1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,119 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Michael barn and I'm Scott. On this weekly podcast, 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: we explore the big money issues in the world of 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: sports and talk to some of the biggest players in 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: the industry. On this week's show, we speak with Big 5 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: East commissioner Val Ackerman. But first let's take a look 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: at the top stories of the week. Joining us is 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business of Sports reporter Evan Nobody Williams And let's start. 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: But Tiger is back looking for a green jacket at 9 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: the Masters. This is a story that you were all over. Oh, 10 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: let's not get to a story he was all over. 11 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: Let's talk about my Michael Bars Master's pool blind pulling 12 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 1: of names. Sash Nick draws t Wood Wood checking my 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: Twitter feeds Sunday at about six fifty two to see 14 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: if I'm if I need to watch is Ricky Fowler? 15 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: I got Ricky Fowler. I'm sure we'll have a very 16 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: nice heat on. That's what I know about Ricky Fowler. 17 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: Tiger Woods. Yes, he's back. But is the golf industry 18 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: back as well? Yeah? There is. Every time we see 19 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: Tigers put together a few good tournaments, there is this big, 20 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: big ado within the golf world. He obviously drives ratings. 21 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: It's great if he's playing well at a tournament that 22 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: you are organizing, it's going to bring more people to 23 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: the game, etcetera. But from the overall standpoint, there is 24 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: a lot of data out there and a lot of 25 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: experts will tell you that Tiger Woods being a good 26 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: golfer playing well in the major stages does not bring 27 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: more people to your average municipal golf course. That is 28 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 1: where the bulk of the golf businesses. It's a seventy 29 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: billion dollar business globally. Most of that is not the 30 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: PGA Tour. Most of that is not the Vals Bar 31 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: Championship or even the Masters. Most of that is just 32 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: average courses that employ people that bring average joes out 33 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: on Saturdays and Sundays or maybe after work on weekdays. Uh, 34 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: And Tiger Woods playing well doesn't really have an effect 35 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: on that side of the business. Or he's trying to 36 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: tell me that this is about golf takes too long 37 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: to play, it costs too much, this sort of that 38 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: change in demographic that the same issues that are affecting 39 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: let's say baseball, that they're trying to get faster and 40 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: they want millennials like millennials aren't into golf. There into 41 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: the top golf, and they want to go and suck 42 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: down some beers and hit some balls and have some 43 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: wings and you know, an hour or two and not 44 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: play for a four or five hour round on a Saturday. Well, 45 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: speaking of beer, there is a dilly dilly, silly silly 46 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: that is going on here. And there was a story 47 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: that came out. Well it was that you know that 48 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: they didn't want people in the gallery to shout dilly dilly. 49 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: I don't think they want him shouting anything. That's the 50 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: that's the thing. It's not about Dilly Dilley. There there's 51 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: no list. Don't say dilly dilly. Now. Of course bud 52 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 1: Light loved it, and they sent out a whole bunch 53 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: of T shirts. They love that. I was going to 54 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: ask you if you knew what it was advertising, if 55 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: you knew the product, and you do good for you. Oh, 56 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 1: I see that. But I mean, look, you don't if 57 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: you're a true golfer, you don't want the gallery shouting. 58 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: You know, you're the man while tigers in the middle 59 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: of his back swings. That's what this is all about, right, 60 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: This is this is about you can't yell it at all, 61 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: like after the ball say it. I think this is 62 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: another example of golf being kind of the archaic, stuffy 63 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: sport that it is right there. They should be embracing 64 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: the fact that fans want to come on course and yeah, sure, 65 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: he shouldn't do it in the middle of a back swing. 66 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: There should be some kind of decorum and etiquette on 67 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: the course. But if fans are out there yelling and 68 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: getting excited about what's going on, they should be encouraging 69 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: that in some capacity. I'm gonna beat my chest here 70 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: as I think the only person in this room and 71 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: on this podcast who's actually attended the Masters at Augusta. 72 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: You can't run. You can't even scurry from hold to hold. 73 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: You risk being thrown out. Take out your cell phone 74 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: on the course, Adios, senor. This is a little bit different. 75 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: This is not your average tournament where we're talking about 76 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: golf needs to change. This is Augusta, so things work 77 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: a little bit differently there. You don't even know who 78 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: the members of the club are, so a little bit different. 79 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: Moving on to another topic, MLB had its first broadcast 80 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: on Facebook Mets Phillies this week, the first of the 81 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: exclusive Major League Baseball games we'll see on Facebook this 82 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: year and Scott it got off to a waterlog start, 83 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: should we say. I was watching to see how many 84 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 1: viewers would there be any streaming issues and the tarp 85 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: was out, So not the greatest of starts, an inauspicious 86 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 1: start for you. Evan Nobe Williams on that, on that, 87 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: it was like ten thousand people were watching nothing the 88 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: problem here, and you saw the criticisms coming in. You 89 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: could see the comments as well. One there were emojis 90 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: and comments on the screen. People didn't realize you could 91 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,359 Speaker 1: shut that off. So maybe that should be an opt 92 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: in feature rather than having in and you have to 93 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: opt out. And two there was no programming. If you 94 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: go to a rain delay on s n Y or 95 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: on w p i X or whatever station, you roll 96 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: a classic game, you roll some programming. Nineteen sixty nine Mets, 97 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: how about the sixty two Mets? Yeah, Tom, seeber here 98 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: we go. But this this was nothing. It was just 99 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: a picture of a screen that said rain delay. I'll 100 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: give him a millennial thought on that for a second. 101 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: If I'm watching a game on my computer on my phone, 102 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: if the game is not happening, there is no programming. 103 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: They can possibly show me that's gonna get me to 104 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: stay on that screen. Right, I can leave the sound on, 105 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: I can browse the internet. I can play a different 106 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: game on my phone. I can text with my friends. 107 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: But the more sure, when did the game start? Yeah? 108 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: I see your point, but I think it's compelling. METS 109 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: programming would not have kept me watching Facebook. Michael barr 110 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: let Us ask Evan Nolvi Williams this question. Has he 111 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: ever in his life in his thirty years, seen Kiner's corner? Yes? 112 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:08,720 Speaker 1: All right, I was gonna on a note. I was 113 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,040 Speaker 1: gonna bet on a note. But again, what if I 114 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: was given the option of that or or the entire Internet. 115 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to choose the entire Internet every time. Well, 116 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: there was plenty of corvetching, but there's gonna be more 117 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: of this, man, you choose static. Ope. Anyway, let's move 118 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 1: on to another topic. Nick Saban against Lebron James. Now, 119 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: what is we're talking to Titans? What is this all about? 120 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: I think we should say that we're recording this in 121 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: a barbershop, facing for bars, getting a buzz cut. Right now, 122 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 1: I expect our season desist letter to arrive from Mr 123 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 1: James and was the best person ever to box every 124 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: time bring up breaking bo Seattle. Lebron James is Uninterrupted 125 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: Media Network, which has a show called The Shop which 126 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: is recorded in a barbershop, apparently sent a not so 127 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: nice loyally letter. This was our idea to out the 128 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: University of Alabama, which has a similar type program. I 129 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: believe it was called Shop Talk and now it's called 130 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: Bama Cuts. Um, this is silly to me. I'm not 131 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: a legal expert. Seems like everything I've read about this 132 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: makes it sound like Lebron and Uninterrupted don't really have 133 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: a legal leg to stand on by claiming that the 134 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: idea of a talk show in a barbershop is their 135 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: own idea, and their own idea along. I know you 136 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: like puns. Is this sheer lunacy? Thank you just for 137 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: effect on this one. I tweeted out an old link. 138 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: Bill Rodent, then of the New York Times, hosted David 139 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: stern Up at a Harlem barbershop to talk basketball. I mean, 140 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: this was like two thousand and nine. This is not 141 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: a new idea the venue of conversation in barbershop. I'm 142 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: not sure if Lebron and Maverick Carter and the folks 143 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: that have seen that episode or or no people have 144 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: done this before. But it's just not a novel idea. 145 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: I'm saying, Jimmy Kimmel do something like this too. When 146 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: asked about it, Nick Saban essentially said he didn't even 147 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: know Lebron James had a talk show in a barbershop? 148 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: Is my favorite format exactly. I think it'll look for 149 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: episode two of Alabama soon. I gotta say what Lebron said. 150 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: He said, I'll be damned if I'll allow someone to 151 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: use our platform. He didn't use the plant, the platform 152 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: would be uninterrupted, he didn't use the platform. The platform 153 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: would be where Lebron physically shows his programs. That's not 154 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: the platform. What he meant to say, I think is 155 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: the genre, the idea for the format. But again, Lebron 156 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: is actually using a format that others before him have used. 157 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: So that's that's a tight argument right there. We'll see 158 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:50,079 Speaker 1: how this hair raising moment happens our thanks dude, Bloomberg 159 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: Sports reporter Evan Nobi Williams, and now let's get into 160 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 1: this week's interview. She is the current Big East Commissioner 161 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: and best known for being the first president of the 162 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: Women's now Sational Basketball Association, serving from six through two 163 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: thousand five. She is an attorney, sports executive, and former 164 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: basketball player, and she is a long time friend Michael. 165 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: We are talking about Val Ackerman and Val thanks so 166 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 1: much for joining us. You're welcome, great to be here. 167 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: How tired are you? I mean this is not long 168 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: after the championship game. I know you didn't get much sleep. 169 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: Where are I on the tired scale? Well, um, you know, 170 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: I actually um came down in the bad cold. Actually, 171 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: Antonio is so compounding the you know, the running around 172 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: and then of course the great um, the great games. 173 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: A little bit more than that, but all great. And uh. 174 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: Hack goes off, of course to our to our team, Villanova, 175 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 1: which had a great showing on Monday night. So all 176 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: good here. I, like you said, our team. Does the 177 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: conference really view it that way? I know they're competitors, 178 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: but in the end, if I am picking another team 179 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 1: to Paul, Georgia, Marquette, Providence, St. John Seton Hall, Xavier Butler, Creighton, 180 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: if I'm one of them, am I watching the game 181 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: going Let's go Villanova? Um, you'd be surprised that the 182 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: answer is yes. Perhaps you know, our teams have shown 183 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: great camaraderie, collegiality, support for each other, especially the last 184 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: couple of years as the new group has come together 185 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: and you find people kind of pulling for each other 186 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,599 Speaker 1: as they've all worked to re establish the relevancy of 187 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: the Big East on the national landscape. So the level 188 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: of support for Villanova within our league was was actually 189 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: quite high. This is the second out of three years 190 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: for Villanova to take it all. You said the first 191 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 1: time that you were proud of the vision of the 192 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: new league, the Big East League, and now I have 193 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,319 Speaker 1: to ask, now, two out of three you have to 194 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: feel very vindicated. Well, I'll tell you, Michael, it was 195 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:47,839 Speaker 1: you know it was. It was amazing the first time, um, 196 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: and the second time. You know, it certainly didn't get old. 197 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: But I will say, um that this idea that our 198 00:10:54,800 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: presidents had before I was even hired, about focusing on basketball, um, 199 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: having a group of schools that were a lot like 200 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: each other, which was the case with the original Big 201 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: East group. But then things changed over the years as 202 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: football schools came in and the focus changed and the 203 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: two sports were in some respects vying with each other 204 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 1: for the attentions of the universities. UM. That all kind 205 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: of changed when we reconfigured five years ago. So the 206 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: idea that basketball schools UM who are focused principally on 207 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: that spot, we sponsor twenty two sports is the Big East. 208 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: So it's not just basketball that we're involved in, but 209 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:37,679 Speaker 1: the fact that they're focused on basketball is the priority sport. UM. 210 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: You know, we have to deal with Fox, which gives 211 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: us national television exposure. We're still able to play the 212 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: tournament in the Garden, which is a great punctuation mark 213 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: at the end of the year. UM. And then again 214 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: we have this group of schools that have UM collegiality 215 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: and a common sense of values I think continues to 216 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: you know, form the basis of the plan. Uh. So 217 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: you know, the same lines probably I use a couple 218 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: of years ago. We're still holding up. You want to 219 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,199 Speaker 1: touch off on something you said just a second ago 220 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:12,959 Speaker 1: about football and basketball they are two different beasts. Can 221 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: you talk about the differences when you're trying to present 222 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: that to the college officials involved about what needs to 223 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: be done with both sports? Well, as I said, the 224 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 1: Big East now does not sponsor football. We have sports 225 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: um UM in all three seasons. Football is not one 226 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: Soccer I would say, is our quote football, it's our 227 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: fall sport. We've got some strength they have had teams 228 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: go on to play in the College Cup, which is 229 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: college soccer's final four. Uh. And we have some pockets 230 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 1: of strength elsewhere. But again our schools UM in our 231 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: conference and sponsor football. We have three to play it elsewhere, UM, 232 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: but but not in the Big East. So that does 233 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 1: allow us to look at basketball as a priority sport UM. 234 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 1: And you know, in an environment where sports are competing 235 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 1: for resources, UM, it's very helpful to have one in 236 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: particular where the presidents and the athletics directors especially and 237 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: their administrations their supporters are kind of focused on one. 238 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 1: So you know what you have here is truly basketball schools. UM. 239 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: They you know, they focus on things like facilities, on 240 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: coaching retention. UM. We can get going in the summer 241 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: months when other conferences are gearing up for the football season, 242 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: we're kind of having basketball meetings throughout the year. So UM, 243 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 1: I actually can't even speak to what it would be 244 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 1: like to be running a conference where you had both 245 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: sports and you had to manage UM, your your football 246 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 1: agenda together with your basketball agen. I'm actually in awe 247 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: of colleagues, um, who when fourth of July rolls around, 248 00:13:57,520 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: are starting to think about football season because we're you know, 249 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: we're finally taking a break, um and turning our attention 250 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: to uh, you know, to uh, you know a little 251 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: bit of relaxation before we have to start planning for 252 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 1: what again, basketball season. So you know, I don't have 253 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: that perspective, but I my sense, you know, is that 254 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 1: it does create a need to prioritize and we don't 255 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: have to deal with that in the Big East. We 256 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: are chatting with biggest commissioner, Val Ackerman invalve somebody does 257 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: have to pay the bills for all those sports you mentioned, 258 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: by and large. Where is the balance sheet for most 259 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: of your athletic departments? Well, um, there they are. We 260 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: have smaller budgets, as you might guess, Scott, than say 261 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: the football five conferences. Um. The the economics of of 262 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: college sports are driven largely by television rights fees, and 263 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: that's the case with the Big East. Um, we have 264 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: a long term national television agreement with Fox Sports. That 265 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: deal was cut before I took over as the commissioner. Um. 266 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: I was there for the announcement of the deal. You 267 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: I remember we talked about that early on. UM, and 268 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: that's you know, that's the biggest line item on the 269 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: revenue side of our budget is the Fox money. UM. 270 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 1: It's a very interesting deal because again it doesn't include 271 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: football rights. It's only it's principally for men's basketball. Fox 272 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: puts every one of our men's basketball games on one 273 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: of their platforms, principally Fox Sports one. So for the conference, 274 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: that's a a major line item. The next one is 275 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: getting to be n c A basketball units. UM. Your 276 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: audience may know that their moneys that are paid out 277 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 1: to schools based on their performance in the nc basketball unit. 278 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 1: Those moneys come from the n c S national television contract. 279 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: The cover tournament in basketball, many billions of dollars from 280 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: Turner and CBS over a course of many years. Yes, 281 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: that's correct, and I don't think they I don't think 282 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 1: the audience understands though, about how it works. If Villanova 283 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: wins the tournament, that does mean money for every member 284 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: of the conference over time period over time. Peer what happens. 285 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: The way it's paid is the moneys are paid to 286 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: the conferences based on the number of units earned by 287 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: any of the schools that have participated in the tournament 288 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: over a given year, and then the conference decides how 289 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: that money is distributed to the members of the conference. 290 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 1: UM uh. And so that's part of our you know, 291 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: our income so speak. And then we have you know, 292 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: we have some ticket sales money that we get principally 293 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: from our men's basketball tournament at the Garden. We have 294 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: some sponsors of the conference that are different from the 295 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: ones that are sponsors of the schools UM. And that's 296 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: largely that's largely it for us. UM. So what we 297 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: don't have, UM that some of our peer schools and 298 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: basketball have is that football revenue stream UM. But you know, 299 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: but we've done done I think you know, the results 300 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: show we've done pretty well competitively at least without that 301 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: UM and you know important our schools, you know, they're 302 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: funding not only their basketball programs but all the other 303 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: sports on campus that they run, and they provide opportunities 304 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 1: for their student athletes for Yeah, the question that jumps 305 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 1: out at me then is how do you budget if 306 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: you're not sure, let alone the other schools, but you're 307 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: not sure if you're going to go to the tournament, 308 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: you don't know how far you're going to go, and 309 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: you certainly can predict how far the other teams in 310 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 1: the conference are gonna go. Do you budget without any 311 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: tournament money and then that's gravy, Yes, yes, that's all right, 312 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: that's a safe, smart way to do it. Care When 313 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,880 Speaker 1: we prepare our budgets for the following year, we have some, 314 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 1: you know, projections on how we will do in, for example, 315 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: our men's basketball tournament ticket sales, how we'll do on 316 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 1: the sponsor front, how we'll do in the men's basketball tournament, 317 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 1: and how that would translate into units UM. You know, 318 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: for most UM organizations that have television rights agreements, those 319 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: numbers are pegged, so those are sort of set and 320 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 1: and not changeable. But all the other things, it's just 321 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: like any company's budgeting process. You you know, where you 322 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: might have variables, You make some conservative projections, and then 323 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 1: you know, you hope you hit your numbers, and then 324 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 1: if you do better than you expected, it becomes it 325 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: becomes surplus that everyone's presumably happy, and then you then 326 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: you buy backstock something like that. We're talking to Big 327 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: East Commissioner Val Ackerman. And in your past for eight years, 328 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: you were president of the w n b A from five. 329 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: Can you take us through that or what it was 330 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: like to be the head of the w n b 331 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: A And where do you see the w n b 332 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,640 Speaker 1: A heading today. Well, it was an amazing experience all 333 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: the way around. Um, you know, the vision of David 334 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 1: Sternum who you know, I think when he became commissioner, 335 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 1: actually had this idea that someday the NBA would front 336 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: a women's pro league and it was just a matter 337 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: of when. Um, So you know it really, you know, 338 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: sort of took shape in the early nineties. We had 339 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: become partners with USA Basketball and the management of their 340 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: men's national team that of course debuted in Barcelona two 341 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: um went to Toronto in ninety four for the Feeble 342 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 1: World Championship, the first time NBA players have been in 343 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: that event, and then of course at lant In. And 344 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 1: it was in that nine six time frame that we 345 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: started as that we meaning um, you know, those of 346 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 1: us at the NBA at that time who were affiliated 347 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: with the USA Basketball effort, Russ Grantick, Um, you know, 348 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,439 Speaker 1: others who were very involved. Hey, you know, could we 349 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: do this on the women's side, could we have a 350 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: dream team on the women's side, that would be the 351 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 1: best players we have representing the USA and in our case, 352 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: in the case of women's basketball, it was the idea was, 353 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: can we use them as a way to test the 354 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: waters and see what the market might be for elite 355 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: women's basketball here in the US. And so that's what 356 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: we did. A on the nineties six women's Olympic team 357 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: in Atlanta. We put that team together ten months out 358 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,479 Speaker 1: from the Olympics. They toured the US and the world 359 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 1: through a great response and that was when we became 360 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,919 Speaker 1: convinced that if there were to be a w n 361 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 1: B a UM, it could be very well received. So I, 362 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: you know, I was involved in that UM. It's noted 363 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: I was the first president. It was an amazing time 364 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,679 Speaker 1: for women's basketball, coming out of Atlanta where we won 365 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,919 Speaker 1: the gold medal. Women's college basketball was cresting at that 366 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 1: time with rivalries like you know, Yukon and Tennessee most 367 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: of all, and UM it was just an incredible experience 368 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: to be part of, you know, bringing women's pro basketball 369 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: UM with the you know, with the NBA behind it, 370 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: with the power of national television. We had agreements with 371 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: NBC ESPN in Lifetime to launch the league UM and 372 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: to see the response to see how you know, women's 373 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: pro basketball players could help UM, you know, further the 374 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: idea that women could play sports and be role models 375 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: and UM have have fan bases. It was It was 376 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: inspiring and the league now twenty I think, going into 377 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 1: its twenty second season, withstanding the test of time, UM 378 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,719 Speaker 1: doing more than any other women's pro team sports pro 379 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 1: league has ever done. It's a it's a pretty amazing thing. 380 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 1: I remember when the w n b A made its debut, 381 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: and it was the early years, there were games that 382 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: were on Lifetime and I didn't think that was that 383 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: was a great I thought it was a great idea, 384 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,959 Speaker 1: what I'm trying to say, and I just wonder, you know, 385 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: we we see other avenues like that, maybe going back 386 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: to Lifetime and other channels like that to expand the 387 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: exposure of the w n b A. Well, the idea 388 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: at the time and uh, you know, was that we 389 00:21:54,080 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: could combine major network NBC linear network with ESPN, of 390 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 1: course given their dominance in the national cable space, with 391 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: a quote women's network, that it would allow the league 392 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 1: to reach the expected female demographic. I always thought that 393 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 1: was odd, val because I liked thirty something. I thought 394 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: it was a great I'm Edwards Wick and Marshall herskovits 395 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: great writers. But it'd always say television for women. I 396 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: felt like I wasn't welcome. Yeah, well you know you were, 397 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: and you weren't I think turned you away, you know, 398 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: if you had sort of turned on the set. But 399 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 1: but I think they were trying to reach, you know, 400 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 1: someone different, and that was the case I think with 401 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 1: the w n B A. But interestingly, guys, you know, 402 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:40,959 Speaker 1: the viewership for women's UM professional basketball, women's college basketball 403 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 1: is really largely male. It's a it's a it's a 404 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: you know, probably a high forty mid female demographic. But 405 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: the fact is the majority of viewers really still are 406 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: our men for basketball and television. So I can't speak 407 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:57,880 Speaker 1: to where the league is now. Of course, I haven't 408 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: been there a while, UM in terms of reaching that 409 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: particular demographic. But it did allow us to do some 410 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: some cool programming, um, you know, to play up the 411 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 1: fact that they weren't just you know, UM basketball players, 412 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 1: that they were female, they had different kinds of stories. UM, 413 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: there was a different demographic, particularly in arena. UM. You know, 414 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: when When I was with the w n b A, 415 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: the Interrena fan base was very heavily female, and I 416 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: believe that's still largely the case today. So it was 417 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: a good compliment of networks. I think. I think, I 418 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 1: think that it was well conceived. We are chatting with 419 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 1: Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, and let me throw some 420 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,760 Speaker 1: numbers out at you, and you let me know as 421 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:42,120 Speaker 1: a commissioner what they mean or if it's overblown. This 422 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 1: is what these universities spend on basketball each year. Villanova 423 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: spends about eleven million dollars a year. De Paul, also 424 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 1: a BIGGA school, spends five so that's about half Kentucky 425 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:59,640 Speaker 1: and Duke about nineteen million. Will that gap continue to widen? 426 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 1: And if so, how does Villanova stay Villanova if they 427 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: just can't compete. From a revenue perspective, my guess is 428 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: that the gap will grow because the revenues that the 429 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 1: five Big Biggest five football conferences are reaping from their 430 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: television agreements um just based on published reports I've seen, 431 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 1: are continuing to grow. And the fact is that that 432 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 1: schools like Villanova, De Paul and the others in the 433 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: Big East and others in schools that don't have football 434 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: at that level are not keeping pace with that. So 435 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: that um, you know, so that that is that would 436 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:40,119 Speaker 1: be my forecast on on that question. Um, So does 437 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 1: that mean management special You're gonna tell Jay Wright and 438 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: or or everybody has to do more with less. Yeah, 439 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: I'm not telling him. He's doing enough right now, I 440 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 1: guess yet, right he'll have to go to Mark Jackson's 441 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: athletics director's father Peter Donnie was president and work that 442 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 1: out with them. But what I will say is, well, 443 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: I can't really speak to you know, the precise numbers 444 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: and what goes to what I'm guessing that those numbers 445 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: account for, um, everything from um, from from coaching salaries 446 00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: to other administrative staff at work on basketball too, UM, 447 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: the method of travel, um to you know, everything that 448 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:18,640 Speaker 1: they have to pay for to support the team, which 449 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:21,360 Speaker 1: is a lot. I mean a team at that level. Um, 450 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 1: it's just a lot that goes into it. It's a 451 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: it's a kind of a complex operation. And UM and 452 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: so UM you know that that you know that how 453 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: Villanova keeps up is they stay focused on basketball. Um, 454 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 1: they make good decisions about how they spend their money. 455 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 1: They probably won't be able to do things that UM 456 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 1: schools with you know, double or triple or quadruple the 457 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:46,719 Speaker 1: revenue streams have. But you know it's always been that way. 458 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: I mean, this isn't a eighteen issue. This was this 459 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: was going on, you know, forty years ago, because there 460 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: were there have always been in balances in the budgets 461 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 1: that some schools have compared big publics would have compared 462 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: to small privates, big upball schools have compared to schools 463 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: that don't have football. So as I you know, as 464 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,640 Speaker 1: I mentioned that, I think is a macro long term issue. Um. 465 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: But the good news is, you know, the tournament is 466 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 1: holding up in spite of this range of schools. Look 467 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 1: at this here you have a school like Loyal Chicago, 468 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,879 Speaker 1: which I'm sure has a budget more more along the 469 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,400 Speaker 1: lines of the smaller schools and the bigger schools making 470 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: it to the final four. I think that's the beauty 471 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,120 Speaker 1: of the n c A tournament that you have these 472 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 1: Cinderella schools that in a single game situation can knock 473 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 1: off the school that's you know, that's bigger with moral 474 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 1: lums and has a has a larger revenue stream to 475 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,120 Speaker 1: work off of. Again. You know, I think that's that's 476 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: part of the reason that event has such appeal. You 477 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 1: have mentioned the media contract with Fox already. You have 478 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 1: mentioned David Stern a k A Digital Dave Back in 479 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:51,919 Speaker 1: the day. John Wildack, the Syracuse A D was on 480 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: this program not long ago, and we spoke about media, 481 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 1: media media. Where is the Big East in terms of 482 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 1: its ability to generate content that people want? Where does 483 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: the Big East reside right now? And how can you 484 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: capitalize on all the new whether it's Turners, New O 485 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 1: t T, ESPN plus I mean, who can keep track? 486 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: There are so many more new platforms that are thirsting 487 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:18,919 Speaker 1: for content. Well, you know the answer to that is 488 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: we monitor the landscape. I mean, you know, that's that's 489 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:26,200 Speaker 1: what every conference does, so it can try because it's 490 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: it's hard to do, but you can try to keep 491 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: pace with all of these emerging platforms, all of these 492 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 1: new technologies. That's you know, we've brought in consultants and 493 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: experts to speak to our board just so they know 494 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 1: what's out there and that we can begin to get 495 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: ready for our next set of discussions with with Fox Sports. 496 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,720 Speaker 1: We were in the middle of a long term deal. 497 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,959 Speaker 1: Um you know, we don't expect to be in discussions 498 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 1: with them for some time. But in the meantime, you know, 499 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 1: at least I think it's my job to try to 500 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,480 Speaker 1: keep up with what's going on out there. Many of 501 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 1: the experts we've talked to UM for see UH continued 502 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 1: disruption in the space UM and and that the idea 503 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 1: that things may not quote settle down for five to 504 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: six or seven to eight years UH and there will 505 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,119 Speaker 1: be other rights negotiations that will be taken place before 506 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 1: we you know, we're back at the table with Fox, 507 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 1: So it's keeping up. It's working with Fox to to 508 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 1: try to do some sampling if we can with digital platforms, 509 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,479 Speaker 1: just so we can all get a feel for what 510 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 1: we would be liked, just for example, you know, stream 511 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 1: on a digital platform M versus linear television. We did 512 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 1: create UM in our second year of the New Big East, 513 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 1: a digital platform called Big East Digital Network that's produced 514 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: by a third party company, and we distributed that on 515 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 1: the Fox Sports Go mobile app. UM and and we 516 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: have some basketball programming that we've put on there on 517 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,479 Speaker 1: top of the Olympic Sports women's basketball that's principally resides 518 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: on B E, d N so we you know, we 519 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: sort of knew early that in order to supplement what 520 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: we're getting on Box and begin to sort of position ourselves, 521 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: we needed to uh, you know, we needed to take 522 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: that leap UM. So that's you know, that's been an 523 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:12,239 Speaker 1: important UM step for us as well. And then you know, 524 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: every organization is just sort of generally on social media. 525 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: So we have a team of people in our conference 526 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 1: office that are you know, putting us on all the 527 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 1: major platforms so that we can engage, you know, with 528 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 1: our fans wherever they are. You need to hire that 529 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 1: Loyola Chicago guy. He was great to social media director. 530 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,200 Speaker 1: He was fantastic and so you know, and you have 531 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: you know a lot of young people involved UM in 532 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: that space as well, just because of their facility with 533 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 1: the platforms. I have to ask you this, I have 534 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: to get philosophical. I saw this on your Bloomberg page 535 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 1: that we have and it's tweet this. You said, nine 536 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 1: of life is about showing up? Can you can you 537 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: expand on that, because I think a lot of kids 538 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: need to hear that. I have used that. I was 539 00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: actually got that from someone in my life when I 540 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 1: was a young person, and I kind of read it 541 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: to mean, um, that a lot of life is um 542 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: you know, is going to some extra extracurricular activity or 543 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: a social event or a networking event, particularly for young people, 544 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:17,959 Speaker 1: especially on days when you kind of have second thoughts, Hey, 545 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: I'm too tired to do that. I know I signed 546 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 1: up for that, but now it's you know, now that 547 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: day is here and I really don't want to go. 548 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: I think sometimes it's easy to blow things off that 549 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: get committed to because you're tired or have some other excuse. 550 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: But one, you know, I believe in honor and commitments. Um. 551 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: And then too, I think when you do show up, um, 552 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: you always I find you always meet somebody or have 553 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 1: a conversation with someone or have some interaction that could 554 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: mean something. It could mean a new contact, it could 555 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:47,920 Speaker 1: mean a new friend. Um, it could mean something that 556 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: changes your life. UM. So that's a credo that that 557 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 1: I live by. I sometimes over commit um, but you 558 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,239 Speaker 1: know that's kind of how I'm hard wired. But I 559 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: do think if if young people can get themselves out 560 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 1: there meet people, particularly and you all know this one 561 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: in sports business, which is such a relationship business, the 562 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: more and the better relationships that you have um, I 563 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: think the better you'll do in this profession. You like 564 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: this one value. You know what I tell kids when 565 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: they ask me for advice getting into the industry and 566 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 1: all that, and that always happens that they hear the 567 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: right place right time. I said, no, no, no, that 568 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: that is not the right credo here. It's be someplace 569 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: all the time. Good one, Scott. Yeah, that you can 570 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: write that one down to be on your Michael Barr 571 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,480 Speaker 1: asked you about that the next time you're on Bloomberg 572 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: bio page. Great great stuff, Val, Thank you so much. 573 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:39,040 Speaker 1: Val Ackerman, the Big East Commissioner. On takeaways from the 574 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:44,000 Speaker 1: interview with Val Ackerman, I think I'm impressed that they're 575 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 1: not even dealing now with football, just basketball. And what's 576 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 1: amazing is that their plate is is very full. I 577 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 1: mean even though yes they have a month down to two, 578 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:57,959 Speaker 1: but their plate is very full and it's in an 579 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,719 Speaker 1: ongoing business. Yeah. The takeaway, I'm almos the same as you. 580 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 1: They're showing another way, there's another way to conduct big 581 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: time college sports. Who would have funk that you could 582 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 1: really produce a national champion in basketball without the revenue 583 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 1: from football, And everybody knows football is the big money maker, 584 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: and it fuels everything else that helps you build the 585 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:24,360 Speaker 1: facilities that attract the best recruits, the training tables, pretty 586 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:27,600 Speaker 1: much everything. But this conference has decided we don't need 587 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: the headaches that come along with that football success or 588 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 1: the edifice complex or the hundred thousand seats stadium. They 589 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:40,280 Speaker 1: said forget it. And yet here's Villanova, tiny outside a pencil, 590 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 1: outside of Philadelphia. Here's little Nova and the j Wright 591 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: engine that could two championships in three years. That's pretty 592 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 1: darn good. More with less feels better to be number 593 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: one than number five. I'll wear a number because of Mike. 594 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 1: We have a chance to go for three in a row. 595 00:32:57,760 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: Good numbers in a good time. And I first started 596 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 1: wearing a number. How we just have the floomberg business 597 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 1: of sports. The number of the week. Time now for 598 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:11,720 Speaker 1: the number of the week, and it is sixty. Let's 599 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 1: fest up. We discussed this one ahead of time because 600 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,400 Speaker 1: we thought it was cool. I'm guessing people might not 601 00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 1: know this, even if they're hockey fans, that when you 602 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 1: when you're on a team that wins the Stanley Cup, 603 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 1: your name gets etched on that cup. But there's only 604 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 1: so much room So you know what happens about sixty 605 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: five years after your name is etched on, it gets 606 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:40,239 Speaker 1: pulled off. And we're talking about some big names here, 607 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 1: we're talking about Gordy How we're talking about We're talking 608 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 1: about the Rocket there. It does not discriminate, it doesn't matter. 609 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 1: This is a time thing. Sixty about sixty five years, 610 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: your time is up. They need to make room for 611 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,360 Speaker 1: the new people whose names get to come on the cup. 612 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 1: They peel you off, they flatten it out, and it 613 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:00,720 Speaker 1: goes in the Hall of Fame, but it's not on 614 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:05,840 Speaker 1: the cup anymore. That is why this trophy is considered 615 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,719 Speaker 1: perhaps the most regal in all of sports. Traditions like this, 616 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: doesn't matter if you're Gordy How, doesn't matter if you're 617 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,719 Speaker 1: a Rocket Rochard. It doesn't matter if you're no name, 618 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: fourth line, left wing. Gordy's gone, it's been his Tie's 619 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 1: had his time. It's time for the new people. By 620 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:22,120 Speaker 1: the way, I got a chance to touch the cup 621 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 1: one time. It was cool. I'll fesce up. I was 622 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 1: in the locker room rangers. I knew some folks there, 623 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:33,839 Speaker 1: and I might have I might have taken a quick 624 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 1: little sip from the Cup. And by the way, sacrilegious, 625 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 1: I grew up an Islanders fan. Sorry Trot and Bossy 626 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:50,439 Speaker 1: and Billy Smith oh Man. See now, if you wanted 627 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:53,799 Speaker 1: me to work in Detroit, that was in Detroit when 628 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 1: the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. See what I 629 00:34:56,560 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 1: did there? I did. You've been listening to Bloomberg Business 630 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,400 Speaker 1: of Sports. We're here each and every week at the 631 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:07,440 Speaker 1: same time, exploring the world of money and sports. I'm 632 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 1: Michael Barn and I'm Scott Sashnik. Thanks for joining us, 633 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:11,480 Speaker 1: and please tune in next week when we speak with 634 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:14,239 Speaker 1: the biggest and brightest in the sports business industry. You're 635 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 1: listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around 636 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 1: the world and online as an Apple podcast on iTunes.