The Varsity

Bill Cohan drops by the pod to break down Wall Street’s view of the sports media landscape. Bill explains why he’s bullish on Warner Bros. Discovery, what investors want from sports rights, what’s really behind the Skydance-Paramount holdup, and much more.

Eric Shanks, C.E.O. and executive producer of Fox Sports, joins John to break down the state of IndyCar, five races into the season. Eric reflects on the sport’s deep-rooted nostalgia, its future-facing momentum, his efforts to build a bridge between IndyCar and NASCAR. and how he’s “Fox-ified” the event for modern audiences. Then Eric outlines the company’s D.T.C. ambitions with Fox One—and how Fox’s strong portfolio is drawing interest from advertisers.

Axios media reporter Sara Fischer returns to the pod to preview ESPN’s forthcoming streaming service, ingeniously named… ESPN. She breaks down the logic behind the offering—but also the potential problems with the branding. Then Sara and John discuss Fox’s more tempered streaming strategy and how The Athletic has prospered under The New York Times banner.

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Jeremy Carey, Optimum Sports’ chief investment officer, joins John for a look ahead at New York’s upfronts week. Jeremy shares the overarching themes he’s watching out for, discusses the health of the TV business, and examines whether recession fears are affecting advertisers who’ve spent years falling over themselves to buy into sports.

ESPN’s MLB insider Jeff Passan joins John for a sweeping conversation about the state of the league a few months into the 2025 season. Jeff discusses MLB’s biggest red flags, the forthcoming labor and media rights negotiations, and the parity between high-payroll teams and small market teams. Then, as the specter of a new salary cap looms, Jeff warns why a 2027 lockout may be all but inevitable.

Connor Schell, the visionary co-creator behind ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, joins John for a deep dive into the golden era of sports storytelling. From the evolution of prestige documentaries at HBO and ESPN to the streaming revolution led by the likes of Netflix and Apple, Connor unpacks how the landscape has shifted—and why these are the golden days for sports content. He also offers an inside look at his production company, Words + Pictures, and discusses what’s next.

ESPN’s senior NHL guru Greg Wyshynski joins John Ourand to take stock of professional hockey amid the league's labor negotiations, big media deals, and its innovation mindset. Then Greg explains why the tumultuous economy threatens the NHL in ways it doesn’t the NBA or NFL. With a new labor deal expected to be announced during the forthcoming Stanley Cup Finals, what does the future really look like for hockey?

NBC’s data guru Steve Kornacki drops by the pod to talk about his new deal with the network, expanding his footprint across both NBC News and Sports—while also allowing flexibility to pursue other avenues, à la Stephen A. and Pat McAfee. Then he previews his coverage plans for the Kentucky Derby, riffs on the rise of sports betting, explains how he brings numbers to life, and more.

NBC Sports’ Mike Florio revisits the pod to shed light on the shifting sands of the NFL Draft’s media rights—and the league’s continued international push with next year’s season opener in Brazil. Then, Mike drills into the NFL’s antitrust challenges and the league’s 18-game-fantasy, before assessing the freshly-filed $50 million civil lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe. Plus, John pores over Adam Silver’s candid worries about legacy media’s grip on the NBA.