Today's podcast breaks down the term sheet for the Washington Commanders' new NFL stadium in Washington D.C. at the RFK Stadium land site. I discuss the most interesting details I found in the newly released 30-page term sheet (which can be read here ), including $1 annual lease payments, no property taxes, and complimentary luxury suites for the Washington D.C. Mayor. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast covers the massive business that takes place AFTER the Kentucky Derby — the breeding rights to the winning horses. I cover how the horse breeding process actually works, including how much Kentucky Derby champion breeding rights sell for, how much the stud farms for breeding are worth, and why some of these farms transport horses from the Northern to Southern Hemisphere to increase breeding. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast looks at the Washington Commanders’ new stadium proposal and how it will change Washington, D.C. forever. I walk through the features and amenities of the new stadium project, as well as how the Commanders will pay for their $2.7 billion share of the proposed $3.7 billion budget. Enjoy!
Today's podcast breaks down the business of the Savannah Bananas. I look at the team's 40-city tour, the unique financial agreement for their recent sold-out game at Clemson with 81,000 fans, and why "Banana Ball" could eventually become a billion-dollar brand. Enjoy!
Today's podcast is a deep dive into the Nielsen TV ratings system. I've been asked a million times how Nielsen calculates viewership numbers for live sporting events on TV. So, I break down how the company measures TV audiences, including a look at Nielsen's sample size of real household viewers, how much money participating households are paid to be a part of Nielsen's people panel, how Nielsen has changed their TV audience measurement system in recent years, why these ratings are so important ...
Today’s podcast looks at the business and economics behind this weekend’s NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I cover the Green Bay Packers’ 10-year journey to hosting the 2025 NFL Draft, why Green Bay was chosen for the draft, the unique challenges of holding the draft in Green Bay, and why the NFL has rotated the city of each draft since 2015. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast breaks down everything that goes into the manufacturing, production and game preparation of the baseballs used in Major League Baseball (MLB). I review the production process used by MLB and Rawlings, the baseball manufacturer the league purchased back in 2018 to gain more control over the creation of its game balls. I then look at the controversies that have surrounded the game balls used in MLB since the Rawlings purchase in 2018, including the debate of “juiced” and “dead” bal...
Today’s podcast looks at the UFC’s next media rights deal. I discuss what I think it is going to happen with the UFC’s next media rights package, including how the deal may be structured, which streamers & broadcasters could be in play, the challenges ahead for the UFC’s future as a sports product, and what I ultimately think the UFC’s media rights will sell for. Enjoy!
Today's podcast looks at one of the biggest phenomenons in sports gambling - table tennis. When the Covid pandemic temporarily shut down sports, fans turned to more niche competitions like table tennis to satisfy their sports betting needs. While the other obscure sports fell by the wayside once the big leagues came back, table tennis has grown to become one of the top most-wagered sports in the world. Listen and find out why table tennis became so popular, the integrity issues plaguing the matc...
Today's podcast looks at the new homes for the Rays and Athletics for the 2025 season. From the Rays search for a suitable location to replace Tropicana Field after being wrecked by Hurricane Milton to the A's struggles to find a temporary home before they officially move to Las Vegas, I look at the logistics of moving stadiums and highlight the upgrades and downgrades of both ballparks. Enjoy!
Today's podcast breaks down the history of The Alamodome - the host of this year's Final Four. From its early days as a potential NFL stadium to the present day where it hosts everything from high school band competitions to Royal Rumbles, The Alamodome is one of the most unique stadiums in the country. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast breaks down the business of Wrexham AFC, the Welsh soccer club owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Wrexham’s finances were recently revealed, so I did a deep dive into everything you need to know, including annual revenue, merchandise sales, sponsorships, loan repayments, profitability, and the club’s overall valuation. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast looks at the New York Yankees’ viral torpedo-style bat that has broken baseball after the Yankees hit 15 home runs in their 3-game series sweep last weekend against the Milwaukee Brewers. I break down the data-driven idea of the torpedo bat, the mastermind behind the bat’s design, why the bat is so effective, the analytics arms race in Major League Baseball, and much more. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast recaps the first season of TGL, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s new tech-infused, arena golf league. I assess whether or not the first season was a success and break down all facets of TGL’s business, including TV ratings, sponsorships, and the quality of the product. I also discuss some of the things TGL can improve in its second season and beyond. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast breaks down Manchester United’s new $2.6 billion stadium project. I look into all of the details behind the Red Devils’ new stadium, including its features, matchday revenue projections, potential financing options, and what this stadium project does to the team’s debt load. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast discusses the Boston Celtics’ record-breaking $6.1 billion sale. I talk about what this sale means for the future of the NBA’s business and the unique details of the Celtics’ sale, including the two-part transaction structure, private equity financing, the team’s new limited partners, the Celtics’ arena rights, and more. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast features a sit-down interview with two-time golf major winner and LIV Golf superstar Jon Rahm. Rahm discusses his first year with LIV Golf and moving away from the PGA Tour, how LIV Golf has evolved as a product, and a new major partnership with Callaway for his LIV Golf team, Legion XIII. Rahm also tells me a funny story about the last time he paid for a round of golf. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast looks at how the Los Angeles Dodgers became Japan’s favorite MLB team. MLB just held its Opening Day Tokyo Series between the Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs, which highlighted five Japanese players across both ballclubs. However, this series was really all about LA and I explain why. I also break down how the Dodgers have spent the last few years strategically “painting Japan blue” to improve their team’s on-field performance and more importantly — drive billions in additional reve...
Today’s podcast is a case study on The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. I do a deep dive into the history of the event, including how the PGA Tour purchased TPC Sawgrass for just $1 and ended up making billions through the TPC Network of worldwide golf courses. I also break down the origin story behind the unique course design of TPC Sawgrass and how the course’s famous 17th hole was created by accident. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast tells the story of the Indian Wells Open in California, which went from nearly being shut down to being voted the best event in professional tennis by players for 10 years straight. I break down the origins of the tournament, why it’s called the unofficial “fifth Grand Slam” in tennis, and how tech billionaire Larry Ellison invested over $200 million to turn Indian Wells into “Tennis Paradise.” Enjoy!
Today’s podcast looks at the possibility of a lockout in the WNBA. I explain why a lockout could be coming in the WNBA as a result of upcoming collective bargaining negotiations between the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association. I also break down why a lockout could stunt the WNBA’s growth over the long term due to the league’s current economics. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast discusses TKO and Dana White teaming up with Saudi Arabia to launch a new boxing league. I break down all of the details that we know so far about this announcement, including how much TKO is getting paid to operate the new league, how the league will be structured, Dana White’s goals for the league, and more. I also talk about one specific thing everyone should be paying attention to that could determine the success or failure of this new boxing league. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast is a deep dive into Formula 1’s record-setting 2024 financial results. I break down where F1’s stock performance, revenue, viewership, and other business metrics stand. I also look at how Formula 1’s parent company, Liberty Media, has transformed the racing series, and assess F1’s future growth prospects. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast looks at the market progression of ESPN BET and how the app could shut down in 2026 if Penn Entertainment’s deal with ESPN goes south. I do a deep dive into the U.S. sports betting market, including why ESPN BET is failing and which other companies can realistically compete with FanDuel and DraftKings. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast features a sit-down interview with five-time golf major winner Brooks Koepka. Brooks gives his opinion on the growth of LIV Golf, how he prepares for major championships, what life is like as the owner of Smash GC, his partnership with Nike, and so much more. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast breaks down how the NFL Combine became one of the NFL’s most valuable assets. I discuss why Indianapolis has hosted the combine for nearly 40 years and how Lucas Oil Stadium was built with NFL Combine-specific elements in its design. I also look at why the NFL wants to move the combine to different cities and spark a bidding war similar to the host selection process of the NFL Draft. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast looks at the business of Major League Soccer as the league kicks off its 30th season in 2025. I analyze the league’s growth over the years, including the continued bump MLS has received from Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami in 2023 and its record-setting year in 2024. I also assess what MLS needs to accomplish next to be considered one of America’s major sports leagues along with the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. Enjoy!
Today’s podcast breaks down ESPN’s decision to opt out of its television deal with Major League Baseball three years early after the 2025 season. I analyze why the two sides decided to part ways after 35 years, what MLB will look for in a new broadcast partner, how the move affects ESPN’s business, and offer up a potential bidder for MLB’s newly available media rights package. Enjoy! This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/pomp and ge...
Today’s episode features a conversation with Sorare CEO and co-founder Nicolas Julia. Sorare is one of the most successful European sports startups of all time with five rounds of funding, including a $680 million Series B and hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Nicolas and I discuss Sorare’s founding story, how the company landed so many celebrity investors, Sorare’s licensing strategy with professional sports teams and leagues, the recent launch of MLS Marketplace for the 2025 s...
Today’s podcast looks at the decline of the NBA All-Star Game. I break down what went wrong at last weekend’s All-Star Game, which was widely panned by both fans and media. But more importantly, I analyze why the NBA All-Star Game has become a bad product, including what the game’s viewership used to be compared to what it is today, how the NBA could fix the All-Star Game, and why fixing the game might not even matter in the grand scheme of things. Enjoy! This episode is brought to you by Better...
