1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Evan Williams and I'm Michael barn. This is 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: the Bloomberg Business of Sports podcast where we I'm sorry, 3 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: s good. I know you're not here, man, but see 4 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: now we're saying, wait, we're gonna explore the big money 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: issues in the world of sports and scots out all 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: this week. So it's just Evan and I. Uh, we're 7 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: gonna talk about several things and we have to start. 8 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: This has turned into one big controversy. I got a 9 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: lot of thoughts about this. Uh. Nike they had their 10 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: uh fourth July sneakers. Uh, they have pulled them from 11 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: the stores in case you haven't heard, because they had 12 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: the old Betsy Ross flag on the back of the 13 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:45,480 Speaker 1: heel of the shoes. Now, there were complaints, including from 14 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: Colin Kaepernick, who is under the Nike stable, that it 15 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: reminded people that it was hearkened back to the slavery 16 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: days and it could offend some people. So Nike decided 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: to pull the shoes for m the stores before they 18 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: even went on sale. They already went to retailers, but 19 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: they said, no, recall them, bring him back. Then. That 20 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: drew a lot of reaction. One from the Arizona Governor 21 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: Dog Doocey, who is now upset, and that means Nike, 22 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: which had a factory they're gonna have in Phoenix. Uh, 23 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: he has removed some of the incentives now from Nike 24 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: because he's upset about that. And Uh, the leader of 25 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,399 Speaker 1: the Senate, Mitch McConnell, he's upset. Uh. He says in 26 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: fact that you know, put him on sale, I'll buy 27 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: up here. So hopefully I've set it up there a 28 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: little bit. But I got a lot to say about. Yeah, 29 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: it's it's a that was a good set up. That's 30 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: a good kind of summary of where we are right now. 31 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: It's kind of a fascinating topic. I think there's a 32 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: lot of layers here. The thing I'll say first off, 33 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: in my opinion, the big thing that Nike did wrong 34 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: here is that they got this far into the process 35 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: before realizing there was information out there that they didn't 36 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: have that made them not want to sell the shoe. Right, So, 37 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: Nike designed this shoe, they approved it, they manufactured it, 38 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: they shipped it out to retailers, and then learned a 39 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: little bit more information that made them not want to 40 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: sell it. Um, And that seems like a business mistake, right, 41 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: I mean you can. We can debate, and we probably 42 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: will in the next couple of minutes. We can debate 43 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: whether or not this is a shoe that should be sold, 44 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: and we can debate whether or not this is a 45 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: shoe that should be recalled. But getting that far into 46 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 1: the process before deciding you don't want to sell it, 47 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 1: that seems like a big mistake. You are ten percent 48 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: right that that is the big mistake Nike made. You 49 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: let it go all the way to that point and 50 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: you said, oh, well, maybe we need to think twice 51 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: about this now. Having said all that, and this is 52 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: you know, there have been debates about you know, well 53 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: now is the Betsy Ross flag. Some people are saying 54 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: I didn't even know it was offensive, to others who 55 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: are African Americans saying saying, hey, you know, I don't 56 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: want something that reminds me of slavery. I want to 57 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: bring up one major point here, and this is getting lost. 58 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: Whether you're whatever side you're on, remember something, Nike is 59 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: selling a product. So if you're selling something that's what 60 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: two thirty something dollars, and it's going to take off 61 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: a number of people who you're trying to sell it 62 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: to maybe as a company, you're gonna say, well, you 63 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: know what, we need to rethink this and we're gonna 64 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: pull this back. So now people are mad at Nike 65 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: because they pulled the shoe. Uh. Their company. They're trying 66 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: to sell a product and and and am I going 67 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: to drop two thirty dollars if my kids says I 68 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: want those shoes? Uh, I'm gonna think twice about it. Yeah. 69 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: I think that's a good point. And you know, part 70 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: of this feels like deja vu because we had some 71 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: of these same conversations ten months ago when when they 72 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: first unveiled their Colin Kaepernick ad, the one that was 73 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: believing anything. You know, you don't believe in something, those 74 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: just do it ads. You know, there were calls for 75 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: boycott's back then from people who were upset that Nike 76 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: was theoretically waiting into the political sphere. Uh. There's also 77 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: calls for boycott now for people who feel the same way. 78 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: And I think to your point, another thing that gets 79 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: lost in here, Nike knows it's customers, right. Nike is 80 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: probably better than almost any company out there at knowing 81 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: who their consumers are and where they are Ideologically, right, 82 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 1: and that is uh, it's mostly younger, mostly tech savvy, 83 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: a lot of his urban all those things tend to 84 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: lean liberal. Um And I think that's one of the 85 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: reasons why Nike has been, you know, unafraid to wade 86 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: into political topics and in the past couple of months, right, 87 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: I think this is probably good business for Nike, right, 88 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,559 Speaker 1: making a stand like this show telling people out there, listen, 89 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: we're we're sensitive to to to to things like this 90 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: flag and what it might represent to certain communities. Um. 91 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: And even though we are you know, within days of 92 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: selling it and even have have released some to build 93 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: hype for them, we're willing to pull it back. However, 94 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: there's a lot of anger out there, right, and there 95 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: there are a lot of people out there saying they're 96 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: not going to buy Nike shoes anymore. You know, as 97 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: you mentioned Doug Doocy, the governor of Arizona, you know, 98 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: he pulled a one million dollar grant for Nike, who's 99 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: going to build a manufacturing plant right outside Phoenix. It's 100 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: unclear yet if Nike is going to continue with that project. 101 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: Certainly one million dollars to a you know, a company 102 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: that sells forty billion dollars of shoes and apparel every 103 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: year is not a huge fine. Um. But you know, 104 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: I can see Nike maybe deciding, you know, maybe we'll 105 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: take our business somewhere else. If the governor of Arizona, Uh, 106 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 1: really is embarrassed by the decision that we made. Um, 107 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 1: but you know, certainly an interesting one. He Let me 108 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: explain it this way. In the radio world, there are 109 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: many things that we can say and we cannot say. 110 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: Some are borderline. So let's say, for instance, I want 111 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: to use the word heini on the air, Okay, and uh, 112 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: the Bloomberg way says, no, you cannot use the word heini. Fine, okay, 113 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: So now my company is that we can do that, 114 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: but other broadcasters will use the word heinie and it's fine. 115 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: Now people are mad at me because I didn't use 116 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: the word heini. This is what I'm equating the Nike problem. 117 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: Too interesting. And one other thing I would say about Nike. 118 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: We talked critical about how they got to this point 119 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 1: without maybe without realizing that this was was an image 120 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: that was controversial. Um, Nike makes of Philadelphia seventy sixers 121 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: uniform that has this same star pattern on it. You know, 122 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: the city uniforms. The third uniforms for the Philadelphia seventies 123 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: sixers is uh the seventy sixers logo with these thirteen 124 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: stars around it. It's a clear allusion to the to 125 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: the Betsy Ross flag. So I can understand, you know, 126 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: partially why Nike may have gone through with this product 127 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: without fully vetting it or without fully realizing um that 128 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: for a lot of people, primarily in the in the 129 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: African American community, that it was a symbol of something 130 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: that they don't want to be reminded of. UM. But 131 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 1: you know, we're going to see where this one shells. 132 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:06,799 Speaker 1: I'm sure you saw that the shoes are tremendously popular 133 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: on the secondary market. They were up to a pair 134 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: until stock X pulled them down saying that selling them 135 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: didn't didn't agree with the values of the company. I 136 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: would imagine that this is going to be for better 137 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: or worse because of the both the controversy around it 138 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: and the small supply. One of the more popular Nike 139 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: shoes on the resale market that that Nike's put out 140 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: in a while. Before we move on, the biggest controversy 141 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 1: to me is paying about two My mom and dad 142 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: would that would never fly in my house, man, I 143 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: had they bought sneakers from me at the grocery store. Man. 144 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: That's that's why I was popular in school. Moving right along, Uh, 145 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: the Nets the biggest winners in the NBA draft, I'm sorry, 146 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: the NBA free agency so far. Uh, and they couldn't 147 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: even talk about it. It's several days. This this is, 148 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: I mean, this is we can talk about the reason why. 149 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 1: But the Nets had, you know, probably the most important 150 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: day and franchise history since they joined the NBA on Sunday. 151 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: Right they signed Kevin Durant, They signed Kyrie, agreed to 152 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: terms with Kevin Durant, with Kyrie Irving, with DeAndre Jordans, 153 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: you know, the three players that are going to have 154 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: a huge impact, could shift the balance of power in 155 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: the NBA. I'm on in the next website right now. 156 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: The first story is Summer League roster Breakdown. The next 157 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: one is Summer League three Things to Watch, Then there's 158 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: mixtape the fro There is literally no mention of Kevin Durant, 159 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 1: of Kyrie Irving, of DeAndre Jordan's And the reason that 160 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: is is that the NBA structure is its free agency 161 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: in this way so that when free agency opens, which 162 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 1: was Sunday. There's a six day period between when it 163 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: when it opens, when teams can start talking to players, 164 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 1: and when deals can be signed. Right, So, players like 165 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving can agree verbally I'm gonna 166 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,679 Speaker 1: sign with you, but they can't sign the deal yet, 167 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: and as a result of them not signing the deal, 168 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: teams can't publicly talk about it. Right, So so we 169 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: know the intentions of these players. It's a huge deal, 170 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:04,959 Speaker 1: but the teams can't talk about it. The people selling 171 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: their sales reps can't call up people and say, look, 172 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: we got Katie and Kyrie Irving, do you want to 173 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: buy some season tickets? You can't buy a Kevin Durant 174 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: Nets jersey in there's this six day window now, um, 175 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: unintended consequences. I think of a rule that is intended 176 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: to make it fair play for all teams to kind 177 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: of touch base with the people they cove it before 178 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: before the signing period happens. Um. But I think the 179 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: Nets are losing out on some buzz here by not 180 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: being able to sell t shirts, jerseys, tickets the moment 181 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: these players agree, because, like you said, you have this 182 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: energy after Sunday it is everybody was saying, oh mg, 183 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:44,319 Speaker 1: the Brooklyn Nets, look at this, and then you lose 184 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: a week and and you kind of lose some of 185 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 1: that steam. Yeah, to kind of put it in perspective, 186 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 1: We've talked about fanatics a lot before, right, the the 187 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 1: the giant in the sports apparel and merchandise world. So 188 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: much of their business now is about striking the moment 189 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:02,719 Speaker 1: news hits right, the moment your team wins a championship. 190 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:04,719 Speaker 1: They call them hot markets. But there's a window in 191 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,719 Speaker 1: there where you're so excited that you want to buy 192 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:09,719 Speaker 1: things right, You're you're so excited about this. And I'm 193 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: not saying that Nets fans aren't eventually gonna buy exactly, 194 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 1: but but you lose some of the impact, you know, 195 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: the moment you know your franchise goes from it has 196 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: been you know, a couple of years ago, had the 197 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,439 Speaker 1: lowest wind total in the NBA. To go from that 198 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: to a potential Eastern Conference finalists at the very least 199 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: in a couple of years, that that's exciting. And the 200 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: and the and the Brooklyn Nets are not able to 201 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: market that excitement yet. And I do wonder if the 202 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: if the NBA changes its rules. I mean, I understand 203 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: why they're in place, but as players decide where they're 204 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: going to go earlier and earlier, you know, and and 205 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: you can say that teams can't talk to players before Sunday, 206 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:50,319 Speaker 1: but you know, these guys made their decisions, you know, 207 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,839 Speaker 1: a couple of hours after after free agency open. Clearly 208 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,839 Speaker 1: there is some back channeling in some capacity going on 209 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: um and it does make me think a little bit 210 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,439 Speaker 1: about about Kawhi Leonard right who who has made his 211 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: decision yet and if he doesn't, if his decision doesn't 212 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: come until next Sunday, then you know, Kauai signs with 213 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 1: the Lakers and suddenly there's a Lakers quite jersey on 214 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,079 Speaker 1: the website two hours later, and the Lakers will be 215 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:15,199 Speaker 1: able to attract that bus. I know, we gotta go on, 216 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 1: but man, if Kauai Leonard signs with the Lakers and 217 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: then you hook up, that's gonna that they could be 218 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: the favorite in the West to make it to the final. 219 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: I would think you have an argument if if Anthony Davis, 220 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: Lebron James, and Kawhi Leonard are playing together, that that 221 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: is the three best players ever to play on the 222 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: same team in the NBA. Oh my goodness. By the way, 223 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 1: I was laughing when he gave me the article of 224 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: the frow. That was pretty good. Uh. Moving on here, 225 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,719 Speaker 1: Hey U s A U s A women's soccer in 226 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 1: the World Cup in Leon, France. My goodness. Uh they 227 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: are in the final and congratulations to them all. Let's 228 00:11:55,840 --> 00:12:02,119 Speaker 1: hope that Megan Rapino will heal up that tweeked hamstring 229 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:06,599 Speaker 1: and play Sunday because uh they meet her. But this 230 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: team is a dynamo. Yeah, it's a big to one 231 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: win on Tuesday over England. Shout out to to Tom 232 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,959 Speaker 1: and Alice out in London to Lioness fans. Sorry about that. 233 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: Good luck in the in the in the bronze medal game. 234 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: Um yeah, I haven't seen the ratings yet. I'm sure 235 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: they're gonna be big. You know, we talked earlier this 236 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: week about their jersey sales. You know, T shirts and 237 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: jerseys for this team are are going through the roof 238 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,599 Speaker 1: right now. Mark Parker, the CEO of Nike, said that 239 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 1: the Nike the Women's Home White jersey was the best 240 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 1: selling jersey they've ever had in a single season. Um, 241 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: and I would imagine the build up towards Sunday's Golden 242 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,839 Speaker 1: Championship game. Final game is going to be monumental. It's 243 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: going to be a huge, huge thing. Oh I'm excited. 244 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,839 Speaker 1: I'm excited right now to get my beer and chips 245 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: and watch this game. And I'm sure the ratings, like 246 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: you said, are gonna be Yeah. So that's eleven am 247 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 1: on Fox Eastern Time on Sunday. Just to kind of 248 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: give some numbers real quick, the most watched sports soccer 249 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,959 Speaker 1: game ever on US English language television was the the 250 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: U S Japanese final four years ago that did twenty 251 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: five million viewers UM, which is which is a huge number. 252 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:18,719 Speaker 1: The second most watched that famous US China game that 253 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: went to penalty kicks with Brandy Chastain Richt shirt off 254 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: UM that was eighteen million UM. I would think that 255 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 1: this is at least going to beat that and and 256 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 1: should probably uh could probably eclipse that that one from 257 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:32,839 Speaker 1: four years ago. There just seems to be so much 258 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: buzz and and excitement around around this tournament right now, 259 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:39,439 Speaker 1: and that translates really well for Fox. Remember this is 260 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 1: this is the Women's World Cup. Is part of the 261 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: deal they pay the billions of dollars they pay for 262 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,839 Speaker 1: the overall men's World Cup package as well. Um, but 263 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,599 Speaker 1: you know, as we've seen the success of the U 264 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: S women's team and the and the relative lack of 265 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: success of the US men's team has made this women's 266 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: team a very important property as part of that deal. 267 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: This is the Boomberg Business of Sports podcast on Michael 268 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: Barr along with Eben Nobi Williams. We're here each and 269 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday exploring the world of money 270 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: in sports. Mrs Scott right here on Bloomberg Business of 271 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: Sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world and online where 272 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.