Joe and Tom are joined by Dee Kundra, Managing Director of the Americas for FC Bayern Munich, one of the most storied and successful clubs in global football. Dee shares her career journey from studying fashion in London to breaking into sports with the New York Cosmos, Liverpool FC, and helping Bayern Munich establish its North American presence. She talks about how the club grew its fan base in the U.S. from just 8 official supporter groups to over 100, the strategic thinking behind Bayern’s U.S. office, and the challenges and opportunities tied to the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in 2025. Dee also discusses how the club builds relationships on the ground, activates its global brand locally, and navigates the evolving social media landscape.

The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

Joe Favorito is joined by Maher Labban, the director of Clio Sports. A New York-native, Maher has spent over 20 years in the sports industry. He takes us through his journey from teams to leagues, major and minor. Maher also details the inner-workings of the sports awards industry and the value it provides to all stakeholders. Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-maher-labban/ Read more: https://clios.com/sports/ The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

In this episode, hosts Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson sit down at Mets House in Union Square with Alex Kopilow, Director of Media Partnerships for the New York Mets. Alex shares his journey from sports anchor to brand strategist, and now, team-side innovator. They discuss how the Mets are rethinking sponsored content, creating meaningful fan connections, and leveraging digital platforms like YouTube for long-form storytelling. Plus, hear how “The Pursuit” documentary on Juan Soto’s acquisition came to life, and why integration, not interruption, is the future of sports media partnerships.

The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

Subscribe to Alex’s Newsletter here - https://sponconsports.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Joe and Tom sit down with Gene McCarthy, former President & CEO of ASICS and current Founder & CEO of Top League Advisory. With a storied career at Nike, Under Armour, Reebok, and ASICS, Gene shares his candid insights on what it truly takes to lead, the art of listening, and how to navigate the world of sports and lifestyle brands at the executive level. He also discusses his book, Chasing Four: A Personal History of Work and Play – a reflection on his professional journey and philosophy.

The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

Links:

https://www.amazon.com/CHASING-FOUR-Personal-History-Work/dp/B0CZ9Q588X

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmccarthy56/

Joe and Tom are joined at Mets House in Union Square by Carolyn Suna (They/Them), Research and Insights, Underdog Venture Team, and Adam J Honig, President, Grail Ventures. They discuss the process behind launching Mets House, an experiential pop-up venture in New York City. As the 2025 MLB season gets underway, Mets House delivers the excitement and fervor of New York baseball.Profiles:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynsuna/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjhonig/ https://www.mlb.com/mets/fans/mets-house-nycThe CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

In this episode, recorded live at Mets House in Union Square, Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson discuss the biggest topics in the sports industry today. They explore the evolving landscape of college athletics and how NIL is impacting competition, unpack the latest developments in golf with TGL and the ongoing PGA–LIV merger, and examine how AI is beginning to impact the industry. The finish by discussing innovation in baseball and where the sport is headed next.

The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

Joe is joined on Radio Row by comedian and writer Jeremy Moses, who - along with Eitan Levine - leveraged their experience hosting a sports show at Amazon into a new business venture. They spearheaded one of the more unique Name, Image, and Likeness deals, partnering successful BYU Cougars QB Jake Retzlaff with the traditional Jewish food brand Manischewitz. This partnership attracted national attention. Jeremy Moses saw the big opportunity - creating content and curating NIL deals not through school allegiance but through ethnicity. They have recently launched a company, Tribe NIL, which has over fifty athletes of Jewish heritage already on board. The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

Tom is joined by Brian Boakye-Ansah, Emmanuel Boateng, and Justin Coleman from the X Hydration leadership team. The trio discuss their entrepreneurial journey in launching a hydration beverage, and discuss their plans to build and grow the business.

Website: https://drinkxhydration.com/

The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

Joe is joined by Karl Mawhinney, CEO & Founder of Campus Multimedia. Karl has also held previous positions, including CRO at Huddle Inc. and VP of Global Partnerships at the Harlem Globetrotters. In this episode, Karl shares lessons learned throughout his diverse career as they discuss the mission of Campus Multimedia and the importance of ensuring that the brands they work with deliver real value to schools through partnerships.

The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

Links:

https://www.campusmultimedia.com/

In this episode, recorded live from Radio Row in New Orleans, Joe Favorito is joined by veteran sports PR strategist Stephen Panus. He discusses the Jake Panus Walk-On Scholarship, the inspiration behind his book Walk On, and the powerful impact of storytelling in sports and life.

The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Karthik Iyer (@bykarthikiyer), Freddie Walker (@freddiewalks), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Pragna Prasanna, Breah Banks, and Lissa Ruiz.

Links:

https://www.stephenpanus.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Stephen-Panus/dp/B0CTDDQR6X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.mb5L9BaGsNHNJRwR4svovFalfktHSI58XJJYhjKN69w.N6C2uZ1oJargUvQTnU0mYsIxWvhYDLddtKMSOYpINoc&qid=1710194734&sr=8-1