1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports where in the situation 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: that we haven't dealt with in modern times, pandemic here 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: has really accelerated the investments that you've been advocating for 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: for years. From a macro standpoint, I think our sport 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: industry is really forced to look at the business a 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: little bit differently. In depth conversations with the leaders in 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: the sports industry. Who wants to be the sacrificial lambs 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: that shows up at the first big major sporting event, 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: were part of something much bigger than the sport right 10 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: now and the health and daptry of our stakeholders the 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: works much important every moment. I think we're all from 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 1: the business respective thinking about the impact that the virus 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: is having on across the country against Bloomberg Business of 14 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 1: Sports from Bloomberg Radio, Well, thanks so much for joining us. 15 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: We're here each and every week for you at the 16 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: same time talking to the biggest names in sports. I'm 17 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: Jason Kelly along with Mike Lynch and Michael Barr. Today 18 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: we are really really excited to be speaking with Washington 19 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: Football Team's president Jason Wright, newly minted into a role. 20 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: What a time we are living in to say the 21 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: least we are speaking to you Jason on Thursday morning, August. 22 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: I guess I have to start by asking how are you? 23 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: This has been an incredible time, but even the last 24 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:18,199 Speaker 1: twenty four hours have been pretty remarkable to say the least. Yeah, 25 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: they have been. If I think, if I think about 26 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: my first four days as a chief executive, UM, I 27 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: would not have put together this as the ideal recipe. 28 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: But at the same time, I'm I'm tired, but I'm 29 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: I'm actually quite grateful to be in the middle of 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,320 Speaker 1: so many important conversations, some that are national, some that 31 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: are within my organization UM, and then others that you know, 32 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: no one knows about their business related that are all 33 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: really really important. UM. I think for me, I like 34 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: to be at the center of things where there's actual 35 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: important decisions to be made, and that is a very 36 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: um energizing and emboldening thing. And I've also found out 37 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: that I have a hell of a team to work 38 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: with in my top team, in the top team leadership 39 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: in this organization, really talented folks who now in the 40 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: midst of all of this have started to jail. And 41 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: so despite the fact that I could probably sleep for 42 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: a week straight uh, right about now, I'm feeling good 43 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: about our our start. The irony is never mind about 44 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen fears. Will the NFL, Yeah, I mean it's 45 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: amazing to me. It's like we were all worried will 46 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: in the NFL have a season because of the COVID 47 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: nineteen scare. Now I'm wondering if the NFL will have 48 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: a season because to stand in solidarity with other uh 49 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: pro sports because of what's happening in our world today, 50 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: especially the latest of what happened in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Right right, Um, 51 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: I don't know answer to that either. Um, you know, 52 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: I to me, to me in the way that we 53 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: are approaching it here, and of course if we're approaching 54 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: this way, I think it's a good problem. But cot Revere, myself, 55 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: Dan Snyder, we all have. I have thought that the 56 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: important thing about all of this is dialogue, communication and 57 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: depth of understanding, ultimately resulting in some sort of empathy, 58 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: ultimately sort of some sort of empathy, um and wisdom 59 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: across anybody who's engaged on this topic, and most certainly 60 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: sports figures who, whether they want to or not, are 61 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: thrust into the middle of a national dialogue. That no 62 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,839 Speaker 1: one has ever been a good steward of much less 63 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: the sports team that's just trying to compete on the field, right, 64 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: um And and the importance of getting to a conversation 65 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: that really tapped into mindsets and hearts and is honest 66 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: and open and you know, it helps to progress something 67 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: positive and ultimately leads to action. That Um. You that 68 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: that that is helpful, whether it's on a topic of 69 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: racial justice, criminal justice, or something else. Um And so 70 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: I think you know, uh, for us our approaches, let's 71 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: give space for the conversation. So let's also not top 72 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: down say hey, here's what we're gonna do and what 73 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,919 Speaker 1: we're not going to do, because that's actually sort of 74 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: the the opposite of the expression of freedom, individuality, diversity, 75 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: frankly of viewpoint and approaches that will actually get us 76 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: to a right answer and evolve all of our thinking 77 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: on the topic. So, for example, coach Rivera, I think 78 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: had a great has a has a great position on this. 79 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: You know, he has said over the last two years 80 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: and talking with my coaches and players, my thinking has 81 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 1: evolved a ton, I've learned a lot, I've grown wiser, 82 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: especially on the topic of racial justice. H and that 83 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 1: evolution has changed me. And then it caused me to 84 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: go read the Constitution. This man read the dug on 85 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: Constitution and and he said, when I read the Constitution, 86 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: it was clear to me that individual expression of their views, 87 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: no matter how it's expressed, is important and essential to 88 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: moving us towards the promise of a more perfect union. 89 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 1: And I want to create that environment on our team. 90 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 1: You know, this predates me joining. I could not be 91 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 1: more in line with that. That means that, you know, guys, 92 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: and this was focused on the team, but I think 93 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: this is more broadly across our organization. Guys on the 94 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: team have the ability to express themselves however they see 95 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: fit as individuals. And even if it is not what 96 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: coach ra Vera would do or what I would do, 97 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: because all those are individuals, UM, and we all have 98 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: our own way of expressing this as authentic to us, 99 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 1: that's in line with our values, etcetera. Even if it's 100 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: not what either of us would do, we are supportive 101 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: of and will make states for that, UM. And we're 102 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: not gonna throw anyone under the bus if we disagree, 103 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: you know, And I think that is both in you know, 104 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: the letter of the law as it pertains to how 105 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: I see our republic UM, and in the spirit of 106 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: a team that embraces inclusion. UM, I think is exactly 107 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 1: spot on, and so I couldn't be more supportive. And 108 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: so today, you know, we're having a dialogue, UM, giving 109 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: the guys most of the day to reflect UM. Great 110 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,679 Speaker 1: decision by Coach Rivera. We're going to have a dialogue 111 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: that starts to suss out where people are at across 112 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: the wide and acceptable expression of views that exists on 113 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,720 Speaker 1: a topic like racial justice, and through that diversity of viewpoints, 114 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:42,679 Speaker 1: pull it together in something that the team can align around, UM, 115 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: and also make it clear that all of these different viewpoints, 116 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: whether you agree or disagree, are going to be welcome 117 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: within the Washington Football family. UM. And so that's a 118 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: little bit of the that's a long winded way of 119 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: laying out the philosophical approach we're taking. But you know 120 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: as well, does it does it? Does all of this 121 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 1: result in an NFL season not being played? I have 122 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: no idea we're to start in the conversation. I would 123 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: hope we're still playing. But that's the personal deal. Congratulations 124 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: first of all on on your job. Well, learned well deserved. 125 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: Um sure, before you go to bed every night, you 126 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: have a to do list when you show up at 127 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: the office, and then things just changed so rapidly overnight 128 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: you probably rip it up and throw it away because 129 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: it's become irrelevant during the few hours that you've got 130 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: to sleep. What on this Thursday, what's job one for 131 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 1: you on this day? I just want to say, in 132 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: light of what's happening in the bubble with the NBA 133 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: and some of the Major League ball teams. Yeah, yeah, 134 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: so I think you know, job one today is to 135 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:53,239 Speaker 1: structure a conversation with the team, um, alongside coatra Vera. 136 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: And that's actually what we're doing right before out on 137 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: with you actually kicked coach out to hop on with y'all. Congratulations. 138 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: I'm joking. You don't get coach out anywhere. Um yeah, 139 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: he graciously, he was like, please take the interview. But 140 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: we were we were planning and structuring the conversation to 141 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: be one that's open, that it's personal, that is real, 142 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: that's also pragmatic, and um uh that that was sort 143 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: of job number one today. But actually before that, this 144 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: morning with my team on the business side, was actually 145 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: reflecting on how we handled everything yesterday, the various things 146 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,319 Speaker 1: that flew across to us, and what was really a 147 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: day where we had to to mobilize and learn to 148 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: work together in a dynamic way really quickly. UM was 149 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: actually reflecting on that. And while I think we got 150 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: two good outcomes across most of the things that we 151 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: wanted to do yesterday, UM and you know, stating how 152 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: we feel and supporting our workforce and all of that, 153 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 1: there were some there. There are things that were not perfect, 154 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: and there was some missteps on how we managed things yesterday. 155 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 1: So it was the morning before this. It was a 156 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 1: bit of a learning for me, and right after we're 157 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: done here, I'm gonna take those learnings and actually express 158 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: those to my team. So here are the things that 159 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: we that went great and where I think we lad 160 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 1: really well together. Here are a few of the things 161 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: that I would do differently next time, because I think 162 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: it's important that we all have that level of vulnerability 163 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: and openness to develop a good working model. I think 164 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: it's the right role modeling for how we want our 165 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: culture to be, and we want to be able to 166 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: give each other feedback and own our mistakes and missteps 167 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: so that we get better over time. And so that's 168 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 1: the other order of business for me. It's actually you know, 169 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: reflecting on arguably my first big day as a leader 170 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 1: here and what I could do better and then UM, 171 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: you know, the rest of the day, UM, we'll be 172 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 1: focused on UM, really helping our workforce continued to feel um, 173 00:09:55,720 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: you know, trusted, no uh, empowered that they know that 174 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: there's you know, a good direction UM coming UM for 175 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: those who are worried about the direction of the business 176 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: side and really want to understand you know, what we're 177 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: gonna do around culture in the future. UM is really 178 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 1: making sure that we can have those conversations and the 179 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: right way at the right levels. UM. And then you know, 180 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 1: if I get I get back to the other stuff 181 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: that was on my list. Now let's well, let's if 182 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 1: we can Jason talk a little bit about this. And 183 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 1: as you're speaking, I'm I am thinking that you are 184 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: throwing I would imagine every day everything you've learned as 185 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 1: having earned an NBA from a top tier business school 186 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:44,199 Speaker 1: and especially working at Mackenzie in complex operations, and I'm 187 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: sure you were thinking about matrices and all these different 188 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: things because you do have all of these different elements 189 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: at once, and we talked a little bit, and I'm 190 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: sure we'll talk more about the racial justice piece. But 191 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: I want to zero in on something you just said, 192 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: which is the culture of this organization that you are 193 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: now leading, which all you have to do is read 194 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: a newspaper or a blog or Twitter to understand this 195 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: is an organization that has some really major problems. How 196 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: do you start to again, I'm sort of using some 197 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: consultant speak here. I think, unpack that and sort of 198 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: break it down into solvable problems. Love it, love it, 199 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: you're making me feel comfortable. Let's unpack it. Let's unpack it. 200 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 1: Um uh. To me. The first thing you all you 201 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: have to do is you've got to get the fact 202 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:41,960 Speaker 1: base and the the Washington Post article is one input, 203 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 1: but it also it requires investigation to understand what's what's real, 204 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: what's not right. It takes we have to sort through 205 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: um uh. And there's most there's most certainly stuff that 206 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: is real, and there's most certainly stuff that's not you 207 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 1: know or not in the same way I got that's 208 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: we're going to stuff through that. Um There's another set 209 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: of inputs that are coming from the infinite investigations going 210 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 1: on and that's going to be another source of data 211 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: and information, and then we're gonna gather our own. Now, 212 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: there are quantitative ways to measure culture, you know, across 213 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: an organization, and I want and I'm going to get that. Um. 214 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 1: You know, we're launched not next week with the three 215 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: of the methodology, is that I'm familiar with them before 216 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: UM to gather that to understand, you know, where do 217 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 1: we have open and collaborative culture and where do we 218 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: not have it? Where do we see a lot of 219 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 1: bottom up innovation in parts of our organization? And where 220 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: do we not see it? Where do we see you clear, um, 221 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 1: you know, visionary leadership, and where do we not see 222 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: it across the organization? And what I expect is that 223 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: we'll have hot spots where the culture is actually quite 224 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: good and healthy, and those are things that we can 225 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: we can take as best practices and help to help 226 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: to move to other parts of our organization. And there 227 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: will be areas where you know, we've we're lagging on 228 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: culture and the experience is poor and engagements low and 229 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: likely productivity as low as a result. And those are 230 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,079 Speaker 1: the areas where we have sort of a comprehensive set 231 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 1: of things that we'll start to do UM. But there's 232 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: also you know, low hanging true UM. You know, we've 233 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 1: got to stand up NHR organization. We need one. UM, 234 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: We've we've got to get the blocking and tackling UM 235 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: around you know, employee relations process and stuff I won't 236 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: barr y'all with on this call, but that you know 237 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: it's a bit wrote but really really important. What are 238 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: the pathways for things to escalate? You know through an organization? 239 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: How do you preserve anonimity? You know, what kind of 240 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 1: UH matrix with threshold methodology do you have for the 241 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: types of things that come in. That's the type of 242 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: stuff that you know we're gonna get out and start designing. 243 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: And so you start with the facts and then you 244 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: go for the stuff that you know needs to happen irrespective, 245 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: and then from there, once you have the facts and 246 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: it won't just be you know, I'm talking about culture 247 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: it right now, but you know it's also around operation performance, 248 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: financial performance. Then you take a step back and you 249 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 1: find you figure out the three to five things that 250 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: are going to move the needle where it matters most 251 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: so on culture, you know, what are the big different 252 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: initiatives things that we can put in place, and I 253 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 1: have an idea what those might be in my head 254 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: right now. But we don't want to do too many 255 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: things at once because you can only absorse so much changing. 256 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: You want to do things with excellence areas on our 257 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: on the revenue side, where we really want to double 258 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: down and have a spurt of innovation in this unique season. 259 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: What are those and what are the methodologies are going 260 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: to use specifically, and then from there we sit back 261 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: and let that ride for a bit. You can't do 262 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: everything at once, and so it's a bit of gathered 263 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 1: the fact, get the low hanging fruit and then get 264 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: the narrow set of you know, a few high impact 265 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: things that we can drive over the next period of time. 266 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: And like I'm being a bit high level because you know, 267 00:14:56,280 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: it's really it's really our organization, and um, I don't 268 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: want to break the confidence of my colleagues of the 269 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 1: exciting things that we're thinking about, um, you know, on 270 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: the back end. But that that's that's sort of how 271 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: we're approaching it right now. I apologize if I'm going 272 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: over the board a little bit here, but you got 273 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: your m b A in which brings up the point 274 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: when you completed your career in the NFL, you realized, Hey, 275 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: there's gonna have to be life after the NFL. H 276 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: And I guess, you know, we brought this up many times, 277 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: and I ask you the same thing, What can you 278 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: tell current NFL players now about preparing yourself for what's 279 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: going to happen down the road Because you can't play. 280 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 1: You can't run the sweep forever, so you're gonna have 281 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: to figure something out. Yeah, you know, I had the 282 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: advantage I can't take credit for, you know, having foresight 283 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: and being really professional and planning. I had the advantage 284 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: of just not being at the top end of the 285 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: gene pool for NFL players. So the fact that my talent, 286 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: you know that I ran, you know, for stakes at 287 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 1: the Combine, that told me right away that I needed 288 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 1: to think about something beyond. And so from day one, 289 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: I was always thinking about how my brain might carry 290 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 1: me further than my legs. And you know, so for me, 291 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: you know, I thought about internships in the off seasons. 292 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: You know, I thought about, you know, when, when and 293 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: how might I continue my education. I what I wish 294 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: I would have done more of was actually build my network. 295 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:28,800 Speaker 1: You have a unique opportunity as a pro player to 296 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: build your network of really smart people in business and 297 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: government in the social sector can create opportunities for you. 298 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: I think, you know, I had in my mind a 299 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: little bit like if you work hard enough, the opportunities come. 300 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: I don't actually think that's how the world works. People 301 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: create opportunities for people, And I wish I would have 302 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: made more connections during that time, but I did some 303 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: of it, and ultimately those things helped me even have 304 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: business school on my radar because I don't come from 305 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: a world where folks go to business school, you know, 306 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,080 Speaker 1: as a strain stage moms, a quite attendant, like they 307 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: knew about law school, medical school, because everybody you know 308 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: has come in to a run into a doctor, a 309 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 1: lawyer at some point. We didn't know about this other stuff. 310 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: And I have people in corporate America. It's just not 311 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: not where now my family comes from. And and so 312 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: you know, even the fact that it was on my 313 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: radar came through those internships, those experiences, and the network 314 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 1: that I've built, and then you know, within business school, Um, 315 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: I really just let my intellectual curiosity leave me and 316 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 1: led me to where I am now. Jason Fair or 317 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: unfair of you're going to be under the microscope for 318 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 1: all the obvious reasons for every move and every decision 319 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: that you make. Um. Do you welcome that daily microscope 320 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: self exact self examination, but examination from the outside as well. 321 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 1: I love it, No, I do not. The anonymity and 322 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 1: being under the radar would be wonderful to just get 323 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: things done unencumbered. But I think the scrutiny helps in 324 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: a couple ways. Um. I mean, we always have a 325 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: high borrow on things, um. But but it reminds you 326 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: that the stakeholders for which you're making business decisions in 327 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: the organization, you know, extend just beyond the people in 328 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: these four walls, because you know, ultimately, especially on the 329 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: business side, our decisions affect the fan base substantively, and 330 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: you know, that public eye, that scrutiny, it's filtered through 331 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:29,959 Speaker 1: the lens of our very passionate fan base. So it's 332 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 1: actually a good reminder of who we're actually working for 333 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: at the end of the day. Does it make it? 334 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: Does it up the anti Does it cause a little 335 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: more anxiety in my head when I'm thinking about the 336 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 1: decision we're making. Oh? Hell yes it does. And I 337 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 1: would prefer not to have that, But in the in 338 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: the end it's a positive thing because ultimately expanding the 339 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: value of this franchise will flow through the fans, and 340 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: they're the ones who through whom this public eye has 341 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: cast UM. I think the other thing, and the other 342 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: thing that it does, UM is that it it gives 343 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: us internally the right intensity, It gives us the right 344 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:12,360 Speaker 1: level of energy and hey with which we work on topics, 345 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: because you know, the scrutiny is is not often what 346 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,479 Speaker 1: did you do, but when did you do it? How 347 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 1: quickly did you do it? And that's actually a good 348 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,200 Speaker 1: fourcing function. You know, we're not beholden to, you know, 349 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 1: the public eye of public opinion. I don't think you 350 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: can make good business decisions doing that, but it is 351 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:33,160 Speaker 1: always a very welcome input UM into our process. UM. 352 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: And so you know, I I psychologically prefer to not 353 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 1: be there. Would I sleep a little easier? Yeah? Sure, 354 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: sure what? But ultimately it's UM. It's an aspect of 355 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: this business that is helpful. I think. Jason, speaking of 356 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 1: the business, I imagine you even before you took this job, 357 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:57,120 Speaker 1: understood you mentioned the stakeholders. One of the key stakeholders 358 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: that have really come to the four In many ways 359 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: they were always there, but in the name change and 360 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: so much the sponsors, uh really weighed in in a 361 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 1: way that that they hadn't before, especially and I know 362 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: that it feels like the name changes now like the 363 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: fifth thing, that if we had had this conversation a 364 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: month ago, we'd be starting with the name change. It's 365 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: sort of remarkable how the world shifts. But I do 366 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:30,199 Speaker 1: wonder how you view that constituency. We are, after all, 367 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 1: talking about the business of sports in the NFL is 368 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: a massive business and NFL teams are a massive business. 369 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 1: How much of that business side is changing? How do 370 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: you tackle that element of it, especially at a time 371 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 1: where companies are candidly much more I would argue, in 372 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: a good way, strident about what they want from their partners. 373 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 1: That's right, Yeah, they are. They are very clear with 374 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: us about what they want, how they want to align 375 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: with organizations, brands, et cetera. That aligned with their values 376 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: right in a moment where values are publicly on display 377 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: more than ever. So you spot on with with how 378 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: the environment has shifted. I think, you know, if I 379 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: think about how our team, um, you know, Terry Bateman 380 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: Scott Shepherd other folks who are work in that area. 381 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: I have approached it. I think it's the fundamental component 382 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:29,400 Speaker 1: of it is communication and transparency. And so I think, 383 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,200 Speaker 1: you know, if if reflect on the last week, are 384 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: ye the last let's take the last week, I think 385 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 1: the thing that will help us with our sponsors, and 386 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: the thing that has been helping in communications is being 387 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 1: completely honest about what we know as an organization the 388 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: processes were taking, pulling back the curtain on what we're 389 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: doing around culture, giving them the visibility that I didn't 390 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:58,919 Speaker 1: give you all right now into some of the concrete steps. Um, 391 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: you know that we're taking around culture and the business 392 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 1: and we're thinking about, you know, redeveloping our people strategy. 393 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 1: It's actually giving them you know, in the family view 394 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:14,440 Speaker 1: of that because the strength of that communication and the 395 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: openness is what will give our sponsors confidence that this 396 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:20,639 Speaker 1: is an organization that is on the move in a 397 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 1: way that aligns with their values, their culture and what 398 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 1: they want to represent in the world. Um. So there's 399 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 1: a bit of transparency that um, you know my colleagues 400 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:31,919 Speaker 1: have already instilled that is critically important right now. Uh, 401 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 1: there's frequency of that communication. We're no longer in a 402 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: world where hey, we've got a contract in place, et cetera, 403 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 1: thank you very much, talk to you, you know, talk 404 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: to you six months before renewal. That was never the 405 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: approach here. Actually think our our folks have done a uh, 406 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,920 Speaker 1: you know, a pretty proactive job. But thinking about you know, 407 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 1: sponsors in the same way that we think about the 408 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: sand journey. You know, I'm going to game day and 409 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 1: going into the stadium is exactly what we want to do. 410 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: Thinking thinking about it in this a way that we 411 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: think about the fan journey or the game they experience. 412 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: What are the different touchpoints with sponsors that are meaningful 413 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: to them, that help their business objectives, but also makes 414 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 1: them feel valued, makes them feel like they actually have 415 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: good input and direction on the club because they should 416 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: have influence on some of the decisions we make and 417 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: what we do. UM. And so, you know, thinking about 418 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: it in that uh you know, fan journey, sponsored journey 419 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: sort of thinking is exactly the right methodology to cultivate 420 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 1: those relationships. Um. And then I think, um, you know, lastly, 421 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: is making sure that we listen really carefully around you know, 422 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: what they are trying to do externally, and in society, 423 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: like it's important for us to understand the CSR objectives 424 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 1: of the sponsors, um the key messages that they want 425 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: out in the public around their product and their people 426 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:00,119 Speaker 1: and uh, and we need to understand that deeply. So 427 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 1: we need to do a bit of listening to But 428 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: I'm confident in our team to do that. You're in 429 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: a unique position because you have the vision of what 430 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 1: it was like as a player. You have the vision 431 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 1: and learning it more as you go along of now 432 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 1: being in management in the NFL. And I bring this 433 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: up because, uh, the Clippers Paul George. Uh, he said 434 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: he dealt with anxiety and depression inside the NBA bubble. Now, 435 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: of course the NFL is not in the bubble. But 436 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,200 Speaker 1: now I'm gonna get preachy, and I apologize for that. 437 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 1: It's a reminder and I've said this. I'm not gonna lie. 438 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 1: I've said this too and say, well, if they're gonna 439 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: deal with COVID nineteen and all the pro sports, they 440 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 1: have to be in the bubble and blah blah blah 441 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 1: blah blah. But when you read Paul George's story, these 442 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 1: are human beings. They have lives, they have a family, 443 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: and you know, and for our entertainment, they're inside the 444 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: bubble and that's got to be very hard. Can you 445 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 1: expand more on that and your thoughts about that. Yeah, 446 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 1: you know, I kick off my team meetings by saying that, like, 447 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen just really sucks for everybody. It just really does. 448 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: You know, there's a lot of data on it, but 449 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: the psychological stress that most people globally are under due 450 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: to COVID nineteen, especially where you know, quarantine and stay 451 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: at home rule are most stringent, are are really substantial. 452 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: And I think one of the things that we're going 453 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: to learn anthropologically in the future is what effects has 454 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 1: from as a society from a mental health standpoint in 455 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 1: the future, especially for kids who are in developmental stages. 456 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: It's actually I'm I'm nerding out a bit here, but 457 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: it is actually a very real thing. And I think 458 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: we've just been in it so much longer than we thought, 459 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: and we are all sort of adjusting and acclimating that 460 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:00,879 Speaker 1: we forget that this is a one in a generation, 461 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 1: very substantial anomaly into how we live, work, and interact 462 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: with one another. It's causing technology to evolve more quickly, 463 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 1: like it's it's disrupting us in many ways, not the 464 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,679 Speaker 1: least of which is in our psychology and in our 465 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 1: mental health. And um that is in the backdrop of 466 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 1: all of this. And that's why I say to my teams, 467 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: especially where in moments of crisis or mobilizing around something emergent, 468 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: is we're gonna have to be gracious to one another, 469 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 1: because even in normal time, we would make mistakes, and 470 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 1: we would make missteps, and we would have the wrong 471 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: tone and we would offend. That's going to happen always, 472 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 1: but especially in the context of COVID. We none of 473 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: us are our best selves, and we've just forgotten that 474 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: because we've been in it so damn long. But none 475 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 1: of us are our best selves in this environment, and 476 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: we need a bit of grace and understanding for one another. UM. 477 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 1: And I try to set the tone for that, and 478 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: we're entering meetings and discussing topics or things like that. UM. 479 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 1: So I don't know that answers the question, but that's 480 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 1: that's a little bit of how I think about it. Jason. Um. 481 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 1: Whenever anyone takes a new job with an organization, there's 482 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: a perception they have from the outside and then once 483 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: they start working this reality what was your perception of 484 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: the Washington franchise and a few days on the job, 485 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 1: how does that match up with the reality of your perception? 486 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:32,239 Speaker 1: Mm hm m hmm. That's a good I haven't had 487 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:35,400 Speaker 1: a chance to reflect yet. That's actually on my calendar 488 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:38,920 Speaker 1: after this, gentleman, UM, but let me let's start. Let's 489 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 1: start reflecting together about that. UM No, I think I 490 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 1: think for the most part, you know, UM, what I 491 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 1: expected is what I've jumped into. I think things have 492 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:55,640 Speaker 1: come more quickly and with more intensity maybe than I expected. UM. 493 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: So I get so. I'll give a few few examples. 494 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 1: You know, in my weeks zero, when I was meeting 495 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 1: a ton with the media, UM, I knew that we 496 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:09,120 Speaker 1: had a great asset in our fan base. I knew 497 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 1: that for us to expand the value of the franchise. 498 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: UM thinking about you know, the season ticket holder experience, 499 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: the suitetholder experience, and the and the off season, the 500 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:25,680 Speaker 1: out of game engagement with fans. UM too, that that 501 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: is a critical component of that experience, in the aspect 502 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: they have that they bring into the stadium. UM was 503 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 1: going to be an incredible driver of value for us, 504 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 1: both in dollars and cents and in the thing and 505 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: in the sense of you know, it's just how our 506 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: franchise is doing more. Um, you know, more broadly, I 507 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: knew that was a big thing, and I knew this 508 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 1: fan base was passionate. I did not know the depth. 509 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 1: You know, Like I played in Cleveland, it's a passionate 510 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: fan base in Cleveland. This is on a different level. 511 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 1: This was on a different level. And to me, that 512 00:28:54,840 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: makes it that much more valuable for us. The opportunity 513 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: to us, for us to turn a corner um and 514 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 1: pivot um in the level of positivity in our fan 515 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: engagement UM. And and that opportunity to expand the franchise 516 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: in you know, all in dollars and sense ways as well. 517 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 1: Is that massive. But it also means the stakes are 518 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 1: very very high. UM. So I'm glad that we have 519 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: this passionate and engage fan base rather than one that's apathetic. 520 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 1: But it's to us a greater degree than I thought. 521 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: So that's one example. Um. You know, I knew that 522 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 1: we would have you know, bumps in the road coming 523 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: um for especially for us on on the business side, 524 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: related to the allegations of sexual harassment, and things that 525 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 1: we or in the process of UH investigating with the 526 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: independent investigator that I knew coming in would be a 527 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 1: day one imperative for me to address and then a 528 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: broader culture UM to find as I mentioned earlier, to 529 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: find out where we're good, where we're bad at and 530 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: start to get one consistent culture that matches with the 531 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 1: coach of bearers doing on the football side across the organization. UM, 532 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: I knew that would be an imperative, and I knew 533 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 1: that there would be bumps in the road Because I 534 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: knew that there was there was likely more stuff coming. 535 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: It hits sooner than I thought and with greater intensity 536 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 1: than I thought. And I think what I learned this week, UM, 537 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: is that we have what I expected coming in based 538 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 1: on my time as the player, that we had a 539 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 1: really talented set of folks on the business side. When 540 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: I was playing, I remember thinking like, and these folks 541 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,479 Speaker 1: are smart and creative. I felt like they could make 542 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 1: a whole lot more money working somewhere else. And it's true, 543 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: but people like to be close to the game of 544 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: sports because they're passionate about it, and so you know, 545 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: you have great talent running around on on on the 546 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 1: cheek often um, in sports, and you know, I don't 547 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: know if we have everyone on the cheek, but we 548 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: definitely have great talent, and UM, I didn't realize how 549 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: much that talent has been achieving. But in the face 550 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 1: of just feeling you know, way down by you know, 551 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 1: story after story and um, you know, you know public 552 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 1: you know, just just a public dialogue around the team 553 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: not being positive, and folks have been persevering in a 554 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,480 Speaker 1: very heroic way to do really great work. You know, 555 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: some of the like the way that they are marketing side, 556 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: stood up a brand like yes, everybody see this as 557 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: an interim brand, but they actually had to stand up 558 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 1: this brand the Washington Football team in the context of 559 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: all this stuff going on within COVID, within you know, 560 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 1: a big polic dialogue around the name change. It's remarkable 561 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: what they've been able to do. Um. But you know, 562 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 1: they've been doing that in the face of all of 563 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: this stuff that they've been internalizing. So the degree to 564 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: which we need to give our workforce, you know, more 565 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: tail winds, make them feel heard and lift that load 566 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 1: a bit so they can be even more creativity and 567 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: innovation broken out across our business operations we absolutely need 568 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 1: to do that. So I think that was another one 569 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: that I wasn't surprised, but the degree to which folks 570 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: have been persevering was remarkable to me. And there's other 571 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 1: things like that. So Jason, before we let you go, 572 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: I know we're gonna run up against some time here. 573 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: I didn't wanna take you back to in some ways 574 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 1: where we started, in terms of what you're doing in 575 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 1: the moment as it relates to players, and a lot 576 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: of this comes down to, again in the argot of 577 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 1: business sort of talent management in a lot of ways, 578 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: as we look at what's going on with the n 579 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 1: b A and and even in Major League Baseball, which 580 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 1: has evolved a little bit over this summer. The NFL 581 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:41,040 Speaker 1: has taken a lot of criticism over the past few years, 582 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 1: all the way back or sort of at its most 583 00:32:44,440 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: heightened moment, with how it initially handled Colin Kaepernick and 584 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: kneeling during the national anthem. As you take this job, 585 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: and as you look at this situation through the lens 586 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 1: of a former player as a business person and now 587 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: a president, is the NFL doing enough? Is the NFL 588 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 1: different in terms of how it's approaching its players and 589 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:12,360 Speaker 1: candidly empowering them to say what they want to and 590 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,920 Speaker 1: need to say. Yeah, I think it's hard for me 591 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: to say day on day four, however, UM, I think 592 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:23,040 Speaker 1: the thing I would point to beyond what I shared 593 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,600 Speaker 1: about Coach Rivera and how we're approaching it as a club, 594 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:30,720 Speaker 1: which I very much support. Um. You know Commissioner good 595 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: Deal's conversation that he had with Emmanuel Acho on Uncomfortable 596 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 1: Conversations with a Black man earlier this week, and people 597 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: can seel whatever kind of way they want about how 598 00:33:42,280 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 1: you know what was in that conversation. And I understand cynicism, 599 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 1: although I don't think cynicism is I'm a cynic myself, 600 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 1: but I try to put it away when I'm focused 601 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:53,000 Speaker 1: on change because I don't think cynicism helps to be 602 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:56,840 Speaker 1: a change maker. Um, but you know there's good reasons 603 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 1: for cynicism and all that stuff. Sure what what what 604 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 1: was remarkable to me about that conversation was an open 605 00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:11,319 Speaker 1: h an open view, a transparent lens into an individual 606 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:15,400 Speaker 1: evolution of views. I think this is something that in general, 607 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 1: on difficult to discuss topics we don't often make space 608 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: for in society. UM, for people to learn to change 609 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:28,800 Speaker 1: positions based on what they learned and to have you know, 610 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 1: added nuance and layers to how they think about things 611 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:35,080 Speaker 1: over time, because people grow in their understandings as they're 612 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 1: exposed to other perspectives. And what I thought was great 613 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:44,279 Speaker 1: about that conversation was visibly in a very clear way 614 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:48,560 Speaker 1: seeing that evolution of thinking in Commissioner Goodell, my thinking 615 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: has evolved over time. Looking to someone who has been 616 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,680 Speaker 1: engaged on topics of racial equity, especially around economic empowerment 617 00:34:53,719 --> 00:34:59,760 Speaker 1: for years, my thinking has evolved since ye know, Kaepernick 618 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 1: went from initially sitting and then on the advice of 619 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 1: former military members taking a need to be more respectful, 620 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:08,640 Speaker 1: and then the dialogue that has ensued since over years. 621 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:12,880 Speaker 1: You know, my thinking has evolved since then on topics 622 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: like this, and I think the fact that there was 623 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:20,880 Speaker 1: public space for that should be instructive to all of us. 624 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: This isn't about you know, being at least to me, 625 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,080 Speaker 1: at least within our organization, being above some you know, 626 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 1: some bar of what you need to think, believes, etcetera, 627 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 1: on the topic of racial justice or any topic. But 628 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 1: it's about honest dialogue, expression of views and evolution in 629 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:44,280 Speaker 1: a direction of something that creates positive change where obviously 630 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 1: changes needed. It's like it's it's sort of like it's 631 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 1: I think it's a super over quoted, but you know, 632 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:52,399 Speaker 1: Dr King said the arc of the moral universe bends 633 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,560 Speaker 1: towards justice, you know, And I think it is not 634 00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:01,359 Speaker 1: that that the arc vision is what really strikes. It's 635 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:03,399 Speaker 1: you know, it's I look at it as a slow 636 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: bend or a curvature that is gradual and represents a 637 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:11,399 Speaker 1: bit of that evolution of how we moved towards these things. 638 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:13,800 Speaker 1: Do you need big disruption to catalyze it? Yes, that 639 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:17,440 Speaker 1: often you do. But um, I think that's that that 640 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:20,360 Speaker 1: that that's that's the best train that I can put on. 641 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: You know how I've seen this dialogue evolve over time 642 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,239 Speaker 1: and where I see that the NFL is at this 643 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 1: might be breaking news. Um, your team has decided not 644 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,759 Speaker 1: to practice today. That was as of nine fifty six 645 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:33,680 Speaker 1: am on Thursday morning. Was this a decision made this 646 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 1: morning or made last night? No? Yeah, we actually did 647 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 1: an announcement last night. It's just probably trickling through now. 648 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 1: I was like when it went out, Um, yeah, we're 649 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 1: we we decided Coach rivera uh and you know, I 650 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 1: jumped in the conversation with him and Dan Snyder and 651 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:53,640 Speaker 1: all of us together decided that it would it would 652 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:58,839 Speaker 1: be best to give the team's space to dialogue about things. 653 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:00,520 Speaker 1: This is I was referencing her last You guys already 654 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 1: knew actually, but you know, we're your coach and I 655 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:06,880 Speaker 1: were preparing for that conversation to have a good, structured, 656 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 1: open and productive conversation at the team around race, but 657 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,400 Speaker 1: more importantly to hear from them to help them inform 658 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 1: you know, what the strategy will be for Coach Rivera 659 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: on the team side, on the football side, and then 660 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:27,279 Speaker 1: understanding all of those inputs as I think about how 661 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 1: we have dialogue around these issues on the business side, 662 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:33,160 Speaker 1: because you know, the business folks want to have dialogue 663 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:35,480 Speaker 1: on this stuff too, So you know, that's what we're 664 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:37,799 Speaker 1: That's what we're doing here in a little bit, and um, 665 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:40,280 Speaker 1: who knows how it goes. It could be a great conversation, 666 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:42,400 Speaker 1: it could be a crappy conversation. I don't know. The 667 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: point is to have it, to be open and to 668 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:50,720 Speaker 1: be honest and try to shepherd it in a positive direction. Well, Jason, 669 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:52,520 Speaker 1: we're gonna let you get to that We are incredibly 670 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: grateful that you spent some time with us this morning, 671 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: day four. As you said, into a big job, an 672 00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:00,759 Speaker 1: important job, and we really hope to keep in touch 673 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:02,880 Speaker 1: with you. We know a lot of folks are watching 674 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:06,440 Speaker 1: what you do, and you're a gentleman first spending so 675 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: much time with us. We really appreciate it. Here here, Yeah, 676 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 1: my pleasure, my pleasure. So guys, Jason Wright, day four 677 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:17,360 Speaker 1: into his job, and as much as I think he 678 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 1: is taking it in stride, what a job he has 679 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:24,040 Speaker 1: in front of him. Michael Barr, Oh, my goodness. It 680 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:28,359 Speaker 1: comes at a time obviously, you have, first of all, 681 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:32,720 Speaker 1: he used the first president black president in the NFL, 682 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:36,799 Speaker 1: and it comes at a time where we're all over 683 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 1: the board when it comes to racial injustice, uh in 684 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:45,840 Speaker 1: the world, and his take so eloquent, the way he 685 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:51,000 Speaker 1: put it, Uh, it really have nothing but admiration for 686 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:54,760 Speaker 1: for what he says and how to handle it, especially 687 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 1: when we're talking about trying to deal with it in 688 00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:01,600 Speaker 1: a COVID nineteen world. That bottom line, we need to 689 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:04,319 Speaker 1: be nicer to each other. Yeah, we can definitely use 690 00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:11,759 Speaker 1: that now. Well, I was impressed that he's out front 691 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:15,080 Speaker 1: and and talking about everything openly. Um, he's got a 692 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 1: lot of stuff to deal with, their allegations swirling around 693 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:21,480 Speaker 1: his owner. Um, there's been problems within the franchise, and 694 00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 1: he's right out front, and that's that's best, the best 695 00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:26,600 Speaker 1: way to tackle everything, right out front, don't hide behind it. 696 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:30,120 Speaker 1: But what what surprised me and blew me away was 697 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:33,840 Speaker 1: that his coach, Ron Rivera, went and read the Constitution 698 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:38,240 Speaker 1: of the United States. Now, name me every NFL head coach, currently, 699 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,359 Speaker 1: past and future. I don't know how many of them 700 00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:44,400 Speaker 1: actually go and read the Constitution word for word and 701 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:47,759 Speaker 1: will use it when they address their team. And uh. 702 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 1: And he admitted that, you know, this country is made 703 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:56,160 Speaker 1: of individuals with individual individual thoughts and freedom of speech. 704 00:39:56,360 --> 00:39:57,880 Speaker 1: I thought that was pretty good, a good lesson in 705 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:01,800 Speaker 1: civics and shows how well rounded on reverous well. I 706 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 1: have to say. My takeaway is I'm a sports fan, 707 00:40:04,880 --> 00:40:07,279 Speaker 1: as both of you guys are, but I'm also a 708 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:10,879 Speaker 1: business journalist, and so in my kind of strange way, 709 00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:14,160 Speaker 1: I root for business people that I really admire. I'm 710 00:40:14,239 --> 00:40:16,399 Speaker 1: rooting for this guy. I mean, I just I think 711 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:21,400 Speaker 1: the ambition but also the humility to some extent to 712 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:26,040 Speaker 1: take on a job of this stature at this moment. Uh, 713 00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:28,320 Speaker 1: and I think it's even more than he expected it 714 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 1: would be. I mean, changing the name now seems like 715 00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:34,840 Speaker 1: something that happened fifty years ago, Uh, which is probably 716 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:37,880 Speaker 1: when it should have. But uh, you know, now he 717 00:40:38,120 --> 00:40:42,080 Speaker 1: is facing an entirely different set of challenges. So really 718 00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:45,760 Speaker 1: looking forward to see what he does, because listen, he's 719 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:49,600 Speaker 1: a a stupid businessman and if he can pull this 720 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:52,240 Speaker 1: turnaround off, it could be one of the greatest history