Sports Business Podcast with Prof. C - Fordham Gabelli School of Business

The NCAA at a Crossroads - A Death Knell or New Beginning?

With multiple lawsuits, unionization efforts by college students, and state laws allowing students to sign NIL deals, the NCAA has been pummeled in the courts, the states, the National Labor Relations Board, and the court of public opinion. In this episode of the Sports Business Podcast with Prof. C., he examines the mounting challenges this venerable organization faces, and the ways in which it could solve its problems and reform college athletics. Hard decisions will have to be made and purists won’t like it, but, as Professor Conrad explains, a brave new world will await the NCAA, like it or not. Tune in!
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Marketing: Michelle Miller
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"

Episode 9

After a two-year saga, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, an international body established in1984 to settle disputes related to sport through arbitration, rendered its verdict in the case ofRussian Olympic figure skater Kamila Valieva, who was at the center of the 2022 WinterOlympic doping scandal. It concluded that Valieva had violated anti-doping rules, by testingpositive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine, and banned her from competition for fouryears, while prohibiting the Russian team from claiming the gold medal it had won during thecompetition. Although the Court of Arbitration’s verdict was direct and final, the domino effectit’s had on the teams of other nations that placed second, third, and fourth in thecompetition—the U.S., Japan, and Canada—has revealed a level of bureaucracy that puts theCourt in question due to its inability to deal with the fallout from its decision. Hear ProfessorMark Conrad, J.D., weigh in on the consequences of the Court’s actions and how it is affectingthe athletes and teams that were involved in this much publicized case. Tune in Now!
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Marketing: Michelle Miller
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"
 
 

Episode 8

In today’s rapidly evolving sports business environment, the ways in which technology is being used to attract and retain fans and to monetize “the product,” is shifting at an unprecedented pace. While broadcast media and cable television, once dominated the way fans “consumed” sports, they are now being enticed through rich content and streaming media that offers the opportunity to experience sporting events that were once out of reach, to do it at a lower cost, and to share in the experience with others. In this episode, of the Sports Business Podcast, Professor Mark Conrad, J.D., interviews Greg Butler, CEO of ZuCasa, a company that provides video streaming and social engagement solutions in the OTT gaming and medical space. As an example of the types of opportunities that are emerging, Butler describes his company’s partnership with Zee Entertainment in India for the ILT20 cricket tournaments, which allowed viewers to be able to watch cricket on their phones or on their televisions or computers at a distance, while sharing the experience. As this type of content viewing and sharing takes off, Butler notes that there are limitless possibilities in what people will be able to watch together, but also huge considerations in areas such as licensing and the need to build new business models. Tune in for this enlightening discussion!
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Marketing: Michelle Miller
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"

Episode 7

On podcast episode 6, we discussed taxes with Robert Raiola, an expert in the field, who has worked with over 100 professional athletes across the five major sports. He enlightened us on some of the ins and outs of dealing with the numbers, rates, and different types and scales of taxes that athletes pay. That podcast was recorded before Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, deferred $700 million contract was signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In podcast 7, Mr. Raiola has graciously agreed to join us again to discuss the tax implications of Ohtani’s unusual contract. Tune in to hear this fascinating discussion.
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Marketing: Michelle Miller
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"

Episode 6

All of us have to pay taxes. Elite professional athletes are no exception, but the taxes they pay are high and the rate at which they are calculated can be quite complex. Robert Raiola, director of the Sports and Entertainment Group at PKF O’Connor Davies, which provides business management, tax planning, and business consulting services to high-net-worth individuals, has worked with over 100 professional athlete clients. In this podcast episode, he chats with Professor Mark Conrad about the ways in which high-earning athletes need to educate themselves in order to ensure they are paying the right amount of taxes. From fluctuating tax rates among the different states and countries to varying amounts of endorsement revenues and championship bonuses, professional athletes need to understand the tax minefields so they can pay the correct amount of tax and attempt to minimize their tax liability. Tune in to hear this fascinating discussion.
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Marketing: Michelle Miller
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"

Episode 5

In 1954, Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile. Since then, thousands of male runners have surpassed that barrier, yet no women have ever done so. This profound difference in performance prompted Professor Mark Conrad to explore fairness in athletic competition, taking it a step further by looking at the issue of the inclusion of transgender athletes competing in their preferred sex—specifically formerly male trans athletes competing as women—and the ramifications this scenario presents for the sporting world. In professional sports, the stakes are extremely high, and while many international sports federations have allowed transgender athletes to compete, they have only done so after these athletes have taken hormonal suppressants to limit their testosterone levels. As cited in a recent study by the American Academy of Sports Medicine, testosterone levels point to significant performance differences based on sex. This raises the question of whether allowing transgender athletes with elevated testosterone levels to compete as women by taking measures to “even the playing field,” is fair. Tune in to Prof. Conrad’s take on this important issue.
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Marketing: Michelle Miller
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"

Episode 4

The Olympic Movement has seen its share of issues—human rights violations, the politics and processes of choosing host cities, safety concerns, and climate change—to name just a few. Compounding these problems is the turmoil of unsettling world events such as the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. In this interview, Richard Perelman, author, communications expert, and organizer of multi-venue, mega sporting events, explores these and other issues, as he looks to the future of the Olympic Movement and international sports.
Perelman served on the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic organizing committee and later helped to produce numerous high-profile sports events, including the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the 2006, 2009, and 2013 World Baseball Classics.Perelman’s online publication, TheSportsExaminer.com, is a comprehensive online resource for sports commentary, coverage, and results for 40 + international sports on the Olympic and Winter Games sports program. Listen to this fascinating discussion.
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Marketing: Michelle Miller
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"

Episode 3

Professor Conrad discusses the history of the NCAA, which for decades, was the alpha and omega of college sports—one that branded itself as a “guardian for the sacred altar of amateurism.” However, over the years, all of that changed—with the negotiation of TV deals and its member schools agreeing to multimillion-dollar contracts for coaches, while securing huge sponsorships. The colleges and universities, coaches, broadcasters, and sponsors all made money, but what about the student athletes? While the concept of amateurism in college sports persists and student athletes still cannot receive “pay for play,” in 2021, the NCAA agreed to loosen rules around the name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights of student athletes. Learn more about the role the Supreme Court played in this decision and hear Professor Conrad’s predictions on where this might ultimately lead.
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"

Episode 2

Professor Conrad discusses USA gymnastics and the long road back from the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal to the appointment of Li Li Leung, who was named the organization’s CEO in 2019, and who has worked tirelessly to rebuild its reputation, as well as the trust of the athletes and the public. Professor Conrad commends her dedication, but questions the expanded deal she brokered with Nike to be the exclusive apparel and footwear provider for the men’s and women’s national teams through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Tune in to learn why.
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"

Episode 1 (Intro)

Professor Conrad provides an overview of the types of subjects he will explore in his podcasts, as well as the unconventional ways he and his guests will dive deep into contentious topics, focusing on their connection to sports and their reflection on society. Listen and get grounded!
 
Host: Mark Conrad
Producer: Victoria Ilano
Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes
Artwork: Pamela V. White
Music: "MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise"