 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,439 Speaker 1: that there are some undergrads who are maybe suing colleges 214 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: because the colleges aren't fulfilling on on what they thought 215 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: that the experience that they were paying for was. I 216 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: think there's a there's a whole world of her associated 217 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: right now with with colleges trying to get things off 218 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: the ground. So college football is a piece of but 219 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,439 Speaker 1: not the only kind of piece of why they feel, 220 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: you know, tremendous pressure I think, to get things back 221 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:53,719 Speaker 1: to some semblance of normalcy in September. Uh. And one 222 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: other thing on these on these college football stadiums. You know, 223 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: we just talked about an NFL stadium. Um, I haven't 224 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: been to that many, but the ones I've been to, 225 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: they're not built often in the same way that your 226 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: your NFL stadiums are. You know, if sweets are now okay, 227 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 1: and those are areas in your stadium that are probably 228 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 1: good for large groups too, not large groups, but groups 229 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: to buy into. If you've been to the big house 230 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: in Michigan. There's no there's no sweets. It is uh, 231 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: it is essentially just bleachers all the way up for 232 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: a hundred and twenty screaming fans. It's a lot harder 233 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 1: to retrofit a lot of these stadiums, um to to 234 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: whatever it is that that that being at a game 235 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 1: may look like. If it's you know, a hundred or 236 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,199 Speaker 1: a hundred and fifty little ten person pods, whatever those 237 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: things look like, it's a lot harder a to retrofit 238 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: a lot of these stadiums. And two, as you said, Jason, 239 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: the money just isn't that you know, these aren't there 240 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 1: aren't as well capitalized as you know an NFL team 241 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: would be. They don't have access to the capital in 242 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: the in the same kind of way. So you know, 243 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: no question, there are a lot of forces here that 244 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: that Michael Barr, a lot of forces here that I 245 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: think are going to change. You know a lot of 246 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: people are grouping NFL and college football together as well 247 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 1: they happen well, they and there's actually I think a 248 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: pretty big difference here that we may see. Well he 249 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: been credit to my brother in law for asking this 250 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: question yesterday, and I said, that's a good question. I 251 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: don't know that. He asked, well, if you don't have 252 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: a college football season, then how do the people in 253 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: the NFL approached the draft for the next season. Do 254 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: you have to go by having a special combine or 255 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,199 Speaker 1: or what happens? But when he said it, I'm like, well, 256 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: that's a good question. I I don't know. I have 257 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: spoken to some people who believe that if college football 258 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: can't happen in the fall, there will be a massive 259 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: push to have it in the spring. And I don't 260 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: know what that looks like for for having it again 261 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,079 Speaker 1: the in the fall the following year. I don't know 262 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 1: if it's an abridged spring season leading into the fall. Um. 263 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: But again, you know, as Jason mentioned, all that money 264 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: they're gonna have to get, they're gonna try to get 265 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 1: this in whatever way they can, and in the same 266 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 1: way that you know, the NBA may be open to 267 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 1: delaying the start of its next season to get this 268 00:12:57,760 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: one in, and the NHL may do the same, and 269 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: maybe League Baseball will do the same. I think they're 270 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: gonna be willing to be as flexible with this upcoming 271 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 1: season as possible so that they can get it in 272 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: period and if that means maybe disrupting delaying the back 273 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: end of the following season, I think they're gonna be 274 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: gonna be willing to do that. I have one more 275 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:19,560 Speaker 1: thing on this, which is I also having been to 276 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: a lot of college football games over the course of 277 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: my more than probably I should care to admit. But um, 278 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: there's also a real, live economic ecosystem in so many 279 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 1: of these college towns that really relies so heavily on 280 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: game day. You know, you think about the tailgating, which 281 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: we talked about ease of the the NFL on a 282 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: big weekend in Athens, Georgia, or Clemson, South Carolina or Tuscaloosa. Again, 283 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: I'm using all seven examples, but you're I mean, as 284 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: you said Evan earlier, you think about the big house. 285 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: You think about the economies of all these places, the 286 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,839 Speaker 1: hotel rooms that are reserved. I mean this, there's a 287 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: knock on effect if you don't have of fans in 288 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:03,479 Speaker 1: the seats, even if you managed to play the games 289 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: in some sort of quarantined or antiseptic way, having those 290 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,599 Speaker 1: people not show up in a South Bend or elsewhere, 291 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: you know, has broad economic consequence. I think that is 292 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: I'm sure, someone can model it out, but it's a 293 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: little scary to think about. And finally, and I'm sorry, 294 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: you guys are going to get a rent from me 295 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: on this. And I expected decision from a judge in California. 296 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: He ruled in favor of the United States Soccer Federation 297 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: in the wage discrimination lawsuit brought by members of the 298 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: U S women's national team. Now, you guys are way 299 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: smarter in business than I am. But the last time 300 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 1: I checked, one is less than three, which is the 301 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: comparison that women's soccer players make compared every one dollar 302 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: to what a man earns every three dollars. And what 303 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: I do not understand in twenty twenty. And I'm sorry 304 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: if I'm starting to sound like Stephen A. Smith, But 305 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: if he, he would carry on even more than I would. 306 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: And I can't blame him. Why in the world does 307 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: this happen in twenty twenty, especially to the women's soccer team. 308 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: Michael A. Barr, I love it, um like can answer, 309 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: I can. I can answer part of that. And I 310 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: think the sentiment of what you're saying is is what 311 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: I want to actually talk about because the reason why 312 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: and we've talked about this on the show when this 313 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: lawsuit was originally filed. You know, the main thing that 314 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: the judge said in this ruling is that the men 315 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: and the women agreed, through separate collective bargaining agreements, to 316 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 1: two separate structures. And the men agreed to essentially a 317 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: very low or maybe even no base salary and a 318 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: lot of kind of per game bonuses, and the women 319 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: agreed to the opposite. They wanted the financial stability of 320 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 1: kind of a steady, you know, yearly contract and as 321 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: a result, you know, fewer bonuses, and you know, you 322 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: can talk about how big or small the discrepancy and 323 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: their pay was, and certainly the women's team and US 324 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: Soccer disagree on on how big that the spread is. 325 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: But the truth is that they agreed to two separate structures, 326 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: and this judge wanted to affirm that this was you know, 327 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: this was structures that were agreed to in in a 328 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: fair process. The thing that is more interesting to me, Michael, 329 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: and ties back to what you were saying, is that 330 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: I I feel like the women's team has already won 331 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: this lawsuit, whether you know, the judge ruled as he did, 332 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 1: or whether it got dragged out even further, they're probably 333 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: gonna appeal this decision. Who knows where that's going to go. 334 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: But in the court of public opinion, the man who 335 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: ran us soccer is out. The legal team is out. 336 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: They revised their filings. The sponsors were upset. Joe Biden 337 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 1: was tweeting about it. Jason, do you agree that in 338 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 1: some ways, whether this lawsuits succeeded or not, the point 339 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: was made and there's going to be changed happening. I 340 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: think you're right. I mean, I do think that the 341 00:16:54,560 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: the positive side of this, to use, uh Michael ours framing, 342 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: is that I don't think any reasonable person out there 343 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: I would say, oh no, they should. The men should 344 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 1: definitely be paid more, especially given and I think this 345 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: is one of the great ironies of of this lawsuit, 346 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,120 Speaker 1: how terrible the men's team has been over the past 347 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: few years, and there is, as a side note, there 348 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: is this sort of weird thing that happened where them 349 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: being so terrible actually hurt the women's case, And that 350 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: was as I was reading into this, it was it 351 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: was really interesting to see that that the comparisons became 352 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: more difficult because the men missed the World Cup and 353 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: all of those things. That had I agree with you. 354 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 1: I mean, I think you have to put this in 355 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: the broader cultural context. I think you have to think 356 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 1: about times up. I think you have to think about 357 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: me too. And this came at a time and candidly 358 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: with a team and with several individuals, Megan Rapino obviously 359 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 1: being at the forefront, and I am interested to see 360 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: where she goes from here rhetorically right and whether she 361 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: sort of leans into exactly as they say, what your 362 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: pointing out, which is in the court of public opinion, 363 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: they've largely won, and if this legal opinion went against them, 364 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: does it ultimately matter. I would hate to see it. 365 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: To editorialize here for a second. I would hate to 366 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: see her and others sort of back down from this 367 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: or be in any way chastened, because I think you're right. 368 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 1: They've made the right They've got the right message up. 369 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:34,479 Speaker 1: And there are still parts of this lawsuit that are 370 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: still going to move forward. From what I understand, the 371 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: two main ones left are kind of working in travel conditions. 372 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 1: The men's team travels, you know, in airfare and and 373 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 1: accommodations hotels that are that are much better than women's team. 374 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:48,959 Speaker 1: That judge seemed to say that is not fair and 375 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,679 Speaker 1: that that should continue. And the second one being kind 376 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 1: of training, access to training and medical support, which also 377 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: feels like something that should be fair regardless of of 378 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:01,639 Speaker 1: kind of the contract and pay that that it was negotiated. Um, 379 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:06,159 Speaker 1: Michael Barr, next time we see a big US soccer game, 380 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 1: most likely is going to be in the Olympics. You 381 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: know the women are are a big part of that. 382 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: And what kind of reception do you think, you know, 383 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:16,880 Speaker 1: fans are gonna give. What do you think the kind 384 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: of conversation from a business standpoint around that team is 385 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 1: going to be If those games happen to Tokyo, people 386 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 1: are gonna be screaming. I mean, in fact, you can 387 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: hear me from the studio that I'm gonna be screaming 388 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 1: my and cheering for the team because you should not 389 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: have to put up with this this. This is a 390 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: little bit of emotional part now, and I'll keep it short. 391 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: My mother, God rest her soul. She was in the 392 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: Women's Army Corps during World War Two. My aunt was 393 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: also in the Women's Army Corps. My other aunt was 394 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: also in the Women's Army Corps. All three of those 395 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: sisters were in the Women's Army Corps and that's back 396 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:55,959 Speaker 1: in the nineteen forties. And here we are and they 397 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: did all this work, put it Rosie the Riveter, all 398 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: of this going on, and it's twenty and we're still 399 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: dealing with this garbage. I do not understand it. I 400 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 1: think if there is any business out there, they will 401 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: be smart enough to attach to the women's soccer team 402 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: because of what you guys said, of all of the 403 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,679 Speaker 1: press that they have gotten from this decision, and and 404 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,119 Speaker 1: they'll make a boatload of money. Forgive me for putting 405 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 1: it that way, but it's true. This is this is unconsortable. 406 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: I think you're right there. And I had to put 407 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: a bowl on this. You know, I think you're right. 408 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:31,719 Speaker 1: The market is going to dictate a lot of us. 409 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 1: Right if more sponsors want to, you know, participate in 410 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: the women's national soccer team, that means their pay is 411 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: going to go up. You know, there was a historic 412 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: labor agreement last year, you know with the w n 413 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,880 Speaker 1: b A. There's the women's Professional Hockey League is expanding 414 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: up into Canada. Uh, there's a potential for kind of 415 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 1: a ground swell and maybe a shifting of support and 416 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: fan dollars more and more towards women's sports. And you know, 417 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: for folks out there who feel that way, that's the 418 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 1: best way to support the women's national team when they 419 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,680 Speaker 1: play in your town, buy tickets, if they're on TV, 420 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: watch them. Those are the things that that that matter 421 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: probably more, especially in light of what happened last weekend, 422 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: more so than the lawsuits. I mean, I would add 423 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 1: one more thing, guys, which is that a lot of 424 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: this is going to come down to leadership of US Soccer, right. 425 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: I mean, you had people lose their jobs over this, 426 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: and Cindy Parlo Cone she's the new president. It's unclear 427 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: I think based on reporting whether she's going to stand 428 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: for re election next year. But you have a former 429 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: women's player at the top tier of this, and we 430 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 1: do know and this goes to your point, Michael, this 431 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,439 Speaker 1: notion of leadership has to be bought into this. You know, 432 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,639 Speaker 1: you have individual contributors a Megan Rapino, a player, a 433 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,640 Speaker 1: live player, an active player, um, but ultimately the leadership 434 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,160 Speaker 1: has to decide and we saw that that was where 435 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,120 Speaker 1: this really broke down with US Soccer. Is the people 436 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: at the top just sort of didn't buy it now 437 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: that my blood pressure is up. This is the Bluebird 438 00:21:55,480 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: Businesses Sports podcast Michael Barr along with Jason Kelly and 439 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,880 Speaker 1: Evan Nobi Williams. We're here each and every Monday, Wednesday 440 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: and Thursday exploring the world of money in sports. Join 441 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 1: us again. At the end of the week. We're speaking 442 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 1: with Jamie Regal, the CEO of Formula E, all about 443 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:15,399 Speaker 1: the electric racing circuit and what they're doing in the 444 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: face of this pandemic. You're listening to Bloomberg Business of 445 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: Sports on Bloomberg Radio around the world and online wherever 446 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: you get your f