Front Office Sports Today

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has a new production company with aspirations beyond the athlete stories one expects to see from similar ventures. After releasing a documentary about Giannis himself, the company is working on a heist movie set in Greece and a cooking show, among other projects. The CEO of the company, Improbable Media, joins the pod to talk about the vision for Improbable Media and why more and more sports media is athlete-driven.Plus, there is unrest at the MLBPA, Shohei Ohtani now has his own logo, and a new NIL deal offers every woman in March Madness $500.

March Madness broadcasting rights are highly coveted, but the networks that hold them are signing up for chaos: They have to change plans, narratives and travel schedules with every big upset. ESPN’s VP of production Sara Gaiero joins the podcast to discuss how she prepares for the unknown.Plus, Transfer Portal Monday provides an unwelcome distraction from Selection Sunday, billions in legal bets are expected on March Madness, and calmer days may be on the horizon for Sports Illustrated.

In 2016, CBS looked to make Selection Sunday an event on par with the NFL Draft, ballooning it from a tight half hour to a full two hours. That plan turned upside down when the NCAA tournament bracket was leaked before the network could roll it out. Front Office Sports senior writer Mike McCarthy joins to discuss the network’s nightmare and how it shaped the big day going forward.Plus, a miracle run altered a head coach’s fate, Caitlin Clark is getting a dedicated reporter, and we peek ahead to the Paris Olympics with journalist Ari Saperstein, as Simone Biles looks to extend her unprecedented run of dominance. The GOAT gymnast is steadily separating herself from USA Gymnastics and offering other gymnasts a way to make money off their talents.

Lesley Slaton Brown, the NBA’s chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, sees her role as one that drives business and guides league expansion as it develops its existing markets and grows internationally. She joins the show to discuss the values, both moral and economic, of her work.Plus, Sports Illustrated is scrambling to find a new manager before layoffs set in, the Kansas City Chiefs threaten to move ahead of a vote on public funding for a stadium renovation, Bay FC kicks off its inaugural season, and someone stole thousands of Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads.

Despite weathering multiple scandals throughout his career, Rick Pitino is revered in college basketball. Freelance sportswriter Tim Rohan joins the show to discuss the strange world of Pitino-protectors he discovered while looking into the coach’s past.Plus, Aaron Rodgers is under consideration to join a presidential ticket, MLB is stoking hype about its top prospects, and we check in on “Spulu” and the NBA media-rights negotiations.

An investigation from Front Office Sports reveals the identities of the executives accused of facilitating and covering up alleged exploitation by longtime WWE boss Vince McMahon. The story shines a light on the circle of protection around McMahon: high-ranking officials who were complicit in his conduct.Plus, NFL teams are using their extra $30 million worth of cap space in a free agent bonanza, but headlines announcing signings can be misleading, and an MLB player is looking for a new team after his old one used a little-known loophole to cut him.

Formula 1 has surged into the American consciousness over the last four years, but now it faces the challenge of maintaining interest amid a season that may be uncompetitive from the start. Wall Street Journal sports editor and co-author of The Formula Jon Clegg joins the show to discuss how F1 got as big as it has and whether it can sustain that success.Plus, the Bears are staying in Chicago after all, Deadspin has been sold and its entire editorial staff laid off, and North Carolinians are seeing sports betting ads everywhere they look.

Big East commissioner Val Ackerman is wary of the major changes coming to college sports, including the possibility of athletes becoming unionized employees. She joins the show to discuss how the overlapping web of school, conference, state, and federal rules and bylaws create a sea of confusion regarding the future of college sports.Plus, a potential betting scandal encircles Temple University, a new college basketball tournament shows what is possible in the NIL era, and Roger Clemens comes out of retirement …. for the Savannah Bananas.

A planned $2 billion development, centered around a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals, appears to be dead, after Virginia lawmakers killed a budget item that would have provided funding. The move could signal a turning point in the attitude toward public funding for sports venues.Plus, Netflix will show a live fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul … as long as it can avoid potential legal issues, the PWHL altered its jerseys to better accommodate women, and we explore the evolution of sports talk shows with New York Times Magazine writer Jonathan Mahler.

The National Rugby League of Australia is looking to harness football’s massive popularity in the US by promoting its similar sport. The NRL hosted games at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas last weekend as part of a long-term push to grow a US audience.Plus, Jason Kelce is in high demand among media companies, Bill Belichick could be as well, we have another sign that women’s sports are on the rise, and we asked the Las Vegas mayor what she thinks about the new renderings from the Oakland A’s.