1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports where in the situation 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: that we haven't dealt with in modern times, pandemic here 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: has really accelerated the investments that we've been advocating for 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: for years. From a macro standpoint, I think our sport 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: industry is really forced to look at the business a 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: little bit differently in depth conversations with the leaders in 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: the sports industry. Who wants to be the sacrificial lambs 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: that shows up at the first big major sporting event 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: were part of something much bigger than the sports right 10 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: now and the health and rastry of our stakeholders that 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: works much important every moment. I think we're all from 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 1: the business respective thinking about the impact that the virus 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: is having across the country. And Bloomberg Business of Sports 14 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: from Bloomberg Radio hi VERONEA. I'm Jason Kelly, and I'm 15 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: Mike Lynch and I'm Michael bar Over the next hour, 16 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: we will explore the big money issues in the world 17 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: of sports and talk to some of the biggest players 18 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: in the industry. And we're gonna talk with Paul Rabel 19 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: a little bit later on guys, But before we get 20 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: to that, and a subject that I know is going 21 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: to come up with him. We've got to talk about 22 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: what has been going on this week. We knew it 23 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: was going to be a big week in the world 24 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 1: of politics. We had a Georgia runoff, We had the 25 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: certification of the election. Uh. Neither of those things I 26 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: think went exactly according to the script. UH. Some unbelievably 27 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: troubling images coming out of Washington, d C. On Wednesday, 28 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: with the capital literally under siege. UH. It is under 29 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: control obviously as we take this on Thursday morning, but 30 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: just a reminder of the backdrop that we're dealing with here, 31 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: a global pandemic and so many big questions around the 32 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: future of this country. It's also a reminder, I think, 33 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: if you think about politics, guys that forever changed the 34 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: relationship between sports and culture and economics and politics. And 35 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: maybe a little bit lost in all the headlines this 36 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: week with the victory of Raphael Warnock over the income 37 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: Senator Kelly Leffler, there was a sports angle. Let's remember 38 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: what Cantus Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks said about 39 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: w NBA activism and specifically about the ownership of the NBA. 40 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: The w n B A dream by Kelly Leffler. I've 41 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: said this a number of times. It is the league 42 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: that is African American women. We talk about socio economic background, 43 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: gender women black, socio economic talk about sexual orientation. There's 44 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: no place in this league. And I think we've had 45 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: a number of people that have stepped forward and listen 46 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,799 Speaker 1: and have taken initiative and taken action, and we've had 47 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 1: those that haven't and continue to make comments and show 48 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,919 Speaker 1: why we're still in this situation. And so I think 49 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: a number of players in our league that have expressed 50 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 1: that that she's there's no place in the league for her, 51 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: and the her and the she being referred to is 52 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: soon be former Senator Kelly Leffler. As I mentioned, she 53 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 1: is an owner, a co owner of the Atlanta Dream 54 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: and notably, guys, we have to remember I've paid very 55 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: close attention to this, having grown up in Atlanta and 56 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 1: still considering it my hometown. Kelly Leffler came out very 57 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: stridently against the Black Lives Matter movement that drew a 58 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: very powerful response from her own team that came out 59 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: and wore vote Warnock shirts. And I think what is 60 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: critical to remember, guys, is that Raphael Warnock was part 61 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: of a big group of people trying to unseek Kelly Leffler. 62 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: At that point, there is very specific evidence that these 63 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: players really drew a lot of attention to his candidacy 64 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: and ultimately can be considered responsible for putting him in 65 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: the Senate. The first black senator US senator from the 66 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: state of Georgia will be sworn in within days and 67 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: a reminder that, uh, everything's changed when it comes to 68 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: to sports and politics. Lynchi, well, it has and I 69 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: think Raphael Warnock had about a nine chance of winning 70 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 1: when this whole movement started, and Kelly Leffler unwisely suggested 71 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: that an American flag should be on the team's uniform 72 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 1: as opposed to a little patch that says black Lives 73 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: Matter or say her name, and taught us anything. It 74 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: It gave athletes the courage to have a voice, and 75 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 1: those voices have been heard. People are listening. It's a 76 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: word we've used a lot over the last twelve months, 77 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: but people listen, and people listened in the State of Georgia, 78 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: and they're listening all around the w n b A 79 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 1: right now. And I wouldn't be surprised if if she 80 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 1: is Kelly Leffler is urged to Uh to sell her 81 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: share of the Atlanta Dream Well, and we saw that 82 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: Michael Barr. There's a potential by her out there. Who 83 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 1: knows whether this is where it's gonna go, But no 84 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: less than the King himself. Lebron James tweeted, uh, who's in? 85 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: I want to buy this team? Yeah? I saw this tweet, 86 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: and he tweeted this early Wednesday morning. He tweeted, I 87 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: think I'm going to put together an ownership group for 88 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: the Dream Like you said, who's in? And I saw 89 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: this and I'm like, now, wait it is he for 90 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: real about it? Or is this something that's going to 91 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,799 Speaker 1: go on? And then this story picked up steam and 92 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: as I'm reading more about it, it's like, yeah, he's serious. 93 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 1: In fact, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts he also 94 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: jumped in with James on the thoughts of putting together 95 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 1: in ownership tweet and count me in yep, yep. And 96 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: a lot of response to that as well. And we 97 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,039 Speaker 1: should remind people with Baron Davis, who's also been a 98 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: guest on this show, he was rumored back in October, 99 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 1: I believe to be putting together a group for the Dream. 100 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: I mean, you sort of it's one of these narratives 101 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: that you sort of can't make up. I mean, the 102 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: Atlanta Dream, of course, is named as a callback to 103 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: Martin Luther King Jr. Is famous I have a Dream 104 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: speech and Raphael Warnock is the successor in the pulpit, 105 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church. He beat Kelly Leffler. 106 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:22,559 Speaker 1: It is one of those things you can't make it up, guys, 107 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: and and Lynchy, it does occur to us, I believe 108 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: and you you brought this up in in a conversation 109 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 1: before we came on the air. Activism continuing uh in 110 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: the NBA as recently as as just this week. Well 111 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: you're right about that, Jason. On Wednesday night, the Celtics 112 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: and the Heat had a game in Miami, and after 113 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: their warm ups, both teams went underneath the stands and 114 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,679 Speaker 1: they met collectively for about ten minutes, and they decided 115 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: they would come out and take a knee during the 116 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: national anthem to protest two things, the of the surge 117 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: on the Capitol and also the decision by the district 118 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: attorney in Kenosha County, Wisconsin not to press charges against 119 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: the police officer who shot at Jacob blake Um shades 120 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 1: of what we saw down in the bubble in Orlando. 121 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 1: With the Milwaukee Bucks not playing one of their games, 122 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: the Celtics and the Heat decided to go forward and 123 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: play the game. They thought it would be best for 124 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: the fans, but they wanted to make a loud, clear statement. 125 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: So we're a new calendar year, but a lot of 126 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: things still remain the same. Yeah, it's hard to imagine 127 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: that any of this activism is going to be rolled back, 128 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: and in fact, it may only accelerate as we go 129 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: deeper into one. Today. Just so excited a timely conversation 130 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: as it always is with our pal Paul Rabel, Premier 131 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: Lacrosse League co founder. He's a player, he's an activist, 132 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: and Paul, I want to start there because this has 133 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: been such a week. Uh you know, we say that 134 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: a lot in in these days, but this one was difficult. 135 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: You know, I wouldn't ask just any athlete this or 136 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: any league executive, but you have been vocal around social justice, 137 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: You've been cool around you know, the issues of the day, 138 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: and I do wonder how are you feeling this week? 139 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: What what is it like to sort of take all 140 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: this in knowing what I know about you and how 141 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: thoughtful you are. Yeah, well, it's great to be back 142 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: on this show. It's it's my favorite for I told 143 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: you guys before a couple of reasons. One is, uh, 144 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: you know, this was the show that we were on 145 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: when we an now it's the coming of the po 146 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: and then you too. I think it's a phenomenal show 147 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: that was first in kind of talking about the business 148 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: of sports, and it's a it's a dynamic industry. So 149 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 1: thanks for having me. I think that Jason, as I 150 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: reflect on the last year into UM and I appreciate 151 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: your introduction. Though I'm just a co founder of a 152 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:56,559 Speaker 1: professional lacrosse league that UM you know uses that UM. 153 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:01,079 Speaker 1: I think that platform as an opportunity to share what 154 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: we think is most important at our core, which is 155 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: the human rights of everyone. And everyone plays sport, which 156 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: is UH a large indicator as to why sports leagues 157 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 1: and athletes across history have been such great advocates of 158 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:28,319 Speaker 1: of of rights and equality and reason and UH and exposure. UM. 159 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: But if if I think back on UM, we were 160 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:38,439 Speaker 1: advocating for human rights, UM, that of black people in America, 161 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: Indigenous people who are kind of the creators of lacrosse 162 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: and Native Americans. We're advocating for people to wear masks, 163 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: and we were advocating for people to vote. UM. And 164 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: I think that what we saw this week as devastating 165 00:09:54,880 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: and sad and scary was just directly a cap total siege. 166 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, if you look by definition of 167 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: what treason is, it's the crime of betraying one's country, 168 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 1: especially by attempting to kill the sovereigner, overthrow the government. 169 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: And I think we've reached a place in our country 170 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: where it is become so divisive that uh, that we 171 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: all have to look, um, you know, inward and all 172 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: what's looking inward for so many different reasons. Um. And 173 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 1: that was kind of what I had tweeting, like praying 174 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:38,559 Speaker 1: for public safety. Um. Of course, like protecting government officials. 175 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: They're in a critical time of the House getting back 176 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 1: in a session late and and and finally certifying the 177 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,959 Speaker 1: electoral votes for bidmen Harris. Um. But leadership needs to 178 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 1: step up public and private and public we know as 179 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: government officials, but private, especially at this moment, those to 180 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,080 Speaker 1: sit a top of media conglomerates, social media organization, and 181 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: you need to understand the fundamentals of truth and journalism 182 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,439 Speaker 1: and protection of harmful incitements that spread wildfires like this 183 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 1: and uh. And so there's a lot to do. UM. 184 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: And I think if we look at the history of 185 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 1: you know, our our predecessors and leadership at the public level, UM, 186 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: it is more, it is more centrist. And the understanding 187 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: of of left, the understanding of right is critical to 188 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: finding middle ground. And we find middle ground in sports, 189 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: we find middle ground in relationships, and we find middle 190 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: ground in public and private policy. UM. This is this 191 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: is a jarring time. And UH. And I think that 192 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: that was that that that's that's where I sit here 193 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: with you all, you know, at seven thirty on a 194 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: on a in the morning on the West coast, but 195 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: having gotten little sleep because of how I think traumatizing 196 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: a lot of this has been I was thinking about 197 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: also too. Come off of that, uh, Lebron James h 198 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: he handed at the ownership of A w n B 199 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: a's Atlanta Dream And I bring that up because the 200 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: one of the owners, Republican Senator Kelly Leffler, who lost 201 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: her re election bid. UH, sparked significant backlash for comments 202 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 1: this summer about black lives matter. Uh. What she said 203 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,319 Speaker 1: back in July. She said, I adamantly opposed the Black 204 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: Lives Matter political movement. Uh. And I was just wondering, 205 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: what are your thoughts about that? And I'm avoiding the 206 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: political part of it, but just more about what you 207 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: just said earlier about trying to take the divisiveness out 208 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: of our society. What do you think? Yeah, yeah, well, 209 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: I mean we could, Michael, I we we could spend 210 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:50,359 Speaker 1: hours talking about the history of politics and the evolution 211 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: of even separation of church and state. And I said, 212 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: I think, like I and I've said this for a while, 213 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 1: human rights social justice is not a political debate. Um. 214 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:08,559 Speaker 1: And yeah, I think that Lebron has done a phenomenal 215 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: job as a leader in sports with the platform that 216 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: he has. Um. But but I think about the w 217 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: n b A athletes and their leadership and the success 218 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: of the w n b A had as a business 219 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: from viewership the sponsors during a pandemic when a lot 220 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: of attention was going to kind of the legacy leagues 221 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: and their viewership decline, a w b A was on 222 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: an increase. Despite taking the strongest stance and advocacy for 223 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: human rights and social justice. Um. And you know, we 224 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:47,719 Speaker 1: saw now a senator of Georgia who was you know, 225 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: a nine percent favorite getting to a runoff in Raphael Warnock. 226 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: And I believe and kind of look at the data 227 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: and the advocacy that it started at w n B 228 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: A h um, and it was it was closely attached 229 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: to what you had called out, which was ownership for 230 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: Atlanta and that kind of disengagement with the athletes in 231 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 1: her league and and their unwillingness to accept that that ruling. Um. 232 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: And and of course that that makes its way up 233 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: to Lebron, who's who's a leader across sports, and and 234 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: we ended up seeing, you know, a huge turnaround where 235 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: now the Senate's been flipped because of athlete activism. Hey, Paul, 236 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: it's Mike up in Boston. Um. You know, I was 237 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: strolling to Twitter trying to do a little research for 238 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: this interview, and that's I found something that really impressed 239 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: me and kind of stunned me. They had a tweet 240 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 1: about social justice back in September and he had five 241 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: million impressions. Did you have any idea that that your 242 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: reach was that deep and that wide. Yeah, you know, 243 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: I think that it's a tricky one to appreciate you 244 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 1: asking is, is I've you know, I think as as 245 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: a white male and a white athlete, you know, there's 246 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: there are different roles that we take. And what I've 247 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time on with the black players 248 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: in our leagues and and and black athletes everywhere and 249 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: understanding the community and being on the ground level here 250 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:24,040 Speaker 1: in Hollywood and going to protests, and is that you know, 251 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: what what white men, especially white people need to do 252 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: is what's called social standing. And that means, in a 253 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: time where it feels sometimes peculiar uncomfortable stepping up and 254 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: advocating for oppressed people. UM that you are not and 255 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 1: you don't know that experience that they have gone through 256 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: and their lineage has experienced that. Uh that you ask yourself, 257 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: how could I let me step aside and maybe provide 258 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: an oppert unity for them to express their experience? Where 259 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: actually social standing in the history of UM, white privilege 260 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: as we've defined it, and I know that it has 261 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: been used as as a threat or an insult and 262 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: it and it shouldn't be UM, is that white people 263 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: need to talk to other white people. And that's where 264 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: most of the groundwork and and UH and call it 265 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: UM change occurs, and that's at the systemic level. It's 266 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: the institutional level as well, and it's also where if 267 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 1: you think about the world and homogeneous groups, like that's 268 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: where there's there's most understanding UM and sometimes most combat. 269 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: So UM, you know, I learned one of the things 270 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: is like, hey, I've kind of grown up in the 271 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: social and digital error and UM, I pay a lot 272 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: of attention to efforts and results, but UM it can 273 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: sometimes come off as UM sideways if if you look 274 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: at something as UH important as diversity inclusion and then 275 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 1: try to tie a number of success to it. UM. 276 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: So we're we're certainly like happy that a lot of 277 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: the advocacy we did during the championship series of our 278 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 1: UM you know, our pandemic bubble, both across our our 279 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: network relationship with NBC and what we did on social 280 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: was heard and was landed by on a lot of 281 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: different size screens. But it's it's core to who we are. So, Paul, 282 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,479 Speaker 1: we have talked a lot about a lot of stuff, 283 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 1: a lot of deep stuff, But I want to get 284 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: to some recent news that folks may have missed in 285 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:44,119 Speaker 1: the flurry of the holidays. Which is arguably the biggest merger, 286 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:48,640 Speaker 1: the biggest sort of coming together acquisition in the history 287 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: of lacrosse, the p LLL, the mL becoming one. Uh, 288 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: how did this happen? This is a big, big deal. Yeah, yeah, 289 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: it is. Um you know, and some than that we 290 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: talked about on the show back on October UM is 291 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: that you know, in our initial run, Mike and I 292 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 1: who's my co founder, older brother CEO of the p 293 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,119 Speaker 1: ll our our preference was to buy or figure out 294 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: a way to work with MLL out of the gates 295 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 1: because we put a lot of value in our analysis 296 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 1: on din I P and twenty years of games. We 297 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: couldn't come to that conclusion, but behind the scenes there 298 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 1: have been conversations and I think I think it cuts 299 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: two ways. Um. We of course believe in our model, 300 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: in the progress we've made out of sport, but at 301 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:35,679 Speaker 1: the same time, we also have to prove that progress 302 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:39,400 Speaker 1: to come to a deal that both parties felt was 303 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: was equitable, and that progress we made since announcing on 304 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: on this platform was not just with a network in NBC, 305 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 1: which the sport had never had that type of consistent 306 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 1: exposure where you can actually build a rating system and 307 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 1: build out the commercial value of the business. But we 308 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: hadn't put a ball in the net, rolled out teams, coaches, players, 309 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,880 Speaker 1: bring on major sponsors and so there was a lot 310 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: of work. Our team has been able to do that 311 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: and do that well. And I think the other pieces 312 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,439 Speaker 1: we had a successful and a lot of pro sports 313 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: leagues did not. Most were and uh, we figured out 314 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 1: a way to be up. And you can make an 315 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: argument that hey, we were a second year league and 316 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: there's a lot of room to growth and we should 317 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: be up. But when you when you drop tickets and 318 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: on site merchandise and and youth events, that's a big 319 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: hit to to everyone. Um. But as you know, a 320 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: business that is considered by many to be a startup 321 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 1: and when you see startup leagues turnover like the American 322 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:45,440 Speaker 1: Alliance Football League to the XFL well funded ever saw 323 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: McMahon businesses and us be able to persevere. And then 324 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:50,479 Speaker 1: if you look at the other part of COVID as 325 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: an accelerator for industry outcomes in the future, I think 326 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: that that played a role in us getting together and 327 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:02,360 Speaker 1: figuring out a way to mur urge tuck business operations 328 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: moving forward under the p LL and then be able 329 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 1: to bring on a second expansion team which is a 330 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: founding member of Major League Lacrosse, and that was the 331 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: Boston Cannons, where later this month will be rolling out there. 332 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 1: Uh you know, not only their their updated team identity 333 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 1: as Cannon's Lacrosse Clubs as Appeals eight team, but but 334 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: also more about their coaching staff, expansion draft, entry draft, 335 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: college draft, and so on. You guys made a very 336 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: important and smart decision during this merger, and I was 337 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,639 Speaker 1: reading about it, the PLLL will retain the rights to 338 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 1: all of the former mL L teams for future expansion considerations. 339 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: That's very important because that's where the money is going 340 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: to grow, expanding the entire league. Can you comment more 341 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 1: on that? Yeah, it's it's an interesting thing. So Michael, 342 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: you know, we we've spent a lot of time talking 343 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: and I don't know, like your almanac of sports history 344 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,640 Speaker 1: is as strong as anyone's. And we already do something differently. 345 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: We're were based or our season operates like NASCAR UM 346 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 1: and then a part and parcel of that, we we 347 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: don't have cities tied to our teammates UM to try 348 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: to support and enhance that tour based scenario where fans 349 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: all over the country can support one of thou their 350 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: favorite eight TL teams instead of feeling uninvited if our 351 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: original six teams were just in six cities on the 352 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: East coast. So that was difficult to digest it. As 353 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 1: we look into the future, you know of sports, does 354 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: it head in the direction of trying to get to 355 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 1: thirty two teams? Quoting the NFL, where that was where 356 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: the end of the kind of the enterprise value always 357 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: pointed to mathematically. But now if you look at the 358 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: NFL or the NBA, the lion's share of value and 359 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: that's advertising dollars on television to sponsorship on site, the 360 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:55,159 Speaker 1: you know, Jersey Patch value goes to your major market 361 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: city teams with the best players in the world, and 362 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 1: whether that's the games on Christmas Day in the NBA 363 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: All Star or playoffs, those continue to be amplified and 364 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 1: enhanced properties where everything in between is kind of tacked on. 365 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: So as I think about the future of sport, is 366 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: it more towards talent density and building enterprise value from 367 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: fewer or is it a race to having more? Now 368 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: we're positioned to continue to analyze that and uh and 369 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,679 Speaker 1: find our sweet spot. I don't know that lacrosse in 370 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: the next five to seven years even has the capacity 371 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: or attention or number of players to get to something 372 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: as biggest thirty teams or even twenty teams. But I 373 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: do think expansion to twelve, maybe even more at some 374 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:43,919 Speaker 1: point um in the future does make sense. But so 375 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: I'll say that. And the other thing related to the 376 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 1: MLLL teams that we didn't tack on, and I know 377 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: there's there are a lot of questions online. It's like, hey, everyone, 378 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: we're still in a pandemic, and our kind of core 379 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: principles of building this league is being financially frudent prudent 380 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 1: while being creatively reckless, and that balance seems like an oxymoron. 381 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 1: I think we've done creativity well, but we had to 382 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:10,879 Speaker 1: maintain our finances here. So expanding to an ACE team 383 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: and one doesn't mean we're ignoring the Outlaws or the 384 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: BayHawks or the Lizards were certainly not. And in fact, 385 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: one of the ways that I think about the future 386 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: of one is that while we're entering our third season 387 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: at the PLO, we're armed with twenty years of MLLO history, 388 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:30,719 Speaker 1: so we'll continue to show those highlights and tell those stories, 389 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 1: coalesced statistics, UM honor you know kind of ions and 390 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: hall of famers of of pro lacrosse and and potentially 391 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: even tie that to merchandise from from a business opportunity. So, UM, 392 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 1: while we don't see those teams in play now, we 393 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: will be seeing those teams, Paul, which cities will you 394 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 1: be traveling to? Um? As you said, it's it's pretty 395 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: similar to the NASCAR. There are no home teams, will 396 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: be sort of on tour for the entire season. So 397 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: what are the cities? So we haven't announced our one 398 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: ftprint yet. UM and UH that that's coming later this 399 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: month obviously like being mindful of the current environment. UM. 400 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: You know, we were the first team sports league in 401 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,639 Speaker 1: North America to announce the solution to the pandemic and 402 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,439 Speaker 1: our bubble back in May, and we did that on 403 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:25,639 Speaker 1: on the Today Show as part of that you call 404 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 1: it creatively reckless mentality, but I hate to say reckless, 405 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,479 Speaker 1: um and and finding the solution that was created by 406 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 1: our COVID nineteen internal Medical Committee, but we had a 407 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 1: direct access point to the White House, UH Task Force 408 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 1: Sports Committee. We have a number of members on our 409 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: investor cap table who sit the top of the biomedical 410 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 1: and healthcare industry. We're continuing to tap into both of 411 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 1: those worlds to understand now the path of vaccination. Back 412 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:55,880 Speaker 1: last year and April when we were working on it, 413 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 1: it was the path to point of care testing, which 414 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:00,399 Speaker 1: if you guys can remember, wasn't even available. You have 415 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,239 Speaker 1: to go to the hospital if you were symptomatic, So 416 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: it was a much different world. So we kind of 417 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 1: understanding that in if we're a summer sport, what can 418 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: we predict June through September looking like, um, how can 419 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 1: we build a season that's malleable um to uncertainty but 420 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: also um, you know, structured such that we can kind 421 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: of continue to commercialize the opportunity. So that will be 422 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 1: coming later this month and um yeah, we we hope, 423 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 1: and there are signals point towards being able to go 424 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: tour base again and then if we have to pivot, 425 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: we've been able to show and demonstrate the ability to 426 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 1: do so. So pr I gotta say, you know, we 427 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: we've talked a lot about the last year. We talked 428 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 1: a little bit about what happens next. You know, you're 429 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 1: a goal setter. You and Mike both I know, are 430 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:55,439 Speaker 1: you are also a disruptor, that's for sure when you 431 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,919 Speaker 1: think about whether it's the tour base model some of 432 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: the stuff you've done in media. We talked a little 433 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 1: earlier in the conversation about the fervent use by you 434 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 1: and the team of social media and and different sorts 435 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 1: of platforms. You know, as you take stock, especially as 436 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 1: you have this expanded empire, what's the sort of biggest 437 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: learning that you have from building this business over the 438 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: last several years that you will employee going into Mm hmm, 439 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,920 Speaker 1: it's a it's a great, great question. Uh. I think 440 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 1: about our days and are kind of at least the 441 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: early stage of our career and an entrepreneurship. UM and 442 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: Mike and I initial thesis of trying to get into 443 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: industries where we can democratize opportunity first started in the 444 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: gym coast space and then it moved into small business lending. 445 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:53,920 Speaker 1: And I was able to convince Mike to come over 446 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: and help lacrosse players find some type of financial outcome 447 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 1: in their two rears and and how do we do 448 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 1: that from the ground up and top down? UM? What? What? What? 449 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 1: What we learned though, Jason is that sometimes it's it's 450 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: better to be second in, and there's a lot of 451 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: inventors and creativity. It's out there in markets, and sometimes 452 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 1: you know that your your audience isn't ready for it, 453 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:21,600 Speaker 1: and then in other times when your first in, it's 454 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 1: it's really challenging to figure out what's right. And on 455 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: the heels of this merger, there's a lot of things 456 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 1: that MLL did for the sport and for me too. 457 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: It provided an opportunity to play UM and so there 458 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: are a lot of learnings to answer your question, and 459 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: we got to pick off a bunch from our predecessor UM, 460 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: and then there's continual learnings. And I would say in 461 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: sports the biggest one if you think about revenue, and 462 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: you guys talk a lot about revenue tied to the 463 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 1: fan experience in sports, but a lot of people talk 464 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: about is the revenue shift. So look at the history 465 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: of profess sports to Major League Baseball, all the way 466 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: through even the NFL. Prior to the the kind of 467 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 1: the golden age of the TV era, it was tickets. First, 468 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: tickets were your primal source of revenue, then became slowly television, 469 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: then sponsors, then merchandise. What you've seen is tickets really 470 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: take a back seat media rights. We're looking at the NFL, 471 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 1: they're likely going to secure a ten year deal over 472 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 1: a hundred billion dollars that Doombi Bombie networked in some exclusivity. 473 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:37,360 Speaker 1: So media rights is the front runner, and that's kind 474 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: of you see across all the legacy leagues. Then, depending 475 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: on whether in you're you're in Europe or or in 476 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: the US, merchandise can jump sponsorship, but typically sponsorship number two, 477 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 1: then merchandise, then tickets. However, what we've learned is, you know, 478 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: our economic model is different than the viewership model of 479 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 1: success and in viewership in sports, and we've experienced this 480 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: in all industries entertainment, talk shows, late night television two sports. 481 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 1: Is it changes when people aren't in the stands. There's 482 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 1: this sense of fomo when you're at a game knowing 483 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: that you're there to watch it live, and then when 484 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 1: you're watching it and seeing a full house as it 485 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 1: feels like you're watching something important. And while that isn't 486 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: tied as much to the economic success of these enterprise 487 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 1: businesses and sports, it has probably the biggest psychological impact. 488 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 1: And so whether you know you're Tom Rothman chairman of 489 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: Sony Pictures and trying to figure out the future of 490 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: the theatrical business because Sony is one of the big 491 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: five conglomerates left that doesn't have a streaming service. And 492 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: you see Warner Media now announcing their theatrical releases to 493 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: HBO Max. It's like when vaccinations and when we reach 494 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 1: herd immunity and people feel comfortable going back to theaters 495 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: and going back the Lakers game and PLLO game. How 496 00:29:58,080 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: quickly is that going to happen? And then what's that 497 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 1: going to do to the viewership experience on television as well? 498 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: So that's the I think the biggest learning and the 499 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: biggest thing that we're looking at. Paul. I think Heaven said, 500 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: you know, I want to make this great lacrosse player 501 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: who has a heart of gold. Hold my beer there, 502 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: paulbel Now go out there, no tripping. You've got the heart. 503 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,640 Speaker 1: And can I just ask, what did God say, hold 504 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: my beer? Yes, yes he did, he did. It's not 505 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: non alcoholic. I might have had that too. I bring 506 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 1: it up. Yeah, I took it and drank it last night. 507 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:43,440 Speaker 1: I bring it up because I saw this and I said, man, 508 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: I'm going to bring this up. You started the Paul 509 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,920 Speaker 1: Rabel Foundation, uh ten years ago, and it was all 510 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: about helping children with learning differences. You have to expand 511 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:56,960 Speaker 1: more on that. I think this is a great program. 512 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: Please tell the audience about it. Yeah, well, I appreciate that. UM. 513 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 1: I grew up with learning differences. Artory processing disorder a 514 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: d h D dyslexia runs in and my family as well. UM, 515 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 1: and I've learned over time on the artory process of disorder. 516 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 1: One of the things that uh, Mike, Mike Jason, we 517 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 1: laugh about after these shows is how I'm so freaking 518 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: long winded as part of my processing system is through 519 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 1: audible ling, so sometimes like I'm learning as I'm speaking. UM. 520 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: But I had a lot of advantages when I was 521 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:38,960 Speaker 1: younger on the athletics field that really helped balance low 522 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 1: confidence in the classroom and helped me, frankly, get through 523 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: school and get opportunity to kind of where I am now. UM. 524 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 1: And not all kids, especially those with severe learning differences, 525 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: have that access to extracurricular programs. So when we turned 526 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 1: around and my family started the foundation, we wanted to 527 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: first work with schools is specialized in that type of education. 528 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 1: It's highly nuanced and nuanced at the funding level from 529 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: learning difference and learning difference whether it's on the spectrum 530 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 1: of autism to dyslect to something like a d h 531 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 1: d RTOD process and disorder UM. In many states, that 532 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 1: are all lumped together in the public school system offering. 533 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 1: So we looked at the private offering, especially for kids 534 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:24,640 Speaker 1: who needed that and families who needed that, and we 535 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 1: wanted to first start lacrosse programs there to give them 536 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 1: that same access point an extracurricular that I had, and 537 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 1: then that quickly turned into a scholarship fund. Realizing that 538 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: it was difficult as it was from my family to 539 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:38,800 Speaker 1: get my sister into a school called the Lab School 540 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: in ndc UM and so that that was that was it, 541 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 1: and um, you know, it's it's difficult because nonprofits are 542 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: as competitive as for profit businesses. And my my mother 543 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 1: who's our executive director, has done a fantastic job of 544 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 1: continuing to think critically and creatively around ways that we 545 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 1: can continue to support our school partners. But there's there's 546 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 1: a lot of amazing people doing much better work in 547 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 1: the educational space, and we're continuing to learn and do 548 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: our part to get back and UM and maybe figure 549 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:23,280 Speaker 1: out better ways to uh to leverage UM lacrosse specifically 550 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:26,760 Speaker 1: and that unique touch point UM. But but that's what 551 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: we do. And you can find out more information about 552 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 1: Paul Regal Foundation dot org. You may be smile when 553 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,760 Speaker 1: you said that you're learning as you're talking. I'm a newscaster. 554 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: I do the same thing. I'm in the same boat, 555 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: and it's like and I'm learning stuff every days. I'm like, 556 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: really that happened here. It's like, Okay, it's like the 557 00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 1: capital Michigan is Lansing. Okay, let's go. That made me 558 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 1: smile exactly exactly. Hey, hey, Paul. One of the great 559 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 1: challenges of a sport like lacrosse. It's a great participants 560 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 1: sport and you're trying to grow it as a spectator's sport. 561 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: And I love a couple of the innovations you had 562 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: last year. A shot clock, let's see, a microphone inside 563 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,239 Speaker 1: the helmet to be interviewed during the course of a game. 564 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:12,560 Speaker 1: Well those travel along with you during this merger or 565 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,760 Speaker 1: are there other things to come? Yeah? Yeah, Innovation is critical. 566 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:19,439 Speaker 1: I mean just trying to take an objective look, which 567 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: is the hardest thing when you're native to a sport. 568 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:26,040 Speaker 1: Um is how difficult it is to watch on television 569 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 1: for those who aren't. And uh, it took me about 570 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: eight years into my professional career to step back and say, oh, 571 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:35,240 Speaker 1: it's it actually is difficult to track the ball on 572 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 1: on a screen of any size. The moves really fast. Um. 573 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 1: So one of the first things we did is we 574 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:42,919 Speaker 1: changed the ball color when we launched off the yellow, 575 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:46,759 Speaker 1: which is the color that Tennis Association spent tens of 576 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:50,200 Speaker 1: millions of dollars to a b tests around a serve 577 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:52,760 Speaker 1: that goes over a hundred miles on screen. They found 578 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 1: that like an off color yellow, green actually gets tracked 579 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:00,480 Speaker 1: better on a green surface. So we are like, well, 580 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 1: people have already invested in understanding that let's change the 581 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: color of our ball. We've shortened the field, we sped 582 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 1: up the game, and you know, you have to take 583 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 1: again innovation with you know, the the tentacles of tradition 584 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:17,640 Speaker 1: and the sensitivity of tradition, and you have your head 585 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: down and move forward and and and frankly, a lot 586 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 1: of sports have gotten caught up in that at the 587 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:26,560 Speaker 1: Olympic level, where they refused to change the fundamentals of 588 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 1: the game for you know, every four years, greater exposure 589 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:34,480 Speaker 1: to four billion people on the planet. And I refused 590 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:37,719 Speaker 1: to be to allow at least our sport while I'm 591 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 1: a co founder of the league, UM be that ill adaptive. 592 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:46,719 Speaker 1: So innovation is really important enhancing the broadcast, especially as 593 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:50,360 Speaker 1: as a newer league that can be more nimble is 594 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:53,320 Speaker 1: working with our network partner. And one of the things 595 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:55,800 Speaker 1: that you know, I know you guys talk about, and 596 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,360 Speaker 1: we talked about a lot is UM. You know, the 597 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:01,800 Speaker 1: future of sports betting tie to sports here in America specifically, 598 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:04,399 Speaker 1: it's it's been tied to European sports for a long 599 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:06,360 Speaker 1: time and been a huge part of its success. But 600 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: as we see now like the state adopt policy UM 601 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 1: and allow sports betting UM, it's a huge industry and 602 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: will only continue to grow. And we were able to 603 00:36:18,320 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: during this pandemic, I think, expedite the the approval and 604 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:26,920 Speaker 1: governance from the gaming operators all the way to the 605 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:31,840 Speaker 1: state national legislative approval level while sports are on pause, 606 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 1: so we're able to kind of like jump to the 607 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:36,920 Speaker 1: front of the line, honestly, and we got that approval 608 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:39,600 Speaker 1: and then we did a deal with DraftKings and UM 609 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:43,160 Speaker 1: that type of enhancement helps us not only engage in 610 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 1: increased watch time for our core fans, but it also 611 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,640 Speaker 1: brings in net new fans. So expect to us to 612 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 1: be kind of at the forefront of integration not only 613 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:56,920 Speaker 1: for sports betting into the games, but but also athlete data. 614 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:01,919 Speaker 1: And we're seeing that now take a turn, I think 615 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,839 Speaker 1: for more exposure because of COVID. Right now it's on 616 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:07,200 Speaker 1: the wearable health side. The NBA just anounced the deal. 617 00:37:07,239 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: The NFL has done a deal with their mandating their athletes, 618 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:11,840 Speaker 1: where p G a just kind of deal with Whoop. 619 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:14,520 Speaker 1: We did a deal with Whoop, but no one's yet 620 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 1: to like integrate that player bio data to the broadcast. 621 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:23,520 Speaker 1: And it's complicated, it's expensive, there's a lot of approval. 622 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 1: But those are things that I see the future of 623 00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 1: sports and from an innovation standpoint, the broadcast enhancing that 624 00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:31,759 Speaker 1: that's where we want to continue to be and no 625 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 1: more because that's some journalism. It feels better to be 626 00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 1: number one than number five. I'll wear a number because 627 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 1: of Mike. We have a chance to go for three 628 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:39,719 Speaker 1: in a row. Kids numbers in a good time and 629 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,880 Speaker 1: let's first started wearing their number. I would just have 630 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:45,799 Speaker 1: the Bloomberg Business of Sports the number of the week 631 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:50,160 Speaker 1: for the number of the week. Okay, kids, huddle around 632 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 1: the set, because this is a good one and it's 633 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:56,280 Speaker 1: one of my favorite numbers of the week. Along the subject. 634 00:37:57,320 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 1: Uh now, I'm going to admit Lynchy might have the 635 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:06,279 Speaker 1: advantage in this one. Come on, man. After nine seasons 636 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:11,279 Speaker 1: with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Christian Thompson, who is now with 637 00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:18,960 Speaker 1: the Celtics, UH is selling his home on the Ohio waterfront. 638 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:23,759 Speaker 1: It's on the shores of Lake Erie. I will tell 639 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:28,760 Speaker 1: you right now, I'll give you the six hundred square 640 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:33,719 Speaker 1: feet more than that in fact, now, how much do 641 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:37,800 Speaker 1: you think this home is worth? At least is what 642 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 1: he's asking for. Now, I'll be fair. I'll tell you 643 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 1: it's got five bedrooms, five full bathrooms plus two half bathrooms, 644 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:51,200 Speaker 1: spacious accommodation, including an owner's wing outfitted with a luxe bathroom, 645 00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:55,600 Speaker 1: a walk in closet, a sitting area, and a balcony, 646 00:38:55,880 --> 00:39:03,520 Speaker 1: every luxurious. Yes, on the shores of Lincoln. Okay, um, 647 00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:09,680 Speaker 1: assume that's on the Cleveland side. Yeah, good question, good 648 00:39:09,719 --> 00:39:11,960 Speaker 1: follow up. So you're already better than I am at 649 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:27,719 Speaker 1: this game. I'll say eight million. Well it's a seller's 650 00:39:27,840 --> 00:39:30,600 Speaker 1: market because I would have originally started a bit lower 651 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:36,759 Speaker 1: um and I get the benefit of going to so 652 00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:41,279 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go prices right here. Uh and say three 653 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:46,719 Speaker 1: and a half. So I'm gonna go prices right so 654 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:50,279 Speaker 1: I have to undercut. Paul, you're gonna go lower, I'm 655 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:54,040 Speaker 1: going lower. I'm going three point to. Wow, you know, 656 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:57,960 Speaker 1: she's ridiculous at this. I think he has like some 657 00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:01,920 Speaker 1: sort of weird real estate content, all good news, all 658 00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:05,400 Speaker 1: the time. Three point twenty five million dollars is what 659 00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:07,600 Speaker 1: he's asking for. And I thought when you said three 660 00:40:07,640 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 1: and a half, Paul was like, he's got this. And 661 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:12,919 Speaker 1: then Lyndji comes in, It's like, I'm gonna go with dollar. 662 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:15,799 Speaker 1: This is what he does me every week. By the way, 663 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:19,200 Speaker 1: welcome to my world. But that's you know, that price 664 00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:22,239 Speaker 1: is right. Logic didn't make any sense either when she's like, 665 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:24,480 Speaker 1: why didn't you come in at once? You were giving yourself, 666 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:30,160 Speaker 1: you know, a two dollar margin. Yeah, that's true. That's 667 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:36,799 Speaker 1: a very good point. That's a very getting excited though, 668 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:38,600 Speaker 1: when when you said three point five and I said, 669 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:45,640 Speaker 1: he's got to be warm. I gave myself away. All right, 670 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:49,120 Speaker 1: pr you're always a good sport. We really appreciate it. 671 00:40:49,239 --> 00:40:51,960 Speaker 1: You're you're almost as good at guessing real estate as 672 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:55,600 Speaker 1: you are playing lacrosse. So we're just saying something, so 673 00:40:56,120 --> 00:41:00,719 Speaker 1: best of like you stay safe out there. But you know, 674 00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:04,439 Speaker 1: thanks for seeing me up. I appreciate you, guys very much. 675 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:07,920 Speaker 1: All right, thank you very well, my friend. So, guys, 676 00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:11,200 Speaker 1: Paul Rabilt love that guy. He's always up for it, 677 00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:14,440 Speaker 1: including participating in our number of the week. But you know, 678 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:17,000 Speaker 1: I was actually really glad to talk to him this 679 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:21,560 Speaker 1: week because given everything that's going on in the world, 680 00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:24,799 Speaker 1: I have found him and and full disclosure, like he's 681 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 1: a pal and and I talked with him fairly frequently. 682 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:31,520 Speaker 1: He's a very thoughtful guy. I mean, this is the 683 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:35,480 Speaker 1: this is the modern athlete, the modern athlete entrepreneur in 684 00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:39,920 Speaker 1: many ways. And you can just tell how holistically lynchy 685 00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:42,799 Speaker 1: he thinks about everything, you know, the notion of being 686 00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:45,480 Speaker 1: like it's one thing to be a player coach, it's 687 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:51,040 Speaker 1: a whole other thing to be a player, commissioner, owner, entrepreneur. Yeah, 688 00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:53,080 Speaker 1: and he's so good at every one of those things too. 689 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:56,280 Speaker 1: I mean, he's he's got his head on a swivel. 690 00:41:56,800 --> 00:42:00,960 Speaker 1: Nothing surprises him. He's he's a sensitive guy. Um. You know, 691 00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:04,200 Speaker 1: he talked about, you know, being a white guy and 692 00:42:04,560 --> 00:42:07,880 Speaker 1: just not being not being in the shoes of of 693 00:42:08,120 --> 00:42:11,000 Speaker 1: of a black person during this whole Black Lives Matter thing, 694 00:42:11,080 --> 00:42:13,920 Speaker 1: and he gathered all those guys together and I was impressed. 695 00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:17,840 Speaker 1: And they made five million impressions on on on Twitter 696 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:20,479 Speaker 1: when that little bubble they had when they played in Utah, 697 00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:23,040 Speaker 1: I think was most and most of the summer. And um, 698 00:42:23,719 --> 00:42:25,759 Speaker 1: you know, he's he's he's he can talk. He can 699 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:28,400 Speaker 1: talk a television broadcast, he can talk TV rights, he 700 00:42:28,440 --> 00:42:31,080 Speaker 1: can talk sponsorship, he's on the phone with the president 701 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:35,080 Speaker 1: of a Sony Entertainment. What can what can he do here? 702 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:39,040 Speaker 1: There's not this little he cannot do bar Yeah, I 703 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:42,160 Speaker 1: mean you've been as he mentioned. I mean we have 704 00:42:42,239 --> 00:42:45,960 Speaker 1: a longstanding sort of journalistic relationship with him. Mean, Bluemberg 705 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:49,880 Speaker 1: Business of Sports really broke the news back in the day, um, 706 00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 1: in the Sashnik era of this whole thing happening. So 707 00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:56,920 Speaker 1: you've seen it of all from the beginning, and it's 708 00:42:56,960 --> 00:42:59,960 Speaker 1: interesting to see the twists and the turns In some ways, 709 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:02,920 Speaker 1: it really is It's like you said, I was there 710 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:06,920 Speaker 1: at the beginning, and I just like watching Paul and 711 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:10,600 Speaker 1: Mike take a lump of clay and they've molded it, 712 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:14,080 Speaker 1: and they've done all this to create first of all, 713 00:43:14,239 --> 00:43:18,640 Speaker 1: what was the PLL, and then to have this merger 714 00:43:18,760 --> 00:43:22,160 Speaker 1: come in with the with the mL L. I think, 715 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:25,439 Speaker 1: my goodness, now this can really take off. And that's 716 00:43:25,440 --> 00:43:28,080 Speaker 1: why I always thought that it was smart that they 717 00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:30,560 Speaker 1: kept the rights to all the former m l L 718 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:34,520 Speaker 1: teams too. For the expansion siderations. Who knows where that 719 00:43:34,600 --> 00:43:37,600 Speaker 1: can go. Yeah, No, it's it's only getting bigger and bigger. 720 00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:41,160 Speaker 1: And I think their success in pulling off the bubble 721 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:44,680 Speaker 1: last summer. You know, they very cleverly were able to 722 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:48,759 Speaker 1: use the Olympic window actually from a broadcast perspective, so 723 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:52,480 Speaker 1: you know, some viewership and and some fans coming in there. 724 00:43:52,520 --> 00:43:56,160 Speaker 1: And as you say, this combination, you know, becoming the league, 725 00:43:56,239 --> 00:43:59,359 Speaker 1: the pro league for lacrosse. Uh, Sky's the limit for sure. Well, 726 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:01,480 Speaker 1: you've been listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports. We're 727 00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:03,799 Speaker 1: here each and every week at the same time, plus 728 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:06,760 Speaker 1: online wherever you get your podcast. Catch those Mondays, Wednesdays 729 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:08,600 Speaker 1: and Thursdays. I'm Jason Kelly. You can find me on 730 00:44:08,640 --> 00:44:11,759 Speaker 1: Twitter at Jason Kelly News. And I'm Mike Lynch. You 731 00:44:11,800 --> 00:44:14,520 Speaker 1: can follow me at Lynch e w CVB. And I'm 732 00:44:14,560 --> 00:44:17,160 Speaker 1: Michael Barr on Twitter at Big Bar Sports. You're listening 733 00:44:17,239 --> 00:44:21,120 Speaker 1: to Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world.