🎙️🏀🔥 NEW POD Puck: *The* John Ourand & I get into the nitty gritty of the NBA media rights auction—and how it pertains to WBD. Did Zaz screw everything up? Can he match? And what do the economics *really* look like?

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5Lhh2u…

Apple:

MVP!!

The worst news!

Julia is more plugged into the streaming business than anyone else I know, and she will be great wherever she goes.

As team valuations skyrocket, Puck’s John Ourand sat down with D.C. sports magnate Ted Leonsis to get his candid take on why Cuban sold the Mavs, the future of R.S.N.s, and how Ballmer changed the game. puck.news/ted-leonsis-on…

The NBA is a really strange media product: ubiquitous as a subject of sports gossip on ESPN/podcasts; but surprisingly unpopular as a regular-season TV product; and getting less popular over time; and getting *much* more valuable as a TV rights property over the same period

I really enjoyed talking NBA rights with Derek.

A little late, I know. But I was on a plane all day yesterday!
Let's Go O's!

It’s heartbreaking

Because I have nothing else to do lol. Actually will be fun doing this every week with Arash Markazi. Fun banter little substance. John Ourand look out. Lol. #sportsbiz

Always a pleasure to catch up with the great John Ourand on all things sports, media, and technology.

puck.news/ted-leonsis-on…

The commissioners have entered the building.

NFL's Roger Goodell 🤝 MLB's Rob Manfred

#SBJAwards

CBS Sports’ new C.E.O. David Berson predicts more of the (lucrative) same, and says “Nothing to see here” about Esiason and Simms as Paramount’s deal-or-no-deal drama continues.

Read the full conversation with John Ourand: puck.news/david-berson-r…

Putting some context behind my earlier RT. Puck has been my cheat code to talking about the sports TV business as it pertains to pro wrestling and also the streaming future. julia alexander, Matthew Belloni, and John Ourand make me smarter. Point blank. Easy sub for me.

The number for the ESPN deal with the NBA is still $2.6B per, according to sources.

Amazon has a framework agreement for a package, while NBC is moving toward a deal. WBD Sports has matching rights, which could lead to a fight. Column from 2 weeks ago

nytimes.com/athletic/54785…

🚨🐢🐢🐢🚨

Scottie Scheffler was five under par today.
Incredible.

Per Evan Drellich: Roku is paying MLB $30 million over three years ($8M this year; $10M next year and $12M in 2026) for the Sunday morning package.

Last year, NBCU paid $30M to put the package for one year on Peacock.

nytimes.com/athletic/54997…

Most surreal moment of the year, hours into, and Golf Channel hasn't budged off their scheduled programming.

Shoutout to ESPN for the incredible coverage this AM.