ESPN 8: Marbles, Robot Fights and Cherry Pit Spitting

Syracuse University sports management professor Rick Burton joins Scott Soshnick, Eben Novy-Williams and Michael Barr to discuss a host of issues related to the business of sports, including what sports management means during a prolonged absence of sporting events. Burton, a former commissioner of the Australian Basketball League and an ex-chief commercial officer of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, discusses a wide-range of topics, including whether the Olympics will be canceled and how much influence the athletes, and NBC, which shows the games in the U.S., have over the decison-making process. Burton also talks about the media business with no games being played, including how ESPN is reacting to live games disappearing from its air, and what sorts of creative things teams themselves can do to keep a link to their fans during the shutdown. Burton also talks about esports and sports betting, and how each industry is affected. He also discusses what it’s like to teach a college course on sports management when there’s no one on campus and no games games being played.

Hosts: Scott Soshnick, Eben Novy-Williams and Michael Barr

Producer: Colin Tipton

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