Bloomberg Business of Sports

Michael Barr, Rich Trueman, and Damian Sassower bring you the Bloomberg Business of Sports Fantasy Podcast. The trio breaks down the upcoming NFL season and reveal their 2021 draft strategies and sleeper picks.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After acquiring Lids in 2018, Tom Ripley, Chairman and CEO of Lids Sporting Group has it going on an amazing run. The company is expected to sell about 30 million hats this year! He joined Jason, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch to talk everything from the company's future and how soccer superstar Lionel Messi's signing with Paris Saint-Germain F.C. has boosted business. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

He’s one of the most influential executives in college sport, Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick joins us to talk NCAA football and all things Irish. We learn how the University was able to continue its athletics programs during Covid-19, their plan to navigate the NCAA’s NIL rules and the decision to air a game exclusively on NBC’s Peacock platform. Coming off one of their best Olympic s...

Jason Kelly, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch discuss the biggest stories in the Business of Sports. Today we sit down with ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong. Group ONE Holdings is Asia's largest global sports media platform with a broadcasting to over 150 countries in the world. This weekend ONE will become the first professional global MMA organization to put on an all-female card. We talk to Ch...

Jason Kelly, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch discuss the biggest stories in the Business of Sports. Hot off the press, ESPN inks a sports betting deal worth at least 3 billion dollars. Our in-house handicapper Michael Barr shares his thoughts and we find out if Lynchie will finally get in on the action.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is no doubt that Las Vegas is booming in the world of sports. With the success of the Golden Knights and Raiders relocation, the city looks forward to the possibility of hosting a Super Bowl. Jason Kelly, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch are joined by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill. We discuss what’s next for the authority and how they plan to target an MLB and NBA...

Jason Kelly, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch discuss the biggest stories in the Business of Sports. The trio is still reeling from last weeks bombshell report that Topps will no longer produce MLB baseball cards. Fanatics has struck an exclusive deal to begin producing cards at the end of 2022 signaling an end of an era in trading cards. We can only imagine what this means for the value of Lynchie’s l...

The NFL regular season is on the horizon. Cris Collinsworth, former Pro Bowl wide receiver, lead analyst for Sunday Night Football on NBC, and majority owner of data analysis company Pro Football Focus, joins Jason, Barr, and Lynch to discuss the outlook for the upcoming season, the economic evolution of the sport, and NIL rules. Plus, they break down how his company PFF is powering the business o...

The NBA Summer League and Draft are all wrapped up, and most of the big names in free agency are off the market. Jason, Barr, and Lynch discuss the busy NBA offseason and the the evolution of the league with Todd Ramasar, founder & CEO Life Sports Agency. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Barr, Mike Lynch and guest host Scarlet Fu discuss the biggest stories in the Business of Sports. This week were joined by NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett and Jaymee Messler, the co-founders of the Gaming Society. This gamification platform works to educate gamblers of all abilities and help ensure they make educated wagers online. They also hope to boost the action on woman’s sports and e...

The MLB's field of dreams game was the most watched regular season baseball game in 16 years, Roger Federer will miss the U.S. Open due to knee surgery, Jay-Z is joining Fanatics in a bid to get into the mobile sports betting business, and the NHL will sell its remaining stake in Disney Streaming Services. Join Scarlet, Lynch, and Barr for this Monday edition of Bloomberg Business of Sports. See o...

Scarlet Fu and Mike Lynch sit down with Boston Celtics Assistant General Manager Mike Zarren and Hudl COO Matt Mueller to find out why 29 of 30 NBA teams rely on Sportscode for performance analytics. We learn what kind of data Hudl collects, why it’s so popular and the ways teams are using it to gain an edge on the court.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Barr, Mike Lynch and guest host Scalet Fu discuss the biggest stories this week in the Business of Sports. On today’s podcast the trio discusses the aftermath of the Lionel Messi mess, Tokyo 2020’s winners and losers and the plethora of Sports Betting options Michael Barr will see in his Draftking’s account. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The media landscape is changing, and so is the way people consume live sports. Buzzer, a highly personalized notification-driven mobile sports platform, is here to compliment and simplify the sports ecosystem. Founder and CEO Bo Han joins Jason, Barr, and Lynch to discuss how Buzzer is partnering up with leagues and media services to bring fans exactly what they want to see- their favorite teams,...

With Tokyo Olympics coverage nearing its halfway point, average nightly viewership through Tuesday, July 27 was down 42% from the 2016 Summer Games across all of NBC's outlets. Jason, Barr, and Lynch discuss the impetus behind declining viewership. Plus, a pay-per-view model for major sporting events like the Superbowl... Barr is HOT about this one. He's is not having it, but Lynch and Jason can s...

The NFL is warning teams that Covid outbreaks among unvaccinated players could lead to forfeited games and fines. Jason, Barr, and Lynch break down the new policy with Professor Bob Bolland of Penn State University. Plus, they get the player perspective with three-time NFL Pro-Bowl running back Warrick Dunn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xponential Fitness is the franchise owner of boutique fitness brands like Club Pilates, Pure Barre, and CycleBar. Founder and CEO Anthony Geisler joins Jason, Barr, and Lynch to discuss the company's IPO, the impact the pandemic has had on operations, the fitness streaming space, and the opportunities ahead in health and wellness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prelim ratings for the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony were down 36% compared to 2016. Meantime, The 2021 NBA Finals averaged 9.9 million viewers per game, the lowest since 2007. Jason, Barr, and Lynch break down the numbers, and discuss whether TV ratings are still the best way of measuring fan engagement. Plus, the NFL announced it will fine unvaccinated players for violating COVID protocols, an...

Jason Kelly, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch discuss the biggest stories this week in the Business of Sports. This week we speak with NIL expert Darren Heitner about the flurry of deals that have already been reached between reached between NCAA athletes and brands. We learn how these players are cashing in, what’s surprised him so far and the possibility of earning 7 figured without being a starter....

Jason Kelly, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch discuss the biggest stories this week in the Business of Sports. Team USA marathon runner Jake Riley joins us to talk about his path to Tokyo, how Olympians can best leverage their performance during the games and why he prefers to compete 700 miles away from Tokyo.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Kelly, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch discuss the biggest stories this week in the Business of Sports. On today’s podcast the trio discusses their reviews of Space Jam: A New Legacy, we find out if Lebron’s on court success transfers to the box office. Michael Barr gets awfully excited thinking about the sleeping conditions for Tokyo 2020 athletes. He thinks cardboard beds might not be the stro...

The Tokyo Olympics begin next week, under some unusual circumstances. The games have turned into a mostly TV event, as Japan grapples with rising Covid infections. Jason, Barr, and Lynch discuss the staggering numbers behind the Olympics, typically touted as a boon for countries that host them, with Smith College Economics Professor Andrew Zimbalist. He's the author of "Circus Maximus: The Economi...

There are few events in sports history that stack up to the lasting influence of the 1948 World Series. Luke Epplin, author of, Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball, joins Jason, Barr, and Lynch to discuss the decade that changed society, race-relations, and the sports landscape forever. Luke details the interwoven paths of Larry Doby, Bill Veeck, Bob Fel...

Jason Kelly, Michael Barr and Mike Lynch discuss the biggest stories this week in the Business of Sports. On today’s podcast the trio discuss Jason’s big weekend in Vegas hanging with Dana White and the UFC crew. We learn what it was like being inside T-Mobile arena during the big fight and the electric atmosphere around Ice Cubes Big 3 tipoff.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.