The CUSP Show

Joining Tom and Joe by phone this week is Nick Cutsumpas, who leads the sports vertical for the IBM Watson Ecosystem. Nick tells the story of how a computer made famous by winning Jeopardy is also making waves in the world of sports technology.

Nick gives us the lowdown on how Watson works, from how it processes the complexity of human speech to its capacity to profile an individual's personality by analysing their Twitter usage.

And he shares his view on how the Watson ecosystem could influence individual sports, including scouting and recruiting in college football, and teaching young baseball players how best to swing a bat.

Follow Nick on Twitter @cutsykid3

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Angus McNab, VP of Content at media and data company Perform Group, speaks to hosts Joe and Tom about how the current boom in sports analytics is shaking up the sports business.

Angus explains the myriad ways in which data is being integrated into the everyday sports viewing experience, and predicts a revolution in the way we watch and understand sports with the introduction of wearable technology.

And he lifts the lid on how "Pub Ammo" became one of the most successful social media strategies in sports, plus Perform's future plans for an OTT sports streaming service.

Follow Angus on Twitter @gusmcnab.

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Cleveland Browns wide receiver and Columbia University graduate student Andrew Hawkins joins host Joe Favorito this week to talk about his plans for a career after pro football.

Andrew opens up about his circuitous route to the top, which included a period playing for the Montreal Alouettes and a spot in Michael Irvin’s reality show 4th and Long, and how that led him to start planning early for life beyond the NFL.

And he also gives his view on the Cam Newton/Peyton Manning media debate, and the story behind his fleeting appearance in a Hollywood blockbuster.

Find Andrew on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

NOTE: We apologize for the sound quality in the second half of this episode - we've fixed the problem for future shows.

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Our guest this week is fencer and founder of Fencing in the Schools Tim Morehouse, who went from teaching highschoolers to winning an Olympic medal and starring in commercials with Serena Williams.

Tim talks about how he cultivated his personal 'brand' almost entirely by accident, and explains why, as a fencer, you’re more likely to be featured in Vanity Fair than on ESPN.

And he shares his vision of how to bring fencing into the future, from rule changes and new technologies, to evening exhibitions over cocktails and the use of Virtual Reality.

Tim's other business pursuits include Fencing University, a resource for fencing instructors, and his own fencing club. You can also find him at his personal website, timmorehouse.com.

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Stepping into the studio today is Bleacher Report President Rory Brown, who went from answering a Craigslist post to heading up one of the world's hottest media brands in less than a decade.

Rory talks us through the extraordinary growth of Bleacher Report, and some of the difficult decisions - such as the decision to pivot away from User Generated Content and the early adoption of mobile apps - which have been made along the way.

And he gives us a hint as to the future of content at Bleacher Report, from Virtual Reality to parachute jumps...

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Joining the podcast this week is Joe Quinlan, Senior Associate Athletics Director, Internal Operations, at Columbia University. Few are as steeped in the world of Intercollegiate Athletics as Joe, and he shares some of the vast experience he has gained from working at the NCAA, Seton Hall, Rutgers and St Peter's University, as well as here at Columbia.

Joe dives deep into the nature of his role, looking after 31 different collegiate sports programs, and explains the work that went into The Season, the groundbreaking WNYC podcast series following the Columbia Lions Football team.

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Cris Nyari, Bayern Munich's Media Manager, is our guest this week, and he explains to us the rationale behind the German soccer club's decision to open an office in New York City.

Cris gives his opinion on the most valuable social media platform for sports businesses, and shares his personal journey from childhood in Romania to working in the US.

Follow @FCBayernUS and @crisnyari on Twitter. 

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Joining The CUSP Show this week is Bike New York COO Andy Gould, who explains why May's annual Five Boro Bike Tour is just one aspect of a boom in cycling in New York City.

Andy talks about the challenges of organizing a major event in the wake of the Boston Marathon, Bike New York's efforts to make cycling safer all year round, and also why one of his commercial partners makes their payment in bananas. 

You can find more information about Andy and Bike New York at www.bike.nyc

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Hosts Joe and Tom explore the challenges of gender disparity in the sports industry this week with inspirational guest Neha Aggarwal, a Columbia Grad student and professional table tennis player.

Neha lifts the lid on her experience representing India at the Beijing Olympic Games, shares the psychological methods she uses to train for success, and details the sacrifices she and her family have had to make in battling gender stereotypes.

And she also shares her ambitious plans to improve Indian sport, and her tips for survival as an Indian in New York City.

You can find Neha on Twitter @nehaaggarwal and at her blog Ping Pong Amigos.

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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

Presenters Joe and Tom are joined by Columbia Sports Management grad student Iciss Tillis, who talks about her transition into the business of sport after a stellar basketball career at Duke, the WNBA and in Europe.

Iciss opens up about the challenges to female professional players, and about her own ideas for improving the game for players and fans.

And she lifts the lid on playing in Europe, what it's like to go under the knife in a provincial Russian hospital, and the role played by her father - former heavyweight boxer James 'Quick' Tillis - in her career path.

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 @CUSportsBiz.

Our presenters are Joe Favorito 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