Wait, What? Sportsbiz Chat with DP & McGhee

No guest this week? No problem. DP & McGhee are talking business—this week, specifically the business of sports media . From  why NBA and Stanley Cup Finals ratings could be historically low , to  MLB’s attendance and viewership boom , this week’s episode is a tour through the shifting sports TV landscape. 🎯 Topics covered: 📉 Why NBA & NHL Finals ratings may dip (and who’s to blame) 📈 M...

Episode 112 | DP & McGhee In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, DP & McGhee sit down with  Dr. Mara Smith , a mental performance consultant to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and a former college gymnast, to explore how athletes are approaching mental fitness at the highest levels. Her insights on Simone Biles and the pressures elite athletes face are essential liste...

Episode 111 | DP & McGhee With the launch of his new docuseries  Earnhardt  on Amazon Prime Video, award-winning filmmaker  Josh Altman  joins the show to talk about capturing the legacy of Dale Earnhardt, earning the trust of the family, and what it takes to tell a story that resonates in and beyond the world of sports. The  DP & McGhee  endorsement of this project is strong. Also in this...

Episode 110 | DP & McGhee If you’ve ever picked up the phone to find  Terry Lefton  on the line, you know you’re in for a smart, fast, and entertaining conversation. The longtime sports marketing journalist returns as the first-ever repeat guest on  Wait, What?  — and this time, DP & McGhee are the ones asking the questions. From how the sports media game has changed to what he’s watching...

Episode 109 | DP & McGhee With squash officially set to debut in the 2028 Summer Olympics,  Kevin Klipstein , President & CEO of U.S. Squash, joins the show to talk about what this means for the sport’s future — from visibility and participation to investment and infrastructure. He also shares what it takes to lead a sport with deep roots but a modern growth mindset. Also this week: • 🐎 K...

Episode 108 | DP & McGhee This week, DP & McGhee welcome  Jeff Gooding , VP of Marketing at Ace Hardware, to talk about the company’s new partnership with Major League Baseball — and how they activate that at both the national and local level across 5,000 stores. Jeff also shares one of the most grounded, practical pieces of career advice we’ve heard for anyone looking to break into the sp...

Episode 107 | DP & McGhee Imagine a platform connecting over  115,000 student-athletes  with brands for endorsement deals, influencer campaigns, and content partnerships. That’s  Opendorse , and this week, DP & McGhee welcome  TJ Ciro , SVP of Partnerships, to break down how the platform operates at scale — and what’s next in the NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) space. From compliance to c...

Episode 106 | DP & McGhee It’s early April, so of course DP & McGhee are talking  Final Four basketball and Masters Week  — with a few twists. They dig into both the Men’s and Women’s tournaments before David confesses a take that might ruffle tradition-loving hoops fans. Then it’s on to golf, as the hosts weigh in on the fractured state of the game and where things go from here. Later in...

Episode 105 | DP & McGhee This week, DP & McGhee sit down with sports marketing legend  Rick Jones  for a conversation that spans nearly 50 years of partnerships, storytelling, and bold thinking. From building the iconic  Werner Ladder x March Madness  deal to shaping historic Final Fours, Rick shares war stories and lessons from a career spent at the center of the action. Also in this epi...

Episode 104 | DP & McGhee After several guest-packed episodes, DP & McGhee fly solo this week — and there’s no shortage of stories to break down. They kick things off with the  record-breaking sale of the Boston Celtics  and what that might signal for future team valuations and expansion fees. Then it’s a full tour around the sportsbiz world, including: 🎬 Jimmy Pitaro removing himself fro...

Episode 103 | DP & McGhee For the first time in show history,  DP & McGhee recorded in front of a live audience  — thanks to the New York Mets, who hosted the show at their  Mets House activation in NYC’s Union Square . Joining the show is  Bobby Clemens , VP of Creative Content & Creative Director for the Mets, who takes listeners behind the scenes of how the team creates impactful st...

Episode 102 | DP & McGhee DP & McGhee are joined by  Caroline Smith  (aka  @itscarolinescorner ), a rising voice in the  F1 content space , to talk about building an audience, her approach to storytelling, and what it really takes to break into the creator/influencer game. Whether you're into sports, media, or digital content strategy, Caroline drops valuable perspective. Also in this...

Episode 101 | DP & McGhee DP & McGhee are joined by  Elisa Padilla , Chief Marketing Officer, and  Joe Stetson , Chief Commercial Officer, of the  New York Red Bulls  — two senior leaders with deep experience across the sports industry. From their early days at  MSG  and  BSE Global  to their current leadership roles in  MLS , Elisa and Joe share lessons in growth, leadership, and brand st...

Episode 100 | DP & McGhee DP & McGhee celebrate a major milestone — the  100th episode  of  Wait, What?  — and they’re joined by  John Lewicki , VP of International at the  NHL , for a timely discussion about the global momentum behind the league. The conversation includes a look back at the  4 Nations Face-Off , what made it such a success, and how the NHL is thinking about its next inter...

Episode 99 | DP & McGhee What kind of sportsbiz podcasters would we be if we  didn’t  talk Super Bowl? In this episode, DP & McGhee go beyond just the game to cover: 🏈 The on-field action in Super Bowl LIX 🎤 The halftime show performance 📺 The hits and misses in this year’s ad lineup — including a few favorites (and a few flops) David takes the high road after correctly predicting the w...

Episode 98 | DP & McGhee DP & McGhee open the show with bold Super Bowl LIX predictions — and yes, one of them nails it. But before kickoff, they dive into: 🔁 The blockbuster trade between  Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis 🎲 Ongoing scandals around  sports betting in the NBA and MLB Then they’re joined by  Ben Reiling  of Nielsen Sports — a longtime leader in the brand marketing world — for...

Episode 97 | DP & McGhee DP & McGhee kick off 2025 with a wide-ranging, no-guest-needed episode to get back in the groove. They open with a look back at: 🏈 The  College Football Playoffs 🏆 The  NFL Conference Championship  games Then it’s time to turn the page: 🔮 The co-hosts revisit their 2024 predictions — and both make a solid case for their sportsbiz clairvoyance 📅 They lay out bol...

Episode 96 | DP & McGhee It’s beginning to look a lot like...time for another  sportsbiz  chat. DP & McGhee close out 2024 with a lively conversation on: 🥊 The upcoming  Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight  and its potential impact on Netflix’s first-ever  Christmas Day NFL games 🕵️‍♂️ The growing buzz over whether the fight outcome could be scripted 📺  NFL Thanksgiving ratings  that once aga...

Thanksgiving is right around the corner in the US, and like a fully loaded Turkey Day table, DP & McGhee have a little something for everyone. The hosts serve up the recently completed NASCAR season as the appetizer, followed by a main course of NFL with a side of Tom Brady. Major League Soccer serves as a nice intermezzo before David and Tim serve up a sweet dessert of the stories they are fo...

DP & McGhee spend most of today’s episode talking about two recent high profile sponsorships and in the case of Campbell’s and Harris Blitzer, how the deal came together. They also recap the recently completed World Series, talk about the first College Football Playoff rankings and how the change in administrations in Washington might impact the sports of golf. Please excuse the occasional inf...

MLS, NWSL and the WNBA all broke attendance records this past season, and DP & McGhee talked about the success these leagues have experienced and hope to continue into the new year. They also touched on the hot button topic of NIL and the impact college athletes have had on the changing landscape of collegiate sports. It's been a while, but David and Tim also talk about the recently announced...

DP & McGhee welcome Camilo Durana, EVP of Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing to talk about the recently completed Summer of Soccer in the US. As Camilo rightly points out, the beautiful game will be coming back next year and in the summer 2026 all eyes will be on North America as the FIFA Men's World Cup returns to North America for the first time in 32 years. Before their con...

Like Ilsa and Rick in Casablanca, DP & McGhee talk at great lengths about Paris in this episode...specifically, the recently concluded Summer Olympic Games. Following an extended summer break, the show welcomes Steve Margosian, founder of Across the Board Sports Media Consulting and former NBC Sports executive with nearly 30 years Olympic media experience. Along with talking about Olympics pas...

David and Tim spend the 90th episode of Wait...What? going deep on a couple of big topics in the world of sports. DP comes around to a new found respect? appreciation? tolerance? for Bryson DeChambeau after his performance in the US Open. While McGhee will not give up predicting a Rory victory at the Open Championship despite his meltdown at  Pinehurst. Caitlin Clark is never far from the spotligh...

DP & McGhee share their thoughts on Bill Walton, the legendary basketball player and broadcaster. Both remember the Big Red Head from his playing days, noting that many of the show's listeners might be too young to have seen his greatness first hand. Staying with the basketball theme, David and Tim talk about the soon to be completed NBA media rights deal and what's potentially in Char...