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Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports. COVID has been so

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Speaker 1: devastating and to see thirty eight thousand people of Henry

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Speaker 1: Park it was really emotional and rewardings on the business side,

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Speaker 1: from ticket sales to jersey sale revenues are up. Everything

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Speaker 1: was really good as well as solids there. I realized

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Speaker 1: that at the beginning of twenty nineteen would be a

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Speaker 1: very unique opportunity in terms of a lot of contracts

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Speaker 1: being up at the same time a lot of sighting

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Speaker 1: young wrestlers being available to go out and start a

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Speaker 1: wrestling company. The country is finally deeply getting the memo

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Speaker 1: about how amazing the sport is. I think the sky's

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Speaker 1: a limit for MLS. Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio.

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Speaker 1: This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports Show. We explored

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Speaker 1: the big money issues in the world of sports. I'm

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Speaker 1: Michael Blarn I'm Scarlett Pho. You know Mike Lynch. Coming

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Speaker 1: up today, we speak with Detroit Pistons chief business officer

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Speaker 1: Mike Samontski. That straight ahead on the Bloomberg Business of

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Speaker 1: Sports Show. But first let's look at some of the

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Speaker 1: top stories of the week, beginning with how about these Braves.

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Speaker 1: The O two left sides wantson to first. I forgot

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Speaker 1: that the last time the Braves one was n did

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Speaker 1: you guys watch the World Series? I have to say

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Speaker 1: no to that. I did watch the World Series, but

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Speaker 1: I never hung I'm not sure I hung into till

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Speaker 1: the end for any of the games. See now you've

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Speaker 1: hit on both of the food groups that I want

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Speaker 1: to talk about. Because the ratings for the World Series

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Speaker 1: they're down, UH and and and that is a problem.

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Speaker 1: And not only is that a problem compared to you know,

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Speaker 1: last year and and the and the other years, but

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Speaker 1: the games are too long, they're too blasted long. I

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Speaker 1: remember the day when they started in the afternoon, and

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Speaker 1: I'm talking about on a regular weekday schedule. They started

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Speaker 1: in the afternoon, and then they went to the night

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Speaker 1: version and and it's just two day on High Scarlett.

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Speaker 1: There they're rotating players out left and right. There was

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Speaker 1: one guy who was on a no hitter through five innings,

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Speaker 1: and they took them out because they this is the

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Speaker 1: way the game is now set up. This is the

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Speaker 1: way the game is now set up. In UH Sunday

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Speaker 1: game five pm, first pitch. It ended at twelve am

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Speaker 1: so that is a four hour game, and of course

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Speaker 1: plenty of commercials in between, so lots of money being

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Speaker 1: made there, but it's it's hard to engage audiences who

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Speaker 1: are used to not having to deal with commercials and

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Speaker 1: turning away to any number of different options. I guess

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Speaker 1: lynche and don't get me wrong, and I love baseball,

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Speaker 1: but this is why, and this is why we have

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Speaker 1: an NBA guy coming on. Why I think the NBA

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Speaker 1: is the best out of all the four major sports

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Speaker 1: groups because the game is about two and a half hours,

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Speaker 1: and it's it's a great attention watcher for a younger crown.

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Speaker 1: You know you're gonna be in and out in two

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Speaker 1: and a half hours. Football, you know you're gonna be

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Speaker 1: in an out in three hours. Baseball you have no

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Speaker 1: idea when you're gonna be in and out. And I

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Speaker 1: asked somebody if he stayed up to watch any of

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Speaker 1: the World Series games. He said, when he woke up

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Speaker 1: at three o'clock in the morning, he checked his phone

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Speaker 1: and that's how he found out who won the World

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Speaker 1: Series every night. And that's awful. You you've you've got

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Speaker 1: to be able to watch the end of these games

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Speaker 1: and that's a big problem. The ratings are way down.

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Speaker 1: The average for the for the six games was eleven

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Speaker 1: point seven. Go back to when Reggie Jackson in the

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Speaker 1: Dodgers were playing against the uh the Yankees. The average

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Speaker 1: forty four million sets of eyeballs per game. Forty four million,

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Speaker 1: And this was average eleven and a half million. That

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Speaker 1: was back in the day when he had four channels.

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Speaker 1: Was was was left? I mean the three making networks

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Speaker 1: and like maybe a PBS thrown in there, exactly right,

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Speaker 1: but but there was there was more drama, and the

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Speaker 1: games moved. The games were over in two and a

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Speaker 1: half hours. They weren't four hour games. Remember the bit

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Speaker 1: that George Carlin did about baseball versus football, and he says,

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Speaker 1: football it's rigidly timed and even we have to go

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Speaker 1: into sudden death. In baseball, we don't know when it's

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Speaker 1: going to end. And that's the problem. We don't know

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Speaker 1: when the game is going to end. Okay, we get

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Speaker 1: that part, but I don't know what we can do

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Speaker 1: to to shorten this now. I mean it's easy to say, okay,

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Speaker 1: you know, you start a clock for the guy on

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Speaker 1: the mound and this and that whatever, But when you're

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Speaker 1: playing to hang on for dear life, to to win

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Speaker 1: the World Series, you're gonna see this, and you're gonna

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Speaker 1: see these substitutions. They've got to get rid of the

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Speaker 1: meetings on the mound when every all that, everybody comes

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Speaker 1: in and the coach, pitching coach comes out that nobody

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Speaker 1: should be allowed to visit the mound unless they're making

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Speaker 1: a pitching change. If Tom Brady when he played for

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Speaker 1: the Patriots, well let's let's do it. Even's playing for

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Speaker 1: the Patriots and through three in complete passes, Bill Belichick

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Speaker 1: doesn't call time out and come out to the huddle

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Speaker 1: and talk to him for three or four minutes, and

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Speaker 1: then the referee comes over and says, come on, Bill,

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Speaker 1: let's wrap it up. No, this signals from the sidelines,

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Speaker 1: and that's what baseball should do. If you wanted to

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Speaker 1: talk to the picture, either put a little ear butt

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Speaker 1: in his ear or make some type of signal to

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Speaker 1: touch your nose. You had you belt your shoulder and

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Speaker 1: convey the messags that way. We don't need a team

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Speaker 1: meeting every time somebody gets on base. Now you might

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Speaker 1: be onto something lynchy. If you're gonna do that, Okay,

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Speaker 1: but have it like in football where you have three

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Speaker 1: time outs a half. Okay, well you can do that,

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Speaker 1: like maybe three time outs during a game. If you

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Speaker 1: have that, maybe that'll work. Isn't this the stuff that

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Speaker 1: unions get all worked up over though? I mean they

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Speaker 1: they've tried to come up with new ways to slow

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Speaker 1: down the possibility of these things happening, to put an

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Speaker 1: end to it, and it feels like they're willing to

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Speaker 1: experiment with it during the regular season, but when it

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Speaker 1: comes to playoffs, you can't mess with the formula. Well,

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Speaker 1: they they've they've tried a lot of these things in

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Speaker 1: the minor leagues and sometimes they try some of them

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Speaker 1: in exhibition games in March and they say, okay, this

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Speaker 1: could work, and once they get to the regular season.

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Speaker 1: Batter is not supposed to step out of the box.

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Speaker 1: The pitchers are supposed to let a pitch go within

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Speaker 1: twenty seconds, and it just doesn't happen. It's not enforced.

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Speaker 1: There is the other big story that this one. Aaron Rodgers,

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Speaker 1: the face of the franchise, face of the franchise, one

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Speaker 1: of the top quarterbacks in the league. UH is in

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Speaker 1: COVID nineteen protocol. I'm gonna use those words and I'll

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Speaker 1: explain why. Aaron Rodgers back in August was asked about vaccinations,

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Speaker 1: and this is what he had to same, Are you vaccinating?

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Speaker 1: What your stance on vaccinations? Yeah, I've been to me nice. Um.

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Speaker 1: You know, there's a lot of a lot of conversation

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Speaker 1: around it around the league, and a lot of guys

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Speaker 1: who have made statements and that made statements, owners who

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Speaker 1: made statements. You know, there's guys on the team haven't vaccinated.

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Speaker 1: I think it's a personal decision. I'm not going to

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Speaker 1: judge those guys. Um, there's guys have been vaccinated, contracted COVID.

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Speaker 1: So it's it's an interesting issue. I think we're gonna

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Speaker 1: see laid out the entire season. I'm going to start

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Speaker 1: from the beginning. Scarlet Um, the man asked are you vaccinated?

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Speaker 1: And he replied, yeah, I'm immunized. You're I'm just going

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Speaker 1: to see your thoughts, and then he proceeded to talk

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Speaker 1: about other people who were or were not vaccinated. That

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Speaker 1: sounded like a lawyer approved statement if I've ever heard one. Um,

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Speaker 1: even though he's not mandated to necessarily get vaccinated, right,

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Speaker 1: I mean, they're just repercussions if you aren't, and and

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Speaker 1: steps you have to take. It's really interesting the way

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Speaker 1: that he phrased that now now that we go back

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Speaker 1: in time and listen to it, because at the time

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Speaker 1: it seemed to kind of satisfy everyone's question. Yeah, okay,

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Speaker 1: he's immunized. That means he's vaccinated. Uh, really careful play

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Speaker 1: onwards there. Yeah. To be honest with you, when this

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Speaker 1: story broke, I thought at the time he was vaccinated

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Speaker 1: lynchi uh And because of that statement that he made,

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Speaker 1: so I'm thinking this is a breakthrough delta variant. But no,

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Speaker 1: he wasn't vaccinated at all. He sought alternative treatment, is

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Speaker 1: what he called it. Look, this is the reigning most

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Speaker 1: valuable player in the National Football League. He owes the

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Speaker 1: league to be a leader and be vaccinated. He is

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Speaker 1: putting his team at risk. He is putting his coach

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Speaker 1: at risk. He is putting the good people of Green

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Speaker 1: Bay at risk. He let them all down. He's in

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Speaker 1: a huddle speaking to ten other people every single play

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Speaker 1: during a game, but he's also doing it every single

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Speaker 1: day in practice. That's a close quarters there. I mean,

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Speaker 1: you speak and if you've got COVID nineteen. None of

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Speaker 1: those guys are wearing masks during the game. Fox must

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Speaker 1: be out of their mind. Because they have the national

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Speaker 1: game of the week the Sunday afternoon, Green Bay at

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Speaker 1: Kansas City. That is a very, very delicious matchup. He

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Speaker 1: can't play. He has to be quarantine until Saturday, November,

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Speaker 1: which is the day before their next game, which is

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Speaker 1: a national game on CBS against Seattle. Will he be

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Speaker 1: able to play when he comes off the list on

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Speaker 1: Saturday the thirteenth. Will he be eligible to play on

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Speaker 1: Sunday the fourteen. He has let down a lot of

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Speaker 1: people here. I'm very disappointed in Aaron Rodgers, and I

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Speaker 1: can only imagine how what his teammates feel. Quarterbacks are

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Speaker 1: supposed to be leaders, the other person everybody looks up to.

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Speaker 1: Uh no matter whether you like it or not, they

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Speaker 1: are the leaders, and he has not shown any leadership

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Speaker 1: here at all. I'm gonna this is the part that

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Speaker 1: bug a lot of parts, bug the limit daylights out

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Speaker 1: of me. If you would have taken what he said

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Speaker 1: right at the start, yeah I'm immunized, and took that

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Speaker 1: sentence out and then he finished with the rest of

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Speaker 1: the statement, I wouldn't feel deceived. But you start with that,

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Speaker 1: and and people can can argue, well, you said immunize,

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Speaker 1: that's not vaccination. But when we started with yeah, and

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Speaker 1: it's like, well wait a minute, man, it's he's getting cute. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: you got cute. It's like, I'm not gonna get into

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Speaker 1: you know, you know, about the politics about being immunized

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Speaker 1: or not or this or that whatever, but you you

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Speaker 1: hit the nail on the head scarlett. He was being cute.

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Speaker 1: And and then there's the second part, and I haven't

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Speaker 1: heard it brought up a lot. Remember he guest hosted

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Speaker 1: on Jeopardy. And now you're on the set on Jeopardy,

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Speaker 1: on a national, highly rated, syndicated show. And there you

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Speaker 1: are out there, and I'm sure they have some protocols

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Speaker 1: for the set. I mean, what's the contact tracing on?

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Speaker 1: This looks really messy. Yeah, yeah, I don't know what

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Speaker 1: to make of this, and they don't. Never mind, now

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Speaker 1: all those State Arm commercials that he's done, now now

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Speaker 1: I'm sure those things might be you know, put on

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Speaker 1: the shelf for a little bit because of all of this.

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Speaker 1: I guess, Lynchy, My question is what does the league

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Speaker 1: do and what do the Green Bay packers do did

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Speaker 1: they try to cover this up? Well, the league is

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Speaker 1: going to look into it. Um. We know what Roger

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Speaker 1: Goodell said earlier this spring that teams could wind up

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Speaker 1: forfeiting games and forfeiting a paycheck. If that happened, this

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Speaker 1: is gonna be a locker room breaker, something that because

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Speaker 1: division within a locker room. I'm also from another business

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Speaker 1: standpoint here. Fox is gonna have a lot of make

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Speaker 1: good spots to their sponsors for this game. If this

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Speaker 1: thing is a blowout by the second quarter. You know,

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Speaker 1: I'm sure Fox has has has promised great numbers and

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Speaker 1: great ratings for this game and the following week against

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Speaker 1: Seattle as well. I believe that games on CBS and

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Speaker 1: there's gonna be a lot of make goods. So the

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Speaker 1: networks are not happy about this at all. And his coach,

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Speaker 1: Matt lafle Or if you reach some of his comments,

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Speaker 1: they seemed like just reading them, you can see the

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Speaker 1: expression on his face and almost look at the little

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Speaker 1: bubble over his head what he's really thinking. He's not happy?

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Speaker 1: But yeah, well, sports books are are adapting very quickly. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: at that game, if you had a bet on the

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Speaker 1: game before and you had Kansas City because they were

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Speaker 1: I think getting seven seven and a half points before

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Speaker 1: all the Aaron Rodgers stuff happened. Now it's I think

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Speaker 1: it's down to like Kansas City is either giving up

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Speaker 1: a half or half a point or whatever. So it's

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Speaker 1: the sports books right reacted quickly to this. Um, well,

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Speaker 1: we'll see how this turn. It's a disappointment. It's a

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Speaker 1: disappointment for for just how this all unfolded. Last year.

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Speaker 1: The Pistons got a three to lead one of the

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Speaker 1: last two. They'll do it up world. Well, as Lynchy

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Speaker 1: said earlier, it sounds like we had to get that

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Speaker 1: off of an eight track because it's been uh, the

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Speaker 1: messing with my head. Uh So here's the man that's

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Speaker 1: going to defend me. We're speaking with Detroit Pistons Chief

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Speaker 1: business officer Mike Zavonski. And see, Mike, I was there

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Speaker 1: in nine when we wanted all for the Detroit Pistons. Course,

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Speaker 1: I was never on the court, but I was there

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Speaker 1: in spirit. Well, I wasn't there, unfortunately, but I would

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Speaker 1: love a piece of the jewelry if if I Well,

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Speaker 1: welcome to the Bloomberg Business of Sports Show. Uh, I

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Speaker 1: first want to want to talk about the team itself,

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Speaker 1: the Pistons as we started the young NBA season. Uh,

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Speaker 1: and we're just coming back from COVID. How does it

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Speaker 1: feel now that you have fans in the stands? It's great.

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Speaker 1: I mean the return to Little Caesar's has been a

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Speaker 1: tremendous boost for the team. Um. You know, no different

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Speaker 1: than any team. Players thrive on that fan engagement and

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Speaker 1: energy that they provide. But I think the biggest piece

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Speaker 1: for us is the ability to engage with our fans again.

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Speaker 1: You know, we've been doing a lot in the community

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Speaker 1: and in and around the city of Detroit, but for

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Speaker 1: them to be able to experience a game, the presentation,

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Speaker 1: you know, all the fanfare that comes with it, that's

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Speaker 1: been the most exciting part. I gotta ask you, Mike,

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Speaker 1: about the business side of running an organization that's in

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Speaker 1: a rebuilding phase. Um, what does rebuilding look like now?

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Speaker 1: Because I think every time I hear the word rebuilding,

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Speaker 1: I think back to the seventi sixers and their trust

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Speaker 1: the process mantra in the Twenty Times, and how that

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Speaker 1: influences people's expectations for the return on investment in that process.

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Speaker 1: If you're an advertiser, if you're an owner, if you're

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Speaker 1: a management, if you're the talent. It all affects you differently.

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Speaker 1: What does that rebuilding look like for you? You know,

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Speaker 1: Troy Troy said it a couple of times. Uh, it's

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Speaker 1: a restoration. He keeps using the word restore, and I

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Speaker 1: think that's probably the best, uh, the most appropriate word

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Speaker 1: to use. I mean, for us, what we've really been

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Speaker 1: focused on for the last let's call it two seasons

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Speaker 1: is restoring the brand UM. You know, just like we

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Speaker 1: started this conversation, there's great heritage and history of this

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Speaker 1: team with championships UM, and I think in the move downtown,

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Speaker 1: we really wanted the brand to be reflective of where

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Speaker 1: we're headed. So that that's been the part that we've

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Speaker 1: been most focused on, and in order to accomplish that,

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Speaker 1: it's been about authenticity, being authentic to the city of Detroit,

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Speaker 1: the people that are in it UM and making them

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Speaker 1: a part of everything we're doing. So, whether it's our

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Speaker 1: small business program we've leaned in on, whether it's our

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Speaker 1: talent search that we did this summer where all of

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Speaker 1: the arena performers and acts are going to be people

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Speaker 1: from the city of Detroit. UM. You know that really

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Speaker 1: has been an emphasis and focus because we got to

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Speaker 1: be rooted in the city that we call home. Hey, Mike, um,

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Speaker 1: you had the number one pick with Kate Cunningham. Somewhere

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Speaker 1: back in the eighties, the NBA went from a team

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Speaker 1: league marketing standpoint to marketing individual players. Does that pretty

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Speaker 1: much hold true today? Our approach, it's never built around

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Speaker 1: an individual. I always look at as the players are

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Speaker 1: communicators of the brand, but not the brand. Um. So

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Speaker 1: I think from us you'll continue to see, uh, you know,

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Speaker 1: a more team holistic approach when we go to market.

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Speaker 1: You know, Kade obviously is a big piece of that.

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Speaker 1: We had a great rookie class last year, an Olympian

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Speaker 1: and Jeremy Grant, some great acquisitions like Kelly Olenik in

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Speaker 1: the off season this year. So I think you'll consistently

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Speaker 1: see from us a more team oriented approach. I want

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Speaker 1: to build on that. It's it's I know, I hate

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Speaker 1: using the phrase rebuilding and I hear that all the time,

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Speaker 1: but it is a rebuilding process. And the Pistons fans, uh,

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Speaker 1: hang tight, be patient because Mike, I know we're going

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Speaker 1: to come back to the fund that we used to

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Speaker 1: have back in and I should say also, what was

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Speaker 1: it twenty oh four? I believe can they come back

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Speaker 1: once again from the rebuilding process? Absolutely? I mean I

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Speaker 1: think the pieces are there, right, You're like I just said,

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Speaker 1: you know, you're seeing the development of some of our

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Speaker 1: young players. Um. You know, Sadiq Bay has had a

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Speaker 1: great start to the season as an example, UM and

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Speaker 1: and some of our other guys. So I think the

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Speaker 1: building blocks are there. Um. You know this season our

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Speaker 1: guys will continue to develop on and off the court,

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Speaker 1: UM and and continuing that restoration process and getting us

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Speaker 1: back to those championship years. What kind of expectations do

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Speaker 1: you need to manage when you're talking with your corporate

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Speaker 1: partners and trying to attract new corporate partners during a

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Speaker 1: rebuilding time. I mean, everyone's on you. You need everyone

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Speaker 1: on the same page, and you want to make sure that, um,

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Speaker 1: there aren't expectations that can't be met. But at the

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Speaker 1: same time, you want to build that excitement for what

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Speaker 1: what's to come, not just later this year, but in

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Speaker 1: the years to come. I think we and we have

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Speaker 1: a little bit of a different approach. UM. I think

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Speaker 1: the way that the landscape has changed, particularly from an

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Speaker 1: advertiser standpoint. You know, this is my seventeen season in

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Speaker 1: the business. When I first got in, it was putting

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Speaker 1: up a logo, UM, you know, and more of a

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Speaker 1: prestige purchase. Now it's very much an r O I

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Speaker 1: driven conversation. How is this accomplishing my marketing goals and objectives?

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Speaker 1: UM as a business, because I have many other options. So,

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Speaker 1: you know, we take that approach and lens to it.

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Speaker 1: It's about how can we utilize the platform that we

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Speaker 1: have to engage our fan base for those in the

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Speaker 1: Detroit metro marketplace and beyond to accomplish those goals UM.

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Speaker 1: Taking it from that approach, whether we win, you know,

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Speaker 1: twenty games or games, it's the same, it's the same approach. Mike.

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Speaker 1: Is it a tougher cell to bring people into the

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Speaker 1: downtown area of Detroit than it was out in the suburbs,

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Speaker 1: say Auburn Hills, the Palace to the Silver Dome. My

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Speaker 1: answer would be no. Obviously I didn't wasn't in market

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Speaker 1: at that time. But I think, listen, you've got one

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Speaker 1: of the best downtown entertainment corridors of any city in

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Speaker 1: the country. All four teams play within walking distance of

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Speaker 1: each other. You've got the Fox Theater that's right there

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Speaker 1: as well. I think the downtown entertainment district is a

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Speaker 1: desirable destination. Um. You know, you've got some great restaurants

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Speaker 1: in that area. There's a million different reasons why people

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Speaker 1: ken would and should and do uh come downtown for games.

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Speaker 1: I remember downtown when the old J. L. Hudson's building

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Speaker 1: was there and everybody would come down for that, and

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Speaker 1: then it just emptied out, and then they tour down

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Speaker 1: the Hudson's building and now it is back and and

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Speaker 1: part of that, and I know it's a little weird. Uh.

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Speaker 1: Dan Gilbert is big on that because of the rebuilding

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Speaker 1: of of his area with with the workplace there. Can

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Speaker 1: you talk about that because it really is an incredible

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Speaker 1: moment about the comeback in downtown Detroit. I'm going to

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Speaker 1: give all the credits to Tom Gore's our owner. Um,

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Speaker 1: what he's done and the commitment that he's made downtown

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Speaker 1: has been tremendous. And when you think of moving the

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Speaker 1: team obviously downtown, the commitment he made to building a

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Speaker 1: state of the art practice facility downtown, and you know

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Speaker 1: the last piece of that being our g League arena,

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Speaker 1: m on Wayne State's campus that will open November eleventh,

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Speaker 1: is our first game, and and bringing that G League

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Speaker 1: team downtown. It's really been a commitment from ownership to

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Speaker 1: to be ed in the city of Detroit. And Mike,

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Speaker 1: now that you guys are downtown in Detroit as opposed

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Speaker 1: to UH in Auburn Hills, I want to talk a

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Speaker 1: little bit more about the team's identity with the city. UM,

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Speaker 1: I've noticed that on the marketing side there's much more

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Speaker 1: of a concerted effort to tie the Pistons identity even

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Speaker 1: more closely with the city and the roots of the city. Uh.

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Speaker 1: There was a limited collection Martin Lawrence merchandise line back

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Speaker 1: in May because his show took place in Detroit. I

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Speaker 1: remember he often were Pistons gear. In December there was

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Speaker 1: apparel featuring the three one three area code and the

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Speaker 1: Detroit logos as well. What does that say about re

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Speaker 1: centering the team in the city and the degree of

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Speaker 1: untapped growth you see for the franchise in the city itself. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: I mean so when we set out last year, UM,

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Speaker 1: the ethos of our marketing platform and campaign was d

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Speaker 1: That's that's the baseline of it. And obviously there's the

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Speaker 1: basketball meaning UM playing defense, which is the heritage of

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Speaker 1: this team. But also the other side of it was,

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Speaker 1: you know, the continued rise of the city of Detroit

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Speaker 1: that d up mantra. So we've made a concerted effort

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Speaker 1: to lean in there, UM again always rooting it back

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Speaker 1: with things that tied of the city. So to your point,

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Speaker 1: whether it was Big Sean coming on as our creative

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Speaker 1: director of Innovation UM and you're gonna see some of

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Speaker 1: the projects we've worked on with him show up on

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Speaker 1: court next season. Martin Lawrence, we ran a great program

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Speaker 1: with that will extend into this season. With some of

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Speaker 1: those collaborations. There's one that will come out this weekend

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Speaker 1: with Detroit Hustle's Harder UM. We have several others lined

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Speaker 1: up for January, February, and March this year UM. But

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Speaker 1: also again in tying back to the city, our Shop

401
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Speaker 1: three one three programs that we have in conjunction with Shopify,

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00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:57,919
Speaker 1: where we're elevating small businesses, giving them a platform that

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Speaker 1: they don't have to pay for. UM would have the

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00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,399
Speaker 1: ability to storytell on on a bigger stage than they

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Speaker 1: traditionally would. So programs like that truly create I think

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Speaker 1: connectivity with the city and show that we're actually truly

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Speaker 1: leaning in. Speaking of connections, like you drawing any connections

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Speaker 1: to your championship teams from from the late eighties or

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Speaker 1: have you taken off the review mirror. Oh that's a

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00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:29,000
Speaker 1: good question the bad Boys, right Yeah, Um, listen, Like

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Speaker 1: I said, there's there's a great heritage of this team, um.

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Speaker 1: And and and as part of the mantra of restore it,

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Speaker 1: it's bringing back, um, you know, what this team has

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Speaker 1: been founded on, but also modernizing it and and making

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Speaker 1: it and contemporizing and making a part of today. So

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Speaker 1: I think you'll always see an influence of what what

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Speaker 1: was what this team was built on, but again probably

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Speaker 1: nuanced or contemporized for where we are today. To talk

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Speaker 1: about the evolution of the team and where the team

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Speaker 1: has played, just to give a brief history, UH, for

421
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Speaker 1: many years, they played at Cobo Hall, which is in

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Speaker 1: the downtown Detroit area for many years, and then they

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Speaker 1: moved to the Pontiac Silver Dome for a while, and

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Speaker 1: they played out in Pontiac, which is about miles out

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Speaker 1: from Detroit. And then they went to the Palace of

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Speaker 1: Auburn Hills and then you came back to right in

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Speaker 1: the downtown area. UH. It's a team that has evolved

428
00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:41,320
Speaker 1: many times about the home placement UH with Little Caesar's

429
00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:45,760
Speaker 1: arena and being connected with Little Caesar's. How has that

430
00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:50,240
Speaker 1: been UH for you guys, especially with the Little Caesar's

431
00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:56,720
Speaker 1: UH arena and and their sponsorship. I think the building

432
00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:02,080
Speaker 1: is tremendous UM. I think the central location of it

433
00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:06,320
Speaker 1: makes it easily accessible for for anybody to get to UM,

434
00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:10,000
Speaker 1: whether you're working downtown, coming down for dinner and then

435
00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,679
Speaker 1: can enjoy a game. I think the the ease of

436
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:18,360
Speaker 1: access obviously is the biggest piece UM. The concourse spaces

437
00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,560
Speaker 1: the premium clubs all our state of the art, so

438
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:26,280
Speaker 1: I think the venue itself has been tremendous. Obviously, We'll

439
00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,560
Speaker 1: always look to continue to innovate and and create new things,

440
00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:32,719
Speaker 1: like we did this season with our court Cure Courtside

441
00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:36,720
Speaker 1: Club UM, where we took UH an area behind the

442
00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:40,320
Speaker 1: basket and created really the first of its kind where

443
00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,600
Speaker 1: there's a fully full functional UM club space that is

444
00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,240
Speaker 1: within the seating bowl where you can grab a drink

445
00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,320
Speaker 1: or some food and not be displaced while you're watching

446
00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:54,000
Speaker 1: the game. Live bar mentioned Dan Gilbert earlier, I have

447
00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,280
Speaker 1: to ask you, Dan Gilbert, being such a big booster

448
00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,879
Speaker 1: of Detroit overall, uh half a billion dollar plan to

449
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,320
Speaker 1: vitalize the neighborhoods of the city, what is it like

450
00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,040
Speaker 1: working with an icon of Detroit, icon in the city,

451
00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:11,120
Speaker 1: even though he owns the Cavaliers. I mean, listen, He's

452
00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:14,119
Speaker 1: done obviously some great things for the city and continues

453
00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,399
Speaker 1: to do it. UM. And I think, you know, looking

454
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:22,600
Speaker 1: at us and Tom more specifically, you know, the commitment

455
00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:26,240
Speaker 1: to downtown and the continued revitalization of it UM is

456
00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:30,280
Speaker 1: certainly there. Whether it's the basketball courts. We we committed

457
00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:34,840
Speaker 1: to renovating over a hundred basketball courts downtown. We're about

458
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,840
Speaker 1: sixty through that process, giving people places where they can

459
00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:42,360
Speaker 1: go play and get outside. You know, I talked about

460
00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:45,400
Speaker 1: earlier just some of the commitments we made to building

461
00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:50,080
Speaker 1: our practice facility, the Gee League arena, um, et cetera.

462
00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:55,600
Speaker 1: So I think, in tandem UM again, it's really continuing

463
00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,240
Speaker 1: the push of that d up message UM and the

464
00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,280
Speaker 1: continued rise of the city of Detroit. And let's talk

465
00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:05,600
Speaker 1: about something that I kind of like just a tidh

466
00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:12,639
Speaker 1: sports betting, just a tad and not only is First

467
00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,879
Speaker 1: of all, how is it in Little Caesar's Arena? And

468
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:21,160
Speaker 1: now with Michigan now having online betting, how has that

469
00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:25,359
Speaker 1: changed the whole landscape for you guys. You know, obviously

470
00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,080
Speaker 1: it's new in Michigan for this season. UM. You know,

471
00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,040
Speaker 1: we've partnered with some of the biggest invest in the

472
00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:37,000
Speaker 1: business to ensure that our fans have options, um, you know,

473
00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,959
Speaker 1: and we've created different swim lanes for them to activate in.

474
00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:44,120
Speaker 1: But I think you know, listen, it creates the ability

475
00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:47,960
Speaker 1: to be more interactive with the game, um, whether you're

476
00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:52,359
Speaker 1: in the building watching or at home watching. And I

477
00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:54,879
Speaker 1: think you're going to continue to see an evolution of

478
00:27:55,359 --> 00:28:00,480
Speaker 1: integration from a sports betting perspective into the viewing experience

479
00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,480
Speaker 1: short and longer term. Mike, what do you worry about

480
00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,240
Speaker 1: when it comes to sports betting and sports gambling. I mean,

481
00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:10,000
Speaker 1: everyone in the industry is excited about it. There's a

482
00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,240
Speaker 1: lot of growth potential. Obviously, it's an incredible way to

483
00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,760
Speaker 1: engage fans, particularly in games that um might have lost

484
00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:21,320
Speaker 1: some of their drama towards the end, or if there's

485
00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:23,320
Speaker 1: not a great matchup. But there are parts of it

486
00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:25,680
Speaker 1: that we still don't know about yet and it's kind

487
00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:29,720
Speaker 1: of a live experiment. What worries you, Well, I always

488
00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,640
Speaker 1: want people to be responsible obviously and how they're participating

489
00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:35,840
Speaker 1: in it. And I think all of the messaging that

490
00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,400
Speaker 1: we put out there in partnership with those that were

491
00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:44,360
Speaker 1: working with says that. Um. You know, again, it's a

492
00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:48,320
Speaker 1: great experience, it's a great offering. It does create you know,

493
00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:52,040
Speaker 1: some added drama in certain moments for sure, but again,

494
00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,600
Speaker 1: always want to make sure that people are responsible in

495
00:28:55,640 --> 00:29:00,200
Speaker 1: doing so. Mike, You've got a relationship with fans, Will

496
00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:05,520
Speaker 1: and Draft Kings. Um. What can they do for you? Um?

497
00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,920
Speaker 1: For the Detroit Pistons. Yeah, I mean I think they've

498
00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,880
Speaker 1: both done a tremendous job in in creating experiences for

499
00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,720
Speaker 1: our fan base, engaging them. Um. And I really look

500
00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:21,640
Speaker 1: at that as as the biggest opportunity and platform. Um.

501
00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,640
Speaker 1: How how can they help elevate someone's experience at home?

502
00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,600
Speaker 1: How can they help elevate someone's experience in the arena

503
00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,880
Speaker 1: and in tandem, That's what we're really focused on with

504
00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:36,640
Speaker 1: both of them. Life has changed how fans buy food

505
00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:40,640
Speaker 1: at arenas uh used to be you just walked up

506
00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:44,600
Speaker 1: to the concession bars, you know, give me an old

507
00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:46,880
Speaker 1: Henry bar and then you're back into the seat. But

508
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:52,000
Speaker 1: now everything is computerized. Everything is now with the swipe

509
00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:56,680
Speaker 1: of a card. How has Little Caesar's Arena evolved in

510
00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:02,200
Speaker 1: that area? Yeah, I mean it's a cash les venue. Um. Obviously,

511
00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:06,240
Speaker 1: if if you have cash, there's ways that you can

512
00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:10,120
Speaker 1: convert it into a card. But again, in creating efficiencies

513
00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,680
Speaker 1: and really maximizing the experience that you have as a consumer,

514
00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:16,680
Speaker 1: so you don't have to wait onlines, you can, you know,

515
00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:20,240
Speaker 1: order things in advance, you can it's cash less. Anything

516
00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,440
Speaker 1: that we can do to speed up, um, the transaction

517
00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:26,520
Speaker 1: or the servicing side of it, so you can enjoy

518
00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:30,240
Speaker 1: more of the experience while you're there. That is a goal.

519
00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,600
Speaker 1: I gotta ask you about something in the front office, UM,

520
00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:36,920
Speaker 1: you're now working with Aren't tell them? How does having

521
00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:39,640
Speaker 1: a former super agent in the front office making a

522
00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:43,680
Speaker 1: lot of the decisions contribute to the dynamic of the

523
00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:48,200
Speaker 1: organization really rounded out and change your way of thinking

524
00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,920
Speaker 1: about how to run the business. Sure, well, it's been

525
00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,440
Speaker 1: a pleasure to work with our owner Tom Gores and

526
00:30:55,440 --> 00:31:00,000
Speaker 1: and Aren't I think Aren't brings a wealth of experience.

527
00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:04,400
Speaker 1: It's um obviously on on the player's side. Um. Before

528
00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:07,400
Speaker 1: coming and taking this job, I had an experience doing

529
00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,160
Speaker 1: so myself. I was at Rock Nation prior to joining

530
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:17,520
Speaker 1: the Pistons. I think his expertise in different situations. UM.

531
00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:20,000
Speaker 1: You know, having experienced it from the other side, provides

532
00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:23,360
Speaker 1: a great dynamic and ability for us to understand how,

533
00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:26,720
Speaker 1: what and why we should do certain things. UM. So

534
00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:31,880
Speaker 1: truly been invaluable for me. Um. And I'm sure Troy

535
00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:34,000
Speaker 1: would say the same thing on the other side. What's

536
00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:38,480
Speaker 1: his most useful tip? I mean, he's got some great stories.

537
00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:40,960
Speaker 1: I gotta be honest with you, based on his his

538
00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:45,360
Speaker 1: clientele um so. And I cannot get into those on

539
00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:50,680
Speaker 1: this we won't tell anybody really, go ahead, UM, but no,

540
00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:57,160
Speaker 1: I mean, listen, he's arguably the most accomplished agent in

541
00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:01,120
Speaker 1: the history of our our business. Uh. And the ability

542
00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,840
Speaker 1: to just have him down the hall where I can

543
00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:07,120
Speaker 1: go talk through a situation that could come up and

544
00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:11,360
Speaker 1: you know, garner some expertise or insight. UM. I mean

545
00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:16,240
Speaker 1: it's invaluable. Mike, refresh my memory back on the scambling thing.

546
00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:21,400
Speaker 1: Is the NBA allowing in arena gambling? Uh, let's say

547
00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,680
Speaker 1: it like a little kiosk or they have to is

548
00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,000
Speaker 1: it strictly on an app? And if physically, if you

549
00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:29,360
Speaker 1: want to lay down some money you have to do

550
00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:33,440
Speaker 1: with someplace outside the building. It depends on your market

551
00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:38,080
Speaker 1: and jurisdiction. Um, really is the driver there? Um? You

552
00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:41,800
Speaker 1: know here Washington has it in the arena, right Is

553
00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:44,400
Speaker 1: that right? Am? I correct that one? Okay, you're correct.

554
00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:47,560
Speaker 1: They have a book in their building. Um. You know

555
00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:50,520
Speaker 1: for us, it's all digital and online, so on your

556
00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:54,520
Speaker 1: mobile device you would do it. The Pistons are in

557
00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,680
Speaker 1: a very unique situation and it kind of piggies back,

558
00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,160
Speaker 1: piggybacks off of what we talked about earlier about taking

559
00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:04,080
Speaker 1: something from the eighty nine team or the teams in

560
00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:09,400
Speaker 1: the past. Detroit had a mayor who was a very

561
00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:14,000
Speaker 1: famous Detroit Piston, Dave Bing. So you combine those two

562
00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,680
Speaker 1: together and you have a vast knowledge. Have you had

563
00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:22,880
Speaker 1: any talks with former mayor Dave Bing about what can

564
00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:28,720
Speaker 1: the Pistons organization do to help expand even more? I

565
00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:33,600
Speaker 1: mean extensively. We we we obviously tap into him regularly,

566
00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:40,080
Speaker 1: um to gather expertise, insight, um. And I think what

567
00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,480
Speaker 1: you'll also see this season more specifically around him. Since

568
00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:46,480
Speaker 1: it is the seventy anniversary of the NBA, we will

569
00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:50,600
Speaker 1: celebrate him one night this year. There's a theme night

570
00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:57,360
Speaker 1: and giveaway nights center around Dave. So, yes, that is neat.

571
00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:02,000
Speaker 1: I like that. That that is Dave. It bless him.

572
00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:05,080
Speaker 1: I was a kid when I when he played, and

573
00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:09,680
Speaker 1: I just enjoyed watching him. And I'm trying to think

574
00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:13,640
Speaker 1: of there any other major cities in the nation where

575
00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,360
Speaker 1: you have a unique situation like that where you had

576
00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,080
Speaker 1: a guy who was a famous sports athlete on one

577
00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:24,080
Speaker 1: team and now became the mayor of that city. And

578
00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:26,160
Speaker 1: I'm trying to are we waiting for Peyton Manning to

579
00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:30,840
Speaker 1: become the mayor of Yeah, that could happen. Yeah, I

580
00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:37,719
Speaker 1: think I wasn't kept. Isn't Kevin Johnson UM in Sacramento? Yeah? Yeah,

581
00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:40,160
Speaker 1: I think I think Lynn Swanne either ran for the

582
00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:42,480
Speaker 1: mayor of Pittsburgh or the governor of Pennsylvania, one of

583
00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:44,960
Speaker 1: the one of the two. UM. I want to talk

584
00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:48,240
Speaker 1: about in game entertainment, engaging fans and keeping them engaged,

585
00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:50,400
Speaker 1: you know, in a game that might be one sided

586
00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:53,680
Speaker 1: a little bit. Uh uh. This is I guess this

587
00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:57,760
Speaker 1: is where interns sort of rise and shine here because

588
00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:02,360
Speaker 1: I'm sure great ideas are always welcome at the table. Absolutely.

589
00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,359
Speaker 1: I mean it's a big focus for us, right you

590
00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:09,440
Speaker 1: have let's let's park the basketball for a second. As

591
00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:13,480
Speaker 1: a consumer, you have so many entertainment options, right there's theater,

592
00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,759
Speaker 1: there's movies, there's staying at home. Like so for us,

593
00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:22,200
Speaker 1: we're there, We're very focused on what is that entertainment experience? Um,

594
00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:24,719
Speaker 1: And I'll use Opening Night as a great example of it.

595
00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:28,560
Speaker 1: You know, we had several Detroit artists out, whether it

596
00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:32,160
Speaker 1: was baby Face Ray or Cash Doll that performed. Big

597
00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:35,440
Speaker 1: Sean came out, um and joined us for the game

598
00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:39,759
Speaker 1: and was a part of our game presentation. Um. Everything

599
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:44,000
Speaker 1: was thematic tied together. We we even tied in the

600
00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:47,399
Speaker 1: past we had been Wallace and and Rip Hamilton's there

601
00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,680
Speaker 1: as well. Again, all of these things taken tie together

602
00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,759
Speaker 1: to provide that experience you have when you come out

603
00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:58,120
Speaker 1: in a seamless fashion. Another thing that has helped when

604
00:35:58,120 --> 00:36:01,239
Speaker 1: you put all the sports arenas are in the one

605
00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:05,439
Speaker 1: area is just simply the businesses around itself. I mean,

606
00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:11,040
Speaker 1: shopping picks up, the dining picks up, and and a

607
00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:15,520
Speaker 1: lot of people don't realize what that means, especially for

608
00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:20,880
Speaker 1: a city link Detroit. Absolutely. Um, I'll give you an

609
00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,480
Speaker 1: experience I had from the past around that, you know,

610
00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:25,719
Speaker 1: and when I was with the Nets and we had

611
00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:29,759
Speaker 1: built an open Barkley Center, the surrounding area. UM, for

612
00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:32,640
Speaker 1: the first couple of years it was open, saw compounded

613
00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:37,319
Speaker 1: year over year growth the businesses. So when you when

614
00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:42,240
Speaker 1: you look at the venues as an epicenter for gathering people.

615
00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:45,840
Speaker 1: To your point, yes, there there's such a benefit for

616
00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:50,160
Speaker 1: whether it's restaurants, retailers, et cetera, UM, that are in

617
00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:54,799
Speaker 1: that vicinity. Like, is there is there a model franchise

618
00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,640
Speaker 1: for business and marketing in the NBA or in all

619
00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:01,320
Speaker 1: sports that that everyone in your position sort of Saton says, hmm,

620
00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:03,640
Speaker 1: that's a pretty cool idea. Maybe we should try something

621
00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:07,279
Speaker 1: like that ourselves, isn't it us? No, I'm just kidding. Well, no,

622
00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:09,759
Speaker 1: I mean it could be. I mean, I didn't mean

623
00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:12,960
Speaker 1: any disrespect, but I mean, you know, somewhere, you know,

624
00:37:13,560 --> 00:37:15,880
Speaker 1: at the time, everyone looked at the San Antonio Spurs,

625
00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:17,719
Speaker 1: that's how you build a basketball team. They looked at

626
00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:20,080
Speaker 1: the Celtics, they look at the Patriots. You know, is

627
00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:26,160
Speaker 1: there a franchise. That's the model. I think across the

628
00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:29,880
Speaker 1: league there are several teams that run a very solid

629
00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:34,600
Speaker 1: business um and and do it the right way. UM.

630
00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:37,520
Speaker 1: You know, I'm not going to name anybody specifically, but

631
00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:41,160
Speaker 1: there's a there's a small group of people that if

632
00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:43,320
Speaker 1: I ever have a question or want to bounce something

633
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:46,800
Speaker 1: off of, UM, that I'll call on and just say, hey,

634
00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:49,000
Speaker 1: what do you think about this situation? Or I noticed

635
00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,920
Speaker 1: you did this here? UM. So yeah, there's there's definitely

636
00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:56,160
Speaker 1: a group of people that do it really well. What

637
00:37:56,440 --> 00:38:00,640
Speaker 1: is the most rewarding thing that you have have been

638
00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:06,399
Speaker 1: through since being with the Detroit Pistons, UM, I'm really

639
00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:11,120
Speaker 1: most proud of the collection of people internally that we've

640
00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:14,759
Speaker 1: put together and the culture that's being built here. If

641
00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:17,719
Speaker 1: we're going to be successful out in the community on

642
00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:21,440
Speaker 1: the court, UM, it all starts from within. And I

643
00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:25,040
Speaker 1: think the people that either we're here or that are

644
00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:28,840
Speaker 1: now here UM and and everybody coming together is a

645
00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:32,080
Speaker 1: reflection of what you've been seeing both from a brand standpoint,

646
00:38:32,719 --> 00:38:35,480
Speaker 1: UM in some of the changes that that we've made

647
00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:37,520
Speaker 1: over the last couple of years and for all the

648
00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:40,640
Speaker 1: continued activation that we do in the community. I have

649
00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:46,239
Speaker 1: never seen a sports franchise as active and engaged and

650
00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:49,520
Speaker 1: philanthropic in the community as the Pistons. Um. Like I

651
00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:53,200
Speaker 1: said before, it's my seventeenth year in the NBA. Forget

652
00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:55,560
Speaker 1: about even just the NBA. I don't know of another

653
00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,040
Speaker 1: team that does more for their sitting in their community

654
00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:02,520
Speaker 1: than we do. Well. It's a great franchise, and I

655
00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:05,680
Speaker 1: appear in Boston. We had some great rivalries with the

656
00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:09,759
Speaker 1: in the eighties with the Pistons, and they were We

657
00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:12,360
Speaker 1: had a radio announcer, Johnny Most who called you to

658
00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:18,040
Speaker 1: a mahorne and um and what's mcfilthy and McNasty Bill

659
00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:27,160
Speaker 1: that was ruling. It was ruling the mahornet. As a

660
00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:30,040
Speaker 1: as a lifelong New York Giants Banks, I grew up

661
00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:33,399
Speaker 1: in New York. You know. I'll quote Eli Manning from

662
00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:36,400
Speaker 1: you know, last week or two weeks ago when he

663
00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:42,840
Speaker 1: said to Tom Brady, a touche, Mike touche. That's a

664
00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:50,000
Speaker 1: good one. I love it. Before we wrap this up, uh,

665
00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,840
Speaker 1: and I know this, I'm gonna put you on the

666
00:39:52,880 --> 00:39:57,160
Speaker 1: spot now. I'm not gonna ask you about any members

667
00:39:57,239 --> 00:40:03,120
Speaker 1: on the team today, but what or who is your

668
00:40:03,160 --> 00:40:11,480
Speaker 1: favorite Detroit Piston Pastor Breath accepted, I'd have to give

669
00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:17,800
Speaker 1: you a couple if that's okay. Isaiah Thomas obviously, UM,

670
00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:19,680
Speaker 1: and I've had the pleasure of getting to know him

671
00:40:19,719 --> 00:40:23,560
Speaker 1: a little bit since showing the team. UM is an icon,

672
00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:26,760
Speaker 1: obviously one of the greatest players of all time. UM.

673
00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:31,600
Speaker 1: And I think, what, how how this franchise, what it

674
00:40:31,640 --> 00:40:35,279
Speaker 1: means to him, UM still today comes through in every

675
00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:39,840
Speaker 1: conversation you have with him. UM. You know, as a

676
00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,280
Speaker 1: as a kid growing up, UM, Grant Hill was always

677
00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:47,080
Speaker 1: somebody that I followed. UM. Actually I think the uh

678
00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:50,040
Speaker 1: the first pair of sneakers I ever bought where Grand

679
00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:55,520
Speaker 1: Hills Pilo sneakers. UM. Ben Wallace, of course. And you

680
00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:57,480
Speaker 1: know with him being recognized and getting into the Hall

681
00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:00,520
Speaker 1: of Fame this year, UM, that was a big moment

682
00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:03,120
Speaker 1: for the franchise, but also a really cool thing to

683
00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:08,720
Speaker 1: be a part of personally. UM and UH, I always

684
00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:12,520
Speaker 1: respect people that that hustle and our our marketing campaign

685
00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:16,240
Speaker 1: is we hustle different. UH. So you gotta put Dennis

686
00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:19,200
Speaker 1: Rodman in there for for uh, for all that he

687
00:41:19,239 --> 00:41:21,719
Speaker 1: did for this franchise and for the hustle that he

688
00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:24,239
Speaker 1: had laid out on the floor every night. That's some

689
00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:29,200
Speaker 1: chuck daily love too, right there, I like that. Oh

690
00:41:29,239 --> 00:41:33,839
Speaker 1: my goodness. Detroit Piston's chief business officer, Mike Sabotski, thank

691
00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:35,839
Speaker 1: you so much for joining us. We had so much

692
00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:39,040
Speaker 1: fun talking with you. Uh. And I know as a

693
00:41:39,120 --> 00:41:44,440
Speaker 1: negative detroitter and and love of all the Detroit teams. Uh,

694
00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:49,319
Speaker 1: it was a giddy meat moment. Thank you comes to

695
00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:52,000
Speaker 1: us for a game, and you know even people in

696
00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:57,600
Speaker 1: Boston can come here too. Oh coming, I'll come if

697
00:41:57,600 --> 00:41:59,960
Speaker 1: I can sit next to the microwave, Vinnie Johnson, I'll

698
00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:07,000
Speaker 1: that alright. Mike, thanks, thank you. Well, of course, you

699
00:42:07,040 --> 00:42:10,080
Speaker 1: know I loved it talking to Detroit Pistons chief business

700
00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:15,360
Speaker 1: officer Mike Zobotsky and Scarlett. You can't help but to

701
00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:19,520
Speaker 1: thank the Detroit Pistons for what they've done for the

702
00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:23,480
Speaker 1: downtown Detroit area. Yeah, really revitalizing the city of Detroit

703
00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:27,720
Speaker 1: and incorporating the city and the roots of the city

704
00:42:27,840 --> 00:42:30,600
Speaker 1: into the team's identity. I thought it was really interesting

705
00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:33,279
Speaker 1: the way that they've integrated the city's identity and the

706
00:42:33,320 --> 00:42:38,600
Speaker 1: city's um rebirth into the team, especially during this time

707
00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:41,640
Speaker 1: when it's basically in a rebirth of its own. You

708
00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:45,880
Speaker 1: should have seen, like I said, downtown Detroit before and after,

709
00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:50,680
Speaker 1: especially the campus Marshes area, and it's night and day

710
00:42:50,719 --> 00:42:53,920
Speaker 1: now and it's and you can thank Dan Gilbert and

711
00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:56,760
Speaker 1: you can thank the Detroit Pistons. Lynchy and I forgot,

712
00:42:56,840 --> 00:42:59,720
Speaker 1: by the way, especially in the mid to late eighties,

713
00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:04,640
Speaker 1: how much we really hated you guys in Boston really could.

714
00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:10,080
Speaker 1: I could feel it coming right through the headsets right here. Well.

715
00:43:10,120 --> 00:43:13,120
Speaker 1: I like the fact that Mike wants to restore the

716
00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:16,040
Speaker 1: piston pride that was there, but also wants to modernize it.

717
00:43:16,239 --> 00:43:18,120
Speaker 1: And I like that little phrase they has this their

718
00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:21,040
Speaker 1: marketing campaign. He says, we hustle different. I've never heard

719
00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:25,280
Speaker 1: that before, and I like it. The Detrode Pistons I remember,

720
00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:28,680
Speaker 1: obviously as a little boy growing up watching them on

721
00:43:28,719 --> 00:43:32,280
Speaker 1: TV on local TV, and uh, to what they've evolved

722
00:43:32,360 --> 00:43:36,360
Speaker 1: to today and just the different venues that they've been to. Uh,

723
00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:40,440
Speaker 1: it's not like, you know, with the New York Knicks,

724
00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:43,759
Speaker 1: where they've always played at the Garden, or it's not

725
00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:48,160
Speaker 1: like uh with you guys, Lynchi, where they played at

726
00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:51,160
Speaker 1: TV Garden and you know, we've we've been moving around.

727
00:43:51,719 --> 00:43:56,000
Speaker 1: But the team is still very viable. And uh, I

728
00:43:56,080 --> 00:43:59,759
Speaker 1: like what Mike said that that they're always evolving and

729
00:43:59,760 --> 00:44:02,960
Speaker 1: they're always trying to come up with new ways to

730
00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:06,760
Speaker 1: make their marketing better. So good for them. Yeah, winning,

731
00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:08,880
Speaker 1: winning cures a lot of that. Yeah, they're they're off

732
00:44:08,920 --> 00:44:10,520
Speaker 1: to a slow start, but they did have the number

733
00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:13,160
Speaker 1: one pick and Kate Cunning him, and you know when

734
00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:15,560
Speaker 1: when they start winning, it's like if they build it.

735
00:44:15,680 --> 00:44:17,320
Speaker 1: If if you build it, people will come. If you

736
00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:19,680
Speaker 1: start winning, people will come. I just love the name

737
00:44:19,800 --> 00:44:24,319
Speaker 1: Gaid Cunning him like Quinn Martin production. That sounds great. Love.

738
00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:30,320
Speaker 1: It's an audience tested. Yeah, one pick, that's I'm not

739
00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:32,560
Speaker 1: been dreaming kids. Feels better to be than the one,

740
00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:34,520
Speaker 1: than number five. I'll wear a number because of Mike.

741
00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:36,160
Speaker 1: We have a chance to go for three and a row.

742
00:44:36,200 --> 00:44:38,120
Speaker 1: Good numbers in a good time. When I first started

743
00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:40,719
Speaker 1: wearing the number, how we just have them? Proud Bloomberg

744
00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:46,000
Speaker 1: Business of Sports, the number of the week. All right, agag,

745
00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:49,600
Speaker 1: you know what it's time for Vin she's been in

746
00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:52,040
Speaker 1: a slump, Scarlet. I know I have a two game

747
00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:56,680
Speaker 1: winning streak. Number writes written right down here in my notebook.

748
00:44:57,560 --> 00:45:02,799
Speaker 1: I've been steaming for seven days. All right, here we

749
00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:07,600
Speaker 1: go Kentucky basketball team. They will get payouts from f

750
00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:12,640
Speaker 1: t X, that is the US arm of the fast

751
00:45:12,719 --> 00:45:16,680
Speaker 1: growing crypto exchange in a new deal. What I want

752
00:45:16,719 --> 00:45:21,439
Speaker 1: to know is f t X it recently topped this

753
00:45:21,719 --> 00:45:28,439
Speaker 1: figure invaluation in market gap. Yes, I believe it's market gap. Boy,

754
00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:33,080
Speaker 1: this could go anywhere. Um, I'm going to say two million,

755
00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:37,400
Speaker 1: but I think I'm low balling it. They were on

756
00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:42,400
Speaker 1: the umpires uniforms. Absolutely good. Let's see, I'm gonna go

757
00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:47,960
Speaker 1: three hundred fifty million. The crypto exchange it recently topped

758
00:45:48,400 --> 00:45:57,440
Speaker 1: at twenty five billion invaluation. Uh that that its sponsors

759
00:45:57,640 --> 00:46:00,680
Speaker 1: Major League Baseball. They bought the name rights to the

760
00:46:00,719 --> 00:46:04,319
Speaker 1: arena where the Miami Heat basketball team plays and enters

761
00:46:04,320 --> 00:46:08,640
Speaker 1: a long term partnership with celebrity couple Tom to these people,

762
00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:13,280
Speaker 1: Tom Brady and Gazelle Bunchet, that's a lot of money.

763
00:46:13,280 --> 00:46:16,400
Speaker 1: And they also purchased and add in the upcoming Super Bowl.

764
00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:21,000
Speaker 1: So they're doing it. It's cryptic. I just wonder, though,

765
00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:24,520
Speaker 1: Scarlett cryptocurrency. I just what happened to the good old

766
00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:30,640
Speaker 1: dollar bill? Well, you're using it? Yeah, Tom Brady and Giselle.

767
00:46:30,680 --> 00:46:34,319
Speaker 1: They're they're looking at alternatives. But I think it's fascinating

768
00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:37,680
Speaker 1: how all these crypto exchanges are signing. They can't get

769
00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:40,640
Speaker 1: enough of these athletes and celebrities to sign them as

770
00:46:40,800 --> 00:46:44,600
Speaker 1: as pitch men and pitch women. It's it's a bullmarket

771
00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:48,280
Speaker 1: in that if nothing else. So who are the commercial Yeah,

772
00:46:48,680 --> 00:46:52,920
Speaker 1: well I I only missed by and a half billion,

773
00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:56,920
Speaker 1: but I think I was closer. Yeah, oh yeah, you

774
00:46:56,960 --> 00:47:00,000
Speaker 1: didn't go over all right, I said I was underestimated,

775
00:47:00,320 --> 00:47:06,520
Speaker 1: underestimated by a lot, listed by that much, just a

776
00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:10,160
Speaker 1: bit outside. This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports Show.

777
00:47:10,360 --> 00:47:12,200
Speaker 1: We're here each and every week at the same time,

778
00:47:12,239 --> 00:47:14,359
Speaker 1: plus online wherever you get your podcast, and you can

779
00:47:14,360 --> 00:47:18,160
Speaker 1: catch those Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. I'm Michael Bar on

780
00:47:18,160 --> 00:47:21,280
Speaker 1: Twitter at Big Bar Sports, and I'm Michael Lynch. Happy

781
00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:23,960
Speaker 1: to say that Scarlet Streak is over too, and you

782
00:47:23,960 --> 00:47:27,000
Speaker 1: can follow me at Lynch WCPP and you can catch

783
00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:29,120
Speaker 1: me on Twitter at Scarlett Food. And we'll get back

784
00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:32,680
Speaker 1: in this swing of things pretty soon. Boy, little things

785
00:47:32,800 --> 00:47:38,480
Speaker 1: just make Lynchi happy. That's thanks for joining us. Tune

786
00:47:38,520 --> 00:47:40,720
Speaker 1: in again next week for the latest on the stories

787
00:47:40,760 --> 00:47:42,840
Speaker 1: moving big money in the world of sports. You're listening

788
00:47:42,880 --> 00:47:46,600
Speaker 1: to Bloomberg Business of Sports, Bloomberg ready all around the world,