1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports. Should Major League Baseball 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: shorten up the season? How do we present football to 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: the audience of the future. I don't think that most 4 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: players understand the power that they have. The future of 5 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:16,439 Speaker 1: IndyCar racing is looking bright. Scott Sahn very basic math here, 6 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,319 Speaker 1: more bidders means more money, Evan Nobody Williams. The team 7 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: value has essentially quadruples. And the leaders in the sports 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: industry time to bring an our guest, Al's Flimbrunner, National 9 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: Hockey League Commissioner Gary Betman, Atlanta Braves president Derek Schiller, 10 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 1: Patriots President Jonathan Kraft. Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Hello, 11 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: I'm Scotts and I'm Evan Novie Williams. Every week at 12 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: this time plus Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, we explore the 13 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: big money issues in the world of sports. This week, Evan, 14 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: just you and me because our friend Michael Barr is 15 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 1: hanging out in Detroit with the family enjoining the Tigers. 16 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: On this week's show, we speak with the general manager 17 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: of the playoff bound Brooklyn Nets, Shawn Marks. But first 18 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: let's get to some topics. Scott and the big story 19 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: this week in sports. Obviously, the Masters and all eyes 20 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: again are on this guy. To me, it's I'm still 21 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 1: working on, still trying to get better. I'm still trying 22 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: to win more events. But I think that um winning 23 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 1: at Eastley, uh confirmed to me that I can still 24 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,639 Speaker 1: win again. That, of course, is Tiger Woods talking about 25 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: a title that he won last year, his first in 26 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: five years. Is Tiger Woods back day. He's back, the 27 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: guys playing well. Eldrick is a what what did the did? 28 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: The odds makers say he's between fourteen and tend to 29 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 1: want to that's near the top, but he's top five. Yeah, 30 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: Eldrick is back, baby, which is great news for everybody 31 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: associated with the Masters and golf because, as we have 32 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 1: seen countless times, you can talk to me about the 33 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: young guns all you want. You can talk to me 34 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: about yeah whatever, you can talk about anything you want 35 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: with golf. But I'm always asking, as are many many 36 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: many other people west Tiger. What's he up to? Is 37 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: he in striking distance? Did he make the cut? Is 38 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: he gonna be in Red on Sunday? And that's the 39 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: guy everybody watches. Yeah, absolutely, and you're you're not alone there. 40 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: Nielsen said that the Nielsen, the measurement company, sent over 41 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: some interesting stats UH this week that that we put 42 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 1: put together in a quick story. UM. Obviously, of the 43 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: four majors, UH, the Masters generates the most inexposure, you know, 44 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: because of the eyeballs and the people watching it. However, 45 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: it is also the stingiest when it comes to sponsorships. UM. 46 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: For for folks who are fans out there, they know 47 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: the Masters only has three corporate partners. It's Mercedes Benz, 48 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: It's a T and T uh and it's ibm um. 49 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: And they're leaving a lot of money on the table, millions, 50 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: tens of millions, possibly hundreds of millions of dollars um 51 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: by by by by their brand gets a lot of boosts. 52 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: They're praying gets a lot of boost and that's what 53 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: they want. And just one thing Masters associated. Let me 54 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: give a shout out to Steve Polity, the Newark Star Ledger, 55 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: talk about finding a different angle on a story. If 56 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: you haven't seen it, take a take a look at Politty. 57 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: He wrote about it's a bad week to die in 58 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: Augusta because like, nobody's gonna go to your funeral. The 59 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: traffic is terrible. You can't even get around to the cemetery. 60 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: I mean it's it's actually it's very good. It's a 61 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: it's an exhifting way to get checked that out. And 62 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: speaking of dying, uh, the Ada died in the Talented 63 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: evt Nobi. He's playing traffic. He's got like this side 64 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 1: of the street, stop this one coming. That was a 65 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: very nice, very good se nice segue. If we interrupted 66 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: to talk about the segua no no, no, still your 67 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: segue cop, because I mean that was I mean, normally 68 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: Bart the traffic cop, but that was really good. The 69 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: Alliance of American Football it disbanded a couple of weeks ago. 70 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: In unsurprising news, we have our first lawsuit. It is 71 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: a class action lawsuit filed by a few players, Colton Schmidt, 72 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: a punter for the Birmingham Iron, and Reggie Northrop, a 73 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: linebacker for the Orlando apollos Um. This is the first 74 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: of what I assume is going to be many different 75 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: lawsuits trying to get at one wide this happened, and 76 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: be is there some liability therefore doing it? Before we 77 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: get to that though, yeah, yeah, one and to be well, 78 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: he'd see he regressed he had the great traffic cop 79 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: but then he went one and not to every but 80 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: you got a haircut too, by the way, Um, yeah, 81 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: that's why he's Samson. He's like Samson. He gets the 82 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: haircut and it all goes. But I did not pay 83 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 1: attention to this at the when the league launched, I 84 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 1: didn't watch too much of it. But now that hearing 85 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: you say it, they needed better names for the teams 86 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: hot shots then it's like the Iron and they yeah, 87 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: they needed better names. Yeah, but as for this, listen, 88 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: we haven't heard from Charlie Eversol. The league put out 89 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 1: a statement on Twitter on what is like ten or 90 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: eleven o'clock on a Friday night, saying, yeah, this didn't 91 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: really work out like we wanted. Sorry, that's it. Nobody's 92 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: name was on it. We heard a little from Bill Pollion. 93 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 1: You got to hear from Charlie Eversol and Tom Dundon. Yeah. 94 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: And and there will be other lawsuits, and there will 95 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: be juicy ones. This is not a juicy one. I've 96 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: read most of it so far. I haven't read the 97 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: whole thing. This appears to be players who are saying, 98 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: you know, they put themselves in harm's way, believing in 99 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: something that wasn't there. And there are media statements that 100 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 1: these guys made saying, you know, we're healthy or have 101 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: a sober business plan, etcetera. Speaking of media statements, thank you. 102 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: Big twelve got a new deal with ESPN on the 103 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 1: digital side. Yeah, we have another big college sports uh 104 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: you know, multi multi multimillion dollar media rites deal. They 105 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: don't have their own network, but the only major that 106 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: doesn't have a Texas kind of you know, screw them 107 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: out of by by going the going the long Hard 108 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: network route with ESPN what ten years ago now, right, 109 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: they were so ahead of the curve that they even 110 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: beat the beat the conference. But this is a deal 111 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: that you know, doesn't fully include either Texas or Oklahoma. 112 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: Oklahoma has a deal with Fox Long Hard Network. Is 113 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: that's surprising to me here that it leaves that untouched. Yeah, 114 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: it kind of has to write like those are those 115 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 1: are pre existing things. Yeah, the problem is that those 116 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: are if you look at the Big twelve schools, the 117 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: two crown jewels from a popular layer in the money standpoint, yeah, yeah, 118 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 1: they're gonna share some of the money. Um, but for 119 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: the rest of the Big twelve, you know that this 120 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: puts the you know I think three of the next 121 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: five Big Twelve championship games on ESPN, plus another win 122 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: for ESPN, plus a lot of the other schools, you know, 123 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: the the other the other eight schools I guess in 124 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: the Big Twelve could have a lot of content on 125 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: on ESPN plus um. But you know, it solidifies the 126 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 1: Big Twelve in terms of the payout. We talked about 127 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: this a lot. The payout each conference gives to its schools. 128 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: Solidifies the Big Twelve as firmly as number three behind 129 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: the Big Ten in the SCS. Think about this is 130 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: just in the world of sports business. You've got this 131 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: going on. You've got Disney selling the Fox R S 132 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: N S, You've got the Disney Channel as sort of 133 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 1: director consumer. Now, busy time for Disney, and as we 134 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: already mentioned, it's a busy time from Michael Barr, who 135 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: is on vacation this week. But Evan, he's missing a 136 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: great interview with a great guest. Yeah, and we've got 137 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: a good one. We have the general manager of the 138 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets, Shawn Marks and Scott As you know, you know, 139 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: Sean's got quite the background, born and raised in New Zealand. 140 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: I covered Shawn Marks the player like the early player 141 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: fore and raised in New Zealand, played College of the 142 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 1: Cal Golden Bears, drafted by the Knicks, which is where 143 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: I assume you you met him first. I met him. 144 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: I met people everywhere. I don't know where. I was 145 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: played for a bunch of teams, including the Spurs, where 146 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: he won an NBA title, Then became front office, you know, 147 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 1: alongside R. C. Beauford and Greg Popovich, who are influential 148 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: in his career. Now he's the general manager of the 149 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Nets, who are headed to the playoffs for the 150 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: first time in four years. Some intro but Mr Sean, 151 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: thanks so much for taking some time to chat with us. 152 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: Pleasure and thanks having me on. You got it. What 153 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: I want to start with you is culture, because we 154 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: hear so much about that coming out of Brooklyn that 155 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: you had to change the culture. You hear it all 156 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: the time. Can you tell me what is step one? 157 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: I do mean step one of changing culture? Yeah, well 158 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: I think you slipped one from me. Here. Was was 159 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: trying to define a vision, um, but that vision starts 160 00:07:58,160 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: with getting the right people. So it was the right 161 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: people on board here. I was very fortunate that, um, 162 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: you know, a lot of the people that I I 163 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: went after when I first took the job, um, you know, 164 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: believed in that vision and that the process than the 165 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: challenge that was was ahead of us. And they all 166 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: sacrifice something. So everybody that came here lift something behind 167 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: or had to give up something. They all had great 168 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 1: jobs wherever they were in the world and said, look, okay, 169 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: I want to go and see if I can do this. 170 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: I can see if I can I kind of build 171 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: something special in Brooklyn. Cannot be a part of something 172 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:33,839 Speaker 1: bigger than myself. So it's really about finding the right 173 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: character fit and right the right people on board. Not 174 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: only that, but is it also true that the physical 175 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: space contributes to culture as well. It's part of the 176 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: team was in downtown Brooklyn. Some had the training facility. 177 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: Do you have to have everybody under the same roof, 178 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: listening to the same music in the elevator to have 179 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: that culture permeate an organization? Yeah, I don't know if 180 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: they will have to be in and amongst it at all. 181 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: Old times, you know, I think it's healthy to venture 182 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 1: out and then come back in. I do like the 183 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 1: sort of first set of eyes approach when you know, 184 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: even when I go and scout in Europe, and I'm 185 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: gone for two weeks, and what I pick up from 186 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: wherever I am and and come back in here and say, 187 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: have we thought about doing something a little differently? Or 188 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: I was in this meeting and this happened and so forth. 189 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: But um, so I do like people venturing out. I 190 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: don't like them, you know, being you know, in their 191 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: offices all day. I think one thing about our space 192 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: here is we're very fortunate the spaces is a collaborative environment. 193 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: You know, there's a lot of glass, The flow to 194 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: the building works well. Um, there's big meeting spaces. You know. 195 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: I don't like the cubicle, closed door office approach, especially 196 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: where we're at we're looking at this is more of 197 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: a start up approach where it's going to take a 198 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: collaborative if it, everybody's gonna have to you know, jump 199 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: in and pipe in. And you know I value their contributions. 200 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 1: That's why they signed up here. So um, you know, 201 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: that's that's what I look forward to every day. We 202 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:02,439 Speaker 1: want to get to your your playing career in a second. 203 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: But but when you took over at the Nets, is 204 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: that two thousand sixteen, Is that right? Correct? Okay, UM, 205 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:11,439 Speaker 1: the nets before you got there, obviously, you know that 206 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:15,439 Speaker 1: they had a number of bigger, olding, older aging stars, 207 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: you know, Paul Pierce, Kevin, Kevin Garnett. Um, you took 208 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: over a team and then started kind of a bigger rebuild. 209 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: How important was it for you to kind of set 210 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 1: the tone for what was a new phase of the 211 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: franchise than than the one that I guess fans were 212 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 1: used to when the team moved to Brooklyn originally? Yeah, no, no, definitely. UM. 213 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: I think no matter who takes over any particular organization 214 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 1: or ship, it's going to important that they put their 215 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 1: fingerprints all over it. And you know, initially, definitely there 216 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: was there was a more micro managing approach, more hands 217 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: on approach from me. Um, that's just sort of part 218 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: of the nature. Whereas I think what we've done is 219 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: we've slowly moved and UM and UM you know, gone 220 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: on to where it's a real collaborative approach and people 221 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: are now I've been so welcomed and loved the way 222 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: people have developed along the road here that you know, 223 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:15,319 Speaker 1: they've taken the initiative to UM to go out on 224 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: the run and bring something back to organization so it's 225 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: now about them presenting to us and we're all better 226 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: off because of of of what people have learned elsewhere. 227 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: We're speaking with Seawan, Mark's GM of the Brooklyn Nets, 228 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: himself also a former NBA player. You won an NBA 229 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: Championship with the Spurs. After retiring, you worked in the 230 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:36,079 Speaker 1: front office of the Spurs for a while. How influential 231 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 1: has has Popovic been on your career? Oh, I mean, 232 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: terrifict that whole organization, the Spurs. We were amazing and 233 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: so impactful. You know, I loved my time there without 234 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: a doubt. You know, I would say, you know, I 235 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:53,079 Speaker 1: was a journeyman. I went around, you know, five different teams, 236 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 1: you know, a couple of years, stops and here and 237 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 1: there and so forth, and I was I was fortunate 238 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: to pick up a few things along the way. And 239 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 1: I'll see the stop in San Antonio with special you know, 240 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,839 Speaker 1: winning a winning a championship as a player and then 241 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: as as a coach. But but Pop you know the 242 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: way he he's able to phrase things for you, and 243 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: you know a lot of times, you know, with him, 244 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 1: it's it's not rocket science. You know, he'll you know, 245 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: he'll arise a decision very quickly, and it'll be things 246 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: that go back to, you know, just just the big 247 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: picture ideas, what are your big rocks, what are the 248 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: things that really stand out and make it important. Sometimes 249 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: you can overthink things a lot, but you know, with 250 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: Pop it always came down to, you know, well, we're 251 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: not doing anything that's going to um take anything away 252 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: from what Tim, Tony and Monno and the rich the 253 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: group have sort of established here. They have to be 254 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: a culture fit, they have to be part of something 255 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: bigger than themselves. So it was it was pretty easy 256 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: when you have those requirements as to like, you know 257 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: what you're scouting for and what you're looking for to 258 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 1: add to the group. Is there a moment you know 259 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: in your time in San Antonio, either as a player 260 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: or as an executive, that stands out to you as 261 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: the moment when you went, God, I understand now why 262 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: this ranchise is so much different or more successful than 263 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: than so many of the other ones out there. You 264 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: know what it would be. I really couldn't do it 265 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 1: justice if I said there was there one moment, or 266 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: or even ten moments, because I think there was there 267 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 1: was moments probably every day every interaction I had with 268 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: both Pop and r C. That you know, they sit 269 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 1: themselves above the rest little things like you know, they 270 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: knew my kids names. That's important, you know when you 271 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: when you're part of a family and you're going to 272 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: preach this family culture, this family dynamic and and really 273 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: respect and realized the sacrifices that go on at home. Um, 274 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: not just for the guys in the court. You've got 275 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: to live it. And they lived it, and you know 276 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: everybody else you know, fell into line, and we we 277 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: all lived it. And that's that's the culture we all 278 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: pushed and that's certainly the culture that we're we're pushing here. 279 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 1: So we are chatting with Shawn Marks, the GM of 280 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: the Brooklyn Nets, and you mentioned r C. That of 281 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: course is r C. Beauford, longtime executive of How much 282 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: do stability have to do with success? Those are some 283 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: longstanding coach executive. You see a lot of teams with turnover. 284 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: Is that one of the things you'll look at that 285 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: lots of turnover, whether it be roster, front office, does 286 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: not lead to success. Yeah, no, I would, I would 287 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: agree with you. I think there's there's a fine line. 288 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: And obviously with Pop and our CEE you have to have, 289 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: you know, for in order to have that type of continuity, 290 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: you have to have the success comes like you have 291 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: to win. You're not going to keep you know, a 292 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: GM and a head coach and everything in place for 293 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: two decades without winning multiple championships like they did in 294 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: San Antonio. So at the end of the day, I 295 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 1: think we will realize, you know, what weighs on us 296 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 1: is our win loss and our record and so forth, 297 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: and the continued development and growth of your your players 298 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: and so forth, and you know, buying from fan base 299 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 1: and and every and everything else. But it also comes 300 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: from an ownership group. And I think we're very very 301 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: fortunate in Brooklyn where we've got you know, two very dynamic, 302 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: very versus ownership groups, you know, with you know, Michael 303 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: broker Off and Jossi now um as fifty one and 304 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: you know, equity stakes in the team respectively. So to 305 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: have that is and have that dynamic is something that 306 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: I cherish and really enjoy. I enjoyed picking both of 307 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 1: their brains about whether it's negotiating, whether it's you know, 308 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: how they ran run their businesses and stuff with how 309 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: they got to where they are I mean, they're obviously 310 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: both very successful businessmen, so that's a that's a great 311 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: dynamic to have on our side. We are chatting with 312 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: Shawn Marks, the GM of the Brooklyn Nets. I have 313 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: spoken with the likes of pat Riley about sort of 314 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: their business dynamics, and Riley, for Italian Evaluator, tells me 315 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 1: you need to be around every day, you need to 316 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: see and breathe the locker room. I've also heard that 317 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: about ownership. However, your owners are not there every day. 318 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: So does it come from the top or what did 319 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: they do? Is it empowering the folks under them to 320 00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 1: allow the success to happen? Well, I think they and 321 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: they empower us by listening to our decisions that we make. 322 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: And I think it's two fold. I need to, for 323 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 1: lack of it, to educate the owners on these the ramifications. 324 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: If we do this, this is likely going to happen, 325 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: or if we don't do this, this is what we 326 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: may face. And you know, there's a lot of things 327 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: that can change pretty quickly in this business. So you know, 328 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: I'm a big proponent of just laying it out on 329 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: the table saying here are options. I would rather over 330 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: communicate that under communicator. I don't want any surprises here, 331 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: and I think that's from an ownership standpoint. They deserve 332 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: the same. They shouldn't be surprised if I call them 333 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: too in the morning and say this is what we 334 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: want to do. We've got to do it. We've got 335 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: twenty minutes to make this decision. You know. I would 336 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: hope that I've outlined that in the weeks, if not months, 337 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: lining up to it, and then there's gonna be sometimes 338 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: we look at the end of the day, you just 339 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: don't have that at that time, and you're gonna have 340 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: to make some quicker decisions. But you hope that you 341 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: know what you've got in place, whether it's you're you're 342 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 1: scouting in your analects, tools and personnel have already done 343 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: that those that due diligence for you. Obviously, Joe comes 344 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: from Ali Baba and he will sometime soon, whether it's 345 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: a year or two, whatever it may be, become the 346 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 1: majority owner of the team. What can you glean from 347 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: him already in terms of what he takes from that 348 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: Ali Baba world to what he plans to bring to 349 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: the sports world. Yeah, very much a family run business. 350 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: I've made a lot of the people that he works 351 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: with and he surrounds himself with. And again it comes 352 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: back to the very high character people that are um 353 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:34,199 Speaker 1: the you know, most people that are indirect with on 354 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:38,440 Speaker 1: that side are there to put Joe and Ali Baba 355 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 1: and the family in the best place that they can 356 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: and they know what they're doing there. Um, Joe treats 357 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:48,679 Speaker 1: him extremely well. UM. So I love the fact that 358 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: it's it's a family run dynamic and just the humility 359 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:55,159 Speaker 1: that that the whole Um Joe, his family and the 360 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: entire Ali Baba group, h and josiph Sports has shown, 361 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: which has been horrific. Is there ever any confusion about 362 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: who the ultimate bosses right now? I mean, obviously Joe 363 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: is going to be the majority owner at some point, 364 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: he's not right now. Um. Kind of how do you 365 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: balance you know, talking to to Joe versus talking to Michael? Well, 366 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,679 Speaker 1: I look, I think it starts with with both of 367 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 1: them and their and their engagement and their relationship. And 368 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: from what I've seen so far is you know, Michael 369 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 1: has been great. He knows that you know, down the line, 370 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: this is, this is what could happen and so forth. 371 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: But um, he's been very engaging with Joe and the 372 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: two in all my interactions with them, they seem to 373 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: seem to be in alignment, getting along well, and they 374 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:40,400 Speaker 1: have the best interests of the Nets at heart, which 375 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: is which is extremely important here. And you know, the 376 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:47,880 Speaker 1: um the transition, I think, look, it'll be as seamless 377 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 1: as as as possible when and if that happens. We're 378 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: talking to Sean Mark GM of the Brooklyn Nets and 379 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 1: Sean for For folks who live in New York, I 380 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 1: think a lot of them may have noticed a couple 381 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: of months ago a new advertising campaign that you guys 382 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 1: pushed forward. Part of that, you know, subway banners, posters 383 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: aimed clearly at the Wall Street crowd. I'm curious what 384 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,439 Speaker 1: did you guys kind of see in either the ticket 385 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: buying that you were seeing or maybe in where your 386 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: fan base might be that made you guys want to 387 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:18,479 Speaker 1: target the Wall Street crowd? And was that successful? Yeah, well, 388 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: I think it's definitely been successful. I mean the numbers 389 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: that um, you know, Bret, your Mark and the and 390 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: the business side have been relaying to me over the 391 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: course of the the last really last season have been on 392 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 1: the up and up, which is just terrific. And I 393 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:33,959 Speaker 1: think that's a credit to the business side and what 394 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,199 Speaker 1: they've done. But you know, ultimately, you know, the players 395 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: and coaching stuff here that if you had to put 396 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 1: a product on the floor and compete. But I think 397 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 1: what the great thing about New York and and I'm 398 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 1: obviously not in New Yorker you can tell by the accent, 399 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,439 Speaker 1: but I had you for that sounded like the Bronx 400 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,919 Speaker 1: to me. Trust me, I get confused for a lot 401 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 1: of these days. But um, you know I did when 402 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,399 Speaker 1: I first moved here. I did spend some time living 403 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:02,199 Speaker 1: over on the Wall Street, um side of things. You know, 404 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,199 Speaker 1: I've lived in Brooklyn, so to be a little bit 405 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 1: all over here and to see how these burrows are 406 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: really connected, and you know, I think we would be 407 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:14,679 Speaker 1: silly not to try and take an advantage of you know, 408 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: this everywhere and everything that New York has to offer, 409 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 1: and that that obviously includes that, um, you know, the 410 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: ticket buying crowd, and and if there's a group that 411 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: you know, Manhattan's moving over here. Obviously we still have 412 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: the Jersey crowd that are coming here and our home 413 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: base here in Brooklyn. So the fact that we're being 414 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: embraced by by um you know many of the Burrows 415 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 1: is terrific and I hope that continues to grow. What 416 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 1: is the Jersey crowd still like in terms of a 417 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: fan base over for for for the Nets now in Brooklyn, 418 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: you know, all my interactions that they have been absolutely terrific. 419 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: You know, they're they're die hard fans. You know, the 420 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: fact that they're they're commuting out here, that they've they've 421 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: stuck with the Nets through the transition and through the 422 00:20:57,119 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: move and and you know, the ups and downs and 423 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: still both and they're in here for the long term. 424 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 1: And that's that's great. And I love the people that 425 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 1: are you know, are really you know, believe in something 426 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: here and they want to see this grow and and 427 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: they're they're committed to you know, again, they're sacrificing something. 428 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: They're having a sacrifice, whether it's a commute or whatever 429 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: it may be. But no, it's been it's been great 430 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 1: to have a crowd because they can speak to the history, 431 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: they can speak to the past as well. As a 432 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 1: newly minted member of the New Jersey Residents Society, Sean 433 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: I can tell you that if you can survive the 434 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 1: New Jersey transit commute. Losing your team to a different 435 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: borrowned state is no big deal. You've got some masochism 436 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: in you. If if you're if you're going for that. Uh. 437 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: David Stern used to tell me his management philosophy. It 438 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 1: sort of was was twofold one micro management. He used 439 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: to say, micro management is vastly underrated. And then the 440 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 1: other side was fear. He did not mind ruling with fear. 441 00:21:55,400 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: What is your management philosophy? Um? Probably neither of those. Um. 442 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,360 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying though that's that's wrong. I think 443 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: there's a different time and a different Yeah. I also 444 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:11,439 Speaker 1: think there's a time for having appropriate fear, and I 445 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: think we all should live by a little bit that. 446 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: There's nothing wrong with that. I mean I live by it. 447 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: Everybody should live by that. Hey, there's we're we're in 448 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: instance in an arms right here, and we're against twenty 449 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: nine other teams and what are they doing? What are 450 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 1: they doing better than us? And you know that's the 451 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: appropriate fear that I live by, Like, hey, I don't 452 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: want to read about somebody signing a player that man 453 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: that got away from us. Why didn't we hear about 454 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,919 Speaker 1: this first? And so forth? So um and and in 455 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 1: the front office knows that. And and you know, I 456 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: think they're all in line and they completely understand that 457 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:44,400 Speaker 1: side of it. Um. You know, I think the biggest 458 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: thing from me here is the development of of of staff. 459 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: You know, I love and I sincerely mean this. I 460 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 1: love watching the guys and you know, both male and 461 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: female grow in their respective roles here, whether again, whether 462 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: that's scouting, analytics, whether it's assistant GM titles, you know, 463 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 1: director of ops, um, you name it. But whether these 464 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: these people are growing and really relishing in the moment 465 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: and taking advantage of what's been given to them. I 466 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: think it's very rare that, you know, there's a team 467 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: that has a city that's sitting right in front of 468 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 1: them that we need to take advantage of. Who can 469 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: we get out in front of out there, you know, 470 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 1: in Brooklyn, New York, New Jersey and so forth. What 471 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: companies are doing things that are just terrific that we 472 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: can learn from it and it doesn't have to be sports. 473 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 1: So I love watching our group develop and grow over 474 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 1: the years, and they are certainly certainly doing that. Which 475 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: companies out there are doing it well? And what have 476 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 1: you learned well? I I don't want to give away 477 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 1: all our little secrets here, but I guess what I 478 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 1: would say is it's aligning ourselves with companies out here 479 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,959 Speaker 1: that obviously strategic thinkers were very fortunate to have in 480 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: for as you know, our Jersey Patch sponsor, and they're 481 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: a company like us. I mean, they chose to uh, 482 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,159 Speaker 1: you know, come to Manhattan and be here where they 483 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 1: could have set up shop really anywhere in the world, 484 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 1: little in the States, so they're here. Um, they're very progressive, 485 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: you know. I love some of their ideas that helped 486 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,639 Speaker 1: us a lot. But there's also just getting in front 487 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,119 Speaker 1: of you mentioned the Wall Street crab before. Is it 488 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,679 Speaker 1: getting going out there and getting in front of um 489 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,600 Speaker 1: in their offices. Is it getting in Google offices and 490 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:24,639 Speaker 1: so forth. There's a lot of places that we visit 491 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 1: with and go out there, the entrepreneurs. There's a big 492 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: start up community now that's you know, moved over into 493 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: the Brooklyn area. So there's a lot of things going 494 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:37,439 Speaker 1: for you know, where the nets reside, and we just 495 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: have to be the ones to take advantage of that. 496 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: How are we How have you handled sort of the 497 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: me too movement time? How do you look at your 498 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:47,679 Speaker 1: workplace and diversity. Have you made efforts to include more women, 499 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: more minorities. Yeah, a percent. I think I'm a firm 500 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: believer in that, and I think that comes from again, 501 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:57,200 Speaker 1: you know my past, you know where I grew up, 502 00:24:57,280 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: and obviously the sporting past and the teams I was 503 00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: a round. You know, I love that. I love that 504 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: diverse thinking, UM, and I think it's the real world approach. Look, 505 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: you're not gonna walk down the street and not see diversity, 506 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: especially in in a in a borrow like like Brooklyn, 507 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,119 Speaker 1: and and you know we want that. I want that 508 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:19,719 Speaker 1: in here. We've hired um multiple diverse candidates, whether you know, 509 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: female or different ethnetic diversities. But at the end of 510 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: the day, we want to hire the best people and 511 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:28,959 Speaker 1: that's the bottom line here and our jobs here are 512 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: going to be open to those best candidates. And again 513 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: that starts from from internship programs all the way through. 514 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: And I'm very proud of what not only the boss 515 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,159 Speaker 1: operations side, but the business side has done here from 516 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: from a diversity and me too movement, Sean, you're in 517 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,680 Speaker 1: the playoffs for the first time in four or five years, 518 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 1: I think the first time in your tenure. Um, are 519 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: there any business metrics you can share with us about, 520 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: you know, how you know, how business has been better 521 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: when the team has been better this year versus some 522 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: of the years past. Well, I mean we can we 523 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: can talk about the you know, the ticket sales and 524 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,719 Speaker 1: so forth. And I know, you know, we're up, you know, 525 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 1: over a hundred percent on you know, revenue and and 526 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: so forth, and and ticket sales and and um, you know, 527 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 1: season ticket sales, which is great, and that's continuing to 528 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: steadily climb. Uh. You know, I think if you come, 529 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: I don't know if you guys have you know, personally 530 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: been out to inns game. If you look at our 531 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: crowds over the past month, you know, I love looking 532 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 1: up in the crowds and seeing the same fans in 533 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: the same seats. So that tells me that people are 534 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 1: buying in. That tells me people are here. And it 535 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:37,640 Speaker 1: could be a Monday night, it can be a Friday night, 536 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter. They're here, which is great. And uh, 537 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: you know again, it's gonna be an interesting, you know, 538 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 1: a little time here. And I think you know, obviously 539 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: with our first playoff berth here, that's that's pretty special. 540 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: And it's you know, one rung up on the ladder. 541 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 1: You know, we we know we've got a long way 542 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 1: to go and a lot uh, you know, we want 543 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: to achieve a lot more than you know, just making 544 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: the playoffs, um, But it will happen all in due time, right, 545 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 1: and how we build something that's going to be sustainable 546 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,160 Speaker 1: that that fan base I've talked about can really get 547 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,199 Speaker 1: behind and say, Look, I want to be supportive of 548 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: this group for for many many years. It's not decades 549 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: to come. All right, chan, Well, let you go on 550 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 1: this one. Let's pretend I am a stud free agent 551 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: and I really really have a desire to live in 552 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:23,920 Speaker 1: New York, which means I have the opportunity to sign 553 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: with the Knicks and the Nets. Tell me why I 554 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:30,199 Speaker 1: should pick Brooklyn. Well, you know, I can't give you 555 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:32,440 Speaker 1: the full pitch, and I'm not actually allowed to give 556 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 1: you the full pitch, but I will I will say Thus, 557 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 1: I'll just say what we have going for us here 558 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: without coaching staff, um, and the development system that they've 559 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: put in place, the Switt equity, you know, is really 560 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 1: sick and to none. I think we've seen, you know, 561 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: multiple guys come in here um and and achieve and really, um, 562 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 1: you've seen the uptick in their performance. They've completely brought 563 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 1: into the coaching, the performance staff and so forth, and 564 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: you know, hands on swede equity and play a care um. 565 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: You know, I would again put that up against anything here, 566 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:09,680 Speaker 1: but it's it's a fun environment to be around him. 567 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:11,919 Speaker 1: You know, I'm certainly lucky to be part of it. Alright. 568 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 1: Sean Marks, general manager of the playoff bound Brooklyn Nets, 569 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 1: thank you very much. All Right, Evan, it's time for 570 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: our takeaways. My takeaway from Seawan Marks is the guy 571 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 1: studied and put in the time. You can't just become 572 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 1: a general manager. It doesn't matter. I don't care how 573 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 1: many years you've played in the league. You have to 574 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: learn the business side. You have to be around and 575 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: to do it under Pop and R. C. Buford. That's 576 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 1: a great internship, a great way to kind of figure 577 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: out how this all works. And it's clear in talking 578 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: to Sean that he has sort of exported that spurs way. 579 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 1: Now let's remember he also had David Robinson, Tim Duncan 580 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: you know Pop had a great franchise player with a 581 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 1: great attitude or two of them. It is always about 582 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 1: the team, not about me. That's not easy to recreate, 583 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: but they're trying to at least replicate that culture of 584 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: San Antonio, that family that we're in it together, and 585 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 1: you're seeing the fruits of that labor on the court. Yeah. 586 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: We unfortunately recorded this before Magic Johnson stepped down, but 587 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: it does. You know, I thought it was very enlightening 588 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: to re listen to this interview after. You know, Magic 589 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: Johnson talked about, you know, the struggles that he fun. 590 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: It's not fun, it's you know, not everybody can do 591 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: it or wants to do it. It takes a very 592 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: specific person, and I hope folks who listen appreciate it. 593 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: You know, this is a side of the sports business 594 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: world that I don't think it's talked about all that much, right, 595 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 1: the culture and fit and the way that you know, 596 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: the physical places like your arena and your practice arena, 597 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:46,240 Speaker 1: continuity studio, everything here at Bloomberg, by the way, everything 598 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: is transparent. The conference rooms are glass, there's open floor plan. 599 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 1: He's taking those philosophies as well. Yeah, just like in 600 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: all business, you know, sports operates the same way. Feel 601 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 1: better to be number one than number five him because 602 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 1: of Mike we have a chance to go for three 603 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: in a row numbers at a good time. When I 604 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: first started wearing their number, how would just have him floomberg? 605 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:11,800 Speaker 1: Business of sports, the number of the week, and now 606 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: it's time for the number of the week. Yeah, and Scott, 607 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: we discussed it. But the number of the week is 608 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 1: eighty four point four million dollars. Can't we make fun 609 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 1: of bar for last week's number of the week a 610 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 1: little bit more? And the fact that he had this 611 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: is a real number of the week, we promise guys. Um, Yeah, 612 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 1: eighty four point four million dollars. That's what's the remaining 613 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: on Chris Davis's contract right now. He has four years 614 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: left on a deal that's going to pay him eighty 615 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: four million dollars. Uh. And right now he's not playing 616 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: particularly well. If you haven't noticed, he's hit listen his 617 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: last fifty at best. So far this year, he has 618 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 1: thirty three plate appearances, zero hits, of course, fifteen strikeouts. Um. 619 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: And this is not to drag Chris. Hitting a baseball 620 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: is incredibly difficult, but it is tough to watch right 621 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: now one of the highest paid players in baseball also 622 00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: performing as one of the worst players and then I 623 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: was reading a story about kind of economic theory and 624 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: they were saying, the smart move for the Orioles at 625 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: this point, and I know it's fifty or whatever, but 626 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 1: the smart move is to cut them and be done 627 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 1: with it. You keep trying to make your investment count 628 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,960 Speaker 1: for something, and you're chasing, You're chasing, You're chasing. But 629 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: it's actually the worst thing you can do is keep 630 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 1: him out there. They're saying the best move from a 631 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 1: from a finance perspective is to just get rid of 632 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: it. It It also makes you wonder if at some point 633 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 1: he may go to the Orioles and say, listen, I'm 634 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 1: willing to forfeit X millions of dollars. All right, you've 635 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: been listening to The Bloomberg Business of Sports. We are 636 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: here each and every week at the same time, plus 637 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: as a podcast. You can catch that Monday's, Wednesdays and Thursdays. 638 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: Mr bar will be back next week. We missed your buddy. 639 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 1: I am Scott Sashnik. You can follow me on Twitter 640 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: at and I'm Evan Novi Williams at nov Underscore Williams. 641 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: Please tune in next week when we dive back into 642 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 1: the crazy world of E Sports with Chris Park, a 643 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:57,479 Speaker 1: former MLB executive who's now the CEO of the sports 644 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: franchise Genji. That's a deep dive for you. I'll be 645 00:31:59,840 --> 00:32:02,160 Speaker 1: in the shallow en. You are listening to the Bloomberg 646 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world.