The CUSP Show

Joe and Tom are joined by Carla Varriale, a top level sports attorney, to talk about the potential legaization of sports gambling! Carla is an attorney with Havkins Rosenfeld Ritzert & Varriale, LLP, and has litigated cases for Major League Baseball teams and players, minor league teams, and various clients in the recreation and sports industries. Varriale has won dispositive motion victories in cases involving injuries arising out of promotional activities at sporting venues. She writes and lectures on issues of interest to sports, recreation, and entertainment venues. In her practice, she counsels entities with self-insured retentions regarding methods to minimize exposure and the development of successful risk management and litigation strategies, with a focus on security issues. 

Carla talks about the current status of the supreme court decision, its potential legal effects, what this could mean for the sportsbiz and much more!

Be sure to follow Carla on Twitter @CarlaVarialle

The Facts

 

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR).

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Joe and Tom are joined by is joined Chris Russo, Managing Director at Houlihan Lokey,  for a conversation on the financial side of the sportsbiz!! Chris is a recognized industry leader and innovator in digital sports media. With a proven track record of success in both corporate and start-up environments. As Senior VP and general manager of the NFL's new media division, he completed arrangements valued in excess of $1 billion. As Founder and CEO of Big Lead Sports (aka Fantasy Sports Ventures), he created the largest independent digital sports property in the U.S. with 20 million+ unique users and ultimately sold the company to USA TODAY. He gained extensive television experience via senior executive positions at NBC and New Line Cinema.

Chris talks about the upcoming parts of the sports industry, how he looks at deal flow, what makes a good sports investment and how Houlihan Lokey helps sports companies that are trying to raise money. Chris also shares his inisghts on where sports finance is going to in the future.

You can find out more info on Houlihan Lokey here 

The Facts

 

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR).

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Joe and Tom are joined by is joined by Rich Greenfield, Media Futurist, Media & Tech Analyst at BTIG, for a conversation on everything Sports Media! Rich is an Equity research analyst with a focus on the media and technology industries since 1995. Co-creator of the BTIG Research blog, which provides thought-provoking financial, market strategy, media, restructuring, telecom and technology research and commentary from analysts at BTIG. His coverage ranges from diversified media and entertainment conglomerates, movie studios, online video, cable and satellite distributors and advertising-based Internet media companies.

Rich talks about ithe future of sports media, digital trends, esports and much more. Rich also talks about the increasing role of the tech giants in the sports world and how the changing viewing behaviors of consumers. This episode is a must listen for anyone in sports media!

You can follow the Rich on Twitter @RichBTIIG

The Facts

 

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR).

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Tom are joined is joined by Laura Mignott for a conversation on experential marketing and event management. Laura Mignott is the CEO of DFlash, a New York-based event marketing & production company and creator/host of the highly rated Reset Podcast, powered by Bose. DFlash is a fast paced, brand experience agency that combines cutting-edge digital strategy and experiential marketing, to tell stories for brands big and small. In the last six years, DFlash, has catered to some of the world’s largest brands like Bose, Netflix, Samsung & Visa as well as  numerous successful startups creating custom events and activations. Laura is a creative storyteller, with a strategic mindset and relentless hustle. As a constant student of history, she holds a BA from NYU and MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. 

Laura talks about how her company's unique approach to event marketing, how she networked for five days a week for two years, her succesful podcast Reset and much much more!

You can follow Laura on Twitter @lmigno

The Facts

 

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Joe and Tom are joined by Ben Johnson for a conversation on the Drone Racing League. Ben is the Head of Marketing and Business Development at The Drone Racing League where he currently oversees Marketing, Media Partnerships, Sponsorship, Content Distribution, and Licensing. Prior to joining DRL, Ben was the Senior Director of Global Communications and Event Marketing at Tough Mudder, where he was responsible for building global brand awareness and leading in the development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns for events across eight countries.

Ben talks about how the DRL is combining the best of the sports and tech world through their events. He also talks about the league's vision and their approach to partnerships.

You can follow the DRL on Twitter @DroneRaceLeague

The Facts

 

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Joe is joined by Ashley Dabb, for a conversation on building the professional Lacrosse scene in the United States. Ashley Dabb oversees all branding, marketing and communications efforts and coordinates with PR, marketing and digital staff on each of the NLL’s nine teams across the U.S. and Canada. Under her leadership, the NLL’s digital footprint has expanded to include a live-streaming partnership with Twitter, a total rebranding including developing a new website, and the launch of NLL Productions and NLLTV.com, the League’s broadcast streaming platform and video hub that provides greater access and enhanced viewing experiences. Ashley is no stranger to the sports industry, having spent nearly a decade with the Philadelphia Union, Major League Soccer’s 16th franchise, where she most recently served as Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

Ashley talks about how the NLL is positioning themselves as a digital first sport, their recent deal with Bleacher Report, how they are growing the sport of Lacrosse in the US and the challenges and opportunities surrounding the NLL.

You can follow the NLL on Twitter @NLL

The Facts

 

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Joe and Tom are joined Julie Alexandria for a conversation on sports television hosting, women in sports and much more! Julie is a famous sports television host who has worked in both traditional sports and esports. 

Julie started her career as the host of "The Seven" Live Daily Studio Show on MTV. She has worked as a TV host for Sports Net NY, CBS, and the NY Mets as well as a sideline reporter for MLG. Her most recent position was with the San Diego Padres, as their sideline reporter.

Julie talks about hosting some of the biggest sports events, her role as a woman in sports and much more!

You can follow Julie on Twitter @JulieAlexandria

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Joe and Tom are joined Dennis Crowley, for a conversation on soccer in the digital age. Dennis Crowley is the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Foursquare, the location intelligence company that powers products used by more than 50 million people every month across 100 countries. Previously, he founded Dodgeball, one of the first location-based mobile social services (acquired by Google in 2005) and help to build early location-based games PacManhattan (2004) and ConQwest (2004). Dennis is also the founder and Chairman of the Kingston Stockade Football Club, a semi-professional soccer team out of Hudson Valley, NY that competes in the 4th division of the US Soccer Pyramid.

Dennis talks about how Stokade FC is disrupting the soccer world, the story behind the founding of the team and much much more! 

You can follow Dennis on Twitter @StokadeFC

The Facts

 

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Stephanie Lee,  Managing Director for the Utah Royals, talks about the NWSL, women's soccer and the work her staff is doing to relaunch a this rebranded franchise! This episode is a must listen for anyone interested in the team side of sports!

Be sure to follow the royals on Twitter @UtahRoyalsFC

The Facts

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Geoff Reis, General Manager of Sports at Oath, joins Joe and Tom to talk about digital sports content

Geoff Reiss is the General Manager of Sports at Oath. With his career in media spanning digital, print, television and live events, he has helped shape some of the most innovative businesses in sports.

After spending six years at Spy Magazine, he joined Starwave, the digital media and technology company founded by Paul Allen. While at Starwave, Reiss oversaw the launch of ESPN.com, NFL.com, NBA.Com and Nascar.com and managed the creation of ESPN’s Fantasy and Insider products.

While at ESPN, Geoff managed ESPN the Magazine, oversaw the development and acquisition of the Peabody Award winning documentary Black Magic, and led ESPN’s licensing efforts which included the company’s groundbreaking deal with Electronic Arts.

Geoff talks about his groundbreaking work at Oath, streaming deals with the NFL and the NBA and his amazing sports story!

Be sure to download the Yahoo Sports app on your phone!

The Facts

The CUSP Show is a production by the faculty of Sports Management at Columbia University. You can get in touch with the program on Twitter @CU_SPS_Sports Our presenters are Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com