The Varsity

Susie Piotrkowski, ESPN executive who drives women's sports strategy, talks mainstreaming the WNBA, NWSL and women’s college basketball. She outlines the creation of Women’s Sports Sundays. She highlights star-driven fandom, audience growth across demographics, and why flag football and viral moments are changing the landscape.

Skip Bayless, combustible sports commentator known for hot-take debates, joins Draymond Green, four-time NBA champion and emotional defensive leader, to clash on reputations and rivalry. They spar over whether Draymond is the dirtiest player, revisit heated moments, and unpack how competitiveness, age, and team dynamics shape his on-court edge.

Andrew Marchand, media reporter for The Athletic and podcast host, offers quick takes on MLB’s Netflix experiment and why opening night on a streamer matters. He outlines what success could look like for both sides. He discusses eventizing the season, fragmented rights pain for fans, and which tech giants might bid for marquee sports.

Curtis LeGeyt, C.E.O. of the National Association of Broadcasters, joins John to assess the future of local TV in a streaming-first world. He weighs in on the need for scale in competing with tech giants like Netflix and Amazon, scrutinizes the Tegna-Nexstar deal, argues for modernized regulations to keep broadcasters in the game, discusses the NAB’s role in defending the First Amendment—and much more. Twenty nations and territories will compete in the World Baseball Classic with rosters featuring 78 MLB All-Stars, the most ever. Learn more at ⁠WorldBaseballClassic.com⁠. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Foss, ESPN senior VP who runs studio programming and digital initiatives. He talks about managing strong personalities and why collaboration beats top-down rules. He breaks down what makes The Pat McAfee Show unique. He explains how SportsCenter blends personality with highlights and how clips on social platforms drive discovery.

Jeremiah Yolcutt, MLB operations chief for global events, talks national pride, storytelling, and the World Baseball Classic’s role in building fields and youth programs. Jessica Berman, NWSL commissioner focused on league growth, covers expansion standards, the High Impact Player rule, media rights strategy, and plans for a 30‑team future.

David Levy, former Turner executive and now head of Horizon Sports and Experiences, walks through streaming’s impact on sports rights and why appointment viewing keeps fans glued. He breaks down the Paramount–WBD ripple effects, the case for a CBS–Turner alignment, and why women’s sports and volleyball are poised for big growth.

Gary Bettman, longtime NHL commissioner who has steered league growth and media deals, discusses hockey’s Olympic tradeoffs and how international play affects scheduling and exposure. He talks TV rights, streaming strategies, and why a Paramount-WBD tie-up could help. Expansion criteria and franchise valuations come up, plus the league’s tech and integrity moves.

Mike Morris, a Guggenheim senior analyst who digs into media and sports economics, explains NFL media-rights dynamics. He discusses how a Paramount-WBD combo could reshuffle rights. Streamers like Amazon, Netflix and YouTube chasing bigger NFL packages gets attention. Talks also cover pricing metrics, broadcast vs streaming balance, regulatory pressure and likely rights winners.

Roger Bennett, founder of Men in Blazers and author of We Are the World Cup, reflects on soccer’s rise in the U.S. He discusses how streaming and gaming fueled fandom. He assesses MLS’s challenge balancing youth development with star signings. He previews World Cup cultural impact and shares hopes for Team USA.