1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Business of Sports. The world changing and 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: what are the things we can do to transform our 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: business and engage our fans globally in different ways, people 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: are using their name and likeness to create more opportunities, 5 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: more stakes and companies in order to turn the organization around. 6 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: We had to turn it around not only gets on 7 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: baseball operations side, but other business operations side well, and 8 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: any other sport is very difficult, but I like to 9 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: blug my horizons and be able to expand. Sports need 10 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: to be consumed a lot and not to the big 11 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: competitive advantage for in artual property holders of sports content 12 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: in the media landscape. Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Hello, 13 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: I'm Scarlett Boo and I'm Mike Lynch. Over the next 14 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: hour we'll be exploring the big money issues in the 15 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: world of sports and talk to some of the biggest 16 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: players in the industry. Opinion, the holding, trying to to 17 00:00:51,080 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: snap it, suck up, trying to win it all right. 18 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 1: That was, of course, the first game of the NFL season, 19 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: Tampa Bay kicking field goal. Tom Brady does everything, but 20 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: he doesn't kick the field goal. I bet he could. 21 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: It's totally true, they beat the Cowboys in Week one 22 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 1: opening night, but it was a huge success overall. Lynchi 23 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: for the NFL uh the kickoff weekend ended up having 24 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: the second highest TV ratings for Week one over the 25 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: past five seasons. Everyone is breathing a huge sigh of relief. 26 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: You think this is just the first week or the 27 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: start of something sustainable that will last throughout the season. 28 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: I think it will last throughout the season because there 29 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: were some there's some big name players in this league. 30 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,199 Speaker 1: There were five quarterbacks that were drafted in the first round. 31 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: There's a lot of intrigue and interest. People want to 32 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: watch them play. There was great ratings for the Thursday 33 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: night and Sunday night game. They were up eleven percent 34 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: over last year. Overall league. Why the sixteen games that 35 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: were played were up seven per um. There was a 36 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: little bit of a curiosity factor because seeing fans back 37 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: into the stadium. But there's some great matchups. I mean, 38 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: there were some great great matchups going on. You had 39 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: the the New Orleans Saints had to move out of 40 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: New Orleans because of Hurricane Ida. They played a home 41 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: game at Jacksonville and they kicked Aaron Rodgers and Green 42 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: Bay Packers, they kicked their butt. The Patriots unveiled a 43 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: new quarterback and Matt mac Jones to replace Tom Brady. 44 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: He played great, but he didn't win. And of course 45 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: Tom Brady delivered once again that Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super 46 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: Bowl champions, defending champions went down and you just heard 47 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 1: the field goal in the last play of the game 48 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: to beat the Dallas Cowboys on the season opener. So 49 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: it was a great way to kick off the season. 50 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: And it's an easy game for everybody to fall. And 51 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: I think one of the big reasons to Scarlett these 52 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: things are up is the um continued involvement of betting 53 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: on games. DraftKings fan Duel I talked to somebody that 54 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: watched with a bunch of thirty year old guys and 55 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: women over someone's house and they and during the course 56 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: of the game, they could bet on who would score 57 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,519 Speaker 1: the next touchdown, and if so and so scored the 58 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: next touch down, these guys are gonna split five hundred dollars. 59 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 1: And then if the next punt went into the end 60 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 1: zone went out of bound, somebody who's gonna split two 61 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: hundred dollars. So it's now evolved into more than just 62 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: who's gonna win or lose the game, who's going to 63 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: cover the spread. There are all kinds of little prop 64 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: bets that you can make on these devices on your 65 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: phone while the game is in progress, and that keeps 66 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: people watching, especially if it's a thirty five the nothing game, 67 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: that keeps people tuning in right to the final whistle. 68 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,839 Speaker 1: It's all about maximizing that engagement. You mentioned all kinds 69 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 1: of matchups. One matchup that you didn't mention is the 70 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: Manning's Brothers. Um. The Manning Brothers, of course, hosted their 71 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: own show on ESPN two. It's kind of like a 72 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: Twitch streaming broadcast. It was billed as hanging out at 73 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: a bar with Paynton and k Eli to watch a game. 74 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: I didn't actually see it. I don't know about you, 75 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: but I did appreciate the the next day analysis about 76 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: how they had a lot of these scripted bits, the 77 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: TV hijinks with Peyton trying on at helmet that didn't fit, 78 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: and explain places on white board. But it actually got 79 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: good when they got really nerdy and focused on the 80 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: intricacies of the game, just talking through what they would 81 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: have done, kind of reflecting and just sharing their thoughts 82 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: as they're watching something you don't hear about when players 83 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: are active in their careers. You hear about it. When 84 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: they're out of their career. You expect to hear more 85 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: of it when when they're in a broadcast booth broadcasting 86 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: a game. And this is exactly what I want to hear. 87 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: I want to hear what what he calls he sees 88 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: something goes omaha, omaha, fifty two? Right, it's what are 89 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: you saying? Paint? Well, I'm explaining this and explaining that 90 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: it's basically football for dummies. And I know I follow football, 91 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: but I learned an awful lot. I watched a lot 92 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 1: of outtakes of that show, and I think it's must 93 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: see TV because you know, it's I learned something and 94 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: I thought I knew everything about the game, but in fact, 95 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: ESPN management at one point called in and said, hey, guys, 96 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: focus more on the football, less on the silly stuff, 97 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: on the stunts that you guys did in the beginning. 98 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 1: And it's not just ESPN that's trying to think of 99 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 1: different ways to to boost viewership of Monday night football. 100 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: You also have Nickelodeon getting in on the NFL ratings Bananza. 101 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: It's now hosting a weekly NFL show for kids called 102 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: NFL Slime Time. Right, Well, they had a game last year, 103 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: it was broadcast and they had it was directed at 104 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 1: at that particular audience that it was an enormous success. 105 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 1: So it's like branding. It's like trying to get everybody 106 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: to brush with a certain toothpaste when they're five years old, 107 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: and they'll be brushing it within the nine years old. 108 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: Have someone drink this particular soda, Have someone used this 109 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: particular cleaner or paper towel. So the NFL was following 110 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: that same rule that that that Madison Avenue was following 111 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: for years and years, and it's worked. They're gonna hook 112 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: a lot of young people and they're gonna be watching 113 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 1: NFL football for a long long time. All Right, Well, 114 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: let's talk about someone else who's making a huge splash 115 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,559 Speaker 1: in sports, Lebron James Inc. Lebron James is actually getting 116 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: closer to billionaire status because his one year old media business, 117 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: Um Spring Hill Company, the one that's aimed at giving 118 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: voice to creators and consumers that have been underserved. It's 119 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: now speculated that it's in advanced talks with Redbird Capital, 120 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: private equity firm for some kind of strategic investment. There's 121 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: been a lot of talk about whether spring Hill is 122 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: in play because there are reports of a sale to Nike. 123 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: So we don't know exactly whether this is an investment 124 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 1: or a sale, but Lebron James is willing and dealing 125 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: out there. Yeah, it looks like Redbird Capital may invest. 126 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 1: The reports are somewhere between six fifty million dollars. We 127 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: do know Redbird Capital is a real player, and they 128 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 1: invested ten percent in the Fenway Sports Group, which I 129 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: think is one of the top five sports entities on 130 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: the planet. Right now, I know what the endgame is 131 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: on this right here with with with Lebron James, between uh, 132 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: the spring Hill, the infusion of capital from Redbird and 133 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: Fenway Sports Group, he is going to become a principal 134 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: owner of an NBA team in the not too distant future, 135 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: and these investments with Redbird and Fenway Sports Group are 136 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: going to play a huge role in it. You can 137 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: take that to the Bank Scarlett. So you don't think 138 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: he's going to give up ownership of it. This would 139 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: be more of a strategic investment rather than a full 140 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: on you know, outright sale. Correct, there would be there 141 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: would probably be be partners with with him, and he 142 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: would be the managing partner or a principal owner. By 143 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: the way, we should mention as well Spring Hill back 144 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: to the New Space Cham movie. It also has a 145 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: marketing agency and it owns the production company behind the 146 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: Shop Uninterrupted on HBO. So it's already got a lot 147 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: going on in its portfolio. I mean, this is a 148 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: company that's doing a lot, and this is part of 149 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: Lebon James building up his media empire. And before we 150 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 1: say goodbye on the NBA, congratulations to Lisa Byington and 151 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: the Milwaukee Bucks have hired her as there play by 152 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: play television play by play for their local broadcasts. She 153 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: has a great background and World Cup, Women's World Cup, Olympics, 154 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: n C double A basketball March Madness, and she is 155 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: the first women play by play announcer uh in any 156 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: sport for an entire season. So congratulations to the Bucks 157 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: and congratulations to Lisa Buyington. This is so exciting, and 158 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: congratulations to all the girls and young women who listened 159 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: to sports and watch sports and love sports and have 160 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: always dreamed, you know, maybe they could be a play 161 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: by play announcer, but never saw that there was someone 162 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: who could do it because it hadn't been done up 163 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: until now, right inventilations. So this is a great role 164 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 1: model out there. And Lisa is a great broadcaster. I've 165 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: seen her on sidelines, I've seen her analyzing games, and 166 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: she is great. She takes over for a guy that 167 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: did the job for thirty five years, and this guy 168 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: couldn't have been happier for I'm always amazed when someone 169 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: can do so many different sports. I mean, at some 170 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: point you have to just get good enough across all sports, 171 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: even if there's one that's always your passion, right, I 172 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: think it's in your d n A. I think when 173 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: if you grow up and you're always grabbing the sports 174 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: page before the business page or the editorial page, it's 175 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: you're sort of destined to become a either a writer 176 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: or play by play broadcaster, and somehow in the media 177 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: sports media. All right, Well, plenty more to come from that, 178 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: and we'll be keeping an eye on it. Hopefully there 179 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: will be more like Lisa. I'm Scarlett Food along with 180 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: Mike Lynch and joining us now is the CEO of 181 00:08:55,280 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: All Elite Wrestling. Tony Khan, it's great band in your Jersey. 182 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: And what I said, head all up, God, I love 183 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 1: pro restling. It was what cause of this man, Brian Danielson. 184 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: The crowd wants to get to the full ang'll the 185 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 1: cover starre. That was Tony Schiavanni introducing the one and 186 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: only Brian Danielson in New Jersey Wednesday night. And of 187 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: course by New Jersey, I mean the Prudential Center. Tony, 188 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining us, so a big 189 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: night in general for you guys. UM, give us an 190 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 1: idea here about what the A a W is all about. 191 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: Because it's a rival to the w W E and 192 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: it's meant to be newer, younger, just a different demographic, right, 193 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: it's meant to be, uh, the best wrestling show on television, 194 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: and the last three weeks we've been the number one 195 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 1: show on all of cable on Wednesday night, UH, and 196 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: I'm hoping to continue that trend. But we've got a 197 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:02,079 Speaker 1: great fan base, and that's really the star of the show. Um. 198 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: The wrestling fans make this all possible. And UH, we've 199 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: really brought some of the most exciting stars in wrestling 200 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: into a W and we've also built some of the 201 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: most exciting young stars in wrestling. So really our show began, 202 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: we introduced a lot of new stars, and then I've 203 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 1: tried to go out and sign top names and bring 204 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: together the best possible roster. It's really a diverse roster, 205 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: diverse life experiences, diverse backgrounds, and really people of all 206 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 1: different ages and experienced levels. And the star power of 207 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: the a W roster is now unparalleled. We have the 208 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: most star power of any wrestling roster, which is not 209 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 1: how it started. Really, this was a lot of Elbow Greeks. 210 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: It has some very very big name stars and some 211 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,079 Speaker 1: really young wrestlers. But the depth of the roster and 212 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,320 Speaker 1: the amount of huge Hall of Fame stars that we have, 213 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 1: so I bootstrapped this company. I started it UH in 214 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: two thousand nineteen and really began working on it in 215 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 1: two thousand eighteen, and UH it's the growth has been 216 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: incredible in just a couple of years. Hey, Tony, it's 217 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: michae lynch up in Boston. UM. I love the concept. UM. 218 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: I was around when the a f L came around 219 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,079 Speaker 1: and people said that you're crazy, You're never going to 220 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: compete with the NFL. And I'm sure people have told 221 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 1: you you're crazy, you can never compete with w W. 222 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: E has wrestling always been always been part of your 223 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: d n A and it's this sort of been your 224 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: your dream to to have this fledgling, very successful now 225 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:40,199 Speaker 1: wrestling entity. Yeah, always has been a dream of mine. Mike. Um, 226 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: I've always been a huge wrestling and and I've always 227 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: wanted to write wrestling show and a lot of them. 228 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: The business aspect of it has come to me, and 229 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: I've had a lot of experience in sports business, working 230 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: in English football and working in the NFL, and uh, 231 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: but rustling has always been us love of mine. Ah. Really, 232 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:05,839 Speaker 1: I realized in two thousand and eighteen there were so 233 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: many young stars out there that were becoming big names, 234 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: and some of the big free agents were available, and 235 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 1: I realized that at the beginning of would be a 236 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: very unique opportunity in terms of a lot of contracts 237 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: being up at the same time and a lot of 238 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: exciting young wrestlers being available to go out and start 239 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 1: a wrestling company. And I realized, I could, you know, 240 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 1: go out through the media partner and if we could 241 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 1: get uh, you know, a TV partner to really back 242 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 1: us and and believe in this and give us a 243 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: platform we could go out and compete, and that's what 244 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: T and T and Warner Media have done for us. 245 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 1: UM In two thousand eighteen, I reached out to my 246 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: good friend Kevin Riley, who was the president at the 247 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 1: time of T N T and TBS and UH you know, 248 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:56,440 Speaker 1: suggested that I think it would make a lot of 249 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,560 Speaker 1: sense for UH CANT and TBS to get into the 250 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 1: wrestling business. And you know, the people there and and 251 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: and the people still in charge have really been so supportive. 252 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: We have a great GM at T N T and 253 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: TBS named Brett White and a great executive vice president 254 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: named Sam Lynskey, and they're very supportive of the show. 255 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: And I talked to Sam every Wednesday, and he's really 256 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: a fan of wrestling, which which helps. And you know, 257 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,199 Speaker 1: the growth the show is experienced, especially in two thousand one, 258 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: he's unlike anything he had expected. How do you compete 259 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: with the w w E because they're the market leader, 260 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 1: and no matter what you do or what you put 261 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 1: on the table, it's always going to be compared your 262 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:43,680 Speaker 1: product versus there's those number one shoe in wrestling on TV. 263 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 1: Left we kind of mine, So in some aspects of 264 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 1: the market leader, but in other aspects were now in 265 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: the market leader. So I that was at the beginning. 266 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: That may have been the case, but there were a 267 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: lot of reasons why I felt I could come in 268 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: and compete. Um, you know, there are a lot of 269 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: great wrestlers that weren't being featured on television, and there 270 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 1: are a lot of wrestling fans out there that we're 271 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: looking for an alternative product that weren't satisfied with what 272 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: they were getting on those shows. So I do think 273 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: there was definitely a great opportunity to come in and compete, 274 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: and I saw some vulnerability, frankly in the market leader 275 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: at the time, and it's opened up a lot of 276 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: market chair for us, for me to bootstrap a new 277 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: business and build it up and and gain a lot 278 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: of that market chair where now in a lot of 279 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: significant business metrics, we are the worldwide leader. Tony, how 280 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: often do you run pay per view events quarterly? So 281 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: it's it's pretty great, Um, we have a quarterly event. 282 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: And that's the key I think is for these pay 283 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: per views, you're getting people to spend partner and money. 284 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: You can't oversaturate the market and it has to be 285 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: an event people really want to go out and walk, 286 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: and that's what we've been able to build I think 287 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: with our with our pay per views. The last show 288 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: we did was called All Out. And again speaking of 289 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: like the business metric, um w W now is not 290 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: as much in the business of providing linear pay per views. 291 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: They have an agreement with Peacock and their major streaming 292 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: events go on Peacock to all their subscribers and there's 293 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: the great subscriber based there. They watches those shows and 294 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: that's great for them. Um they do a lot of shows, 295 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: and you know, at least one a month. I don't 296 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 1: put on that many of these big pay per views. 297 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: I really try to focus on my television product, which 298 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: is Wednesday Night Dynamite on t n t H two 299 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: ten two hour show h ten Eastern and Friday Night 300 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 1: Rampage which is out of ten pm Eastern, and that's 301 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: a one hour show. So the three hours of television 302 00:15:55,960 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: and our shoulder programming and um developmental content. He's really 303 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: core focused for me. And then the stories build up 304 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: to these quarterly pay per view EVA and it's it's 305 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: pretty exciting because the closer we get the pay per views, 306 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: you can really still the excitement building, the stories building. 307 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: People can't wait these big matches. We just had one 308 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 1: Labor Day weekend in the Chicago area and it had 309 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: a lot of rectors for us. It's a huge live 310 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 1: attendance that week. Um. But also the pay per view 311 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: buys were well over two d so uh, you know, 312 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: at a fifty dollar unit price we did we had 313 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: really really good grosser revenues as you can imagine, UM 314 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: after the split of the Paper Superviders. You know, really 315 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: really by far the post profitable pay per view event 316 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: you've ever done. And Tony, you were just talking about 317 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: the audience that you've put together, the product that you've 318 00:16:55,000 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: put together with this league, the wrestling product. Explained little 319 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: bit about the audience that you've attracted. What do we 320 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,719 Speaker 1: know about how they engage with the content, with the talent, 321 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 1: how they spend well, it's the youngest skewing audience of 322 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: all sports programming on all of television. Ah, there have 323 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: been more weeks than not in the past several months 324 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: where we've beat in every major sporting event in terms 325 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: of having the youngest skewing audience. UM. Our Wednesday night 326 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: show and our Friday Night show have both finished just 327 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: the number one show on cable. In the demographic we 328 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 1: have a more affluent band based on other wrestling organizations, 329 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: but really people from all kinds of backgrounds more likely 330 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 1: to be college educated audience. So it's it's a very 331 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: attractive audience to an advertising base, particularly with the age 332 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: demographics that they have. So having such a young, engaged 333 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 1: audience is really important for us. And it's also a 334 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:59,679 Speaker 1: very consistent audience. This year, so many times they've been 335 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: then I'm a one show on cable and you can 336 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: really count on our fans to come and watch the 337 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: show every Wednesday night. We've done a hundred and two 338 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 1: episodes Wednesday night Dynamite. Now, what is the male female split, Tony, Uh, 339 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:20,159 Speaker 1: it's a great question. I would say it probably maybe 340 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: like five five to three something like that, maybe a 341 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:29,199 Speaker 1: five to three split, But um, there there's there's a 342 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: lot of great female fans. I mean were we definitely 343 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: have a huge male audience and dominate the male E 344 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: team to forty nine audience, which is absolutely to some 345 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: extent bread and butter viewer, but also have a really 346 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: great young female audience. Uh, and are still one of 347 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: the top shows in the young female audience. But absolutely 348 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: I have a very big male skewing. Tony, tell me 349 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 1: about the event that's coming up in New York. I'm 350 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 1: fascinated by this. Um. This reminds of you of hockey 351 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: games being played at Wrigley Field or Fenway Park. And 352 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: tell me what's going on in New York. How it 353 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: came about. Thank you so much, Mike. I a few 354 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 1: years ago who was googling stadiums with the roof, and 355 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: I wanted to put on a big event with the roof, 356 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 1: and I was looking for a great venue in a 357 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: great city, and I realized there's one that's been sitting 358 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: kind of under everyone's nose this entire time, and that's 359 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: Arthur Asked Stadium, which is one of the greatest venues 360 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: in the world, and it never hosted a pro wrestling show. Absolutely, 361 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: it's a great venue, and it's a perfect venue for 362 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:41,880 Speaker 1: a wrestling show. The sight lines are tremendous, and there's 363 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: great people there, you know, Danny and everybody there uh 364 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 1: at at the Arthur As Stadium and the US Open 365 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: Tennis Complex have been so supportive of this. There's wrestling 366 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: fans there too, and you know, they're very different sports. 367 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: Maybe they're different audiences, but there's tons of wrestling fans 368 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: in New York. People are really cited about this big event. 369 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:05,439 Speaker 1: So next week we're gonna put a special four hours 370 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: of programming on T n T. Well, fittingly, we're calling 371 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: it the a W Grant Plam from the Arthur As Stadium, 372 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: So two hours of Wednesday Night Dynamite Live as we 373 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: do every week, but also we're gonna do with special 374 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:23,399 Speaker 1: two hours of a W Rampage Friday Night. Normally a 375 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:25,920 Speaker 1: one hour show, but we're doubling it up. So it's 376 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: gonna be a huge four hour event at Arthur Asked Stadium. 377 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 1: And really it's gonna be consistent with what our fans 378 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,160 Speaker 1: have come to expect from our big pay per view event. 379 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:42,160 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, the biggest matches, the biggest stars, 380 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: matches they never thought were gonna happen, including Teddy Omega, 381 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:49,120 Speaker 1: the world Champion of a W, is gonna take on 382 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: somebody you've just arrived in a W You've heard him 383 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 1: at the top of the clip. That's Brian Danielson, who 384 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: wrestled for many years in w W. E was the 385 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: w W champion and has wrestled all over the world 386 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 1: and is just hugely respected by the fans. This is 387 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 1: a dream match for them and it's going to be 388 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,399 Speaker 1: very exciting. And also CM Punk, who was one of 389 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: the biggest stars in wrestling. He was out with a 390 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 1: self imposed retirement for seven years and he just recently 391 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: made a comeback the a W. He had not wrestled 392 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: a match on television in over seven years. So this 393 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,119 Speaker 1: is a really big deal and that's going to be 394 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: a big part of the event. So Wednesday night we've 395 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,959 Speaker 1: got Omega versus Brian Danielson and Friday night we have 396 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: Powerhouse Hobbs versus E. M. Punk. So you named a 397 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: lot of well known names there in the world of 398 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: professional wrestling. You mentioned Matt Hardy, mentioned Brian Danielson, Chris Jerico, Cmpunk. 399 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: What was your proposition to these guys, What was your 400 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: pitch to them to come join the a W. How 401 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: did you get them there? They're all very different, Um, 402 00:21:56,680 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 1: they're all different conversations with all those guys. So it 403 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 1: wasn't like I have one one, you know, one page 404 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,359 Speaker 1: pitch that I would make um to all of these 405 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: guys as the standards thing I really at different points 406 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 1: to each of them about why this would be a 407 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 1: great fifth of them and they're all doing different things 408 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 1: with their careers, they're all in different stories, and I 409 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:20,840 Speaker 1: had different ideas for each one of them. And that's 410 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: really a key thing to this is um I believe 411 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: in this business. I believed, you know, with our resources, 412 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: my family, we could build this up and create a 413 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: roster that would be competitive with anybody. And then I 414 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: believe that the storytelling that was happening in pro wrestling 415 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: was not as good as it should have been a 416 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: few years ago before a w started, and I wanted 417 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: to create a place where stories could be told in 418 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 1: a different way and the show would have a very 419 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 1: different feel, very different presentation, and that was kind of 420 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:57,679 Speaker 1: my dream and it's become a reality for all the fans, 421 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: and that's I think why you've been able to find 422 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: such a consistent audience that we're not being served with 423 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: the kind of wrestling they wanted to be. Tony actually 424 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 1: wears several hats because he is also an owner and 425 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: director of the Fulham Football Club, the English football club, 426 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,640 Speaker 1: as well as the owner of True Media Sports, which 427 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 1: is an analytics platform, and Tony whenever we talk about analytics, 428 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: I kind of think back to Michael Lewis and Moneyball 429 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: and how they use analytics. They're compare what you use 430 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: analytics for today. I mean, how how much has analytics 431 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: evolved since then? Oh, it's a huge, huge evolution in 432 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: the world of sports analytics. My company True Media actually 433 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 1: provides those various services UH to the majority of Major 434 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 1: League Baseball teams. Right now, we're working with twenty out 435 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:50,120 Speaker 1: of the thirty Major League Facebook club providing different things 436 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:53,440 Speaker 1: to different teams that we provide a variety of tools 437 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:57,879 Speaker 1: and engineering and support for teams analytics needs and UH 438 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: teams are applying analytics it decision making all prospects of sports. 439 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: Baseball you know you brought up pointball is a great 440 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:08,159 Speaker 1: example for again, you have plenty of the thirty teams 441 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: they're using us, and really all thirty teams are using 442 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,119 Speaker 1: some kind of solution. Um, a lot of them are 443 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:18,679 Speaker 1: engineering their own tools and not using outside developers like 444 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 1: dre Media. But um, there's a great, great market right 445 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 1: now for the services we supply, and really baseball teams 446 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: for example, are making so many decisions in a game, 447 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 1: whether it's you know at that in terms of who's 448 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 1: up there, what they're doing against the pictures. Defensively, there's 449 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 1: so much to it. The shift has becomes such a 450 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: huge part of baseball as the fans know and uh, 451 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: the fielders, you know, all the different shifts they put on. 452 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,360 Speaker 1: It's very difficult to keep drag of almost and it's 453 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: really the way so much of it is calculated is 454 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: using analytics tools. So um, absolutely, sports analytics has grown 455 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: a lot, and that's been a huge part of my life. 456 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: And that was really the day to day of my life. 457 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,479 Speaker 1: And wrestling was just something I was a fan of 458 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: and I wrote wrestling shows in my spare time while 459 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 1: working in sports analytics and in English football in the NFL. 460 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 1: And uh, really, how analytics is your day job? Then 461 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: it was no. Now I have a lot of day jobs. 462 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 1: Wrestling became a big part of my day jobs. Do 463 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:29,400 Speaker 1: I have you know, three full day jobs? And True 464 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: Media is a company that I'm the owner and chairman of. 465 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: But I have a great CEO, president and founder along 466 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: with the great Tto and co founder, and those two 467 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: guys really built up the great business um and I 468 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,200 Speaker 1: really enjoyed working with them and growing the business. For 469 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: the last seven years, and uh, that does not take 470 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 1: up that much of my daytime. What does pick up 471 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: really often a twenty four hour job, there's really days 472 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: right now sleep and I end up catching up my camp. 473 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 1: Um are you know the Jacksonville Jaguars. I run our 474 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: analytics department and that used to be consumed all my time. 475 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 1: I've hired a really great staff of people now that 476 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 1: work with Urban Meyer and our g M Trent paul 477 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 1: Ky and me and I still oversee this and I 478 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:20,879 Speaker 1: still come in and do a lot of the work, 479 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: but not nearly as much of the work and the 480 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: grind by hand as I used to. In English football, 481 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: I'm still the director of football and general manager of 482 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: our team Fulham, which um, as I did today, is 483 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 1: going really really well, and uh we're at the top 484 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: of the English Football League and our goal is to 485 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: get promoted back into the Premier League. Um and we've 486 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: been working really hard on that. And I worked with 487 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:47,959 Speaker 1: our scouts and our data team and of course our 488 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: our head coach, Marco Silva, and I'm in charge of 489 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,879 Speaker 1: all the player recruitment and signings and transfers and loans 490 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: and that's a job I really love. And those were 491 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:02,360 Speaker 1: kind of my bread and butter work and still are. 492 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 1: And you know, wrestling was kind of something I would 493 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:09,199 Speaker 1: go home and watch and and watch all the different shows, 494 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 1: and my little fun hobby was writing wrestling shows and 495 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 1: it became a huge part of And the more I 496 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: got into eight of You, the more all consumed I've 497 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: gotten with really running every aspect of the business. So 498 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: I write the shows, I hire the wrestlers, I do 499 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 1: the contracts and run the talent relations. So it's it's 500 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 1: a big job. And probably the hardest part of it 501 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 1: is what they call booking, which is actually writing the 502 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 1: shows and the storylines and matchmaking and putting the card 503 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 1: on the order of the matches, the order of the 504 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: interviews and the stories and what happens. It's a very 505 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 1: complex job and it's really the job I really always 506 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 1: wanted to do with book a wrestling company, and it's 507 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: you know, it's absolutely a dream to always uh own 508 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:57,479 Speaker 1: a wrestling company, but really my dream has always been 509 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: a book a wrestling company. And uh we have a 510 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,159 Speaker 1: lot of really exciting stories happening, and the matchmaking I 511 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 1: think it's got people really excited. And the card of 512 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: matches next week, people are stoked about, so I think 513 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: it's going really well and you know, sometimes very proud 514 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 1: of So you write the storylines for the wrestling, would 515 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:20,879 Speaker 1: you ever write yourself into any of the script and 516 00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: jump into the ring. No, I don't write myself on 517 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 1: as a TV character, but if this makes sense, I 518 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 1: am a plot device in the show, so you'll hear 519 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 1: my name a few times because I am the matchmaker, 520 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,560 Speaker 1: so I make the matches, so you'll have somebody, you know, 521 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 1: appeal to me. And I don't need I don't I 522 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: don't need to act or be on television or take 523 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: up the TV time, but you do have to have 524 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: a commissioner and a person who lays the law down 525 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: and makes so for example, you don't need to see 526 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 1: you know, it's like Roger. You don't need to see 527 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 1: Roger a lot during the games. Yeah, exactly, So my 528 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: name comes up a lot. And for example, we had 529 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 1: a tag team called the Young Bucks, who also behind 530 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: the scene means are incredibly valuable and they've been with 531 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: me since the very beginning, and they're also behind the 532 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: scenes executive vice presidents of the company and really my 533 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 1: right hand people. And along with Kenny Omega and Code 534 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: Rhodes and uh other great business vice presidents that we have. 535 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 1: Those spor also probably more prominent because they're all wrestlers, 536 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 1: and the Young Bucks had been retaining their tag team 537 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 1: titles through chicanery, lots of outside interference. So we just 538 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 1: had a big storyline where I had finally had enough, 539 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: not me coming out and saying it, but just the 540 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: announcers explained, you know, Tony contact enough, and we're gonna 541 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 1: have a tournament with the top four ranked contenders and 542 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,479 Speaker 1: of the tag teams, and whoever wins the tournament, it's 543 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 1: eliminator is going to go onto the pay per view 544 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: and get a shot against the Young Bucks in a 545 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: steel cage because that's the one way I kind of 546 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: had made sure nobody would be able to interfere in 547 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: the match. So a lot of times in wrestling you 548 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 1: see these still cage matches have think with no rhyme reason. Yeah, 549 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: now you've given them a reason of backstory for for 550 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: it to all come together. I really appreciate the consistency 551 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: and thinking through the plot, uh, and the development of 552 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: the storyline. You had mentioned the English Film Soccer Club. 553 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: I wanted to to ask you about that, given all 554 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: the drama that took place over the summer. What's your 555 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 1: view on the European Super League. I mean, we know 556 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 1: that they came together, they proposed this this idea which 557 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: was kind of dead on arrival because there's so much 558 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: backlash against it. Is this a truly dead concept or 559 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 1: do you think it will be revived at some point 560 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: in the future. I don't expect we'll ever hear from 561 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 1: it again. I think it's one of those ill fated 562 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 1: ideas that was shot into the sun, like new coke 563 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: or the kind of things that we make fun of 564 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: and well, you know, crystal pepsi and stuff that we uh, 565 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 1: you know, joke about that never became a thing, and 566 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: I think it's one of those things we'll all laugh 567 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:56,080 Speaker 1: about in time. It wasn't very funny for a few days. 568 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: Are you laughing about it now? I am, But at 569 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: the time it wasn't amusing at all. And my father Um, 570 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 1: along with a lot of the other Premier League chairman 571 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: at time, put out a pretty compelling statement and he 572 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: spoke out against it, and I think he was one 573 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 1: of the first chairmen to really come out and put 574 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: the fifth down. And I agree with everything he said. 575 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 1: Tony UM. This a hot button topic around all the 576 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: sports here and UH. In the United States, vaccinations UM 577 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 1: commissioners are pretty much powerless because the unions have not 578 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 1: approved it and it's left up to the individual and 579 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: it's caused problems as we've seen over the last year 580 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: and a half with the postponements, cancelations and widespread positive tests. 581 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 1: As the commissioner of a W, do you have the 582 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: authority to mandate everyone gets vaccinated and have you done so? 583 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: It's an interesting question. I have, most of the roster 584 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: has gotten and we've encouraged people to do so at 585 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 1: the level of the NFL and English football, and the 586 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:06,840 Speaker 1: same thing with a W. I haven't put in mandatory, 587 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 1: but have also strongly encouraged and put in protocols that 588 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,800 Speaker 1: would encourage everybody to do so because it's much much 589 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: easier for the vaccinated folks to get through the day 590 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: and to interact outside of the ring and UM. They 591 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,440 Speaker 1: just have to go through a lot less rigorous procedures 592 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 1: and testing. So we've definitely encouraged everybody to do it. 593 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 1: Same at the NFL, same in England and most of 594 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 1: our people are and that's also through the NFL, So 595 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: I I think, uh, you know, with the Jaguars, with 596 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: falling the end of the a W, we really strongly 597 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: encouraged as much as we can. I always think it's 598 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: interesting that companies or organizations can require that their front 599 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 1: office get vaccinated, but um talent, like the players themselves, 600 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: that becomes a whole different uh animal. Just kind of 601 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 1: like what Mike Lynch was saying, what more can you 602 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 1: do to encourage um the wrestlers the talent to get vaccinated? 603 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: I mean, are you putting are you giving them incentives? 604 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 1: Are your don'tald? I mean, we have created a great, 605 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 1: a great backstage environment where people really want to spend 606 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 1: time together, and we've also put in pretty thorough testing protocols. 607 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 1: So I think, you know, not being a part of 608 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 1: the most rigorous level of the testing protocols and also 609 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 1: having the ability to go out and do what you 610 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: want and and live your life like we did before 611 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: and with with without some of these gray Conian protocols 612 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: makes it much more UH savory, much more encouraging for 613 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 1: uh vaccinated. So I do really think, you know, it 614 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: was similar with the NFL, where I see firsthand it 615 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: very different experience day to day at the practice field, 616 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: and you know, in meetings and in training, totally different 617 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 1: experience for the vaccinated in the unvaccinated. UM. I think 618 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: it's it's a good question, um, and and that's why 619 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 1: most of the people have gone out and done it. 620 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: Let me ask you about Trevor Lawrence, and there was 621 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:23,000 Speaker 1: no secret you're going to pick him number one. But 622 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:25,359 Speaker 1: when it became official, what did it do to how 623 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:27,880 Speaker 1: much of a bump did you get in season ticket sales, 624 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:33,520 Speaker 1: merchandise sales, in game advertising. Just how much of a 625 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:37,360 Speaker 1: financial infusion for your franchise was the drafting of I 626 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 1: mean it's millions and millions of dollars and the full effect. 627 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 1: He's still accumulative, and it's it's adding up and it's 628 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 1: growing every day. We're making new fans, and the most 629 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,760 Speaker 1: important thing is the football. And he is so great. 630 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,960 Speaker 1: He's added so much and we've never had anybody more 631 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:59,080 Speaker 1: competent back there I think at this stage in the 632 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:02,320 Speaker 1: game terms of being a rookie quarterback in their development. 633 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: So he's tremendous, tremendous advanced prospect for a rookie quarterback. UM. 634 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: But you know, in addition to the on the field. 635 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:17,799 Speaker 1: Everything he brings. Absolutely, he brings us a ton of 636 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:21,439 Speaker 1: interest in our products and our team, our franchise off 637 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 1: the field, and he drives a lot of business. Um 638 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:28,759 Speaker 1: We've seen a huge bike in season tickets and over 639 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 1: half the people buying Gag Wars tickets now have never 640 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:36,399 Speaker 1: bought the tag, which is kind of amazing. We're having 641 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 1: season ticket buyers that have never been season ticket holders 642 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 1: before and thousands of so he's definitely making new fans 643 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:48,719 Speaker 1: and growing the business for us. Tony, thanks so much 644 00:35:48,719 --> 00:35:51,680 Speaker 1: for joining us. We've been speaking with a w CEO 645 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:55,799 Speaker 1: and of course sports analytics guru, Tony Khan. So, Mike Lynch, 646 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:59,320 Speaker 1: I'm not a pro wrestling viewer by any search of 647 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:01,359 Speaker 1: the imagination, but I know a lot of people who are, 648 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:04,480 Speaker 1: and I think it's fascinating that Tony is so invested 649 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:09,400 Speaker 1: in the storyline, thinking through how to merge these disparate threads, 650 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 1: and also writing himself into the storylines. That was a 651 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: great question. Well, his competitive Vince McMahon actually gets into 652 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:20,240 Speaker 1: the ring and slaps around, so I don't think Tony 653 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 1: is going to be doing that. But it's a great 654 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 1: concept because it's basically um a soap opera for guys 655 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:30,960 Speaker 1: and women. Know, there's a lot of women. Now, I'll 656 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:33,399 Speaker 1: tell you a story when my middle daughter, my wife 657 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:35,839 Speaker 1: was pregnant with my middle daughter, we went to WrestleMania 658 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: and a news reporter from our station came up and 659 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:42,680 Speaker 1: asked her, so, what are you doing here at this 660 00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 1: wrestling event. She said, if Hulk Hogan can't get me 661 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 1: into labor, nobody can. Line and it was still about 662 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 1: the about ten days later where Molly was delivered some 663 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:56,800 Speaker 1: thirty six years ago. But um, there's a big audience 664 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,440 Speaker 1: out there, and he said, the audience is like, you know, 665 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: probably five to three five. You know, for every five 666 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:03,839 Speaker 1: men watching it and participant, there were three women. So 667 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:06,759 Speaker 1: you know, there are interesting storylines. It's not just these 668 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:09,479 Speaker 1: big muscular guys slamming each other to the turf. There's 669 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:12,200 Speaker 1: a lot of dialogue going on, and there's a lot 670 00:37:12,239 --> 00:37:14,439 Speaker 1: of you know, things that happen outside of the ring. 671 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:16,759 Speaker 1: You know. I would say to anybody who says I've 672 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: never watched it, just give it a sample. I think 673 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 1: you'll like it. Yeah, I I I confess that I'm 674 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:23,960 Speaker 1: going to have to look at it with a new 675 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 1: their new lens definitely after talking with Tony about it, 676 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:30,680 Speaker 1: and this idea that they're going after non traditional venues 677 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:34,799 Speaker 1: UM like Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, New York. Also 678 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:37,480 Speaker 1: makes it really interesting because we've seen the crossover a 679 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 1: keel of you know, holding hockey games at a baseball 680 00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 1: stadium for instance, UM or constructing stadiums in the cornfields 681 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:49,400 Speaker 1: of Iowa for instance, UM as as being really successful 682 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:53,080 Speaker 1: experiments with UM just attracting attention and getting a whole 683 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:56,239 Speaker 1: new audience in there. Well, it's a different audience you'll 684 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:58,400 Speaker 1: see if you won't see any people in suits and 685 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:01,839 Speaker 1: ties and dresses and he'll clapping politely. This is gonna 686 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:04,920 Speaker 1: be like the end zone of the Cleveland Browns, the 687 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,400 Speaker 1: Dog Pound on the black Hole with the Oakland Raiders. 688 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,960 Speaker 1: It's it's a very vociferous, active crowd and it's gonna 689 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:13,359 Speaker 1: be great. And he's right the sight lines in there. 690 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:15,359 Speaker 1: Because it's such a steep pitch to it, you'll even 691 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:17,160 Speaker 1: if you're in the top row, you'll feel like you're 692 00:38:17,239 --> 00:38:19,320 Speaker 1: right inside the ring. I think it's a great idea, 693 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:21,400 Speaker 1: it's very innovative, and it's going to capture a lot 694 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:23,600 Speaker 1: of eyeballs. Trust me. That will do it for us 695 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,239 Speaker 1: this week. This is Bloomberg Business of Sports. We're here 696 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:28,560 Speaker 1: each and every week at the same time, plus online 697 00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. You can catch those on Monday's, 698 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 1: Wednesdays and Thursdays. I'm Scarlet Foo on Twitter at Scarlet 699 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:37,879 Speaker 1: Foo and it's one of my favorite shows of all time. 700 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:39,680 Speaker 1: Thank you for Tony Con. I'm Mike Lynch. You can 701 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:42,520 Speaker 1: find me at Lynch e w CBB. You're listening to 702 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world.