Building a Self-Sustaining Media Venture in Sports

Join Rich Kleiman and NBA champion turned media mogul (and podcasting OG) Matt Barnes as they break down the business behind building the next generation of media companies.

Matt shares how he and co-host Stephen Jackson turned a simple idea into an award-winning podcast that transformed athlete storytelling and broke down barriers in sports media.

Highlights:

The Origin Story: How All The Smoke began with candid, barbershop-style conversations.

Challenges & Triumphs: Navigating media business deals and overcoming initial skepticism.

Cultural Impact: The show’s role in shifting perceptions on cannabis and athlete voices in media.

Partnerships & Growth: Insight into structuring deals with Showtime, iHeart, and their leap to self-sufficiency with DraftKings.

New Media vs. Old Media: The shift in athlete-driven content and what it means for the future.