Pathway To The Podium

In this episode, television executive and film producer Kelly Kahl joins the pod to discuss his sports documentary 'Just a Bit Outside: The Story of the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers'. A longtime Brewers fan, Kelly reflects on the team's '82 season, including Harvey Kuenn's appointment as manager, the trade for Don Sutton, the race against the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East title, overcoming an 0-2 de...

In this episode, Jake discusses the Premier League's investigation of Manchester City and the bombshell findings that the club artificially inflated their financial reporting to the tune of $1.1 billion over the course of nine seasons. After reviewing the charges and the mechanisms Man City employed to further their self-funding scheme, Jake then explores what type of penalty should be imposed and...

The Athletic's Ira Gorawara joins the pod to discuss the latest storylines in college football. She starts with the enormous hype surrounding the LSU-Ole Miss game and the exorbitant costs associated with Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford. She then covers UCLA's fresh start with athletic director and CEO Tim Harris and head coach Bob Chesney. She also recaps the beginning of Michigan's season, in par...

In this episode, Jake covers several prominent news items in the sports business world. First, with Cathy Engelbert retiring from the position of league commissioner at the end of the year, why it is essential the WNBA chooses the right successor and what qualities will make for the best candidates during the selection process. Also, with the Los Angeles Angels set to join Stan Kroenke's sports em...

Legal economist Andrew Granato joins the pod to cover what is known and what is still unclear about the ongoing investigation of Mark Walter and his companies. He details the disclosure requirements for affiliated investments, which is at the crux of the inquiry. Jake and Andrew also theorize what penalties Walter might face and what arguments he could make as a defense. They then discuss how this...

Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill joins the pod to discuss the dynamic landscape of collegiate athletics. He details his day-to-day responsibilities as commissioner and how his role has changed in recent years. Tom also describes how the Big Sky handled the addition of Utah Tech and Southern Utah as full-time members along with the departure of Sacramento State. He also explains how the conferenc...

This episode opens with Jake addressing the ESPN layoffs as he explores the business decisions behind the firings with a particular focus on the on-air talent. The terminations of Ryan Clark, Charles Davis, Tom Pelissero, Karl Ravech, David Lloyd, Cam Newton, Bart Scott, and Stephania Bell are each covered in turn. For each of these media personalities, Jake identifies why ESPN executives may have...

Sportico's Eben Novy-Williams joins the pod to discuss the $9.612B sale of the Seattle Seahawks. Among the topics covered: how the deal was struck and who was in the running, what we know about the Khosla Family, why the team is unlikely to relocate anytime soon, how the potential addition of an NBA expansion franchise in Seattle impacted the sale, the growing trend of NFL minority owners of one t...

Joe Flint of The Wall Street Journal joins the pod to discuss the latest deals and developments from across the sports media landscape. The conversation starts with a look at this year's FIFA World Cup and how it serves as a dry run for the LA28 Olympic Games. After that, a preview of how Netflix is going to handle the 2027 Women's World Cup, the streamer's largest sports endeavor yet. That's foll...

Brandon Costa of Sports Video Group comes on to discuss how sports broadcasting has changed in recent years and then does a deep dive into Fox's production of the FIFA World Cup. He also identifies the elements which make for a good scorebug. The conversation concludes with how drone technology has transformed the way we watch sports. In Jake's Takes, why Fox's buying of Roku fits into their broad...

The episode opens with a recap of the first two games of the Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals and examining how the narrative has shifted. Plus, what Pat McAfee's NBA Finals altcast and new DraftKings partnership mean as he negotiates an extension with ESPN. Additionally, President Trump's busy sports calendar. Also, the NFL and College Football Playoff butt heads once more. Then, why the Browns trading My...

The Sport Profile's Dylan Manfre joins the pod to help preview the 2026 Sports Emmys. What follows is an extensive breakdown of the major categories: Studio Shows, Studio Host, Studio Analyst, Play-By-Play, Event Analyst, Sideline Reporter, and Emerging On-Air Talent. Also, which sports media personalities got snubbed? The conversation concludes with a discussion about the Sports Emmys at long las...

CBS Sports NFL Analyst JP Acosta joins the pod to discuss a variety of offseason storylines including: the remaining free agents available at wide receiver, the best fits between team and player from the 2026 NFL Draft, and a preview of the 2027 NFL Draft QB class. Additionally, a look at the Vikings, Falcons, and Raiders QB battles heading into the '26 season. Plus, between the AFC finalists, are...

F1 commentator Nelson Valkenburg gives the inside scoop on everything that goes into a Formula 1 broadcast. Additionally, a conversation on Max Verstappen’s F1 future, the new rules regime and subsequent tweaks, whether the canceled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will be made up this year, the upcoming return of the Turkish Grand Prix, plus other season storylines. In Jake’s Takes, a look a...

Benjamin Robinson of Grinding The Mocks comes on to preview the upcoming NFL Draft. Ben explains the methodology behind his draft data and insights company. Then, a thorough analysis of the top wide receiver and edge/linebacker prospects. Plus, does Ty Simpson project to be a Day 1 or Day 2 pick? In Jake's Takes, why golf's proposed rollback needs to happen and why Augusta National Chairman Fred R...

Ticket Talk Network's Scott Friedman joins this episode of Pathway To The Podium to discuss the ticket market for numerous sports, including this weekend's Men's and Women's Final Four and The Masters. We compare the ticket demand for the 2026 Men's and Women's Final Four to last year's and highlight several key differences. Scott also lifts the veil on the methods Augusta National uses to curb th...

Sports journalist Caroline Price joins this episode of Pathway To The Podium to discuss all things figure skating and gymnastics. We recap Winter Olympics Figure Skating, including the performances of Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, Isabeau Levito, and other international stars. Plus, an analysis of the Ice Dance scoring controversy that resulted in Madison Chock and Evan Bates getting Silve...

In this second episode of Pathway To The Podium, a full recap of the Oscars where it was one award after another for Warner Bros. and why the signs pointed to One Battle After Another winning Best Picture over Sinners. Plus, the NFL is considering adding a Thanksgiving Eve game - how might that work? Additionally, exploring the impetus behind the new Family Guy spinoff, Stewie. Stick around for Ja...

The very first episode of Pathway To The Podium! Join host Jake Kline for in-depth discussion on Formula 1's new rules regime, a recap of the Australian Grand Prix, and speculation over whether a complete season will be held. Plus, why the F1-Apple TV deal is a game changer and potential trendsetter. Finally, what's different with the UFC now that Paramount has US media rights. Sports / SportsBiz...