Sports Business Radio Podcast

Luc Robitaille, President of the Los Angeles Kings (@LAKings) of the NHL, joins us to discuss his franchise, the NHL playoffs, his 19-year playing career (highest scoring left wing in NHL history) and a big announcement of a joint venture between AEG, the LA Kings and BluEco Technology Group to introduce a revolutionary new BluEco Liquid Crystalline Turbex™ (LCT™) environmental technology for arenas and public facilities. The new innovation addresses the two most critical issues facing hockey franchises and venue owners: the quantity of water needed to create ice sheets and the quality of the ice that forms.  We also discuss the Supreme Court's ruling on gambling in the U.S. and the ripple effect that ruling will have. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jaymee Messler (@Jmessler), President & Co-Founder of The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) joins us to discuss the explosive growth of the new media company she co-founded with former New York Yankees great Derek Jeter. Messler also tells us what the future for TPT looks like, which platforms TPT will utilize to storytell on, the expansion of TPT into Europe, how TPT has successfully created branded and sponsored content and how she has navigated the sports and business industry as a woman. Doug Lodder (@DougLodder), SVP of Business Development for Boingo (@Boingo) educates us on 5G and how it will impact sports venues and technologies in the future. Lodder also discusses how sports venues can continue to remain on the cutting edge of technology in order to serve fans who attend live events and demand connectivity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ric Bucher (@RicBucher), longtime NBA Insider with SiriusXM Radio and Bleacher Report, joins us to discuss NBA topics including the fractured relationship between the San Antonio Spurs and their superstar player Kawhi Leonard, the future of the Oklahoma City Thunder and LeBron James' future plans. Ric also helps Brian Berger preview the upcoming Sports PR Summit on May 22 at The Players' Tribune in New York City. Bucher will conduct a Featured Conversation at the event with former NFL QB Michael Vick and Berger will conduct a Featured Conversation with NBA Head Coach David Fizdale at the Sports PR Summit.  Caley Wilson, Co-Founder of Blinder (@BlinderHQ) joins the show to discuss his company's innovative new technology. Brian Berger and Bryan Griggs discuss the NFL Draft and give you the total audience numbers, thoughts on best and worst draft picks and which rookies have the top selling jerseys post draft. Follow us on Twitter @SBRadio and on Instagram @SportsBusinessRadio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tina Thompson (@IAmTinaThompson), who played 17 years in the WNBA and won 4 WNBA titles with the Houston Comets, joins Brian Berger to discuss her remarkable career, her upcoming Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction, equal pay for women, her current role as Associate Head Basketball Coach at the University of Texas and her childhood friendship with NBA coach David Fizdale growing up in Los Angeles. We also reflect on the 14th anniversary of Sports Business Radio and look back on some of our favorite interviews, including a spontaneous guitar performance on our show by tennis legend John McEnroe. Follow us on Twitter @SBRadio and on Instagram @SportsBusinessRadio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Bartelstein, Founder & CEO of Priority Sports (@PrioritySports) joins us to discuss his work with clients that range from NBA stars Gordon Hayward and Bradley Beal to NFL star Kirk Cousins (who just signed a landmark fully guaranteed FA deal with the Minnesota Vikings) to NFL HOF'er Kurt Warner and Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr. Priority Sports led all agencies last summer with $354.6 million negotiated for nine different NBA players. Bartelstein discusses his agency, the upcoming summer of free agency in the NBA, whether or not Cousins' contract will pave the way for guaranteed NFL contracts in the future and offers his advice on how to conduct a successful negotiation. Blake Lawrence (@Blake_Lawrence), CEO of Opendorse (@Opendorse) also joins this week's show to discuss his company's innovative work with helping athletes build their brands on social media and then monetizing their social media platforms. Opendorse has deals with the NFLPA and LPGA amongst others to assist athletes. Follow us on Twitter @SBRadio and on Instagram @SportsBusinessRadio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Cicero (@NickCicero), Founder & CEO of Delmondo (@Delmondo) joins us to discuss how his company is assisting clients like NASCAR & the Miami Dolphins with providing analytics around their social media and ultimately helping their clients monetize their social content and develop content for a targeted audience. Delmondo’s social video analytics measures the performance and engagement of videos on multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Facebook Live, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Cicero also discusses the recent deals between MLB and Facebook and MLS and Twitter that will see games aired live on those platforms. Brian Berger and Executive Producer Bryan Griggs also discuss the NCAA's Tournament's Selection Show on TBS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein), longtime sportscaster & journalist who has worked for ESPN/ABC, CBS and Campus Insiders and is also the Founder of Walk Swiftly Productions, joins Brian Berger to discuss her career, being a trailblazer for women sportscasters, #MeToo, the recipe for effective storytelling and sideline reporting and picking the right projects as an entrepreneur. Bernstein also discusses the panel she will be moderating at the Sports PR Summit on May 22 at The Players' Tribune in New York City - "Navigating PR in the Zero Tolerance Era". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Wertheim (@Jon_Wertheim), Sports Illustrated Executive Editor and 60 Minutes Reporter joins Brian Berger on Sports Business Radio to discuss his latest investigative piece for Sports Illustrated -"Inside the Corrosive Workplace Culture of the Dallas Mavericks". The story follows Wertheim's piece on Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson's inappropriate behavior in the workplace that led to Richardson putting his NFL team up for sale. Berger and Wertheim discuss the "locker room culture" that exists in sports team front offices, how the NBA may punish the Mavericks and why teams don't spend more time vetting their CEO's while forensically investigating their next draft pick. Berger and Wertheim also discuss the FBI's investigation into college basketball and the fallout that may occur from those findings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Sakiewicz (@NLLCommish), Commissioner of the National Lacrosse League joins Brian Berger to discuss the NLL's growth including franchise values, player salaries, influx of influential team owners, focus on digital media to reach the league's targeted demo and the fact that lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in North America. Sakiewicz also discusses his previous role as head of business operations for Major League Soccer and his personal career path that has taken him to the NLL Commissioner role. Also on Sports Business Radio this week, we also discuss the heavy activity at the NBA trade deadline as well as the opening of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Business Radio host Brian Berger and Executive Producer Bryan Griggs recap Super Bowl LII. We discuss the game itself, our top Super Bowl commercials, the Pepsi halftime show with Justin Timberlake, the big winners and losers in Las Vegas and the futures for the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots organizations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices