Front Office Sports Today

Front Office Sports

Sports is big business - and there is no offseason to the major moves, groundbreaking deals and culture-shifting moments happening across the world of sports. Front Office Sports Today is your daily guide on all things sports, business and culture. Join our host, Baker as he offers insightful commentary on breaking news and engages in conversations surrounding the biggest headlines, with guest appearances from athletes, executives, experts and more.

  1. 10h ago

    A Conversation With Rich Eisen on the Golden Age of ESPN, His New Show & More

    Rich Eisen has a new podcast called “This Was SportsCenter,” and it is exactly what it sounds like. He is sitting down one-on-one with the anchors who defined an era of sports media, going deep into what it was actually like behind the scenes, and pairing every conversation with archival footage and photographs that turn each episode into a nonstop ride down memory lane. The first episode with Dan Patrick is out now. The golden era of “SportsCenter” is something every sports fan has an opinion about, and Eisen has a very specific answer for exactly when it was, what ended it, and why the smartphone is more responsible for the shift than any decision made in a boardroom. He also goes back to host “SportsCenter” for the first time in 23 years and has thoughts on what that experience told him about the show's past and present. Rich Eisen left ESPN for NFL Network in 2003 and is now back in the fold as NFL Network becomes part of the ESPN universe. There are real questions about whether two juggernauts like Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter can coexist on the same network, and Eisen addresses those directly. He also shares whether there is someone he’d like to host with on “SportsCenter,” and the answer is as emotional as you would expect. CHAPTERS 0:00 Introduction and How This Was SportsCenter Came Together 0:36 The Origin Story: From a Breakfast Meeting With Jimmy Pitaro to a Podcast 5:22 When Was the Golden Era of SportsCenter and What Ended It 9:39 Rich Eisen Returns to ESPN and NFL Network Joins the Family 12:01 Will There Be Room for Rapoport and Schefter on the Same Network 12:14 Does He Have Another SportsCenter Date Planned and Who Would He Do It With Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    16 min
  2. May 28

    A Conversation With Allyson Felix, 7-time Olympic Gold Medalist Turned Investor,

    Allyson Felix, 7-time Olympics gold medalist turned investor, joins Portfolio Players for a conversation on the future of women’s sports, athlete-led investing, and the evolving business of track and field. Felix breaks down: • Her role shaping the vision for the LA28 Summer Olympics • Why track and field is at a pivotal moment globally • How athlete investors are becoming a more influential voice in sports • The strategy behind Always Alpha and backing women’s sports founders • Building Saysh and creating products designed for female athletes • The evolving ownership landscape and where she would invest next • Why representation at the decision-making level matters more than ever • What it takes to build lasting impact beyond competition This episode of Portfolio Players, presented by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, explores how athlete founders, capital, and long-term vision are reshaping the future of sports. Chapters: 01:27 — Celebrity Investors in Sports 01:47 — Intro: Assia Grazioli-Venier & Background 02:23 — From Tech to Juventus Boardroom 04:06 — Sports Teams as Modern Businesses 07:00 — Early Investment in Women’s Soccer 08:39 — Women’s Soccer Driving U.S. Growth 11:40 — Washington Spirit Investment Story 13:23 — Michele Kang’s Path to Ownership 15:24 — Why the NWSL Is Growing Rapidly 19:16 — Evaluating Teams Like Startups 21:41 — Celebrity Investors: What Actually Works 24:46 — Why Most New Leagues Will Fail 29:55 — Is Data Changing the Game? 31:46 — What She’d Invest in Next 34:31 — Career Advice & Closing Thoughts Portfolio Players is Front Office Sports’s original series exploring the deals, capital, and decision-makers shaping the future of sports business. Subscribe for more conversations with the industry’s top builders and investors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min
4.8
out of 5
210 Ratings

About

Sports is big business - and there is no offseason to the major moves, groundbreaking deals and culture-shifting moments happening across the world of sports. Front Office Sports Today is your daily guide on all things sports, business and culture. Join our host, Baker as he offers insightful commentary on breaking news and engages in conversations surrounding the biggest headlines, with guest appearances from athletes, executives, experts and more.

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