Front Office Sports Today

Dartmouth basketball players voted to unionize, setting up a precedent that, if upheld, will spell the end of the NCAA’s amateurism model. Front Office Sports reporter Amanda Christovich joins to sort through the implications of the industry-shaking vote.Plus, the Oakland A’s finally produced renderings of their planned Las Vegas stadium and we get the live reaction from Gensler architect Ryan Sickman. Sickman also provides a deep dive into the world of stadium and arena design, including the latest trends in team training facilities.

Brad Gilbert is an ESPN analyst and coach of rising tennis star Coco Gauff, and recently he picked up another client: Zendaya. The movie star turned to Gilbert to learn the game for her upcoming film Challengers. Gilbert joins the show to discuss the parallels he sees between Gauff and Zendaya, the state of tennis in the post “Big Three” era, and how Netflix is changing tennis media.Plus, MLS is in a precarious position with extra attention on their replacement referees, Jason Kelce retired from the NFL and could have a new job before long, and more than 10,000 college football players have accepted an NIL deal with EA Sports.

As Caitlin Clark broke the record for points scored in a Division I college basketball career, Dartmouth basketball players prepared to hold a vote on whether to unionize. Any vote to unionize is sure to be challenged in court, but could ultimately lead to athletes at private schools being declared employees.Plus, freshly retired World Series champion Eric Hosmer and Anthony Seratelli join to discuss their just-launched production company Moonball Media, and why amid a surge in athlete-led media companies, very few focus on baseball.

Jenny Cavnar will be the first female lead play-by-play announcer for an MLB team, following her hire to call games for the Oakland A’s by NBC Sports. She joins the podcast to talk about her approach to the job, breaking barriers, and narrating a singular season in Oakland while the team has one foot out the door.Plus, Caitlin Clark declares for the WNBA draft, another presumptive number one pick, Caleb Williams, has already made an estimated $10 million in NIL contracts, and we look into the world of collectibles and life as the most-hyped rookie through the market for Victor Wembanyama’s rookie card.

Spring training is a time when many MLB players say they are in the best shape of their lives, but how about the league itself? We explore the state of the game, and much more, with Jason Kelly of Bloomberg, who is launching a new show with Alex Rodriguez.Plus, Stephen A. Smith could be eyeing a late night gig (amid other intrigue at ESPN), leagues aren’t happy about the coming joint venture between ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, the ATP Tour strikes a deal with Saudi Arabia, and NFL players grade their teams.

The Caitlin Clark phenomenon has turned into a major opportunity for the business world around her, particularly broadcasters Fox and Comcast. The two media giants are opting for very different approaches when it comes to how to leverage the hype around Iowa’s superstar.Plus, we speak with NFL journalism legend Peter King who just announced he's hanging up his lanyard, Illinois governor JB Pritzker is skeptical of providing public money for a new White Sox stadium and every NWSL team released brand new kits.

The answer might be: depends on the lighting in the room. Uni Watch founder and editor Paul Lukas joins to discuss the fiasco of MLB’s see-through pants and he dissects the Los Angeles Clippers’s revamped logo and jerseys ahead of the Intuit Dome opening next season. We also look into the pay-for-play future of the NCAA in light of a recent court injunction with Front Office Sports reporter Amanda Christovich, and what it could mean for the coming transfer window.Plus, the MLBPA is not pleased with a certain team executive and Marvin Harrison Jr. is charting a unique path to the NFL.

Social media impostors of sports reporters are a real challenge for the sports media ecosystem. The trend has been egged on by changes made to X, formerly known as Twitter, under Elon Musk. Front Office Sports senior reporter AJ Perez investigates the phenomenon, which has become a thorn in the sides of reporters like Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski.Plus, amateurism in college sports may effectively be over, a Nevada group looking to block the funding the state is providing to the Oakland A’s plots their next legal move, and we explore the world of professional women’s ultimate frisbee.

The Negro Leagues have been kept alive through oral histories and the work of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. That history is coming to life in a new way: through the Storylines option on the popular video game, MLB: The Show. NLBM president Bob Kendrick joins to talk about how the collaboration is one of the most important achievements of the museum and why the Negro Leagues matter more than ever.Plus, Utah wants to give $900 million to build a new baseball stadium. Now it just needs a team, and EA Sports is making an unprecedented NIL offer to every football player in the FBS system.

Ironman has been synonymous with triathlons and other extreme sports for decades. Now the company is working to tap into that legacy to inspire a new generation of athletes who want to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run a marathon in one day. We spoke with Scott DeRue, Ironman Group’s new CEO, on his vision for the company.Plus, the Arizona Diamondbacks are floating relocation if they can’t secure taxpayer money, Fubo is suing to block the combined sports streaming venture from ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, and Amazon is paying $120 million to stream a single game.