1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports, where in a situation 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: that we haven't dealt with in modern times, the pandemic 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: here has really accelerated the investments that we've been advocating 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: for for a year. From a macro standpoint, I think 5 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: our sport industry is really forced to look at the 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 1: business a little bit differently. In depth conversations with the 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: leaders in the sports industry and sport, there's a good 8 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: admiration were still moving forward part of something much bigger 9 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: than sports. Right now, the health and pastry of our 10 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: stakeholders are real, smart important every moment. I think we're 11 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: all from a business respective thinking about the impact that 12 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: the virus is having across the country. In Bloomberg Business 13 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: of Sports from Bloomberg Radio, Hello, I'm Michael Barn Mike 14 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,279 Speaker 1: went over the next hour, we will explore the big 15 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: money issues in the world of sports and talk to 16 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: some of the biggest players in the industry. Join us 17 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: later in the show as we speak with the executive 18 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: editor for Sports Illustrated, John Wertheim. But first we begin 19 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: with many top NBA players hesitant to promote coronavirus vaccines, 20 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: which is interesting to me because the health experts say, well, 21 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: that's the way to go to beat this, but the 22 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: top players are and I don't know why, Lenjie, Well, 23 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: this is this. This is kind of a multifold move 24 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: here by the NBA players, which really surprises us because 25 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: on this show we've talked a number of times how 26 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: the n B a of all the four four major sports, 27 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: has the best relationship with its commissioner and with its owners. 28 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: And here's a little bit of a chasm right here. Um. 29 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: I know that a lot of the players aren't happy 30 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: about having to fly to Atlanta for an All Star 31 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: Game after they had a shortened offseason. Um, I think 32 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: there's a lot of doubt from some of the players. 33 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: Everyone's hearing well, the first shots okay, but the second 34 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: shot makes you feel like you have the flu for 35 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: a couple of days. So they're worried about their performance. 36 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: And there's no since the vaccine was given first almost 37 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: like a year ago. Maybe in some parts of the world, 38 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: there is isn't any long term data on long term effects, 39 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: so there's a little bit of after mentioned from the players. 40 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: Now ex players have made the bill. Russell made one. 41 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: He said, this is one shot. I'm not going to block, 42 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: which I thought was pretty clever. Kareem Abdul Jabbar has 43 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: done one great Popovich has done one encouraging everyone to 44 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: get the vaccine. So this is a little bit of 45 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: a rift right here. And I'm not sure that it's 46 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: not so much like, Okay, we'll do the we'll do 47 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: the promos if you get rid of All Star weekend 48 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: because we just need a little bit of a break. 49 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 1: And something else too is that many of the league's 50 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: top players who are African American believe that it can 51 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: impact people in the black and brown communities because they've 52 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: been disproportionately impacted by the COVID nineteen pandemic. Lynching. Correct, absolutely, 53 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: and that that's that. And the NBA has been on 54 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: board with with social justice platforms making loud statements, and 55 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: this is another one for them in there. You know, 56 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 1: there's there's a great deal of validity to that reasoning 57 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: as well. This kind of follows in with the vaccine story. 58 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: Forty nine is president Al Guido on Levi Stadium being 59 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: used as a COVID nineteen vaccination site and get a 60 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: piece of sound for that to hear. Well, it's get 61 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: back to some level of normalcy in our country. And frankly, 62 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: I mean I think if you look at our facility 63 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: being two million square feet, when we approached the county 64 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: about the mass vaccination sites, it only made sense to 65 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: do it ly by stating we have over six thousand 66 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: parking stalls thirty square feet in the area that we're 67 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: doing the vaccinations to date, and you know, at this 68 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: point in time, we're only limited by the supply of 69 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: the vaccine we're doing. Roughly, we've approached over two thousand. 70 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: We hope to climb a fifteen thousand, which would make 71 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: us the largest vaccination state site in the state of California. 72 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: And Lynchy, I'd love the mega vaccination sites where Levi Stadium. Uh, 73 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: they've done it here in New York with the Yankee 74 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: Stadium and City Field. The problem now, and of course 75 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: you know they've done it a lot of Fenway. The 76 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: problem now is the supply trying to get as many 77 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: vaccines as they can. Gillette Stadium, the home of the 78 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: New England Patriots, UM six times Super Bowl champion Wingham Patriots, 79 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: by the way, might go back appreciate uh, has been 80 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:24,119 Speaker 1: opened for a while. And yeah, on Tuesday of this week, 81 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: they celebrated their sixty five thousand, eight hundred and seventy 82 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: eight person being vaccinated, and that coincides with the capacity 83 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: for Gillette Stadium, So that person it's like going through 84 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: the the checkout line at the supermarket and ding ding 85 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: ding ding, ding ding ding, and the balloons come down, 86 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: when the confetti comes down, congratulations, you know you're one 87 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: billion shopper. But the woman named Bridgette Peters and I 88 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: don't know what she got. She got the visit from 89 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: Pat Patriot, and uh, she was kind of a big celebrity. 90 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: She sitting there minding and she's got her scrubs on. 91 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: I think she's a healthcare worker and ding ding ding 92 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: ding ding, and all of a sudden the TV cameras 93 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: came up. But I think it's great that that Levi 94 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: Stadium is doing it and other stadiums around the country. 95 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: Fenway Park has been doing it here in Boston, and 96 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 1: you know, but I think that's the whole thing started 97 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: Mike with a conversation we have with the Atlanta Hawks 98 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 1: last year when they were opening up State Farm of 99 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: of arena for voting, and I think when they opened 100 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: a lot of these big arenas for voting to get 101 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: out to vote, especially the black vote. Um that they 102 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: gave owner's ideas, Hey, maybe we can also use this 103 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: as a site for vaccinations. So it has been contagious 104 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: in a good way. Obviously, I'm not making fun of COVID, 105 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: but can you imagine this woman? He says, I'm going 106 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 1: to sneak out and I just set here and nobody 107 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 1: will know. And all of a sudden, here's the confetti 108 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: and the cameras. Oh bless there by the way, pictures 109 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: and catguers. Man, we're here, and I have to get 110 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: my fantasy team ready, man, because I got to do 111 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: my homework. I'm excited. Yeah, pictures and catchers are reported 112 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 1: this many two players the teams had their first workout 113 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: for pictures and catchers, and it's that it gives everyone hope. Okay, 114 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: well this the snow is gonna melt eventually, and we're 115 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: gonna be able to put the boots away, the jackets away, 116 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: and there's gonna be sunshine and green grass. We know 117 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: there's sunshine and green grass somewhere on the planet and 118 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: it will be coming to an area near us pretty soon. 119 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: But it's uh, it's been cut down a lot. Uh. 120 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: I know, a lot of camps are not allowing fans 121 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: to come in. And you know, in the state of Florida, 122 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: it's a big, big deal because there's a lot of 123 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 1: school vacations up north and everyone comes down. It's part 124 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,720 Speaker 1: of their February vacation. Let's go down. Let's go over 125 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: to a minor league ballpark and get up close and 126 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 1: it's it's really the best way to get an autograph 127 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,159 Speaker 1: and get a picture of taken with a major league 128 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: baseball player. Now once again there's another opportunity that COVID 129 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 1: has yanked out from under the feet of you know, 130 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: a lot of excited and deserving people. By the way, 131 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: Fernando tatis As we were talking about fourteen years and 132 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 1: a bunch of mula man as, Chico Scuila, what's said 133 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: on Saturday Night Live Baseball been very very good to me. 134 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: He's twenty two years old, hasn't even played a full 135 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: major league season, a hundred forty three games, and they 136 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,559 Speaker 1: were so impressed. To San Diego Padres, here's three hundred 137 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: forty large for you, young man at the age of 138 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: twenty two. Good for him. Earlier in the week, we 139 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: spoke with the Days One to champion Michael McDowell. We 140 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: discussed if a win like this will create a bigger 141 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: buzz for sponsors down the road. Well, absolutely, I mean 142 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: it does change. It changes, you know, from a lot 143 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: of different aspects. But you know the fact of the 144 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: Daytons the biggest race in our sport, it's the biggest 145 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: race in in in motorsports. And to be able to 146 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 1: provide that value to our partners, to you know, our 147 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: partner in particular, Left Travel stops on you know, on 148 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: the car, and to get all the exposure that they're 149 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: that they're receiving. I mean, they've been the backbone of 150 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: our organization for nine years and it's their first time 151 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: to Victory Lane with the organization as well. So it 152 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: just means so much to them and to us and 153 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: to be able to provide that for them, and like 154 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: you said, i mean, we champions and so now you know, 155 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: when we're having those conversations and we're trying to bring 156 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: new partners in it, it definitely changes the conversation and 157 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: allows us to you continue to grow this team and 158 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: continue to make it better and and and that helps 159 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: us to win more races. And so you know, this 160 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 1: sport is tricky. It's it's different than sticking ball sports. 161 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 1: You've gotta have partners and you've gotta have sponsorship to 162 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: be competitive. And so once you are competitive and and 163 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 1: you have that success, it just helps you to continue 164 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: that and to make the program better. Mike, I want 165 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: to go back to the moment when you've got over 166 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 1: the radio from NASCAR. Um. You described it perfectly. The 167 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: sea's parted, And the first thing that into my mind 168 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: was Moses in the Ten Commandments, when the Sea's parted, 169 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: and he just took the opportunity, and you were Moses baby. 170 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: You were just heading down the track, but you had 171 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 1: to wait to find out where you were at that 172 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: moment of caution. And I think your crew might have 173 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: gotten the word before you did. I'm not sure, because 174 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: they had a cutaway and they were all celebrating up 175 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 1: and down, and I think you were still like, okay, 176 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: let's not chink that, let's not chink said, did you 177 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: see I don't, I don't. I don't know where you 178 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: were in relationship track to where where your crew was, 179 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: But what was going through your head in those few 180 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: seconds before you got official confirmation? Yeah, Well, it felt 181 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: like a long time and I don't know the timing 182 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: of it, but I think my my crew might have 183 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: been jumping the gun um on our nobody on our 184 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: radio said we want you know, uh, we were just 185 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: waiting to hear. And you know, so much goes through 186 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: your mind in that in that period of time, and yeah, 187 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: I was. I was fairly confident at first, um that 188 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 1: we had won the race, and you know, and then 189 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: my mind started going, man, I think we just won. 190 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: The day tone of five, I think we won, you know, 191 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 1: and then immediately I just they went too but what 192 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: if you didn't? And I'm like, I am going to 193 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 1: be so mad that, you know, we finally get in position, 194 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: and if we lose this thing by an inch, I 195 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: don't know if I'm gonna be able to do these 196 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: interviews because I'm gonna lose my mind. Uh So yeah, 197 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: you know, you go through so much emotion. Um. But 198 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: you know they came over the radio and said thirty 199 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: or four card to the victory lane, and um, man, 200 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: I was just so overwhelmed in that moment. Just um, 201 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: you don't even know how to express it, you know, 202 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: just uh, yeah, there's so much joy and its excitement 203 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: and just relief and gratitude. I mean, there's just everything 204 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: all flowing at once, and it's an incredible feeling. And 205 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: I think that for me and for our team. But 206 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: I mean, I really do feel like the journey is 207 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 1: is what makes that so special. I mean, it is 208 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: all those years and all those starts. I mean, man, 209 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: I lost three hundred and fifty seven times. I mean 210 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 1: it's hard to lose three hundred fifty seven times and 211 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: still get out thinking that you're gonna win, and to 212 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: all that building up. You know, it's just it's just overwhelming. 213 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: Now that's perseverance, Lench You. I love that man, and 214 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: what a what a personality. I guarantee you he will 215 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: no longer be one to one long shot like he 216 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: was in Daysona, and he's not going to go three 217 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: races allow to win again. And I just loved that interview. 218 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: Was just unvarnished. It was just like a young guy. 219 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,719 Speaker 1: It was not that young's his mid thirties, thirty six 220 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: years old, but you know how the exuberance and the 221 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: excite it was genuine. You know, it wasn't scripted, it 222 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: wasn't you know, parsed out. It was just he spoke 223 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: right from his heart and I loved it. And we 224 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: were talking about this off Mike before we went on 225 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: the air. I always think of j R. Hildebrand and 226 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,679 Speaker 1: if in anybody who knows racing knows what happened that 227 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:54,839 Speaker 1: year at Indianapolis. And he's racing, this young man is 228 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: about the win the Indie five hundred, nobody around, and 229 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: then he's trying to pass a car on the outside 230 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: and he gets in the marbles out of in four 231 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 1: turn four and hits the wall on the straight away. 232 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: Dan Weldon passes him, and Dan Weldon wins the race. 233 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: And I always think, you know, that guy is gonna 234 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: be like the Scott Norwood of racing, because I mean, 235 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: I feel for him. And so that's why I'm so 236 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: happy for Michael McDonald. Just when you thought you knew 237 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: everything about NASCAR, along comes Michael Barr to just trump 238 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,079 Speaker 1: you with one more story that she had no clue 239 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: that was. It was a shame. I uh lendjy, I 240 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: I have j R. Hildebrand in the five. I felt 241 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 1: so bad for that guy. Man. It's like, you know, 242 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:51,439 Speaker 1: but hey, that's racing. Uh. And as we come by 243 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: the way Sunday afternoon, they're going to race at Daytona again, 244 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: but they're going to be on the road course this time. 245 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: Uh So hopefully Michael McDowell says, yeah, I've been here, 246 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: I know how to win. Don't you worry about it, kids. 247 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 1: I got this one. So hopefully if he makes it 248 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: two in a row, look out. Yeah, that would be something. 249 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: And uh, you know it's a good move by NASCAR. 250 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: They've cut put seven new courses I think this year, Mike, 251 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: is that right? Um, And so they're they're cutting down 252 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: a little bit on the travel. Um. You know, normally 253 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 1: everything will be packed up by Monday morning and shipped 254 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: off to the to the next site. So they're staying. 255 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,439 Speaker 1: It's kind of, you know, using the same blueprint that 256 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: the NBA and the NHL are using. Stay in the 257 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 1: same city for maybe a couple of weeks or so 258 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,199 Speaker 1: and then move on. So to cut down on the 259 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:39,439 Speaker 1: risk of of of COVID and uh any COVID exposure. 260 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: So NASCAR Na Scott has done a good job. And 261 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 1: as we said when we had the President of NASCAR 262 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: on last week, you know, it's tailor made for them. 263 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: They're in their cars, they're isolated except for the pit crews. 264 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 1: They're away from everybody else, so zoom zoom. I wonder 265 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 1: about this, this part, I do wonder about it. This 266 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: year was a forty car field, uh and usually a 267 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: lot of times it's forty three cars. But but they 268 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: narrowed it down. And part of that has to do 269 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: with race teams in general, because it's hard to put 270 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: a race team on the track. But I always like 271 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: the Daytona of five. The way they did qualifying is 272 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: that first you're running for speed, so you get the 273 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: top two for the pole position, and then you're running 274 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: the well I still call them the Twins or the 275 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: Gatorade Duel that they run the T one fifties and 276 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: people in the back, which I that's where I really 277 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: love the racing. They're trying to get into five and 278 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: and it's like, oh my goodness, what am I gonna do? 279 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: And to me, I wish every track would do it 280 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: like that, Every race would do it like that. That's 281 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: a heck of a lot of fun. Lends yep, it is, 282 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: and it's I think from a production standpoint. If you're 283 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: just a casual of race fan, if you tune in 284 00:14:58,160 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: and watch a NASCAR race, I think you're gonna be 285 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: booked and if you ever get to go to one. 286 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: And I've been to a couple up in the Hampshire 287 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: and I said, and I have a couple of guys 288 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: who were buddies of mine who are really into it, 289 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: and they said, come on it, We'll just see what's 290 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: going on. And I loved it. I absolutely loved it. 291 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: And so I think it's they've done a great job here. 292 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: Steve Phelps is uh the president. He's done a great 293 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: great job, uh, promoting it, organizing it and hitting all 294 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: the curveballs that have been thrown his way like everybody 295 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 1: else during this pandemic. M I love the smell of 296 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: burning rubber in the morning. Joining us now is the 297 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: executive editor for Sports Illustrated. You've heard of that magazine, 298 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: John Worthheim, John, thank you so much for joining us. 299 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: Not good to be here. I have to ask you 300 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: about the Australian Openly, we'll start with that. We spoke 301 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: with Australian Open tournament director Craig Tyler. He was on 302 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 1: Bloomberg early this week and he discussed how enthusiasm has 303 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: picked up for this year's Australian Open. At the getting 304 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: there was a slow uptake of tickets um and then 305 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: within about two or three days it really accelerated. Now, unfortunately, 306 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: John uh there was a lockdown issue at one point, 307 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: but hopefully that's not going to put a damper on 308 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: the sport going forward. What do you think, Yeah, I 309 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: mean Australia has basically beaten COVID and one of the 310 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: ways they did it was they were they were really 311 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: strict and so there was a small flare up. I 312 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: mean when the tournament started, the players that came into 313 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,239 Speaker 1: Australia had fourteen days in a hotel room of quarantine, 314 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: which we go quarantine with a much stricter than they 315 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: had at any other event, and they were the middle 316 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: of the tournament. There was a bit of a flare 317 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: up in the community and everybody had to go into 318 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: the lockdown and it was disappointing for the tournament. It 319 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: was disappointing for the tournament's balance sheets. The players enjoyed 320 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: playing in front of fans for the first few days 321 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: and suddenly it was a bit of an adjustment when 322 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: there were no fans. But I think there was an acknowledgement, 323 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: there was, you know, there was a respect and an 324 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: acceptance that this was all done in service of health 325 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,640 Speaker 1: and safety. And the good news is for these last 326 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 1: few matches the fans are back, at least in limited number. John, 327 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 1: it's Mike Lynch up in Boston. Um, are we watching 328 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: the evolution of the changing of the guard and the 329 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: woman's front with Osaka and Serena or have we already 330 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: seen it? That's a good question, I think, Um, yeah, 331 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,160 Speaker 1: I think last night made it official. And uh, Oscca 332 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,719 Speaker 1: Namsaca beat Threna Williams. That she didn't just beat her, 333 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: she sort of beat her playing Serena Williams style tennis. 334 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:46,160 Speaker 1: She dictated points than she overcame some nerves and basically 335 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:48,400 Speaker 1: played the match on her terms. That's the kind of 336 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: you know, that's that's Serena Williams game plan right there. 337 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, I don't know. I mean three 338 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: and Williams thirty nine years old. She's not the players 339 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: she once was. It's been more than four years since 340 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: she won her last major, but you know, she's still 341 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 1: getting to the semifinals and finals of tournaments. She's still 342 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: beating top players. I was just telling aboutself. This where 343 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: this is where a team's sport. It's easy, right, you 344 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 1: say you're gonna come in off the bench, or you're 345 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 1: you're gonna be the designated hitter, or you know, you 346 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: were averaging thirty points in your career, now we need 347 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: you for eighteen. You know, an individual sport, it's not 348 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: like that. You sort of you know, either win or 349 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: you lose. And I think it's tough for her. She's 350 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: not the players she once was. She's thirty nine years old. 351 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 1: But she's also she's not embarrassing herself. You know, it's 352 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 1: it's not Mohammed Ali fighting Trevor Berbick on the barge. 353 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:39,479 Speaker 1: I mean, she's still she's still right up there. So 354 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 1: I don't know what you do if you're her, because 355 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:43,199 Speaker 1: you're you're too good to quit, but you're not the 356 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: player you used to be. And that's uh, that's that's 357 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 1: a tough position, which sport because you you guys are 358 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: like the Bible of sports in terms of reading the magazine, 359 00:18:55,400 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: which sport probably generates the best for you in terms 360 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: of readership and more circulation. NFL is king. And actually 361 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: it's it's funny that, like, you know, there parents, parents 362 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: might the second guessing letting their kids play football. And 363 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: we may have our issues with the NFL and health 364 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: and safety and social justice and Super Bowl rainings maybe 365 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: ticked down, but the NFL is absolutely king. And uh 366 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: there's very number two from like college football, so football 367 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: they have these existential issues, but you know, no, no 368 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: parents are saying, boy, we really need to have a 369 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: family talk, so we let our kids play basketball or not. 370 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: But as a sort of as a media property, the 371 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 1: the NFL is absolutely the King. John, let me follow 372 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: up on that. Um, did you have feet on the 373 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 1: ground at stadiums like you normally do on a regular 374 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: season this year? Oh? Is more so your coverage by 375 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: your writers done via zoom and other other platforms. Yeah, 376 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: it really depended on on the game and the state 377 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: in the time of year, and definitely was a lot 378 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:15,679 Speaker 1: more like everyone. It was a lot less travel, It 379 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 1: was a lot more zoom. It was a lot more caution. 380 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:20,880 Speaker 1: But you know, I mean we we had people at 381 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,959 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl and it Breedy Brady or at at 382 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: at Breeze Brady and you know, I was at the 383 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: French Open, but not the Australian Open. It's just it's 384 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: really depended, uh, event to event, and I think what's 385 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: gonna be interesting is what sports are gonna look like 386 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 1: when we have this this reset. I mean, I think 387 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: a lot of you know, a lot of TV, for example, 388 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: people are broadcasting games from from a booth in ESPN, 389 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 1: or you know, if if you're covering the Brooklyn Nets, 390 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 1: you need to send the whole TV crew on the road. 391 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: I think it's gonna be interesting in media. You we've 392 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: all seen what we can and can't do by traveling, 393 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: and it's going to be interesting to see what goes 394 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 1: back to the way it was and what's going to 395 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:11,360 Speaker 1: become sort of the new normal. And to follow up 396 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 1: on what we were talking about and Lynch, you brought 397 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 1: this up about how COVID has changed the coverage of 398 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: sports in general. Is it's got to be harder because 399 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:26,719 Speaker 1: obviously you're not at the ballpark, you know sometimes and 400 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: sometimes the play by play guys are in a different location. 401 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 1: How has COVID in your mind, changed the landscape of 402 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: covering sports. It's I think it's just kind of put 403 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 1: this this layer in and again, I mean, I think 404 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 1: we're all going through this in every industry. I think 405 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: it's it's no different if you're a lawyer taking a 406 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 1: zoom depth position or if you're having a conference via 407 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: zoom instead of in person. I just think we're realizing 408 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 1: personal in our interactions matter, and in sports, sometimes i'm 409 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: the best information or the insights you pick up are 410 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: not looking at the stat sheet, but just having a 411 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: conversation or running into someone, or seeing how someone walks 412 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: from the locker room onto the field. I think you're 413 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: missing that level of of intimacy. Again, I mean, I 414 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: think this isn't unique to sports by any stress, and 415 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 1: I think we all are realizing, yeah, zoom is great, 416 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of cost savings and and sometimes 417 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:27,679 Speaker 1: there's there's unnecessary travel. But I think we're also realizing that, 418 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: you know, when we're right. I was talking to someone 419 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: who said, yeah, we used to have a writer's room 420 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 1: for a TV show and we'd all sit there and 421 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,640 Speaker 1: we'd have all this creative energy. We'd be taking one 422 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: idea and building on it, and now it just doesn't 423 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,679 Speaker 1: work the same over zoom. And I think, you know, 424 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 1: we're realizing that in sports too, at least in terms 425 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: of media coverage. A lot of the coverage is based 426 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 1: not just on what you see during the game, but 427 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: sort of, uh, you know, being part of being being 428 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 1: in the restaurant, you know, being being there in the 429 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: locker room and wait, the thing things firsthand, and I 430 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: think that's what that's what's messing Lyndji Jen I'm not 431 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: gonna lie. Is like I can't get zoo. I I 432 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: am just I tried to do a zoom call and 433 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 1: and the people seriously we're looking at my armpit and 434 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 1: I could not get this going. It's I respect everybody. Yeah, 435 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. I had to bring that in there. You know, 436 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 1: you took one of the words right out of my mouth, John, intimacy. 437 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: And I think that's been one of the just the 438 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: standards and the staples for Sports Illustrated is that you go, 439 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 1: you you peel back so many layers and you just 440 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: get really personal with the subjects that you're interviewing. And 441 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: and that's sort of been stripped away. I did local 442 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 1: television and I still do a little bit up here 443 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: in Boston for forty years, and where the typical ten 444 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: second sound bite and you know, highlights this and that. 445 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: How will you be able to overcome this intimacy? Because 446 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 1: that really is the benchmark and the trump card of 447 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated. Yeah, I mean I think some of them 448 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: are just finding different types of stories that you can tell. 449 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:03,120 Speaker 1: And yeah, I think we were all sort of operating 450 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: on the assumption that things will go back to some 451 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 1: someones of normal. Um. But yeah, I mean we're sort 452 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: of you know, you're you're not having the games and 453 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: the game experience that you used to have. How else 454 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: are you going to tell these stories? And maybe it's uh, 455 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: you know, maybe it's finding retired athletes for example, that 456 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,400 Speaker 1: are happy to engage on a on a video call. 457 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 1: I mean, I think some of us just looking for 458 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 1: different ways to tell stories. But but again, I mean, 459 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: I think we're all waiting to see what life is 460 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,200 Speaker 1: going to be like when things get back to normal. 461 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: And you know, I mean the flip site too, is 462 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:44,679 Speaker 1: I've noticed that people do seem, you know, there does 463 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: seem to be this kind of collective we're all going 464 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: through this, and when you do connect with people athletes, coaches, managers, agents, 465 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,680 Speaker 1: there does seem to be a level of sort of 466 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: well of warmth that maybe wasn't there before. This is 467 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: more in general as being one heck of a magazine 468 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated, but now things have changed. People get their 469 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: reading material online, how how has it changed for you 470 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: guys as an industry from going from people just I 471 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: gotta go to the news stand and get a copy 472 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:28,119 Speaker 1: of Sports Illustrated to people now going online. Yeah, I 473 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 1: mean in some ways it's you know, I started in 474 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: the I guess the late nineties, and in some ways 475 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,879 Speaker 1: that it's a completely different job. And you know, I've 476 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:41,400 Speaker 1: been covering, cover the Australia Australian Open. You know, you're podcasting, 477 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:47,160 Speaker 1: and you're tweeting, and you're doing some videos and you're writing. 478 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: I did a quick Q and a reaction to Serena 479 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: Williams who was posted online, you know, five minutes after 480 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: the match ended. And you know that's that's a lot 481 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: different from what it used to be where you used to, 482 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 1: you know, have to have a couple of days you 483 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: tracked the story and it would come in the mailbox. 484 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 1: That was after the Thursday, after the tournament. Um, and 485 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:07,879 Speaker 1: at some point that's exactly the same thing. What do 486 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: you do when you're you're watching an event, You're trying 487 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 1: to tell people something they didn't know. You're providing analysis, 488 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 1: you're trying to combine data with intuition and right, Um, 489 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:25,680 Speaker 1: so I mean that the pace has picked up, the 490 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: technology is obviously picked up, but in other ways pretty 491 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: much the same thing. I mean, so the ultimate kind 492 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: of ultimate task and the ultimate relationship with the audience 493 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: isn't all that different. So um yeah, I mean I 494 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 1: think every every media outlet is trying to you know, 495 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: ESPN has their changes and challenges too, and I think 496 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: we're all kind of trying to you want to go 497 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: to where the audience is. But at the end of 498 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: the day, it's it's pretty much the same underlying you know. 499 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: It's it's not like you you went to med school 500 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:58,679 Speaker 1: and suddenly you're asked to be a lawyer. Like, at 501 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: the end of the day, you're still trying to provide 502 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:05,439 Speaker 1: information and analysis and give the audience something they wouldn't 503 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,119 Speaker 1: get anywhere else, which is kind of that's that's always 504 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: been part of the job description. So yeah, it's it's 505 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: crazy times in media, but it's kind of fun. Given 506 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: this seven instant news, how do you pick out your 507 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: cover for your magazine? So that is it is not 508 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:26,640 Speaker 1: outdated by the time it arrives in my mailbox. Uh, 509 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 1: that's exactly the drill. Uh, You're trying to find an 510 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: image that that's still things that still is going to 511 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:37,959 Speaker 1: have resonance. But yeah, you want to find a story 512 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:41,879 Speaker 1: and angle an image that you know no one's going 513 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: to Sports Illustrated to say, oh man, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 514 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: one the super Bowl. Um so that's that's I mean, 515 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 1: you sort of you're you're exactly right that the challenges 516 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: to find an image that's going to have some endurance, 517 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: and it's going to have some you know that that's 518 00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: gonna be different than it's not gonna be something you 519 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 1: saw anywhere, but they're also going to have some some 520 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:06,200 Speaker 1: staying power because you know, no one's picking up magazines 521 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 1: to get a news break anymore. Don't want to because 522 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,400 Speaker 1: that feels better to be number one than number five. 523 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: I'll wear a number because of Mike. We have a 524 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: chance to go for three in a row, numbers in 525 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: a good time. And I just first started wearing the number. 526 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: I was just happy in Floomberg Business of Sports, the 527 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:26,160 Speaker 1: number of the week? John, Please, please, please, please please? 528 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: Can you stick around for the number of the week. 529 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: I just love missing with Lynch's head. Well he actually 530 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: messes with mine because he gets it all the time. 531 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:37,400 Speaker 1: Can you stick around just for a second, I give 532 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: you a question. Yeah. No, he's a Yale guy, so 533 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: he's you know, we're fighting battle. Yeah, this is this 534 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 1: is on a roush Fenway Roush Fenway Racing and they 535 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: just announced it's carbon neutrality certification. Now to become carbon neutral? 536 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: How far they set up goal to recycle this percentage 537 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: of every race car that includes the oil, the rubber, aluminum, 538 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: and carbon fiber. What I want is what is the 539 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: percentage that r f R set for a goal to 540 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 1: recycle the car? And I'll start mhmm. I'm going to 541 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: uh pick up my favorite year that Harvard beat Yale 542 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 1: in the football game, was gonna go seventy five? John O, Man, uh, 543 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: I'm thinking low, thinking ten, you're thinking ten, Lynch. He said. 544 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: To become carbon neutral, ralsh Fenby Racing set a goal 545 00:29:55,160 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 1: to recycled nine of every race car. And what they've 546 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,600 Speaker 1: done they reduced it's overall waste produced by more than 547 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 1: a hundred tons over the last decade. They switched to 548 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: LED lighting throughout its campus. They really did a heck 549 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 1: of a job. So I salute that I can see 550 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: the oil, but man, there's so much that you have 551 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: to do. But wow, good for them, John, you are 552 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: the man thanking so much for joining us. Man. I hope, 553 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 1: in fact, I gotta get my next company online of 554 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated. Thank you again, sir. I shanked on the number, 555 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 1: but it was a pleasure. Thanks John, appreciate it. I'm 556 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: amazed how the industry has changed, especially when you're trying 557 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: to put out a magazine. Uh. And I guess calling 558 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: it a magazine is like calling a piece of music 559 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:58,640 Speaker 1: a record, because you don't have records anymore. And I'm wondering, 560 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: what day, Lynch, you we're gonn to get to where 561 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 1: you don't have a paper magazine anymore. I really would 562 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 1: dread it because that's one of my Christmas gifts every 563 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 1: year that I received and I give out as a 564 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: year's subscription to Sports Illustrated to my son's in law 565 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: us to give it to my dad when he was around. 566 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: And you know, they've cut back from the weekly now 567 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: to UM. I don't say, it's almost monthly, and it's 568 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 1: it's sad that it's, you know, on every Thursday. It's 569 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: not sitting in the mailbox right there now it is. 570 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: They do an excellent addition online. I'm used to every week, 571 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: I would have the copy right there on the coffee table, 572 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 1: and uh, and I need to go through it, or 573 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: if I needed a fact, I would go through it again. 574 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: Uh and just oh yeah, I remember that now. I 575 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,120 Speaker 1: started collecting him and then you know, one day it's like, 576 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: you know, I had to get rid of him. So 577 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,360 Speaker 1: it's you know, it was starting to clutter up the 578 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 1: basement with so many of them. But I missed that 579 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: paper copy that that was something else. And absolutely you've 580 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 1: been listening to Bloomberg Business of Sports. We are here 581 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: each and every week at the same time, So let's 582 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 1: online wherever you get your podcast. You can catch those Mondays, 583 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 1: Wednesdays and Thursdays on Michael bar on Twitter at Big 584 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: Bar Sports, and I'm Michael Linch. You can follow me 585 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: at lynch ey w CVV. You're listening to Bloomberg Business 586 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: of Sports and Bloomberg Radio around the world.