SBJ On Stage

In this episode of On Stage, two visionary leaders—Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, and Ted Leonsis, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment—share the stage at SBJ’s Dealmakers Conference in Washington, D.C., on November 30, 2023. 

Hobson, a nationally recognized financial executive and advocate for financial literacy, speaks candidly about how Ariel Investments approaches long-term value creation, why patience is critical in both markets and leadership, and how she’s worked to open doors for underrepresented groups in business. She also reflects on lessons from serving on the boards of major companies like JPMorgan Chase and Starbucks, and the importance of making investment decisions that align with values as well as returns. 

Leonsis, a longtime entrepreneur, sports owner, and investor, brings the perspective of a dealmaker who has navigated growth across technology, media, and sports. Together, their conversation touches on what makes partnerships endure, the responsibility of leaders to connect business with community impact, and how innovation is reshaping both finance and sports. 

This dialogue is both practical and inspiring—grounded in real-world lessons while offering a vision for how business and sports leaders can drive growth with purpose. 

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In this episode of On Stage, Michael Rubin, CEO and Chairman of Fanatics, joins SBJ’s Publisher and Executive Editor Abe Madkour for a lively conversation at the CAA World Congress of Sports on April 16, 2024. 

Rubin pulls back the curtain on the unprecedented growth of Fanatics, which now spans licensed merchandise, trading cards, collectibles, and sports betting. Along the way, he shares the mindset behind building what he describes as “the world’s leading digital sports platform,” and what it takes to keep scaling a business that has reshaped how fans interact with their teams and athletes. 

The conversation touches on business metrics, the baseball uniform rollout controversy that made headlines in spring 2024, and lessons learned along the way about leadership, customer trust, and bold decision-making. 

For anyone interested in what it takes to grow a global sports business—and the human stories behind the headlines—this is a must-listen. 

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Description:

This episode of On Stage takes us deeper into the SBJ archives than ever before, revisiting a keynote interview from the 2016 Intercollegiate Athletics Forum with Paul Tagliabue, the longtime former commissioner of the National Football League. 

Tagliabue, who led the NFL from 1989 to 2006, oversaw one of the league’s most transformative eras: four expansion franchises, high-profile franchise relocations, and landmark decisions that reflected the NFL’s influence on culture and society—from postponing games after 9/11 to moving a Super Bowl over Arizona’s refusal to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020, his impact continues to shape the sports landscape today. 

In conversation with SBJ’s Publisher and Executive Editor Abe Madkour, Tagliabue reflects on leadership, governance, social responsibility, and the business of sports during his time at the helm. Listening now, nearly a decade later, provides unique perspective: a reminder of how far the industry has come and how timeless lessons in integrity, vision, and adaptability remain. 

This is the beauty of On Stage: giving important conversations from SBJ’s archives new life, showing how they continue to inform the issues and debates of today. 

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In this episode of On Stage, Laura Ricketts—co-owner of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Sky—sits down with Abe Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor of Sports Business Journal. Recorded on October 30, 2024, at SBJ’s Dealmakers Conference in Washington, D.C., the conversation highlights Ricketts’ unique position as one of the few women to hold a majority stake in a U.S. professional sports team.  Ricketts reflects on her journey across MLB, WNBA, and NWSL ownership, and how her philanthropic and activist commitments shape the way she approaches sports as a business and cultural platform.

Key themes include: 

• Trailblazing Ownership: What it means to be a female majority owner in a male-dominated space.
• Investing in Women’s Sports: Lessons from her time with the Red Stars and her ongoing role with the Chicago Sky.
• Philanthropy & Activism: How values-driven leadership influences business decisions and community engagement.
• Building Sustainable Franchises: Insights into long-term vision, governance, and fan connection across teams.

It’s a candid, wide-ranging conversation from a leader redefining what it means to win on and off the field. 

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In this special episode of On Stage, actor, comedian, and LAFC co-owner Will Ferrell joins Larry Freedman, the club’s co-president, for a fireside chat moderated by SBJ’s Abe Madkour.

Recorded on February 27, 2023, at the National Sports Forum in Los Angeles, this session offers a rare glimpse into how one of Hollywood’s most recognizable figures became a driving force behind one of Major League Soccer’s most dynamic franchises.

Ferrell shares his origin story with LAFC—from being recruited as an owner to embracing the culture of the club—while Freedman pulls back the curtain on how the team has built one of the most passionate fan bases in American sports. Together, they discuss:

• Why Will joined the ownership group and what he’s learned about sports business.
• The rise of LAFC as both a soccer powerhouse and a cultural brand.
• The mix of humor and humility that Ferrell brings to the boardroom and the locker room.
• What other franchises can learn from LAFC’s community-driven growth model.

As Abe Madkour later noted in his SBJ column, the session blended humor with real insight—a conversation that was equal parts entertaining and illuminating.

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Description:

In this episode of On Stage, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred joins SBJ Senior Writer Joe Lemire for a candid conversation on the business, challenges, and opportunities shaping professional baseball. 

Recorded on April 22, 2025, at the CAA World Congress of Sports presented by Sports Business Journal, this keynote captures Manfred’s perspective just months before major headlines about MLB’s labor landscape and new national media rights negotiations. 

While the news cycle has since moved quickly—with fresh updates on his talks with players over the next labor agreement and signs of progress on a new media deal—this conversation offers an evergreen look at the commissioner’s leadership priorities and long-term vision for the league. 

Topics include: 

• Labor Relations: How MLB approaches dialogue with the players’ union and lessons from past negotiations. 
• Media and Distribution Strategy: MLB’s vision for its next rights deal and the role of direct-to-consumer streaming. 
• The Business of the Game: Expanding MLB’s global reach and deepening engagement with younger fans. 
• Competition and On-Field Innovation: Balancing tradition with changes that improve pace of play and overall fan experience. 
• Leadership at the Helm: What it takes to guide a century-old league in a rapidly evolving sports landscape. 

It’s a valuable snapshot of the commissioner’s thinking—one that’s as relevant today as when he stepped on stage. 

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Episode Description:

In this episode of On Stage, Rich Paul—CEO of KLUTCH Sports Group and Head of Sports at United Talent Agency—joins Zach Leonsis, President of Media & New Enterprises at Monumental Sports & Entertainment, for a compelling one-on-one conversation that spans business, brand, representation, and long-term influence.

Recorded on October 29, 2024, at SBJ’s Dealmakers conference in Washington, D.C., this session came just as Paul and Leonsis announced a new partnership between KLUTCH and Monumental—aimed at unlocking new revenue streams and strategic collaborations as Monumental prepares to reimagine Capital One Arena.

In this conversation, Paul shares hard-earned wisdom from a career spent building one of the most influential firms in sports—and shaping how athletes think about ownership, leverage, and impact.

Highlights include:

• The Rise of KLUTCH: How Paul built a platform grounded in trust, truth, and cultural relevance.
• Navigating Power & Partnership: What it takes to stay independent while scaling with purpose.
• Modern Representation: Why being an agent today means managing media, brand, and opportunity all at once.
• Long-Game Thinking: Paul’s take on influence, equity, and the difference between relevance and legacy.
• Real Talk: How the business works behind closed doors—and why he’s playing chess, not checkers.

Candid, sharp, and evergreen—this is required listening for anyone shaping the future of sports, media, and entertainment.

Please find link to attached Rich Paul introduction video here: https://youtu.be/QrP5v1rY26A

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In this episode of On Stage, NCAA President Charlie Baker sits down with SBJ Executive Editor and Publisher Abe Madkour for a candid conversation about the state of college athletics—and the future of the NCAA itself.

This conversation took place December 11, 2024, at the SBJ Intercollegiate Athletics Forum in Las Vegas, during a pivotal moment in Baker’s presidency. At the time, the industry was bracing for major shifts in governance, athlete compensation, and long-term sustainability.

Since then, the updates have continued at a rapid pace: the NCAA’s proposed House settlement, revenue-sharing discussions, and deeper questions around the power dynamics between conferences and national leadership have all been in the headlines. And yet, this conversation remains deeply relevant and provides important perspective from Baker.

Topics include:

• Reimagining the NCAA: How Baker sees the organization evolving amid pressure for reform.
• Conference Realignment & Governance: Balancing institutional autonomy with national cohesion.
• Student-Athlete Opportunity & Oversight: What’s working, what’s broken, and what’s at stake.
• Federal Legislation & Legal Strategy: Why Baker continues to call for Congressional involvement.
• Leadership in Transition: What it takes to guide an institution under pressure from every side.

In light of everything that’s happened since this conversation took place, Baker’s comments offer both a snapshot and a lens—a valuable perspective on how we got here, and where the NCAA might go next.

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Episode Description: 

In this special episode of On Stage, two extraordinary leaders—General Mark Milley, the recently retired Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Ted Leonsis, Founder and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment—sit down for a powerful and wide-ranging conversation about leadership, culture, and service. 

Recorded on October 30, 2024, at SBJ’s Dealmakers conference in Washington, D.C., this fireside chat explores what it means to lead during times of transformation—whether you're guiding a nation’s military or a multibillion-dollar sports and media empire. 

Topics include: 

• The Mindset of Service: What business can learn from military leadership and accountability. 
• Culture and Cohesion: Building organizations that are values-driven and mission-focused. 
• Decision-Making Under Pressure: Lessons from global conflict and billion-dollar business moments. 
• Patriotism and Purpose: Why service—military or civic—still matters in today’s fractured world. 
• Shared Responsibility: How sports, media, and government all play a role in shaping the future. 

It’s a rare and candid discussion between two leaders who’ve spent decades making consequential decisions—at the highest levels of two very different arenas. 

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In this episode of On Stage, Sports Business Journal’s Executive Publisher Abe Madkour sits down with iconic sports agent David Falk for a conversation about the legacy of athlete empowerment and the business of storytelling. 

Recorded on May 20, 2025, at SBJ’s 4se event in New York City, the conversation traces Falk’s role in redefining what it means to represent an athlete—not just on the court, but across culture, commerce, and entertainment. 

Falk, who famously represented Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Patrick Ewing, and many more, shares: 

• The Air Jordan Origin Story: How a revolutionary approach to marketing turned a rookie deal into a global brand. 
• Agent as Architect: Why the most successful agents don’t just negotiate—they help build enduring platforms and partnerships. 
• Cultural Relevance: The fusion of sports, fashion, and music, and what it takes for an athlete to shape culture beyond the game. 
• Leadership Lessons: What he’s learned from four decades working at the intersection of sports, media, and influence. 

It’s a one-of-a-kind conversation with a one-of-a-kind operator—part oral history, part masterclass in what it takes to build icons. 

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