ESPN’s Don Van Natta joins John to preview the biggest off-field storylines shaping Super Bowl week, starting with the news that stunned the league: Bill Belichick falling short of first-ballot Hall of Fame induction. They also dig into the NFL’s continued push toward an 18-game season, the criminal investigation into the NFLPA, Jerry Jones’s looming succession questions in Dallas, the Washington Post layoff saga—and more.

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Axios’s Sara Fischer returns to the pod to discuss the biggest storylines shaping the media and sports business—from the looming mass layoffs at The Washington Post to the implications of a potential Warner–Netflix merger. They also dig into TikTok’s new ownership structure, Peacock’s evolving sports rights strategy, and what it all signals about where the industry is headed.

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Washington Post contributor Danny Funt joins John to explore the uneasy moment facing the sports betting industry. As FanDuel and DraftKings feel the squeeze, Funt explains the hunt for higher margins, the marketing tactics fueling growth, and the growing demand for consumer protections. They also discuss how gambling has been increasingly woven into sports media—and whether the U.S. is inching toward tighter, European-style regulation.

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The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand joins John to break down the future of sports media rights, with a particular focus on the NFL. They discuss why so many leagues’ next deals hinge on the NFL’s upcoming negotiations, which NFL packages are most vulnerable to streamer disruption, why it’s no longer far-fetched to imagine Amazon eventually landing a Super Bowl—and more. Plus, why Travis Kelce is primed to be the next great play-by-play announcer.

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The Athletic’s Evan Drellich joins John to break down the L.A. Dodgers’ $240 million deal for star outfielder Kyle Tucker and its potential implications on MLB’s next round of labor negotiations. They explore the renewed conversation around a salary cap, the parity between big- and small-market teams, the looming media rights reset, the prospect of a free-agency deadline, the financial strain on R.S.N.s like Main Street Sports and partners like FanDuel—and much more.

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Michael Ratner, C.E.O. of OBB Media, joins John to discuss his new joint venture with Michael Rubin’s Fanatics to launch Fanatics Studios—aiming to produce sports content across feature films, documentaries, and live events. Ratner explains how they plan to leverage Fanatics’ deep athlete relationships and league partnerships to disrupt the sports content market—and offers his read on where sports media is headed writ large.

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NCAA president Charlie Baker joins John to confront the growing sense that college sports are in troubled waters. Baker breaks down the chaos of the transfer portal, the accelerated professionalization of college athletics, and why Congress may need to step in to impose uniform eligibility rules. He also discusses the NCAA’s media rights deal with ESPN, makes the case for expanding March Madness, and much more.

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Mark Marshall, NBCU’s global ads chief, joins John to talk shop about the sports media market. Marshall recounts selling out the Olympics weeks ahead of the opening ceremony (alongside the Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Weekend…); what really went down with NBC’s big NBA deal; the action behind MLB’s new contract, and much more.

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The New York Times’ Ken Belson joins John to discuss the professionalization—and monetization—of youth sports, and the mental-health toll for kids caught in the middle. He explains how private equity and big money have turned youth athletics into a sprawling $40 billion ecosystem, driving up costs and pressure on families nationwide. Then Ken shares the biggest storylines he’s pursuing for the upcoming NFL playoffs.

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Sports media analyst Michael Nathanson swings by the pod to reveal the sports media plotlines insiders are tracking over the coming year. They discuss YouTube’s growing footprint in the sports streaming ecosystem, how legacy players like ESPN can maintain relevancy, whether a Netflix-WBD merger might impact TNT Sports, and much more.

Explore how prediction markets skirt state authority and pose risks to consumers at AmericanGaming.org/predictionmarkets (http://americangaming.org/predictionmarkets)

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