Front Office Sports Today

Indiana hosted the most recent NBA All-Star Game and is a regular stop for some of the top college contests, including Big Ten Football championship games and Final Fours. Indiana Sports Corp president Patrick Talty joins the show to discuss how the organization works to bring in big events, what makes a sporting event worthwhile, and why they are hosting Olympic swimming trials in a football stad...

Four Bay Area teams have moved are are planning to, with the 49ers and Warriors relocating in the area and the Raiders and A’s going to Las Vegas. Andy Dolich, who was an executive with the A’s, 49ers, Warriors, and other teams, joins the show to examine the fates of each team and explain why going from Oakland to Las Vegas is a downgrade for the A’s. Plus, the NFL schedule could get reconfigured...

American youth basketball relies on a talent pipeline funded by sneaker and apparel companies. Filmmaker Mike Nicoll spent years exploring that world for a new documentary, The Spoils. He joins the show to discuss what he learned and the incentives that system creates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The French Open begins on Sunday in what will be a swan song for Rafael Nadal, who dominated the event like no one before. His exit brings tennis closer to the end of the “Big Three” era, as it looks to kindle fandom in upcoming stars. Catherine Whitaker and David Law, hosts of The Tennis Podcast, join the show to unpack this moment for the sport. Plus, the WNBA is headed north of the border, the...

Greg Olsen won an Emmy for his work as Fox’s top NFL analyst last season, but now he is being bumped to the second slot by Tom Brady. Olsen joins the show to discuss what his offseason was like, his broadcasting aspirations, and his startup, Youth Inc. Plus, direct revenue sharing with college athletes is on the verge of becoming a reality due to a settlement in the House v. NCAA case. Front Offic...

The Arena Football League is barely holding on a month into its relaunch. Reporter Robert Silverman takes inside the troubled league through discussions with players on the Georgia Force, which recently ceased operations – one of five teams to do so already. Plus, the NFL is moving closer to allowing private equity firms to hold stakes in teams and MLB is tapping former players and softball stars...

The Harlem Globetrotters have been a cultural symbol for generations. As the brand nears its 100th anniversary, it’s taking a hard look at how it can set itself up for another century of sports entertainment. Globetrotters president Keith Dawkins joins the show to talk about the past, present, and future of the iconic team. Plus, the NBA and NHL conference finals are set, and Saudi Arabia pushes f...

Bare knuckle fighting has long existed as an underground sport. Now, sanctioned fights and more mainstream investors are coming in. Author Stayton Bonner explored that world, gaining trust and access to undisclosed locations and sources connected to organized crime syndicates that funded many fights. He joins the show to peal back the cover. Plus, a deal that more than doubles the earnings of many...

The Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy proceedings will have a major impact on the fates of MLB, the NBA, and NHL over the rest of the decade. All three leagues have lawyers present in the courtroom, asking increasingly pointed questions regarding Diamond’s long-term viability. The Athletic’s Evan Drellich takes us inside the court proceedings and what they mean for the future of sports media. Plus,...

The PGA Championship marks a rare moment in which LIV golfers and those that stayed with the PGA Tour will be competing side by side. The unity on the course underscores the lack thereof off of it, where negotiators between the Tour and Saudi Arabia have yet to strike a deal. ESPN analyst and golf legend Curtis Strange joins the show to give his take on the situation. Plus, Netflix secured rights...

Paramount is looking for a buyer and now it is weighing very different offers between Sony and Skydance. The choice will radically impact the company’s future. CNBC media reporter Alex Sherman joins the show to detail the choice before Paramount, and delve into the many ways Disney is adapting ESPN to the streaming era. Plus, the Arena Football League lost another team and may be on the verge of c...

The WNBA begins its 2024 season with the unprecedented draw that is Caitlin Clark. The league recently committed to charter flights for all team travel and more changes could be coming. With a new media rights deal and looming CBA negotiations, the WNBA could be entering a major period of change. The Athletic’s Ben Pickman joins the show to break it all down. Plus, Great Osobor is receiving a repo...

Tom Brady joins the show to explain why he bought in on an E1 team, a new electric boat racing series that competes in picturesque locations around Europe and the rest of the world. Team Brady, victorious in its first two races, adds to Brady’s team ownership collection, which includes a pickleball team, a minority stake in British soccer team Birmingham City, and could soon include a slice of the...

The Oakland A’s remain on the hunt for funding to build their Las Vegas stadium, but that, and many of the basic details of their plans remain elusive. Former Marlins president David Samson joins the show to explain what needs to happen for the A’s to actually get to Las Vegas and why they have made very little progress. Plus, the Rays are looking for a stadium deal of their own, the Indiana Fever...

Caitlin Clark has lived in the national spotlight for months, but now Omaha Productions is looking to tell a different side of the transcendent star. The Peyton Manning-founded production company is releasing a docuseries focused on Clark, Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice on ABC this weekend, modeled after their Quarterback series on Netflix. Omaha head of production Therese Andrews joins the show to...

The NBA has been on TNT since 1989, but NBC could be boxing out the cable network in the next set of media deals. Should that happen, Charles Barkley could become the most sought-after media free agent in a generation. Front Office Sports’ Tuned-In columnist Mike McCarthy provides the latest on the high-stakes negotiations. Plus, upfront meetings are providing a look at the growing value of sports...

Marvin Harrison Jr. has not signed the NFLPA’s group licensing agreement, and is instead pursuing individual sponsorship and licensing deals with companies. This is not the first time the wide receiver has done things a little differently: He also passed on the NFL Combine and Pro Day, choosing to prepare for the season instead. Other players could follow in his footsteps, as they seek more empowe...

Phil Simms was a CBS football analyst for 26 years, but recently learned that his contract won’t be renewed. He joins the show with his son Matt to discuss the changing face of NFL media, why he expected his exit was coming, and why the Atlanta Falcons made the perplexing move to acquire two starting quarterbacks. Plus, the Kentucky Derby broke betting records, there is turmoil at Red Bull despite...

Red Bull has carved out a unique place in the sports world as a beverage business that has a growing presence in the sports world. The company has become the dominant force in Formula One, as this weekend's Miami Grand Prix will again reveal, and also owns five soccer teams around the globe. Red Bull commercial director Nick Stocker joins the show to discuss how the team has parlayed wins on the g...

The Kentucky Derby will become the rare event that has run annually for 150 years with Saturday’s race. Churchill Downs underwent a $200 million renovation prior to the event, which leans into its history as much as anything in sports. FanDuel TV anchor Todd Schrupp joins the show to discuss the significance of this race, recent issues in horse safety, and the controversial figure of Bob Baffert....

The NBA is nearing a massive media rights deal, as a dramatic playoffs featuring a new cast of characters unfolds. The New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas joins the show to discuss how these playoffs represent a changing of the guard and the enigmatic figure of Jimmy Butler. Plus, the Premier League could implement a spending cap and LeBron James is leaving his options open with his son, Bronny, entering t...

The Florida Panthers are chasing a Stanley Cup while still feeling the reverberations of last year’s run to the finals. Team president and CEO Matt Caldwell joins the show to discuss how the Panthers’ success boosted the franchise in the short and long-term. Plus, MLB is fixing its uniforms – eventually, and Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are buying into a Liga MX team that alread...

The MLB season has been dominated by headlines of star pitchers going down with significant injuries. Is this a particularly rough year or simply the new reality for MLB? The Score’s Travis Sawchik joins the show to delve into his research on pitchers, the state of MLB labor relations, and plenty more. Plus, the NFL Draft set a new attendance record, Roger Goodell pitched an 18-game season, and th...

The NHL is entering the playoffs coming off the best-attended regular season in its history. That will only further stoke the league’s desire to expand to new markets, with the Phoenix area remaining the NHL’s top priority. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan joins the show to discuss how these playoffs are a dream come true for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, where the league could expand next, and why Ryan Smith...

The NFL Draft begins today with the forecast calling for surprises and trades. ESPN’s NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller joins the show with a look at how the Cardinals, Commanders, Patriots, and other teams with top picks might leverage their position for long-term future gains. Plus, Reggie Bush got his Heisman Trophy back 14 years later, Tiger Woods is set to receive $100 million in equity for stayi...