Office Hours

On today's episode, we are joined by Donn Davis, chairman and co-founder of the Professional Fighters League.

A lifelong entrepreneur and operator, Davis decided to do something most 50-year-olds wouldn't - start a professional sports league. Heading into its third year, Davis has high hopes and ambitions for the PFL that include global expansion and betting integration. Having raised $100 million, Davis is bullish on the PFL becoming the next billion-dollar league.

3:25-3:52 - How PFL fits in the broader MMA landscape 

4:15-4:57 - Fundraising journey 

5:22-5:39 - The next billion-dollar brand

5:58-6:19 - The PFL's road to success 

8:07-8:35 - PFL x ESPN

16:38-16:55 - Sports betting integration

35:28-36:16 - International expansion 

40:46-41:52 - 2020 success 

43:07- 43:54 - Path to profitability 

On today's show, we are joined by Peter Hutton, Director of Sports Partnerships at Facebook.

Previously, Hutton spent just over three years as the CEO of Eurosport. He takes us through the tech giant's strengths and opportunities in the sports space, being a seasoned world traveller, and preparing for the future.

On Facebook working and growing their relationship with athletes (14:47)

On knowing Facebook is in a good spot (36:39)

On growth opportunities for Facebook Sports (37:17)

On the biggest issues that teams hope Facebook can help them solve (39:00)

On today's show, we are joined by Heather Brooks Karatz, president of the XFL's Los Angeles Wildcats.

Her career has included several years as the Executive VP of LAFC as well as many different roles in sports law with the NFL, NHL, and the agency world.  She takes us through her own professional journey through the sports business as well as the XFL's return in 2020.

On joining the XFL (0:04)

On maintaining a work life balance (29:48)

On her own personal journey (33:24)

On today's show, we are joined by Arash Markazi, sports columnist at the LA Times.

Markazi's resume includes stops at ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and SLAM. Markazi takes us through football's future in L.A., covering the city's high profile teams at every level, and overcoming hard times personally and professionally. 

On how the Los Angeles market can handle two professional football teams (4:42)

On the idea of Los Angeles eventually hosting another Olympic games (23:18)

On social media's effect on his career (33:03)

On what team is L.A.'s flagship team (47:09)

On today's show, we are joined by Shawn Green, founder and chairman of Greenfly.

Green co-founded Greenfly, a social content collaboration and distribution engine, after an impressive 14-year career in Major League Baseball that included two All-Star selections, a Gold Glove Award, and a Silver Slugger Award. Green chats with White in today's episode about lessons from his playing career, the vision for Greenfly's future, and working in the "Silicon Beach" region of California. 

On comparisons between playing in MLB and starting a business (0:18)

On returning to his home state of California to play for the Dodgers (20:41)

On contributing entrepreneurial success to habits learned in his playing career (30:01)

On how social media would have affected his career had it been in its prime (45:45)

On today's show, we are joined by Craig Pintens, the athletic director at Loyola Marymount University.

Before joining LMU, Pintens spent seven years at the University of Oregon. Now at LMU for closing in on two years, Pintens takes you inside the transition from administrator to AD and why the NIL legislation will fundamentally change college athletics, but in a good way.

11:22: The biggest adjustment of moving into the athletic director's chair

28:37: Athletic directors being cautious about speaking on the subject of paying college athletes 

53:32: Leadership lessons learned over the course of his career

57:40: Where the proudest moments come from as a college athletics administrator

On today's show, we are joined by Richie Lai, one of the co-founders of Bittrex.

Just over six years ago, he and two others founded Bittrex. Since then, the company has become one of the most well known exchanges in the cryptocurrency space.

He takes us through the entrepreneurial journey and where Bittrex sees sports fitting into its overall strategy.

On today's show, we are joined by Howard Mittman, CEO of Bleacher Report.

Since joining B/R just over 2 years ago, Mittman has helped lead the way when it comes to redoing the company's marketing and sales strategy and laying the framework for what Bleacher Report becomes in the future.

As for what it becomes, expect a deeper push into personalities, a continued focus on turning their app into a social platform and finding ways to provide partners with both top and bottom of the funnel opportunities.

3:10-5:45 - Transitioning to B/R

6:03-7:05 - Opportunity for B/R

8:27-10:04 - B/R and the business of pivoting

32:48-34:11 - The role of high school sports in the future

36:44-38:42 - Highlight-driven culture and the impact of it

41:21-48:13 - The app, the app, the app

On today's show, we are joined by Jemele Hill, staff writer for The ATLANTIC and host of the "Jemele Hill is Unbothered" podcast for Spotify.

After a tumultuous ending to her tenure at ESPN, Hill found herself in a position to "cash in" on her 20+ years of journalism experience and do it in a way that took her beyond sports.

Doing everything from writing to podcasting, Hill has found peace in the craziness of the new chapter of her life.

6:54-8:08 - The intersection of sports and politics

16:32-17:12 - China

18:21-1835 - Freedom of speech

25:07-28:24 - NCAA

29:05-32:30 - The NCAA if she was running it

47:40-48:13 - The future of the sports industry

On today's show, we are joined by Erika Nardini, the CEO of Barstool Sports.

In just over three years since she took over as CEO, the company has gone from a regional blog with 12 employees to one of the fastest-growing media companies in the country. 

Most recent valuations peg the company at being worth more than $100 million.

As for why, Nardini points to the fact that the company has more creative people than strategies, they don't have to worry about defining themselves and that speed has proven to be their best friend. 

0:33-1:20: The chaos of their content creation

5:35-7:41: The role long form shows play in their strategy going forward

11:46-12:38: Barstool vs Barstool Sports

12:49-15:00: Who disrupts Barstool?

15:17-17:27: What if ESPN had kept Van Talk?

19:15-22:30: Inside conversations with partners

22:53-27:10: Content to commerce

42:37-44:25: Being not the typical "CEO"