Bloomberg Business of Sports

Laura Froelich, global head of sports partnerships at Twitter, covers a host of topics, including her global search for content -- and the accompanying frequent flyer miles. She also discusses Twitter's portfolio of sports assets, how the company monetizes sports and whether the platform is a friend or foe to linear TV. Froelich also talks about social media's place in enhancing traditional sports broadcasts and why a younger demographic is appealing to advertisers. Froelich joined Twitter in 2014 and became global director of sports partnerships early this year. Prior to that she spent five years at CBS Interactive, developing marketing programs for advertisers. The native New York also touches on her affinity for the New York Jets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National Football League Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice discusses a host of topics, including what he calls the league's mismanagement of player discipline for members like Tom Brady and Ezekiel Elliott. Smith also talks about the league's declining television audience, whether there's too much football on TV and, of course, the issue of head trauma and player safety. He also touches on the biggest myths about the NFL, which is the most-watched U.S. sports league. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boston Red Sox Chief Executive Officer Sam Kennedy talks about the business behind the Major League Baseball team, including how management has sought to make historic Fenway Park not only more welcoming, but profitable. He also discusses the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry and how the baseball team fits into owner John Henry's global sports and entertainment holdings: Liverpool FC, the New England Sports Network and Roush Fenway Racing. Kennedy also talks about diversifying the events at Fenway, and what it was like going to high school with former Red Sox executive Theo Epstein.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Clark, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, talks about Players Weekend, during which his membership will wear nicknames on the back of their jerseys. They'll sport alternate jerseys inspired by youth league designs. MLB has also allowed the players to wear custom-designed flashy equipment that shows personality in the sport's latest attempt to reach and connect with a younger audience. Clark also talks about his union's history of labor strife, technology and, of course, his too-hard, not-hard-enough hit in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2004 American League Championship Series at Fenway Park. Clark is the first former player to head the MLB Players Association. A former player representative while active, Clark joined the union in 2010 after a 15-year playing career in which he hit .262 with 251 home runs and 824 runs batted in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UFC President Dana White says the Aug. 26 megafight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor will smash records in revenue and viewership. White also discusses the league's next television contract, which may include a nontraditional broadcast partner such as Facebook or Amazon. White took over as president of UFC when his friend Lorenzo Fertitta bought the company in 2001 for $2 million. The company was sold to a group led by WME/IMG last year for $4 billion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andre Iguodala of the NBA's Golden State Warriors talks about how professional athletes are more than ever seeking to become successful investors off the field or court. A number of active athletes have taken their cues from retired jocks like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, who both joined the ownership ranks. Iguodala also discusses how playing near Silicon Valley has helped him to become an investor in a number of technology-related companies. He also delves into next week’s The Players Technology Summit by Andre Iguodala and Stephen Curry, which will bring together leaders in technology, venture capital and sports to share ideas and expertise. The event in San Francisco is presented by Bloomberg.Iguodala has spent 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association, the last four with the defending champion Warriors. A 2012 All-Star, he was also the Most Valuable Player of the 2015 NBA Finals. He recently re-signed with the Warriors for three years and $48 million.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Casey Wasserman, chairman of the bid group that brought the 2028 Olympics to Los Angeles, addresses the International Olympic Committee's changing approach to awarding the Games. He also addresses a host of financial issues surrounding the Olympics, including how L.A.'s existing infrastructure will prevent the kinds of white elephants and exploding spending that has marred previous bids. He also talks about the city's privately financed Games, and how the Olympics will actually help to ease the city's much-maligned traffic. Wasserman is the founder and chairman of Wasserman Media Group, a sports and entertainment agency he founded in 2002.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FC Barcelona President Josep Bartomeu discusses how the club is trying to gain traction in the U.S., buoyed by stars like Lionel Messi and Neymar, whom reports say may leave Spain for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Bartomeu, who took over in 2014, has held a number of positions at Barcelona, including the top post in the club’s handball and basketball sections.Prior to that, Major League Soccer Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott talks about expansion, revenue growth and team valuations as the league heads toward its Aug. 2 All-Star game in Chicago, where MLS’s best will face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid.Abbott, a native of England, was MLS’s first employee in 1993. He runs the league’s expansion plans and is also spearheading MLS’s video review, which debuts Aug. 5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Houston Rockets Chief Executive Officer Tad Brown addresses his role overseeing the sale of the National Basketball Association franchise owned by Les Alexander. Brown says there's been a groundswell of interest from around the globe, including China, where thanks to former All-Star Yao Ming, the Rockets are the most popular NBA team. Brown says it took Yao about 60 seconds to call after hearing the Rockets were on the market. He also talks about what drives the team's valuation and whether the eventual sale price could eclipse the record $2 billion that Steve Ballmer paid for the Los Angeles Clippers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hal Steinbrenner, managing general partner of the New York Yankees, talks about the meteoric rise of rookie right fielder Aaron Judge, dubbed the face of baseball after his standout performance in the Home Run Derby. Steinbrenner also addresses the team's change in philosophy from parting with prospects for short-term gain to developing a minor-league system aimed at sustained success. He also discusses his father, George; management's globalization efforts; how much the team is worth; and how winning games fuels everything from attendance to television ratings. And, no, the Steinbrenners have no plans to sell the world's second-most valuable club.Steinbrenner officially took over control of the team in 2008, two years before his father's death. The Steinbrenner family has majority control of the team, which includes a host of limited partners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Bowman, Major League Baseball's president of business and media, talks about the changing landscape of the game's audience, the challenge of courting millennials and how the league's experiment with a pay-one-price monthly pass seems to be working. He also talks about baseball's technology arm and why he can't get a decent meal in his office. Bowman is charged with overseeing revenue-generating and media rights activities across MLB's array of assets, including MLB Advanced Media and MLB Network. Bowman created BamTech, a $3.5 billion spinoff one-third owned by The Walt Disney Company. Last year, The Sporting News named Bowman as the 14th most influential person in sports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turner Sports President David Levy talks about the future of sports media, including escalating rights fees and extracting value from live, unscripted events like sports. He discusses television's future in a world where cord-cutters, cord-shavers and cord-nevers consume content -- including sports -- on their on mobile phones and tablets. Levy also addresses the Mayweather-McGregor fight and the future of Disney's ESPN, the dominant brand in sports that has lost millions of subscribers. \u0010\u0010Levy oversees Turner's portfolio of networks and businesses, including TNT, TBS and Cartoon Network. On the sports front, he recently led Turner's expansion of its media rights partnership with the NBA. Turner Sports also includes the NCAA men's basketball tournament, Major League Baseball, the PGA of America and an eSports league run in conjunction with WME/IMG.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stan Kasten, president and chief executive of the Los Angeles Dodgers, speaks with Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams (filling in for Michael Barr) about the Dodgers brand, his outlook on sports and technology and when, oh, when, will fans around L.A. be able to watch their Dodgers on TV. Kasten, part of the Guggenheim-led group that bought the Dodgers in 2012, was previously president of the Washington Nationals. Back in 1999, he became the first sports executive to hold the title of president of three different teams in three different leagues: baseball's Braves, basketball's Hawks and hockey's Thrashers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grant Hill is one of the most recognized and decorated players in basketball history. A two-time NCAA champion at Duke and later a seven-time National Basketball Association All-Star, Hill remains in the game as a part owner of the Atlanta Hawks. He also started a private equity mezzanine fund, investing in well-capitalized, high-profitable business. Hill speaks with Bloomberg Business of Sports co-hosts Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr about the long-term prospects of the Golden State Warriors, what's next for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, how to prepare for life after professional sports and the time his mother, Janet, a member of The Carlyle Group's Board of Directors, fixed his broken toys, wrapped them, and put them under the Christmas tree.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As president of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss is one of the most powerful women in global sports. In her 18th season with the club, Buss leads all aspects of the franchise's business operations, which includes marketing, sponsorship and media relationships. Buss also oversees basketball operations, which she recently entrusted to former Lakers great Magic Johnson after firing not only her brother, Jim, but longtime general manager Mitch Kupchak after what would be described in business as a hostile takeover attempt. Buss is a member of the NBA's powerful finance and labor committees, and is now charged with getting the Lakers past Slowtime and back to Showtime. Buss speaks with Business of Sports co-hosts Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr about seizing control of the team, Magic, resurrecting the Lakers and, of course, whether she'd pick Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Bettman has presided over the National Hockey League since 1993, making him the longest-tenured commissioner among the four major U.S. sports. He is the architect of the league's media strategy, which includes an ownership stake in BAMTech, the digital media company spun off by Major League Baseball. According to Forbes, NHL teams in 2016 were worth an average $517 million, which is about what Bill Foley paid to put an expansion team in Las Vegas. Bettman speaks with Bloomberg Business of Sports co-hosts Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr about the business of hockey, sitting out the Olympics and where, oh, where, will the New York Islanders call home.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marc Lasry is co-owner of the National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks. He’s also the chairman and chief executive officer of Avenue Capital Management, the investment management company he co-founded more than a decade ago. Lasry speaks with Bloomberg Business of Sports co-hosts Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr about the business of basketball and his 2014 purchase of the team for a record $550 million.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft Corp. from 2000-2014, is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Clippers. Ballmer speaks about the cost of sports franchises and the future of technology and sports with Bloomberg Business of Sports co-hosts Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After seven years as a general partner at Highland Capital Partners, Wyc Grousbeck transitioned from venture capitalist to owner of the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics. Grousbeck speaks with Bloomberg Business of Sports co-hosts Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr about the current state of the Celtics, N.B.A. player salaries, and basketball's popularity in Europe and Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr speak with Golden State Warriors owner Joe LacobSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr speak with former Texas Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg, and Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association, Michele Roberts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr cover the week’s top stories in the sports industry, talk about sports law with Jeffrey Kessler, a partner at Winston and Strawn, and discuss the first professional team to come to Las Vegas with Gavin Maloof, owner of the Vegas Golden Knights.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr cover the week’s top stories in the sports industry and talk about the business of basketball with former National Basketball Commissioner David Stern.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick and Michael Barr cover the week’s top stories in the sports industry and talk about the business of baseball with Sal Galatiato, the founder of Galatiato Sports Partners, and Randy Levine, president of the New York Yankees.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.