Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience (HallPass Media)

In our very first episode, we sat down with motivational speaker, bestselling author, and sports entrepreneur Jake Kelfer.  In this episode, we will talk about:Jake's journey to working in sportsHow he wrote 2 bestselling books by 25The importance of defining success on your own termsThe "Go Big or Go Home" mentality that led to Jake creating a secondary NBA combine that has helped over 70+ draft prospects sign their first contractWhy Jake speaks on happiness and successTips on how to stand out in the job market and elevate your sports careerJake Kelfer is a lifestyle entrepreneur and life elevator. He is the bestselling author of Elevate Beyond and Elevate Your Network, a high-energy motivational speaker on a mission to inspire millions of people to achieve personal success and happiness. He is the founder of the Professional Basketball Combine which helps NBA draft prospects turn their dreams of playing pro basketball into their reality. He and his work have been featured on Forbes, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, USA Today, Bleacher Report and many other major media outlets. Connect with Jake on social @jakekelfer! 

For our second episode, we sat down with the Director of Communications of the Los Angeles Clippers Dennis Rogers!In this episode, we will talk about:Dennis’s rise from graduate basketball assistant at Mississippi State to Director of Communications of the Los Angeles ClippersThe importance of being willing to do whatever it takes to work in sportsThe many roles Dennis has experienced in basketballDennis’s day to day lifestyle with the ClippersDennis is currently the Director of Communications of the Los Angeles Clippers. He also worked with the Clippers’ digital media team as Digital Media Director. Prior to that, he served as the Director of Communications with the New Orleans Hornets from 2003-2012. He has also been assisting with the NBA Summer League since its inception in 2003 as a Communications and Digital Media Specialist. 

In today's episode, we sat down with your favorite NBA player's favorite photographer, Cassy Athena.In this episode we will talk about:How she turned her passion into her career in the world of basketballThe importance of building genuine relationships to stand out & how to maintain themHow social media shaped her business which has led to some of the biggest stars reposting her picturesTalks about how she found her purpose by building her brand Cassy's daily grind and what it takes to make it in the industry Cassy Athena is a professional NBA photographer and entrepreneur, & has overcome some pretty remarkable things along the way. Her work has been published in Sports Illustrated, Samsung, Billboard, Red Bull, Fox Sports, Dime Magazine, Slam Magazine, NBA, Under Armour, Nike, Jordan Brand, Monster Headphones & more. She has worked exclusively with the biggest NBA athletes & has helped with branding/marketing to many athletes and entertainers. It wasn't only LeBron James, who drew nearly two million likes on Instagram for balling out at Chris Brickley's basketball runs in New York City; Cassy Athena was there, like always, capturing the magic. She even followed Steph Curry & his family at the 2016 NBA Star Game in Toronto for Under Armour. Connect with Cassy on social and follow her journey @cassyathenaphoto! 

In today's episode we sit down with Shea Dawson, Director of Athlete & Community Relations for the incredibly popular sports network Overtime. Prior to joining Overtime, Shea was the manager of player programs and team services for the Philadelphia 76ers, a position where she frequently interacted with NBA superstars such as Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Jimmy Butler.In this episode we discuss:What Shea calls the "Shea Dawson Experience" How she jump-started her career in the NBAHer “year of YES” and how this impacted herHow being intentional can lead to new opportunitiesShea Dawson is a strong operations professional with a Bachelor's degree in Sports Management from Robert Morris University. Shea is skilled in Player/Athlete Development, Interpersonal Skills, and Servant Leadership. She is devoted to giving her clients and peers the “Shea Dawson Experience”, and also posts #Sheahacks on her social media platforms to give motivation to anyone who needs the inspiration. Her mentors consist of George Raveling, Gary Charles, Liron Fanan, Elton Brand, Todd Wright, Warren LeGarie, Albert Hall, and Sergio Millas. Connect with Shea on social to follow her journey @overtimeshea! 

In today's episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with longtime Sports, Business, Media professor at USC, former Los Angeles Times writer-editor and basketball entrepreneur,  Jeff Fellenzer.In this episode we discuss:The importance of relationships in sports Keys to success in the sports industryThe importance of asking deep questionsJeff Fellenzer has had more than three decades of experience in sports management, news media, higher education and as an entrepreneur. He worked as an editor/writer at the Los Angeles Times for almost 8 years, writing a column on recruiting and serving as sports coordinator for the original L.A. Jeff has now been a Heisman Trophy voter since 2007, a featured speaker the past three summers at SBC in Las Vegas, and has held in conjunction with the NBA Summer League, moderating panels and lecturing on the subject of networking, resume writing and interviewing. Fellenzer has also been a guest speaker for sports business events at USC, UCLA, Caltech, the UC Berkeley School of Law, Pepperdine, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, University of San Francisco, Long Beach State and Southwestern Law School. Connect with Jeff on social @jfellenzer!

In today's episode, we sat down with NBA CBA expert and GM of Sports Business Classroom, Larry Coon.In this episode we discuss:How he became the Yoda of the NBA Salary CapWhat he’s learned being the General Manager of Sports Business ClassroomHow pursuing your passion can open unexpected doorsLarry Coon is a computer scientist and member of the IT leadership at the University of California, Irvine, but is known throughout the NBA as a leading authority on the NBA salary cap. He is the author of the Salary Cap FAQ at CBAFAQ.com, and makes regular media appearances including television (such as Spectrum SportsNet, ESPN’s Outside the Lines, and MSG Network), radio and podcasts. He has been featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, and Sports Illustrated. He has taught computer science curriculum at California State University, Fullerton, and serves as the General Manager and lead instructor for Sports Business Classroom and the Executive Session, as well as the program lead for the League Salary Cap major.

In today’s episode, we sat down with the amazingly talented and incredibly knowledgable Beau Estes, anchor and host on NBA TV.In this episode, we discuss:Taking risksFinding your voice  How to achieve your dreams Beau Estes has 25 years of experience in broadcast coverage of the NBA in a variety of roles. He started at Turner Sports in 1994 working for TNT’s “Inside the NBA” before working two Olympics - Atlanta and Nagano - and then The Goodwill Games in New York. From there, he moved in front of the camera hosting the Atlanta Braves on TBS, the Atlanta Hawks Halftime and Postgame Shows, and the Atlanta Thrashers Intermission Report.From there, he worked his way up to his current role as the voice of NBA.com’s highlights as well as an anchor and host on NBA TV. Along the way, Estes provided play by play coverage for the PGA Championship on PGA.com and hosted Turner Sports NASCAR.com coverage for five years.

In today’s episode, we sat down with Liron Fanan, Director of G League Player Development for the Cleveland Cavaliers.In this episode, we discuss:Creating opportunities for yourself The importance of being humbleHow adversity has made her the person she is todayLiron Fanan is a 20+ year global ambassador in the basketball industry. Before becoming the Director of G League Player Development for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Liron was a highly respected player agent serving as the Co-Founder and Managing Member of 2Talent Sports Management. She has also held roles as the Mission Director for the Omri Casspi Foundation and Assistant General Manager for Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club. Connect with Liron Fanan on: Instagram | TwitterConnect with Sergio Millas on: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today's episode, we sat down with Glenn Chin, the founder & managing director of MOST-PROLIFIC, the sports and entertainment consultancy he founded in 2010. He’s worked with startups in music streaming, tech media, gaming and sports science as well consulting with NBA franchises & Euroleague Basketball based in Barcelona.  In this episode, we discuss:How he brought together sports, music, and culture at EA SportsWhat it was like working with Steve Jobs Lessons he learned as the Head of Global Brand for Nike Basketball Chin was spent over a dozen years during the founding of EA SPORTS, where he launched numerous award-winning franchises (including NBA LIVE, Coach K College Basketball, NCAA Basketball & NBA Street) and pioneered groundbreaking communications & initiatives as VP of Global Brand Management & Creative Development.  At Nike, he served as Head of Global Brand for Nike Basketball and Nike Sport Performance. Glenn developed and executed the global management & rebranding of Nike Basketball and launch of NIKE+ a breakthrough innovation through the collaboration/partnership between Apple & Nike.   Glenn has recently been involved in the rise of Esports as an investor, CMO, Advisor, content creator and  consultant (NFL, Global Footwear Giant, etc.) A gamer since the days of Pong, he rekindled his competitive gaming while leading QA on Madden ’94.  He currently is training on Fortnite with his 18 year old daughter.Glenn is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, now living in Portland, Oregon with his wife & 2 adult children.

In today's episode, we sat down with Matt Rodriguez, a team member and the founder of Ballislife.com. Ballislife.com is a basketball fan's heaven website. They have taken basketball mixtape making to a new level with a combination of music, art, and innovation through multimedia. They cover the high school level to the professional level of sports and are the leader in mixtape media on the internet.In this episode, we discuss:Matt’s incredibly inspiring journey How Ballislife got to where it is today The guiding principles that have led to their success Matt’s specialties consist of: purchasing, branding and identity, design, html, css, javascript, ajax, php, ajax+php+jquery, jquery, usability, marketing presence, and budgeting. His company, Ballislife, has over 3 Million subscribers across their YouTube channels, over 4.7 million followers on Instagram and over 1.6 million followers on Facebook. Through their channels Matt and the Ballislife team have created a movement, and their creativity and passion have earned them an incredible fanbase. To put things in perspective, BallisLife videos have been watched for over 1 Billion Minutes!Connect with Matt Rodriguez on: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | WebsiteConnect with Sergio Millas on: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today's episode, we sat down with Matteo Zuretti, Chief International Relations and Marketing Officer for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the union that represents all 450 NBA Players. In his role, he has helped build and create the international department and the global strategy of the organization.In this episode, we discuss:His role with the National Basketball Players Association The differences between a player and a champion in both sports and life  What it means to be a global citizenAt the start of the 2019-2020 NBA season, there were 108 international players from 38 countries on opening-night rosters and Matteo is leading the charge for all things global for the NBPA. He previously worked as an agent representing talent from twenty different countries in contract negotiations across global basketball markets. He is originally from Rome, Italy and he currently lives in New York City with his wife Roberta and their daughters Matilde and Lidia.Connect with Matteo Zuretti: LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramConnect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today's episode, we sat down with Dave DuFour, podcast host and NBA writer at The Athletic. He is also the scouting, video, and analytics lead for Sports Business Classroom. Dave is not only super entertaining and knowledgeable, but he is also a very mindful and deliberate person from whom everybody can learn from.In this episode, we discuss:His career as a professional wrestlerWhat it takes to cover the NBA professionallyHow disconnecting from the world regularly has been one of his keys to success Dave DuFour is a basketball coach who has specialized in skill development at various levels of the sport. A 2016 SBC Alumnus, he is most recognized as the host of The Athletic’s “Back to Back,” a podcast covering every aspect of the NBA, and “The NBA Daily Ding,” a daily podcast recapping all the previous day’s news and games. Dave also has been a contributor for RealGM.com and NBA’s Hoop Magazine, along with a variety of other online publications, and has worked with multiple teams and outlets as an independent scout, in both the US and Europe.Connect with Dave DuFour: LinkedIn |  Instagram | TwitterConnect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today's episode we sat down with Nick Brown, an Emmy Award-nominated Producer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a proud alumnus of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington where he discovered his love of sports broadcasting. His work has been seen on FOX, ESPN, and on international platforms by millions of MMA fans worldwide. In this episode, we discuss:How he set himself up for success at a young age What it’s like to be a producer at UFCWhat he has learned from Dana WhiteHe works day-to-day on creating content for the UFC’s 18.3 million Instagram followers, 7.3 million Twitter followers, and 24.8 million Facebook followers while also producing documentaries and shows for the UFC’s digital streaming service, UFC Fight Pass. He has worked with the likes of UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, U.S. Olympian Ben Askren, two-time UFC Champion Conor McGregor, and the best production team in all of sports. Connect with Nick Brown: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode we sat down with David Fogel, Executive Director of the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA), the labor association that represents all NBA Head and Assistant Coaches. In his role, his mission is to ensure that NBA Coaches have a voice regarding on-court, as well as off-court matters. David manages all areas of day-to-day legal and business operations of the NBCA.In this episode, we discuss:How his interest in labor relations was sparked through his family’s necktie businessThe importance of building genuine relationships and learning from mentorsThe value in always being transparent, open and direct with the NBCA members and colleagues around the leagueIn addition to his role as Executive Director of the NBCA, David also currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He previously served as an Adjunct Professor at Pace University School of Law, where he taught a course titled “Legal Aspects of Professional Sports.” He has also been a Guest Lecturer at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and New York University School of Professional Studies, where he has taught several courses on labor relations, the duty of fair representation, alternative dispute resolution and collective bargaining in sports. After being recruited to play baseball at Emory University, where he double majored in Political Science and Sociology, he went on to earn his law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Connect with David Fogel: LinkedIn | Twitter | NBCA Website | NBCA Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode, we sat down with Dr. Randa Bascharon who is an Orthopedic Surgeon, a Board Certified Athletic Trainer, Founder of the Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute of Las Vegas, and the Sports Performance Institute of Las Vegas.In this episode, we discuss:What it’s like to work across so many different sportsOvercoming being told NOFiguring out your Why Dr. Bascharon has been involved in events in just about every sport you can think of and is incredibly well-rounded and knowledgeable. In her practice, her goal is to ensure her clients achieve excellence physically, nutritionally and mentally. Randa has cared for Olympic, professional, and amateur athletes of all ages, including many UFC fighters and world title boxing champions. She is a Certified Ringside Physician through the American Academy of Ringside Physicians and an Orthopedic Surgeon for competitive athletes for an extensive list of sporting events around the country.Connect with Randa Bascharon: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode we sat down with Nicki Gross, Special Assistant to the Head Coach for Vanderbilt University Men’s Basketball, Jerry Stackhouse, who is a 18 year NBA veteran and two-time NBA All-Star. Nicki is incredibly talented, hard working, and is well on the path to achieving all of her dreams. In today’s episode we discuss:How to put yourself in a position to be lucky What she’s learned on all of her different stops so far What working for Jerry Stackhouse has taught herNicki oversees the day-to-day organization of the head coach, assists with opponent scouting and special projects, organizes practice plans and facilitates staff execution. She has extensive basketball experience in the NBA and G League, where she served as the assistant coach with the Iowa Energy in the 2015-16 season and the Raptors 905 franchise from 2016-18, where she was a member of Stackhouse’s staff. She was also the Energy’s head video coordinator in 2014-15 before being promoted to an assistant coach position. At the time in 2015, Gross was the only female coach in the NBA G League and third in its history, following assistant Stephanie Ready (2001-03) and head coach Nancy Lieberman (2009-11). Nicki truly embodies what it takes to succeed in both the business of sports and in life. Connect with Nicki Gross: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode we sat down with Morgann Mitchell,  Assistant Social Media Manager for Turner Sports. In her role she is in charge of running NBATV's Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook channels. In today’s episode we discuss:The necessary skills to succeed in this role What it’s like to cover the NBA for NBATV  Advice she has for people looking to get into the business of sports Morgann is also in charge of developing the right content for NBATV’s social channels for the NBA’s tent pole events such as All-Star Weekend, the NBA Draft and NBA Summer League. In the episode she provided a ton of insight on the behind the scenes of the industry of sports and social media. Connect with Morgann Mitchell: LinkedIn | Instagram |Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Today's guest is Sam Obitz, a peak performance specialist and author that works with athletes and executives as well as college and professional sports organizations. Sam is a brilliant guy and gives some insights into how people can best deal with their fears and anxieties and continue to perform at a high level.In this episode we discuss:What it’s like to work with professional athletes The difference between being process and goal oriented Super effective exercises people can do to work with unproductive thoughtsSam specializes in helping people improve while increasing their enjoyment of the process. He currently focuses on working with professional athletes, as well as working as a consultant for sports teams, businesses and individuals. His specialties consist of performance optimization, getting people out of their own head, ending slumps, reducing anxiety and stress, building self-confidence and helping athletes and executives fine tune their mental outlook to achieve maximum results. Teaching leaders how to get more out of those under their charge is what he lives for.Connect with Sam Obitz: LinkedIn | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Today's guest is Will Exline.  Will manages US Sports Content Partnerships at Twitter, bringing exceptional content from leagues, teams, broadcasters and athletes to fans in real time, while driving reach and revenue for these strategic partners and Twitter. In this episode we discuss:What it’s like to work at TwitterHow sports organizations can be effective on Twitter What it takes to succeed in his role Prior to joining Twitter in April 2014, Will spent three years at FOX Sports focusing on digital marketing and launching their new 24/7 Sports Network, FS1.Will’s specialties consist of: Marketing, Digital Media, Media Buying, Social Media, Brand Management, Website Content, Communication, Public Relations, Promotions, Grassroots Marketing, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Web Analytics, Social Analytics. Connect with Will Exline: LinkedIn | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

This episode of the SBC Audio Experience is a little different than what you'd normally experience with this show.  Today's episode was recorded as a roundtable discussion regarding the current state of basketball during the NBA shutdown caused by COVID-19. Hosted by NBATV Talent Beau Estes, the guests are Sirius XM & NBATV Analyst Wes Wilcox, Earlybirdrights.com Founder Jeff Siegel, and HallPass Media President Albert Hall.Our guests discussed their connection with SBC and what the program is. They also went in to the ways individuals can create value for themselves and stand out during these unprecedented times. In addition, they each went into the economic impact of the NBA hiatus, and how it effects the vendors, businesses, and sponsors around the game, as well as what impact it could have on the Salary Cap and subsequently team’s roster moves. If you'd like to watch the discussion you can find it here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Jeff Siegel: LinkedIn | Twitter | earlybirdrights.comConnect with Albert Hall: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | hallpassnetwork.comConnect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In episode 2 of the Sports Business Classroom Web Show, our host Beau Estes sits down with SBC GM Larry Coon, and The Athletic’s NBA Analyst Seth Partnow to talk about:Immediate Impact Of The Cap DeclineWhat The NBA Could Do To Generate Additional RevenueWhich Teams Have Most To Lose/Gain Pending Decision Of Resuming SeasonClick here for more show notes and to watch the stream: https://bit.ly/sbc-webshow-ep2Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Larry Coon: TwitterConnect with Seth Partnow: Twitter

Today’s guest is Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for The Basketball Tournament (TBT), Jennifer Todd. TBT is a 5v5, winner take all tournament, with a grand prize of $2,000,000. In her role of Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships she manages the process of building and activating all sponsors and marketing relationships across TBT.In this episode we discuss:Jenn’s fascinating career pathHow traveling to 35 countries has expanded her world viewHow she became the co-founder of TBT Prior to her time at TBT, Jennifer attended Brown University and received a degree in biology, however she quickly realized that working in the sports industry was her dream, and returned to school and earned her MBA. Since then she has worked as a strategy consultant, a group director at Octagon Worldwide, and a general manager at Super Soccer Stars. Jennifer co-founded TBT in 2011, and held the title Senior Vice President, Sponsorship and Events. Since then TBT has turned into a successful property, and in 2018 Jennifer moved into management of strategic partnerships, as well as PR, marketing, and development of social assets nationally and across eight different regional markets while continuing to guide the general event operations and logistics.Connect with Jenn Todd: LinkedIn | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Today's episode features another recorded roundtable discussion, this time looking at the impact either returning to play, or not, will have on specific NBA teams in the immediate future.SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by ESPN NBA Analyst Kirk Goldsberry and ESPN NBA Writer Kevin Arnovitz.Our guests discussed the impact of the shutdown on teams and the league, gave their projections for returning to game action, and what a new December start date would mean. If you'd like to watch the discussion you can find it here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Kirk Goldsberry:  Twitter | kirkgoldsberry.comConnect with Kevin Arnovitz: Twitter 

Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion. This time the topic is the future of sports coverage and broadcasting once the NBA returns.SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by Lead NBA Writer for Bleacher Report Howard Beck and NBATV Host Matt Winer.Our guests discussed the changes to covering the NBA moving forward, what the restriction of access into locker rooms will mean for storytelling, and they gave their predictions for how they think this season will play out. If you’d like to watch the discussion you can find it here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Howard Beck:  Twitter | Bleacher ReportConnect with Matt Winer: Twitter 

Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion. SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by Washington Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard and New Orleans Pelican's Play-by-Play Announcer and Sirius XM NBA Radio Host Joel Meyers.Our guests discussed running a basketball team in a quarantine, takeaways from other professional leagues, the possible new December start date for NBA seasons to come, and how to position yourself for a job in the new landscape of sports.If you’d like to watch the discussion you can find it here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Tommy Sheppard: LinkedInConnect with Joel Meyers: Twitter | LinkedIn

Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion. SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by Life Sports Media & Entertainment Founder & CEO Todd Ramasar as well as Bleacher Report NBA Senior Writer and Fox Sports Analyst Ric Buchner!Our guests discussed the human element of returning to play and what the players feelings and concerns are.  They talked about how the shortened seasons will effect various parties financially.  Todd and Ric also put themselves in the shoes of one of the 8 teams and players that did not get invited to Orlando to break down how they might be feeling right now.  And finally they gave their advice to aspiring sports business professionals about what kind of technologies they learn to better position themselves for a job in the future.If you’d like to watch the discussion you can find it here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Todd Ramasar: Life SME | Twitter | LinkedIn | InstagramConnect with Ric Buchner: Twitter | LinkedIn 

Host Beau Estes is joined by surgeon Dr. Sami Daye, Head of Sports Science for the Toronto Raptors Alex McKechnie, and Founder of Hoop Science IO Ken Berger. Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion recorded live on the SBC Web Show.On the show, the panel discussed preparing for the NBA restart, medical concerns for the "Bubble," and getting fans back to events.Sports Business Classroom will be hosting a Virtual Conference August 10-14, 2020 to provide an opportunity to learn from the basketball industry's brightest minds!To register, please visit: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/virtual-conference/If you’d like to watch the discussion or view the show notes for this episode you can find them here.Connect with Ken Berger: Hoop Science iO | TwitterConnect with Beau Estes: Twitter

Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion. SBC Web Show host Beau Estes is joined by General Manager of Sports Business Classroom Larry Coon and NBA Analyst/former Atlanta Hawks GM Wes Wilcox for a very special announcement!Sports Business Classroom will be hosting a Virtual Conference August 10-14, 2020 to provide an opportunity to learn from the basketball industry's brightest minds! To register, please visit: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/virtual-conference/If you’d like to watch the discussion or view the show notes for this episode you can find them here.Connect with Beau Estes: TwitterConnect with Larry Coon: Twitter

Host Beau Estes is joined by Sacramento Kings Assistant Coach, Former WNBA #1 Overall Pick and Duke Athletics Hall of Fame Member Lindsay Harding, UNLV Athletic Director Desiree Reed-Francois, and Assistant GM of the Capital City Go-Go (Washington Wizards NBA G-League Affiliate Team) Amber Nichols. Today’s episode features another recorded roundtable discussion recorded live on the SBC Web Show.On the show, the panel discussed their professional journeys in the sports industry, what employers can do to make leadership opportunities more competitively available to women, as well as progress that has already been made and how much further we need to go.Sports Business Classroom will be hosting a Virtual Conference August 10-14, 2020 to provide an opportunity to learn from the basketball industry's brightest minds!To register, please visit: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/virtual-conference/If you’d like to watch the discussion or view the show notes for this episode you can find them here.Connect with Lindsay Harding: LinkedIn | Twitter | InstagramConnect with Desiree Reed-Francois: LinkedIn | TwitterConnect with Amber Nichols: LinkedIn | InstagramConnect with Beau Estes: Twitter

This episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is a conversation between host Sergio Millas and NBATV's Beau Estes.  You may recognize Beau from the NBA Top 10 or from his earlier appearance on the show.  In this episode, Beau turns the table on Sergio, as we get to learn more about our host and the Vice President of Digital Media at HallPass Media. Sergio has been working at HallPass Media for 15 years and has over 10 years of experience in digital marketing. He is a creative leader with a wide array of professional marketing experience working with marquee brands in numerous industries. These include sports, entertainment, real estate, education, and beauty. In this episode we discuss:Habits and mentorsSergio’s career pathHow to get better each and every daySergio is an alumni at the University of Southern California, Marshall School of business, and earned his MBA in marketing. Sergio’s specialties consist of B2B and B2C Strategic Marketing and Positioning, Brand Development, Traffic Generation, Sales Funnel Optimization, Community Engagement, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing, Cross Channel Monetization, Product Marketing, Demand Generation/Lead generation, and Strategic Partnership/Business Development. Connect with Beau Estes: | Twitter Connect with Sergio Millas: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode, we sat down with long time NBA coach Alvin Gentry. Coach Gentry has spent over 30 years as a coach in the NBA and was most recently the Head Coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.  Growing up in Shelby, North Carolina, Coach Gentry had plenty of stories about cutting his teeth on the court with his cousin and former NBA star David Thompson.In this episode we discuss:What the job of an NBA Head Coach entailsCoach Gentry’s path to the top of his sport A “WOW” moment with Zion WilliamsIn 1989, Gentry began his NBA coaching career as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs under Larry Brown, where he coached for three seasons. He then moved to Detroit following the 1994–95 season where he served as an assistant for two and a half seasons before being named head coach late in the 1997–98 season. Coach Gentry took over the head job for the Clippers from 2000-2003.  Later, he became an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns for six years, serving under head coaches Mike D'Antoni and Terry Porter; and was named Suns' head coach for the 2009-2010 season. In 2013 he returned to the Clippers organization, taking the title of associate head coach, making him Doc Rivers' lead assistant.After one season with the Clippers, Gentry signed a three-year contract as associate head coach for the Golden State Warriors. In 2015, he signed with the Pelicans, prior to the start of the NBA Finals, but was to remain with Golden State until the series was completed; Gentry won his first NBA Championship with the Warriors that year.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Alvin Gentry: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode, we sat down with author, sportswriter, and Esports GM, Lang Whitaker. Lang currently works for the Memphis Grizzlies as the General Manager of Grizz Gaming, and as a contributor to Grind City Media. Additionally, Lang works as a contributor to GQ Magazine. He broke into the industry with SLAM magazine in the early 2000s and later worked for NBA Digital, where he wrote for NBA.com, appeared on NBA TV, and co-hosted the award-winning Hang Time Podcast.  In this episode we discuss:Growing up in Atlanta and having a love for Atlanta sportsMoving to New York and working for SLAM Magazine Becoming GM of Grizz Gaming with the Memphis Grizzlies From 2000-2012, Whitaker worked for SLAM magazine, first as an online editor, then executive editor, and finally as editor-at-large. In 2012, he co-hosted the inaugural NBA Social Media Awards with Rick Fox and Shaquille O’Neal. Since 2010, Whitaker has been a contributor to GQ. Lang has also written for many other publications, including The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and Esquire. In March 2011, Whitaker published his memoir, “In The Time Of Bobby Cox: The Atlanta Braves, Their Manager, My Couch, Two Decades and Me.” Connect with Beau Estes:  Twitter Connect with Lang Whitaker: langwhitaker.com | Instagram | Twitter 

In today’s episode, we sat down with the winner of NBATV’s GM School competition, Calida Taylor. Calida is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School currently living in the Phoenix, AZ area. Calida is a corporate attorney with a passion for NBA team building. She enjoys diving into the CBA and basketball analytics in her free time and has been a guest on multiple NBA podcasts. In this episode we discuss:Winning NBATV’s GM SchoolHow tough the GM school competition from SBC wasPursuing her dream job in the NBAThe GM School provides an opportunity for NBA fans to have the opportunity to showcase their passion for data analytic skills while competing for a chance to break into a front office. Contestants put their knowledge and skills to the test through a series of high-pressure, analytics-focused challenges such as the draft challenge, media session challenge, hiring a coach challenge, and the trade rumor challenge. From participating in a mock post-game press conference to drafting franchise building blocks and selecting a starting five lineup, the contestants were put under the watchful eye of an All-Star panel of judges, including former GM Billy King, WNBA star Renee Montgomery, and former GM Wes Wilcox.  At the end of the 3 episodes, the judges selected Calida as their winner based on the performance and results of the challenges. You can watch all 3 episodes of GM School here:Episode 1: https://youtu.be/yCpvOpov7Q8Episode 2: https://youtu.be/JeE7QpO0L0QEpisode 3: https://youtu.be/3D9SI7RmKcQConnect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Calida Taylor: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

This episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is a conversation between host Beau Estes and staff writer for Bleacher Report’s B/R Magazine, Mirin Fader. Prior to working for Bleacher Report, Mirin contributed features to espnW.com and was also a staff writer for the Orange County Register from 2013-17. Before attending Occidental College she played basketball during her freshman year at Lewis & Clark College.In this episode we discuss:How Mirin fell in love with basketballHer personal parallels to the Gigi Bryant Story What the future holds for Mirin Fader Mirin has profiled athletes at all levels of sports, from the NBA and WNBA to the NFL, NCAA, high school, and youth. In today’s episode, she talks about the process of writing The Legacy of Mambacita, a story dedicated to Gianna Bryant honoring her love and passion for the game of basketball. Mirin shares how she had the idea and talks about the process of telling the story from conception to completion. She discussed how it both personally and professionally affected her and her career once released. Mirin emphasizes in her episode to never let the obstacles hold you back from chasing your passion, and encourages people who want to be in her position to use their obstacles as motivation.  Folio Magazine named Mirin a Top Woman in Media in the “Up and Comer” category in 2019. The Associated Press of Sports Editors (APSE) awarded her James Ransom story with Top 10 honors for Best Feature Story in 2019. She also won first place in the 2019 Los Angeles Press Club Journalism Awards for best sports feature for her LaMelo Ball story.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Mirin Fader: MirinFader.com | LinkedIn |Twitter

Sekou Smith is an award-winning writer, reporter and multimedia specialist who has spent two decades covering basketball around the globe, from the grassroots level to the NBA as well as at the Olympics and World Cup competitions. Smith has worked as a Senior Analyst for NBA Digital (NBA TV and NBA.com) since 2009, serving as both an analyst and reporter on NBA TV’s Game Time and as an analyst on NBA TV’s The Beat with Vince Cellini and David Aldridge. In this episode we discuss:Sekou’s experience in the NBA bubbleQuality of play in OrlandoWhat the Lakers’ championship meantHow coverage will change in the futureSmith is the creator and host of NBA.com’s Hang Time Podcast and the creator and editor of NBA.com’s Hang Time Blog. Before joining Turner Sports and NBA Digital, Smith spent more than a decade as a national NBA writer and beat writer for the Indianapolis Star and Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is a longtime member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Prior to his time covering the NBA, Smith spent six years covering college football, basketball, and baseball for the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, focusing on the Southeastern Conference. Host Beau Estes asks Sekou multiple questions about his personal experiences from his time in Orlando inside the NBA Bubble. Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Sekou Smith: Instagram | LinkedIn |Twitter

In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, host Beau Estes sits down with the GM of SBC, Larry Coon. Larry is a computer scientist and member of the IT department at the University of California, Irvine, but is known around the league as a leading authority on the NBA salary cap. He is the author of the Salary Cap FAQ at CBAFAQ.com, and has been a regular contributor to outlets such as ESPN.com and BasketballInsiders.com. In this episode we discuss:How and why he originally got interested in the CBAWhat changes he's expecting in the new CBAThe Evolution of SBCHow you can use SBC to land and excel at a job in the NBAHis CBA Mastery CourseLarry makes regular media appearances including television (Spectrum SportsNet, ESPN’s Outside the Lines, and MSG Network), radio and podcasts. He has been featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, and Sports Illustrated. Larry continues to teach computer science curriculum at California State University, Irvine, and serves as the General Manager and Lead Instructor for Sports Business Classroom, the Executive Session, and is a program lead for the League Salary Cap major. He has also just released his very own online course going deeper than he ever has before into teaching the salary cap. You can learn more at ondemand.sportsbusinessclassroom.com.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Larry Coon: Instagram | Twitter | CBA Mastery

In today’s episode, we sat down with retired professional basketball player and commentator for the NBA on TNT, Dennis Scott. Dennis spent the majority of his 10-year NBA career with the Orlando Magic (1990-97), earning All-Rookie Team honors in 1991 and helping the Magic win the Eastern Conference Finals in 1995. He also spent time with Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas, New York, Minnesota, and the former Vancouver Grizzlies franchise.In this episode we discuss:Learning the value of confidence as a young player and how that’s helped him throughout his life on the court and in businessThe value of knowing his role when the Orlando Magic drafted Shaq and how that helped him personally and his teamPursuing business opportunities with his apparel and basketball camp company “Shooter’s Paradise”Scott hosts his own local television show while in Orlando titled "The Dennis Scott Show," and a weekend show called "The Highlight Zone."  He also serves as the General Manager of the American Basketball Association's Atlanta Vision team, a position he has held since May 2005. Dennis and his wife Rachael reside in Sandy Springs with son Dennis III and daughter Crystal. His son Ryan plays college basketball at Johnson C. Smith University in North Carolina.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Dennis Scott: Instagram | Twitter | 

In today’s episode, we sat down with Brand Communications Officer at Zenni Optical, Sean Pate. Sean is a senior marketing and communications expert and leads all external brand partnerships and communications for the online leader in prescription eyewear, Zenni Optical. He is an accomplished public spokesperson and has appeared on multiple local and national media such as Good Morning America, CNN, and CNBC. Sean also worked in global management while leading communications at Ancestry and Art.com, and managing and collaborating on multinational lines of business. In this episode we discuss:Creating advantageous sports partnerships from the business worldSelling not just teams, but an ownership group on the value of sports partnershipsIdentifying value not just with traditional sports teams, but with Esports teamsSean’s early career focused on working towards the best practices at agency and corporate roles including Oracle, Robert Half International, and the Pac-12 Conference. Sean’s career took focus on B2C brands with global footprints after the first communication role with StubHub. In this episode, Sean dives into his career path and how it led him to his current role. He also what he has had to overcome on the job, how he pushed through. Sean is respected for his ability to work as a player and coach and as a passionate evangelist and strategist focused on driving positive corporate brand visibility.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Sean Pate: LinkedIn

Today the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is presenting the Salary Cap Webinar hosted by General Manager of SBC and instructor of the CBA Mastery Course, Larry Coon. In this webinar, Larry is covering the new CBA with Bleacher Report Writer, NBA TV, and Basketball Insider's Capologist Eric Pincus, Former Phoenix Suns GM Ryan McDonough and 2018 SBC Alum and Winner of NBATV’s 2020 GM School Calida Taylor. Connect with Larry Coon: Instagram | Twitter | CBA MasteryConnect with Calida Taylor: LinkedIn | Instagram | TwitterConnect with Eric Pincus: LinkedIn | Instagram | TwitterConnect with Ryan McDonough: Twitter

Today the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is presenting part two of the CBA Webinar hosted by General Manager of SBC and instructor of the CBA Mastery Course, Larry Coon. This webinar is an on demand course for learning the curriculum for the CBA, brought to you by SBC and CBA mastery on demand. Today’s webinar features special guests Podcast Host and NBA Analyst at The Athletic Dave DuFour, Bleacher Report Writer and NBA TV & Basketball Insiders Capologist Eric Pincus, Former Phoenix Suns GM Ryan McDonough and 2018 SBC Alum and Winner of NBATV’s 2020 GM School Calida Taylor. Find details at SportsBusinessClassroom.com.Connect with Larry Coon: Instagram | Twitter | CBA MasteryConnect with Eric Pincus: LinkedIn | Instagram | TwitterConnect with Dave Dufour: LinkedIn |  Instagram | Twitter Connect with Ryan McDonough: TwitterConnect with Calida Taylor: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Today the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is presenting part two of the CBA Webinar hosted by General Manager of SBC and instructor of the CBA Mastery Course, Larry Coon. This webinar is an on demand course for learning the curriculum for the CBA, brought to you by SBC and CBA mastery on demand. Today’s webinar features special guests Bleacher Report Writer and NBA TV & Basketball Insiders Capologist Eric Pincus, Former Assistant General Manager and current ESPN writer Bobby Marks. Find details at SportsBusinessClassroom.com.Connect with Larry Coon: Instagram | Twitter | CBA MasteryConnect with Eric Pincus: LinkedIn | Instagram | TwitterConnect with Bobby Marks: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode we sat down with Senior Vice President & Creative Director for Turner Sports & Bleacher Report Studios at WarnerMedia, Drew Watkins. He has worked at Turner sports for over 20 years and is an experienced writer and producer. Drew oversees production and manages the staff at the Turner Sports & NBATV Creative Units (NBA, MLB, NCAA, PGA, eLeague). In this episode we discuss:Drew’s inspiration for the NBA Forever commercial and the entire processHow Drew’s career will be affected due to dealing with the current pandemic What Drew is hoping to do in his new role at Bleacher ReportDrew’s specialties consist of broadcast and promotional creative writing, directing, producing and post-producing, brand management, and creative team management. Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Drew Watkins: LinkedIn | Twitter

In today’s episode, we sat down with President of Don Vaden InterActive Consulting and Former Vice President of Basketball Operations for the National Basketball Association and Director of Officials Don Vaden. Don worked for the NBA from 1988 until 2018 and served the game of basketball in many ways for both the NBA and WNBA. Don refereed from 1988-2003, as well as the NBA Finals in 2002. He also served on the Management Team from 2003-2010, worked as Director of Officials for the NBA from 2011-2016, and Director of Officials for the WNBA from 2016-2017.In this episode we discuss:What keeps Don motivatedThe development of refereeing Don’s new business venture in consultingPrior to joining the NBA Don graduated from Lynchburg College (VA), played professional baseball, taught Physical Education, coached high school baseball, football, indoor track, was an assistant college baseball coach, and refereed NCAA basketball. Don was the first director in League history to serve both leagues. Don was a team consultant for the Portland Trailblazers, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards. Currently, Don works with a number of NBA teams as well as the Big 12 men’s basketball officials.  His consulting role includes producing development and training for NCAA officials, focusing on improving the working relations between players, coaches, and referees, and educating the team’s players on improving their performance through increased knowledge of the rules and analytics.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Don Vaden: LinkedIn

In today’s episode, we sat down with senior coordinating producer for the NBA on ESPN, Tim Corrigan. Corrigan oversees all aspects of ESPN game and studio production including NBA Countdown, NBA Tonight, NBA Coast to Coast, and NBA segments on SportsCenter. In addition, he produces ABC broadcasts of NBA games including the Conference Finals, NBA Finals, and NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC. He also oversees WNBA and Major League Lacrosse telecasts. Since 2004, Corrigan has also produced ESPN Sunday Night Football (prior to 2006) and Monday Night Football (since 2006) telecasts.In this episode we discuss:The responsibilities of an NBA ProducerTim’s experience in the NBA Bubble How Tim’s job is different in 2021 compared to 2020Steps that an aspiring NBA producer should takePreviously, Corrigan had worked as a production assistant (1987-89) and associate producer/director (1989-93) on a variety of ESPN events, including America’s Cup, French Open, NCAA basketball, college, and NFL football, and Major League Baseball. He also served as a producer of ESPN’s college football and basketball telecasts, as well as bowl games, and served as coordinating producer in 2002.  He also produced the Women’s Final Four 1994-2002, the ACC Tournament 1993-2002, ABC Sports’ college basketball 1999 – 2002, the WNBA in 1996 and 1997, Olympic trials in 1996, and had served as producer of Winter and Summer X Games telecasts.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter  

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom, we sat down with the owner of BarrysTickets.com, Barry Rudin. Barry’s Ticket Service is one of the largest ticket brokerage firms in the United States. For over 35 years, Rudin has been an industry innovator, successfully expanding and evolving with the times. He has always maintained a strong position at the forefront of the ticket industry. From official partnerships with several professional sports franchises to foreseeing technological necessities, Rudin’s business savvy, and vision have always placed him among the leaders in the business. With his continued focus and enthusiasm, Barry’s Ticket Service will maintain its position as an industry leader through an unprecedented period without live events. In this episode we discuss:How hard the live sporting event/concert business was hit by COVIDHow he plans to come back as a business after the pandemicThe outlook for the live events business in the futureThe public’s enthusiasm to return to arenas and sports venues The owner of Barry’s Tickets, Rudin has been Southern California’s top broker for decades. He started his business in high school, in the early ‘80s, operating out of his parents’ home in the San Fernando Valley, and he continued as an undergrad at USC, acquiring and dropping off tickets between classes. He then made a small fortune brokering tickets at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Since then he has been the front, center, and courtside in the ticketing game. So much so, that while his business is mostly run online, he still has his own office in the Luxe Hotel on Figueroa, a block away from Staples Center. Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Barry Rudin: LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with the Assistant Director of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team, BJ Domingo. In his role with the men’s program, Domingo assists Team USA in all facets, but his primary focus will be on the Men's Junior National Team. In his role, he will coordinate the participation of athletes and staff for the men's junior team minicamps and international competitions, as well as assisting in the implementation of the health and wellness and life skills components.In this episode we discuss:How BJ fell in love with the game of basketballBJ's responsibilities as Assistant Director for USA basketballDeveloping and trusting your own process as a scoutWhat BJ has learned from his past career experiences How a season progresses for a scout as an NBA team points toward the draftDomingo earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from San Jose State University in May 2013, and recently he worked in the Milwaukee Bucks front office as a scout, a position he began in 2017 and held until being hired at USA Basketball. Domingo also served as a basketball operations associate from 2015-17 and a player relations intern in 2014-2015 for the Bucks. Before that, he was a video intern for the Golden State Warriors in 2013-14. During his summers BJ was a HallPass Media staff member coordinating operations for Adidas Nations for five summers (2011-15); an intern for the NBA Summer League from 2008-15; an attraction manager for the NBA All-Star Weekend in 2011 in Los Angeles; and an administrative assistant for Warren LeGarie Sports Management in 2008.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with BJ Domingo: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter 

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Dominique Willis, known to NBA fans as Dom2K. The NBA YouTube personality started out just over 5 years ago, has gained over 365K subscribers on YouTube, 43.1K followers on Twitch, and has been a great success within the NBA community.In this episode we discuss:What led Dom to the path of content creatingChallenges that Dom deals withEarly stages of Dom’s career and how it has evolved Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Dom 2K:  Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Twitch 

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with the CEO & Co-Founder at Another Lane, Adena Jones. Adena has over 10 years of developing award-winning social editorial strategies and digital activations by creating engaging content for use in social media campaigns. Her past job titles consist of Director of Social Media, Director of Content Operations, Senior Manager of Social Moments, Deputy Managing Editor, Social Media Manager, Writer, Editor, Manager of Social Media Communications, and Interactive Producer.In this episode we discuss:Taking chances in your career Learning from each job opportunity Past work experiences and responsibilities From Nike to NBA.com and even the worldwide leader in sports ESPN, Adena has her finger on the pulse of the digital sports world. No matter the medium: video, social, or printed word, Adena has a passion for being at the forefront of delivering information and engaging users with powerful brand messaging. Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Adena Jones: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter 

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Bleacher Report Writer, NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement expert, and NBA TV & Basketball Insiders Capologist, Eric Pincus. Pincus is currently covering the league for Basketball Insiders and the Los Angeles Lakers for Bleacher Report. In this episode we discuss: Ideas and advice for beginner sports reporters and writers What makes the Virtual Experience Draft Academy unique  What the Virtual Experience Draft Academy will be covering over the weekEric Pincus is a leading expert on NBA player contracts and the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. As an NBA Senior Writer for Basketball Insiders, Pincus publishes detailed team pages on each NBA franchise with accurately sourced salary information for each player. He is also the resident Capologist for NBA TV and the Los Angeles Lakers lead writer for Bleacher Report. Eric also recently launched his own YouTube Channel with videos discussing all 30 NBA teams' relationship to the salary cap.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Eric Pincus: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter 

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Alex Kennedy and Oliver Maroney, the hosts of the NBA Top Shot Weekly Podcast. Alex Kennedy is an NBA writer and the Chief Content Officer at BasketballNews.com. Alex also previously worked at HoopsHype as an editor. Oliver Maroney currently works in Talent Relations Sports at Cameo. Oliver previously worked at BIG3 as a Content and Media strategist, as well as a senior writer at Dime Magazine and Basketball Insiders. Both hosts have very successful careers in NBA media and are now leading voices in the NBA Top Shot community.In this episode we discuss:Basic understanding of NBA Top Shots Oliver and Alex explained which moments are hot and why   What the future of this product looks like In this episode, Alex and Oliver answer all the basic questions so anyone can gain an understanding of NBA Top Shot. NBA Top Shot lets you build a collection featuring all the players you love, including the elite rookies, the role players that made your favorite team tick, and the players you can’t get enough of. Alex and Oliver are early adopters of NBA Top Shot and are now leading voices in the Top Shot community. They provide an easy and user-friendly onramp into the world of NBA Top Shot.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Alex Kennedy:  Instagram | Twitter Connect with Oliver Maroney: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter 

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Michael Jackson, a former American professional basketball player who played in three NBA seasons for the Sacramento Kings from 1987 to 1990. He was a 6'2" guard from Georgetown University and was a member of the 1984 Hoyas team that won the Division I national championship in 1985 and returned to the Final Four the following year. In this episode we discuss:Michael’s college basketball careerThe transition from a pro ballplayer to NBA CoachHow MJ contributed to Turner Sports  Challenges and experiences when working with pro ballers like Kobe Bryant and LeBron JamesFollowing his college career, Jackson was selected by the New York Knicks in the second round (47th pick overall) of the 1986 NBA draft. In his NBA career, Jackson played in 89 games, scored a total of 188 points, and had 198 assists. He led the Kings in assists in a number of games in the 1987–88 season. MJ was a member of Georgetown's 1984 National Championship team. After graduating with a degree in sociology in 1986, he was accepted to the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Upon retirement, Jackson assumed management positions with the United States Olympic Committee and Turner Sports and served as the president of Yankees–Nets, currently known as YES Network. He has worked in a number of executive positions at Nike, Inc, including vice president and general manager of global basketball from 2014 to 2016.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter 

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Peter Scott, Vice President of Emerging Media and Innovation, at Turner Sports. Pete has been with Turner Broadcasting, an AOL Time Warner company since 1989. He first started in the Video Journalist program at CNN, becoming an editor and cameraman for CNN news. He traveled the world for six years covering wars in Bosnia, the US invasion of Haiti, Presidential campaigns, Earthquakes in Los Angeles, and otherworldly events. In 1996, Peter moved to Turner Sports where he became a Senior Production Manager of Remote Operations coordinating, logistics for the NBA, NFL, and MLB telecasts on TNT and TBS.In this episode we discuss:Peter’s experience at CNNPeter’s specific role at Turner SportsHow Pete keeps the mindset of being open to new approachesHow he thinks the media will evolve in the next 3 to 5 years In 2000, he moved to Los Angeles to become Senior Video Producer for FoxSports.com. There he was responsible for producing and directing the first live college football game streamed over the Internet. In 2001 he returned to Turner, where he was Executive Interactive Producer of Content, Programming, and Production for Turner Sports Interactive, where he managed the digital rights for NASCAR.com PGATOUR.com, and PGA.com. In 2007 he became GM and Business Manager for PGA.com and PGATOUR.com. In 2008 Pete became the Executive Director of Digital Partnerships and was in charge of Turner's content and business relationship with Yahoo Sports and responsible for all new emerging technologies as it relates to the Turner Sports portfolio. Currently, Pete is Vice President, Emerging Media with an expanded role of overseeing new technologies for Sports Illustrated and NCAA Digital. Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Peter Scott: LinkedIn

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Dan Purcell, former Front Office Executive for he New Orleans Pelicans. Purcell’s basketball journey began when he was recruited to Lake Erie College to play Division III basketball. Lake Erie College finished 21-7 that season, earning the program’s first bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament after winning the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference regular-season and tournament titles. After graduating, Purcell landed a job with The National Basketball Academy (TNBA).In this episode we discuss:Dan’s college basketball careerHis transition from being a player to working in the industryDan’s current goal and how he stays motivatedWhat he has learned from his journey thus farAs an Operations Assistant in the TNBA, Purcell helped in all facets of a wide-ranging operation that includes advanced teaching, summer camps and running youth basketball clinics for the Cavs and other NBA franchises. In 2009, when the Academy began a business relationship with the then-New Orleans Hornets, Kline-Ruminski picked Purcell to run the operation in Louisiana. Four years later, he was hired as the team’s Basketball Operations Assistant and was then promoted to Basketball Operations Manager.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Dan Purcell: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter 

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Turner Sports Coordinating Producer, Jeremy Levin. Jeremy produces the nine-time Emmy-winning “Inside The NBA” studio show, where he supervises the control room and production staff. In addition to his role as a coordinating producer, Levin’s job also consists of  working with the Turner sales team to ensure flawless execution of deals and mentoring entry level employees.In this episode we discuss:What does the preparation for the show look like How to keep a balance of entertainment and basketball on the airWhere the show, Inside the NBA, stands historicallyThe future of broadcasting with viewing habits evolvingAt Turner, Jeremy works with the team to develop new sports programming while also attending conferences, including NCTA, and NAB about the future of television, broadband internet, and VOD. Levin started on entry level events at each company and progressed to the  highest profile events and positions. His key roles on Turner’s coverage were NBA All-star weekend, NBA Playoffs, NASCAR, and transitioned from NBA TV to Turner.Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter 

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with the host of the No Dunks Podcast, Leigh Ellis. Leigh writes, shoots, produces and edits his own features for The Athletic. Previously, Leigh has been an analyst on the FAN590 radio station during the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Rogers Cup. Leigh has a strong passion for all sports, specifically the NBA, Soccer, Tennis, Cricket, Australian Rules Football and the Olympics. Throughout Leigh's career, he has a proven networking ability with well-established contacts in the sports media community. In this episode we discuss:How Leigh’s passion for the game led him to his current careerHow he transitioned from working at a bank to entering the basketball industryWhat keeps Leigh Ellis motivated Leigh’s specialties consist of working competently with a camera as well as working with editing software such as Aurora, Final Cut, Edius, and Avid. He has an in-depth knowledge of industry trends and tools, including search engine optimization, social media tools, and techniques. He was a personality on the podcast, blog, and NBA TV program The Starters formerly known as The Basketball Jones.  Connect with Beau Estes: Twitter Connect with Leigh Ellis: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Nick Lagios, General Manager of the Capitanes CDMX. Nick Lagios was the Director of Basketball Operations and Player Development for the South Bay Lakers, the G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers and a former SBC Student.In this episode we discuss:
- What made this job opportunity seem like this was the right moveNick talks about his experiences in Sydney, Australia
- What the interview process was like for Nick’s current position
- Nick’s advice for people who are chasing their dreams

Nick Lagios attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he is a graduate of the university’s top-notch geography program, all while being a well-versed, talented, creative, and motivational individual. After graduating college Nick became a video intern for the Los Angeles Lakers for 8 months. From there he scored a job with the South Bay Lakers as a Basketball Operations Coordinator and then later transitioned to be the Director of Basketball Operations and Player Development. After working for South Bay for nearly six years, Nick earned a job as Basketball Development Coordinator for the Lakers, up until his new position as a GM. 

Today’s episode of Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is from a recorded webinar about how front office executives look at the trade deadline with Ryan McDonough (Former Front Office Executive with the Phoenix Suns/Boston Celtics & current NBA Insider at Audacy) and Eric Pincus (Capologist/Writer for Bleacher Report & Sports Business Classroom).

Ryan and Eric went on to discuss:
- How front office executives approach the February 10th trade deadline
- The process of executing a trade
- Options and trade scenarios for teams and top players
- And more!

In addition, Ryan McDonough, Eric Pincus and Larry Coon discuss our current and upcoming programs such as the CBA Mastery Course with Larry Coon and Sports Business Classroom Draft Academy Virtual Experience taking place March 29-31, 2022.

For more information and related content, visit sportsbusinessclassroom.com

Today's episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is the first of a new series called "One Man and the Draft" hosted by Dan Purcell, former Front Office Executive and Draft Specialist. In this episode, Dan provides insights on the scouting process and preparation for the draft.

In this episode, Dan discussed:
- His experience of working as a Front Office Executive
- A basic structure on preparing for the draft
- Understanding teams and their needs
- How scouting teams are established
- How to scout the conference tournaments
- The 4:1 ratio
- Writing scouting reports
- What to expect in upcoming episodes
- And more!

At the end of this episode, Dan provides all of you listeners with a special assignment to test your skills. Take on the challenge, engage and get some feedback.

Connect with Dan Purcell on Twitter: @iam_danp


About Dan Purcell

Dan Purcell’s basketball journey began when he was recruited to Lake Erie College to play Division III basketball where he helped the Storm to 2 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and a #1 overall regional ranking. After graduating, Purcell became a skills trainer/coach with the National Basketball Academy in Cleveland, OH. In 2009, when the Academy began a business relationship with the then-New Orleans Hornets, Purcell was selected to run the operation in Louisiana.

While at The Academy, Dan grew the program into the largest in the state. Notable players during his tenure at the Academy were Terry Rozier (CHA), Jared Butler (UTAH), and Thon Maker (MIL, CHI). Four years later, he was hired as the Hornets Basketball Operations Assistant. After a successful stint, he was promoted to Basketball Operations Manager.

Kicking off our 2nd episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience series, “One Man and the Draft” hosted by Dan Purcell. Dan is a former Front Office Executive and Draft Specialist, and in this episode he hones in on Player Person Analysis.
In this episode, Dan discusses:

- Player Person Analysis (PPA)
- PPA philosophy
- Evaluating the evolution of a player.
- Analyzing sustainability in players
- Summarizing your PPA
- Draft process
- NCAA Conference tourney scouting: action and analysis
- What to expect in upcoming episodes
- And more!

At the end of this episode, Dan raises a core principle question, and invites all of you listeners to weigh in. Take on the challenge, engage and get some feedback from Dan!

Connect with Dan Purcell on Twitter: @iam_danp

Show Notes & More: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/scouting-march-madness/

Draft Analysis and Scouting from a Player’s Perspective with Jimmer Fredette

Welcome back to another episode of Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience’s One Man and the Draft, hosted by Dan Purcell. On this episode we have BYU Legend, Naismith Player of the Year, and a 6 year NBA professional, Jimmer Fredette. Listen in as Jimmer shares the draft process from a player’s perspective, his fondest memories of the draft, and more.

In this episode, Dan discusses:

- MORE NCAA March Madness
- Dan’s March Madness standouts; Bennedict Mathurin
- Analyzing players through a PPA lens, “Putting your PPA to work”
- Jimmer’s viewpoint of the draft from a player’s perspective
- Jimmer shares his behind the scenes draft process; selecting an agent and team
- Staying draft ready
- Jimmer’s athletic training app
- Finding a players rating

In closing, Dan reminds listeners to regulate bias when rating a player and to compile initial analysis of a player to generate a rating by considering all aspects.

Don’t forget to submit questions, engage and get some feedback from Dan!

Connect with Dan Purcell on Twitter: @iam_danp

Should the Final Four Impact an NBA Draft Board?

We have a special episode today! Dan Purcell teams up with Eric Pincus, writer and salary cap strategist at Bleacher Report, to discuss how the NCAA Tournament affects the draft board, the calendar of scouting, and lastly, the next steps in the draft process. This episode is a recording from a recent Sports Business Classroom webinar.

In this episode, Dan and Eric discuss:

-Dan’s calendar of the scouting process
-How NCAA Tournament affects an NBA Draft Board
-Dan’s first lottery mock draft
-The next steps in the scouting process (combine, workouts, and interviews)
-A Special Guest drops in
-Info on the Sports Business Classroom Immersive Experience

At the end of this episode, Dan and Eric are joined with our special guest to discuss Sports Business Classroom Immersive Experience held in Las Vegas, July 10-15 during the NBA Summer League!

Connect with Dan Purcell on Twitter: @iam_danp
Connect with Eric Pincus on Twitter: @EricPincus

How to champion your role, and explore player evaluations with Seth Greenberg (EP62)

Welcome back to the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience titled, “One Man and the Draft” hosted by Dan Purcell. On this episode we sit down with ESPN Analyst, Seth Greenberg to discuss what it means to champion your role. Seth also gives us insight on his player evaluation method, emphasizing the importance of evaluating a players tangibles, along with their intangibles.

Dan discussed

Seth’s biggest barriers/obstacles he faced as a head coach at Long Beach State
Seth shares what make a “Five Star Champion”.
He gives us insight on the players he believes have what it takes to compete at the next level.
Seth shares 3 things to keep in mind when evaluating a player's ability to compete at the next level.
Seth shares his draft order, and opinion on who has the upset in the upcoming draft.


After sharing his personal experiences, Seth Greenberg leaves the audience with advice, “If you love it, get lost in it, and you will find your path.

Connect with Dan Purcell on Twitter: @iam_danp

Whether it’s our virtual experience or immersive program in Las Vegas, there’s no doubt about it, SBC is very special because of the people involved in it. This episode of the Audio Experience kicks off a new series titled Students in Focus. And what better way to showcase some of our outstanding students then to enlist another impressive alumni to host! John Hartofilis of New York City sits down with a number of top performers from our December 2021 GM Academy Virtual Experience. They each broke down the experience they had learning from top NBA General Managers and executives as well as what they are most looking forward to this July at the Las Vegas Summer League. Our guests also broke down the ins and outs of the Sports Business Classroom and shed light on opportunities that have come to them since joining the SBC family. We hope you enjoy this special edition of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience!

To sign up for the SBC Immersive Experience July 10th- 17th in Las Vegas, please visit: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/the-business-of-basketball-program/

Connect with our Guest
Scott Brown Jr https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottbrownjr7/
Kendall Danglade https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendall-danglade/
Watida Mukukula https://www.linkedin.com/in/watida-mukukula-38726a16a/
Peter Gosnell https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-gosnell-b0511a218/
Todd Patterson https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddpatterson89/
Mikhail Ratts https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikhail-ratts-8a0b688b/
LJ Hapanowicz https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencehapanowicz/
Ari Eizen https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-eizen-88a3b674/
Cheyne Gadson https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheyne-gadson-7b9539176/
Ric Lampkins https://www.linkedin.com/in/riclampkins/
Niyanth Anand https://www.linkedin.com/in/niyanthanand/
Derrick Morris https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-l-morris-ii-mse-a7b14a1aa/

- 2:30 - 3:00 GM Academy Assignments
- 3:01 Scott Brown Jr
- 3:30 - 4:32 Expectations joining the Sports Business Classroom
- 4:33 - 5:30 Influential Guest Speakers
- 5:31 - 6:42 Advice to give to younger kids who want to join SBC
- 6:44 Kendall Danglade
- 8:23 - 9:55 Importance of the GM Academy
- 9:56 - 11:20 Advice for Future GM Academy Students
- 11:21 - 12:33 SBC being a Relationship business
- 12:34 Watida Mukukula
- 13:02 - 14:04 Networking and Understanding the Role
- 14:05 - 15:10 How to get the most out of the SBC experience
- 15:11 - 15:30 How Valuable is the Summer League
- 15:31 Peter Gosnell
- 15:49 - 17:05 Importance of the Guest Speakers at SBC
- 17:06 - 17:45 The Journey from New Zealand to the NBA
- 17:46 - 18:30 Taking a Chance
- 18:30 - 19:07 Life Lesson from Tommy Shepard and John Hammond
- 19:08 Todd Patterson
- 19:53 - 21:12 Understanding a New Sport
- 21:13 - 21:38 Which Speakers stood out to Todd?
- 21:39 - 22:18 Advice to give to other non basketball students
- 22:19 - 23:15 Sean Raggio Producing SBC shows
- 23:16 Mikhail Ratts
- 23:50 - 25:00 Having a Strong Mentality
- 25:01 - 25:41 Tommy Shepard Lesson
- 25:42 - 26:18 Real Life Deals
- 26:19 - 26:43 Being a Man of Your Word
- 26:44 LJ Hapanowicz
- 27:36 - 28:22 Biggest Takeaway being apart of SBC
- 28:23 - 29:34 Chasing Your Dreams and following your path
- 29:35 - 30:04 The Value of the Job is whats important
- 30:05 Ari Eizen
- 31:05 - 31:45 Takeaways from the Guest Speakers
- 31:46 - 32:45 One of a Kind Experience
- 33:00 Tenee Denson Griffin
- 33:34 - 34:34 Learning from Rachel Nichols
- 34:35 - 35:15 Coaching 101 and CBA Master Class
- 35:16 Chenye Gadson
- 36:30 - 38:24 Experience coming from the G League
- 38:25 - 30:45 Doesn’t matter where you start its about finishing
- 30:46 - 41:07 Soaking up the Knowledge
- 41:08 Ric Lampkins
- 42:28 - 43:11 Attending the Program Virtually
- 43:12 - 44:20 Getting to learn from Rafael Stone
- 44:21 - 45:30 Recommending SBC to future GMS
- 45:31 - 46:00 How can you be Helpful?
- 46:01 Ramsen Jacob
- 46:49 - 47:10 Becoming a certified NBA Agent
- 47:11 - 47:42 Lessons that will always stick with you
- 47:43 - 48:18 Teaching the Future GMS about SBC Experience
- 48:19 - 48:45 Respecting the people that are with you
- 48:46 Niyanth Anand
- 49:35 - 50:38 Getting to Talk Trades with GMs
- 50:39 - 51:40 Continue to sharpen the skill set
- 51:45 Derrick Morris
- 52:40 - 54:01 Help shape your Career and add value to the team
- 54:02 - 54:47 Take a Chance and Invest in it
- 54:50 - 55:50 If you build it they will come

“It’s not about where you go, it’s how you take advantage of your opportunities.”
-Kelsley Wilkinson

SBC Audio Experience is back and you won’t want to miss this series. This time we hear from the students directly!

Beau Estes, Department and Chair of Media at SBC sits down with our very first guest Kelsley Wilkinson, a Miami native and standout from the SBC Media and Broadcasting class of 2021. Before attending SBC Kelsley attended the University of the Cumberlands, and received his BA degree in Communications and masters in Business. Kelsley is now the Weekend Anchor/Multimedia Journalist for KNOP-TV NBC Nebraska News 2.

In this episode Kelsley discussed his road to success, his 1st week in his new role at KNOP-TV NBC Nebraska News 2, what brought Kelsley to SBC, his favorite moments at SBC, as well as:

Benefits of working with a “hands on” approach through SBC
Working out with the Jamaican National Team prior to graduate school.
What he was hoping to learn from his experience at SBC
Kelsley’s biggest takeaways from SBC program

Join us as…This series is special!

Connect with Kelsley Wilkinson
Connect with Beau Estes

Let’s kickoff episode 65!
This episode is filled with anecdotal experiences and insightful lessons/expertise about the business of basketball. Beau Estes, department chair of media & broadcasting at SBC is joined by Mark Schindler, writer for NBA Twitter, NBA Basketball News, and now the WNBA. Mark was a former SBC Virtual Experience student in 2020, and will be returning as a speaker for our immersive program in Las Vegas this July!

In this episode Mark discussed:
* The importance of being coachable
* Mark’s takeaways from the SBC Virtual Experience in 2020
* How boxing translates to writing
* Loving the game of basketball “for the right reasons”
* Analyzing a WNBA game with Brittney Sykes
* How he transitioned from a boxer to his current role
* Betting on yourself
* and more!


This episode is richly layered with exclusive information that will help you gain knowledge on how to break into the business of basketball from a pro! Don’t miss out.



Connect with Mark

Connect with Beau

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Warren Legarie, Co-Founder of the Las Vegas Summer League and NBA Agent. Warren LeGarie is President at WGL management where he represents a number of top coaches, front office personnel, and executives across the NBA.

In this episode we discuss:
- Becoming an international agent
- The criteria when you are evaluating a potential client
- Why your ego is not your amigo
- What goes in to making the NBA Summer League happen and more!

Warren Legarie attended the University of the Pacific, in Stockton California where he played college basketball for the Pacific Tigers. After graduating college he went into the produce business and began traveling to learn the business. After working his way up, he found himself prepared for his next journey when he decided to become an agent in the business of basketball.


1:55 - Warren LeGarie Introduction
3:50 - Warren Walks Us Through His Legendary Career
8:26 - Becoming An Agent In The International Niche
24:16 - Criteria When Evaluating A Potential Client
29:06 - Keeping Up With Clients Constantly
30:54: You Better Like People In A People Business
32:54 - Why Warren Wore A Hawaiian Shirt At Every Summer League
33:35 - How Warren Met Tommy Sheppard And The Importance Of Helping People
35:48 - You Have To Make Yourself An Imperative
36:12 - Why Your Ego Is Not Your Amigo
38:04 - Making The Vegas Summer League Happen
50:16 - Adding Components To Summer League To Enhance The Experience
54:08 - Meeting Someone That Gets Things Done Like Albert Hall
56:10 - Assembling The Team For The First Vegas Summer League
1:03:04 - Bringing New Technology Into Vegas Summer League
1:06:12 - Why Creating A Basketball Festival Is So Important
1:09:50 - The Importance Of Seeing The Stars Of Tomorrow

In today's episode of the Sports Business Audio Experience we sat down with Cassidy Hubbarth, ESPN host and reporter, live on the concourse at the SBC Studio Set during the 2022 NBA2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas. Cassidy provides insights on her journey from being a three sport athlete to now covering athletes and coaches on the sidelines.

In this episode we discuss:

- How being an athlete helped diversify her experience in the industry
- How Cassidy's mentors, Doris Burke and Stuart Scott, influenced her perspective
- Challenges Cassidy faced and how she overcame them
- Understanding how media is changing in the digital space
- Cassidy's NBA Summer League experience
- Cassidy's advice to a younger version of herself
- Importance of gaining reps, managing chaos, and handling yourself under pressure
- Cassidy's first sideline interview with Gregg Popovich on Christmas Day

In 2002, Cassidy Hubbarth, a Chicago native, attended Evanston Township High school where she was a three sport athlete. After graduating high school, Cassidy Hubbarth pursued a journalism degree at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She is now a Host and Reporter of ESPN and HoopStreams on Twitter.

1:29 - Broadcast Anchoring and Getting Reps
1:48 - Being A 3 Sports Athlete In High School
3:07 - Finding A Niche After Graduating
4:08 - Being Mentored By Doris Burke
4:44 - Remembering Stewart Scott And The Importance Of Showing Up
5:54 - Challenges As A Woman In Sports
6:25 - How Media Coverage Has Evolved
7:25 - Cassidy’s Advice For Young Journalists
7:35 - How Social Media Is Growing NBA Brands
9:15 - Cassidy’s Day To Day At NBA Summer League
11:17 - Advice For A Younger Cassidy
11:50 - Why Reps Are So Important
12:23 - Managing Chaos
12:40 - NBA Sideline Reporting On The Biggest Stages
14:08 - Getting The “Gregg Popavich” Treatment And Avoiding Being “Pop’d”

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Follow Cassidy on Twitter and Instagram @CassidyHubbarth

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Wes Wilcox, Assistant General Manager of the Sacramento Kings, live on the concourse from the SBC Studio set during the 2022 NBA2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas.

In this episode, we discuss:


* Delivering big on the smallest tasks
* Building trust in a front office
* Being comfortable in a position that’s often uncomfortable
* A past SBC student’s journey breaking into the Sacramento Kings’ Basketball Ops department


Wes Wilcox enters his third season with the Sacramento Kings as Assistant General Manager. Wilcox supports General Manager Monte McNair in all facets of front office operations including roster construction, strategy, and player evaluation.



Wes comes to Sacramento with nearly 20 years of experience in the NBA, including serving as General Manager (2015-17) and Assistant General Manager (2012-15) of the Atlanta Hawks, Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the first General Manager of the Cavs’ NBA Development League team, the Canton Charge.



Wes started his career in the roles of Advance Scout, College Scout, Pro Personnel Scout, and Assistant Coach with the Cavaliers and as an Intern with the Miami Heat in their scouting and video department. Wes went to school at Cal State Fullerton and was the men’s basketball student manager for the 2000-01 season.

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Jordan Richard, Founder/CEO of Swish Cultures and professional athlete, live from the SBC Studio set during the 2022 NBA2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas.

In this episode, we discuss:

- Honing in on the game; a lineage of basketball
- Shooting a Phil Handy training session during a workout with Tristan Thompson and Kevin Durant
- The importance of paving the way for others
- The influence Luka Dončić had on the evolution of Swish Cultures
- Transitioning from videographer to writer
- Jordan's experience at NBA Summer League

Jordan Richard attended California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) where he studied Professional and Global Education. Jordan also played on the Men's Basketball team in 2011 and averaged 4.5 blocks.

In July 2009 and July 2011 he was Camp Director for the Advantage Basketball Camps, a nationally recognized sports training system. From 2013 to 2017, Jordan then served as co-producer for Cassy Athena's "Thru The Lens" web series, highlighting a day in the life of athletes and celebrities outside of their careers. Jordan has an extensive overseas professional career, playing for countries such as Argentina, Israel, Japan, Dominican Republic, Italy, Finland, and more. In 2018 he worked with Phil Handy as a content manager where he filmed player workouts to include many of the NBA’s best.

Jordan entered into the creation of Swish Cultures, a media platform that focuses on covering NBA, WNBA, overseas, G-League, college, and high school hoops globally with his small, but impactful team including his sister and Co-Founder/Chief Operating Officer Ashten Smith-Gooden, Chief Marketing Officer Anthony Goods and Design Lead Mide Osifeso.

Jordan's fast-growing media platform has a global reach to include 331,000 and counting on Instagram. Swish Cultures has become a major platform for athletes around the world to gain exposure.

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Audio Experience we sat down with Max Miller, Producer and Digital Media Manager at HallPass Media, a full service creative agency based in Southern California. Max graduated from Chapman University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism. Max majored in Television Broadcast Journalism with an emphasis in Documentaries and worked on a variety of projects and films, gaining experience on set, producing, directing, editing and shooting.

In this episode we discuss:
- Building Up Learning Resources
- Building a Demo Reel
- 7 Deadly Camera Sins
- How He Landed At HallPass
- Video Production at the Las Vegas Summer League
- Creating Long Form Vs Short Form Video

Max has led projects with top brands in sports such as NBA Summer League, Missin Curfew, Adidas, DraftKings, Mercedes-Benz, Utah Jazz and much more. He has an extensive background in all aspects of sports media, and even shares some advice on what skills he looks for when hiring potential interns so that listeners can unlock the next level of your career.

Episode Webpage: https://www.sportsbusinessclassroom.com/inside-the-mind-of-a-sports-media-producer-with-max-miller-ep-70/

In this week’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience we sat down with Eric Pincus, a leading expert on NBA player contracts and the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Eric is also a Salary Cap Strategist, Capologist, National Writer at Bleacher Report and Instructor at Sports Business Classroom. Prior to becoming a writer for Bleacher Report, Eric has covered the NBA the Los Angeles Times. Eric has also previously worked as a Capologist for NBA TV, Basketball Insiders and Hoopsworld, educating audiences on the nuances of the league’s CBA.

In this episode we discuss:

Switching careers to becoming a salary cap strategist and writer
Finding gray areas in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and connecting with Larry Coon, founder of CBAFAQ.com
Advice for people wanting to pursue a career in media as a professional NBA writer
What Eric finds most rewarding as an instructor with Sports Business Classroom

Eric Pincus is respected among top industry professionals, breaking down various topics centered around the NBA and CBA. Eric also consults and tutors individuals in preparation for the NBPA certification exam. As a National Writer for Bleacher Report, Pincus analyzes teams’ current and future positions with his predictions and reactions to current breaking news. In 2016, Eric joined Sports Business Classroom to become a lead instructor for Business of Basketball Immersive Experience and Virtual Conferences.

In this episode of the Sports Business Audio Experience we sat down with Garrett White, Operations and Partnerships at VaynerSports. VaynerSports is a full-service talent representation and brand consulting agency providing career management services for professional and collegiate athletes in football, baseball, basketball, combat, and gaming. After graduating from Yale University in 2020, Garrett began working as an assistant for AJ Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerSports.

In this episode you will hear:

- Advice on how to get and stay in front of high-level people
- The importance of providing value and empathy to an organization
- The skills, habits, and mindset that has led Garrett to his current position
- What Garrett has learned while working for AJ Vaynerchuk

Garrett is a rising superstar in the business of sports and shares a great amount of valuable, and more importantly, actionable advice. This episode is filled with lessons and experiences Garrett has learned while on the road to his career path. This is a must listen for anyone looking to break into the sports industry.

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Audio Experience, we sat down with the voice of the New Orleans Pelicans, Joel Meyers. With over 25 years of broadcast experience, Meyers joined the New Orleans Pelicans after spending six seasons with Los Angeles Lakers as their TV play-by-play announcer (2005-11) and two seasons as the team’s radio play-by-play announcer (2003-2005). Joel earned two Emmy awards during his time as the Lakers’ TV play-by-play announcer and served four years working as the voice of the San Antonio Spurs’ television broadcast before heading to Los Angeles. In this episode we discuss:

- Key factors to working in Sports Broadcasting
- The importance of learning more by listening more
- Highlights in Joel’s career that he will never forget
- Things Joel enjoys outside of basketball

This episode with Joel Meyers is the start of our brand new “SBC Alumni Takeover” series. Each week one of our SBC Alumni will be interviewing guests who have are succeeding and making their mark in the sports industry. Kicking off this series is alumna Marlena Rodriguez. Marlena attended our 2021 Business of Basketball Immersive Experience in Las Vegas, where she majored in the Media and Broadcast department and was voted top 5 of her class. Marlena and Joel dive into the life of a Sports Broadcaster while giving listeners advice on how to break into the business of basketball.

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Follow Marlena Rodriguez: LinkedIn | Instagram | HoopWaves

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience we sat down with Social Media Coordinator for the Houston Rockets, Hannah Peery. Hannah is a 2021 University of Florida graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Telecommunications. While in college, Hannah worked as a Digital Video Producer for her school program’s multimedia department, GatorVision, and served as a social media intern at ESPN. Hannah set herself up to succeed all throughout college, leading her to land her first job with an NBA Team.
In this episode we discuss:

• Hannah’s decision to change majors
• How Hannah landed her current role with the Rockets
• Utilizing current social trends and popular culture topics to relate and grow the to Houston audience
• Advice for others looking to work in Video Production & Social Media

Throughout this episode, Hannah shares key moments in her life in college, taking advantage of opportunities and provides a behind the scenes look of her current role with the Houston Rockets. As the “SBC Alumni Takeover” series continues, Marlena and Hannah dive into the life of an NBA Content Creator and what it takes to continue to grow and succeed in the industry.

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Follow Marlena Rodriguez: LinkedIn | Instagram
Follow Hannah Peery: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today's episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we spoke with NBA TV Host, Chris Miles. Born and raised in New York, Chris was a member of the Rice High School basketball team, where they won three New York State Class A titles in the 1990s. After graduating from Fairfield University in 2003, Chris went on to work at WDSU in New Orleans, WDBJ in Roanoke, the Columbus Sports Network, and WVVA in West Virginia. For almost a decade, Chris worked with NBC Sports Washington as a sports anchor and provided pregame/postgame coverage for the Washington Wizards.
In this episode, Chris and Marlena discuss:

• How Chris knew what he wanted to pursue as a career
• The audition process for NBA TV
• The importance of learning and being prepared
• What it takes to succeed as a broadcast host for a major sports network

Chris Miles holds 20 years of experience in the sports business and shares his remarkable story, taking listeners back to the discovery of his career at Fairfield University. Chris was also a guest speaker at the 2022 SBC Business of Basketball Immersive Experience in Las Vegas during the NBA2K23 Summer League.

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Follow Chris Miles: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is from a previously recorded webinar on “How NBA Teams Approach the Trade Deadline” hosted by Eric Pincus, Salary Cap Strategist/Writer/Instructor for Bleacher Report and Sports Business Classroom. Eric is joined by fellow SBC Instructor, Seth Partnow, to discuss the ins and outs of the trade deadline, answer relevant questions from our live Q&A, and more! During this webinar, Eric and Seth discuss:

• How NBA teams enter the trade process
• The different roles involved in a trade
• Rumors and leaks
• Real-life examples of the team’s current situations

Eric and Seth provide excellent insights on how teams and front offices navigate through one of the busiest times of the NBA Calendar. This webinar is an example of what students learn during the SBC Business of Basketball Immersive Experience. If you have any interest in taking part in our next program this upcoming Summer, be sure to join our Early Interest List. Early interest list registrants get the first opportunity to register for a program with limited capacity that will sell out.

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Follow Seth Partnow: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dazmine "Dazz" Simpson, Client Relations Manager at Young Money APAA Sports. In 2018, Dazz attended Limestone University and graduated with a BA in Sports Management. He then went on to work at a management company where he connected with his first client, Bryce McGowens, who is now a guard for the Charlotte Hornets. Dazz has since landed a role in his dream job at Young Money APAA Sports, where he works with professional athletes.

In this episode, Dazz and Marlena discuss:

• The people who have guided Dazz throughout his career
• The importance of taking risks to achieve your highest goals
• Pushing the boundaries in his industry

Dazz shares his journey from growing up in a sports town in Spartanburg, South Carolina to landing his dream job at a global sports agency founded by hip hop music artist Lil Wayne. Between negotiating contracts to managing the personal and professional lives of athletes, Dazz provides an inside look on what it's like representing athletes on a daily basis.

Overall, this episode gives listeners a fascinating insight into the world of sports management and the ways in which young professionals like Dazz can work their way up to achieve their dream jobs.

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Follow Marlena Rodriguez: LinkedIn | Instagram

Follow Dazz Simpson: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is back with another episode of our “SBC Alumni Takeover Series," and this time we have a new host, SBC Alum Andrew Crookes! Andrew attended the Business of Basketball Immersive Experience in 2022 as a Media and Broadcasting Major and is very excited to kick off another alumni series.
Today Andrew sits down with Remy Ndiaye, Assistant Video Coordinator and Player Development Specialist for the Miami Heat. A native of Dakar, Senegal, Remy came to the United States as a part of the Sports for Education and Economic Development (SEEDS) program in Senegal from 2005 to 2008. After graduating from Lake Forest Academy high school in 2010, Remy attended college at Dallas Baptist University (DBU). While at DBU, Remy received his Bachelor of Science Degree, served as a Graduate Assistant Basketball Coach, and completed his Master’s in Sports Management.
In this episode, Remy and Andrew discuss:

• Remy’s current day-to-day responsibilities
• Valuable insights into the daily operations of a top NBA team
• How the HEAT culture looks from an insider's POV
• What one-on-one workouts with players look like for Remy

Following his graduation from DBU in August of 2014, Ndiaye worked in Rwanda for NBA Africa and the Shooting Touch program. During his 10-month stay in Rwanda, Remy helped kids develop their skills on the basketball court, taught health education classes, and led Bible studies. Remy's journey in sports management started with an internship for the NBA Summer League, which led to his first position with the Philadelphia 76ers as a Video Coordinator Intern and then a role as Player Development Specialist. After his stint with the 76ers, Remy would move on to join the Miami Heat as an Assistant Video Coordinator and Player Development Specialist.

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Follow Remy Ndiaye: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

In today’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience we sat down with renowned NBA analyst, podcast host, and producer, Andrew Schlecht. He is best known as the producer of The Athletic's NBA Show and co-host of the OKC Dream Team and Down to Dunk podcasts. Schlecht has been a prominent voice in the NBA community for over a decade, providing insightful analysis and commentary on the league's most pressing issues.

In addition to his podcasting work, Schlecht has also written for various sports media outlets, including The Athletic and SB Nation. His expertise and knowledge have earned him a loyal following among NBA fans. Schlecht's passion for basketball began at a young age, and he has since become an authority on the game. With his engaging personality and expertise, Schlecht has become a beloved figure in the NBA community, and his contributions to the sport are widely recognized and respected. Joins us today to talk about his day-to-day helping run a major sports media outlet, his journey to get here, and his love for the Thunder and NBA scouting.

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In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we had the pleasure of speaking with Jasmine Watkins, Senior Manager of Community at Nike Virtual Studios.

During her first start as a Field Hockey Beat Writer for the Daily Orange, Jasmine honed her skills as a storyteller and communicator, establishing herself as a rising star in sports media. After leaving school, Jasmine made various stops working in media with roles such as Associate Social Media Editor at ESPN, Social Media Director at AMG, and Head of Content at Buzzer.
In this episode, Jasmine and Andrew discuss:

• Tips and tricks for navigating the sports business world
• Jasmine’s day-to-day responsibilities as Sr. Manager at Nike’s Virtual Studios
• Valuable insights into the daily operations of major media outlets like USA Today and ESPN
• How working in Social Media can lead to different career paths

Throughout her career, Jasmine has remained committed to promoting the transformative power of sports. Her passion for the industry is contagious, inspiring countless young people to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the sports world.

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Follow Andrew Crookes: LinkedIn | Instagram
Follow Jasmine Watkins: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is back with a brand new “Women in Sports” series hosted by Kate Foley, President of The EPIC Consulting Group. Join us as we dive into the inspiring stories of four strong women who have made their mark in the sports industry.In this first episode of the Women in Sports series, Kate sat down with Becky Bonner, Director of Player Development & Basketball Operations at Orlando Magic, currently in her sixth season. A Concord High School graduate, Becky went to play college basketball at both Stanford University and Boston University, followed by a professional basketball career in Europe.In this episode, Kate and Becky discuss:

• Becky’s responsibilities as Director of Player Development & Basketball Operations
• The entire drafting process for rookies
• The three most important things to come with a job interview
• Advice for young listeners trying to break into the scouting world & sports industry

Becky returned to the United States after retiring from playing in Europe and began transitioning toward a career in basketball operations. She worked on the coaching staff of the University of Maryland and the University of Louisville, then relocated to New York to work for the NBA as part of Basketball Operations International. Becky also assisted USA Basketball and the men’s national team in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. In addition to her work with the Orlando Magic, Bonner is active in the community, participating in various charitable events and initiatives. She also serves as a mentor to young women interested in pursuing careers in sports.

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Follow Becky Bonner: LinkedIn | Instagram

Bonner describes her role as one in which she "wears several hats," including visiting all practices and games, assisting with recruitment, and much more.

In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience: Women in Sports series, host Kate Foley sits down with Ashley Cox, Professional Athlete Manager. Ashley graduated from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Media and Cultural Studies. Ashley was a student-athlete, playing Division 1 Volleyball throughout all four years at UCR.

In this episode, Kate and Ashley discuss:

• Interning at the NBA Summer League
• Women supporting women in the sports industry
• How to gain experience early on in your career

Ashley has been immersed in the business of basketball for several years, working as an intern at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and staff member/team manager with the adidas Nations Basketball Camp. Ashley has also worked in other types of sports with different full-service sports agencies such as The Landmark Sports Agency, Independent Sports & Entertainment (ISE), and REP1 Sports. Here she's gained experience in marketing and client services/management roles while working closely with NBA & NFL athletes.

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Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is back with another episode of our “SBC Alumni Takeover Series” with Andrew Crookes. In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Eric Hirshbein-Bodnar, Octagon Baseball agent & Owner/President/General Manager at Ocean State Waves, a team of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. Eric is the ultimate swiss army knife with over a decade’s worth of experience in the baseball industry.In this episode, Andrew and Eric discuss:

• The important lesson Eric learned from his mentors
• The transition from coaching to working as an agent
• His time spent with the Ocean State Waves
• What separates good from great in sports history
• The future of baseball

Hirschbein-Bodnar graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2014 with a degree in Political Science and History. During his years as an undergraduate, Eric interned with the school baseball team under Head Coach Jim Foster and specifically under Matt Finlayson, Director of Baseball Operations and former Wave’s President. Eric and Matt Finlayson have established a 7-year strong relationship and Eric considers Finlayson to be his personal and professional mentor.

In addition to his undergraduate degree, Eric completed his Master’s program in Public Administration with a focus on Athletic Administration and Non-Profit Administration at the University of Rhode Island in 2017.

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In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience: Women in Sports series, host Kate Foley sits down with the Director of Player Engagement for the Atlanta Hawks, Ericka Hill. Ericka has worked in various roles in the sports industry, including community relations manager for the Miami Heat and Director of Community Affairs/Braves Foundation for the Atlanta Braves. Hill is committed to giving back to the community and serves on the board of several local organizations.

In this episode, Kate and Ericka discuss:

• Where Ericka gained her passion for giving back to the community
• Tips for students looking to follow Ericka’s career path
• The evolution of women joining NBA roles
• What an average day looks like for Ericka

Ericka has over 20 years of experience as a Community Impact Executive, implementing fully-planned corporate-wide brand engagement programs and communications that drive impact within the business of professional sports. Ericka has a track record of increasing brand value and delivering positive outcomes via strategic business planning, cultivating long-term and mutually beneficial partnerships, and project execution. Her experience in community outreach, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, project management, and leveraging partnerships has led her to achieve demonstrable results.

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We have a special episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience podcast, joined by guest host Dave DuFour, SBC alum and current Host/Producer at The Athletic. Dave sits with Larry Coon, SBC GM & CBA Expert, to dive in and discuss the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement. In this episode, Larry and Dave discuss:

• Changes to the NBA’s new CBA
• How these changes might affect the league
• SBC SPECIAL PROMO CODE

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In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience: Women in Sports series, host Kate Foley sits down with Vegas Summer League (VSL) Alumni, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, and DSW Candidate Talyah Polee. Talyah completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2010. Her introduction to the sports industry was when she interned at the Las Vegas Summer League from 2012-2017. Soon after, Talyah landed her first role as a Client Services Coordinator at Wasserman.

In this episode, Kate and Talyah discuss the following:

• Talyah’s experiences as a student-athlete
• Talyah’s path into the Las Vegas Summer League internship program & Wasserman
• How Talyah balances her personal & work life
• The progression of normalizing mental health awareness

While a resident of Denver, Talyah Polee was crowned Miss Colorado USA in 2014 and represented Colorado at the Miss USA 2015 pageant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. During her years at UNLV, she competed three times at Miss Nevada USA while competing as a Track & Field athlete. Talyah earned her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from California Baptist University (CBU) and is currently pursuing her Doctoral of Social Work (DSW) at CBU.

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Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is back with another "SBC Alumni Takeover" series, this time with our new host and SBC alum Arthur McKibben. Arthur attended the Business of Basketball Immersive Experience in 2022 as a Scouting, Video, and Analytics Major and is ready to deliver an impactful series. In this episode, Arthur sits down with Marni Colbert, Personal Manager at Colbert Sports Management, LLC and Director of Team Operations at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. In this episode, Arthur and Marni discuss:

• Marni's advice for those considering a career in sports
• Knowing your strengths
• Marni’s experience as a Personal Assistant to professional athletes

Marni Colbert has nearly 20 years of experience in professional sports. Marcus Camby, Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Al Wilson, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Carmelo Anthony are just a few of the athletes she has worked with or is currently working with. Marni's interests and experience are in assisting rookies and young players advance in their careers by helping them become more organized and prepared to succeed at the highest levels.

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In this episode of the SBC Audio Experience Arthur sits down with Darrell Miller: former MLB Player, current Vice President of Youth and Facility Development at the MLB, and the first African American Catholic Deacon in Orange County, CA. Darrell attended Cal Poly Tech for baseball and was later drafted to the California Angels.
In this episode, Arthur and Darrell discuss:

• Important skills to have early on to succeed in the sports industry
• How to stay motivated when you may be experiencing a lack of progress
• The importance of who you surround yourself with

After Darrell completed his professional career he worked for the California Angels as Director of Community Relations. Darrell then moved over to Scouting for 7 years and finally served as Minor League Director with the California Angels leaving them in 2001. Darrell now serves as VP of Facilities and Youth development and currently oversees all day to day operations at the MLB Compton Academy.

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Welcome back to the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience! Our host for today is GM of Sports Business Classroom and CBA expert, Larry Coon. Larry is joined by NBA Front Office writer for ESPN, Bobby Marks. Join us today as we dive into the new possibilities of the NBA’s New CBA.

In this episode, Bobby and Larry discuss:

• The latest information about the new deal
• Review the changes made to the NBA’s New CBA
• What do those changes mean for the league moving forward
• SBC SPECIAL PROMO CODE

The new 7-year NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will take effect in July, which means there are lots of changes to unpack.

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This episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is from a previously recorded webinar on “How Stats Inform and Distort the NBA Awards Debate“ hosted by Howard Beck (previously with Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, NY Times) and Seth Partnow (Director of North American Sports for StatsBomb and contributor for The Athletic). Howard and Seth are also joined by SBC General Manager Larry Coon to discuss the upcoming Business of Basketball Immersive Experience and help navigate live questions from webinar attendees.In this episode, Howard and Seth discuss:

• Analytics vs eye test when evaluating players
• Utility and validity of factoring all-in-one stats
• Point of view from a reporter and award voter
• Which advanced stats to take into account
• Questions from webinar attendees

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On this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience “Alumni Takeover” series, host Arthur McKibben is joined by Financial Advisor & President of Victory Everyday, Rick Paulsen. Rick was a legendary student-athlete who made his mark as a star basketball and baseball player at St. Mary's High School, followed by a collegiate basketball career at the University of the Pacific. He was a three-time All-League and All-City player, leading the Rams to three consecutive Valley Oak League championships. Rick received many honors and accolades, including being named the MVP of the City of Stockton in his junior and senior years and making the All-Northern California team twice. In this episode, Arthur and Rick discuss:

• Rick’s transition from athlete to entrepreneur
• Advice for listeners who are looking to work with professional athletes
• The challenges of working in the sports industry
• Rick’s 10 Steps of Success

After his collegiate athletic career, Rick became a highly successful businessman, specializing in life insurance for families, athletes, and business owners; and has been a member of New York Life's Chairman's Council for 33 consecutive years. Rick's coaching style emphasizes teaching life lessons through sports, helping him have a positive impact on many young athletes. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Rick is a respected community leader and coach, donating his time and expertise to many local charities. Rick is also a board member of the University of the Pacific School of Business, Pacific Athletic Foundation, and Dameron Community Hospital. Rick's contagious unselfishness and positive attitude continue to inspire those around him to strive for greatness in all aspects of life.

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On this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience “Alumni Takeover” series, host Arthur McKibben is joined by Chief Operating Officer for UNLV’s Sports Innovation Initiative, Jay Vickers. Vickers, is a senior leader with more than 20 years of experience in the areas of management, fundraising, sales, marketing, and customer service with a proven record of measurable outcomes. A graduate of Notre Dame, Vickers was a member of the Fighting Irish football team from 1996-2000 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
In this episode, Arthur and Jay discuss:

• What Jay’s current role as Chief Operating Officer entails
• Advice for listeners looking to gain exposure to elite athletes, sports teams, and front-office opportunities
• What having awareness of good leadership looks like
• The biggest challenges a person could face trying to have a career in sports

Before working in intercollegiate athletics, Vickers gained several years of experience as a marketing manager with an extensive background in customer service, sales, marketing, and management at numerous major corporations including Pfizer and Hershey’s. He is a founding member of Game Changers United, the U.S. Soccer Federation Board for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and leads the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee internship program partnership with UNLV. As a results-oriented leader, Vickers has had success at two Mountain West programs, Fresno State and UNLV, in the PAC-12 at Arizona, in the BIG 10 at Wisconsin, and in the MAC at Northern Illinois University. He has a comprehensive understanding of the role of higher education external divisions aligning with institutional priorities while increasing private philanthropy. We are thrilled to feature him on the podcast and can’t wait for you to hear the valuable insights he has to offer.

Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is back with another episode of our “SBC Alumni Takeover Series," and this time we have a new host, SBC Alum Alicia Solomon! Alicia is joined by MajorWavez Lab founder & designer, Ruben Barraza. Ruben is a major creator in the fashion space and has built his own sneaker customizing experience in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. MajorWavez offers classroom-style experiences for the public to get a taste of the designing and creative process for customizing their very own sneakers. Ruben was one of the most popular attractions at NBA Summer League in the past year with players and fans flocking to take part in the custom sneaker process. In this episode, Alicia and Ruben discuss:

• How Ruben turned his hobby and interest in sneakers and fashion into a successful business model
• The marketing strategies needed in different markets
• Ruben's experience at NBA Summer League and how it elevated his business
• Advice for anyone looking to break into the sports, fashion, and sneaker space

Prior to starting MajorWavez, Ruben worked retail for Guess and Urban Outfitters. While working in the retail space, he was customizing shoes as a hobby and showed potential as something more when notable designer Salehe Bembury reached out for a collaboration. This opportunity led to Ruben customizing shoes for the likes of A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, and many others. Ruben finally turned his hobby into MajorWavez, opening his first experience-based store in Los Angeles. After watching the growth soar, Ruben has expanded his operations out to a second location in Las Vegas and hosts popup workshops at different events around the country. Ruben shares his big plans ahead in this episode and we are thrilled to have him as a friend of SBC.

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Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is back with a brand new “Professional Series” hosted by Howard Beck. Howard (previously with Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, NY Times) is joined by ESPN writer Kevin Pelton. Kevin brings advanced experience in basketball analytics. Kevin brings advanced experience in basketball analytics, including past work with the Indiana Pacers and supersonics.com.

In this episode Howard and Kevin discuss:

• The new age of stats and analytics in basketball
• How to assess team offense and defense from a statistical analytics perspective?
• Dean Oliver’s 4 factors of offense and defense
• Scoring efficiency and how to judge high usage players?
• How to measure team success past a win-loss record?
• Advice for anyone looking to increase their knowledge about NBA data and analytics

Kevin Pelton joined ESPN as an NBA writer in 2013. He is a contributor to ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast and the co-host of the Fabulous Peltoncast podcast. Previously, Pelton served as an author for BasketballProspectus.com since the site’s inception in 2007 through 2012. He also served as a statistical consultant to the Indiana Pacers from 2010-12. We are excited to have Kevin join the podcast and share his knowledge on the analytical side of basketball.

In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience “SBC Alumni Takeover” series, host Alicia Solomon is joined by the Co-founder of PinoyPlug, Jackson Webber. PinoyPlug is an entrepreneurial journey that Jackson and his partner started based on selling footwear and apparel to professional athletes. Jackson has had great personal shopping events at Super Bowl 57, NFL Combine sites, and the University of Washington. Jackson offers great insight into his entrepreneurial journey and how to successfully build relationships with professional athletes.

In this episode, Alicia and Jackson discuss:

• Jackson’s background and how he got into reselling shoes and clothes
• The details of Jackson’s business and how he stands out in the space
• How Jackson got connected with professional athletes
• Biggest lessons Jackson has learned and what the future looks like for him and the business

Jackson is currently a student-athlete at Vanguard University and interning at HallPass Media while balancing his business. We are excited to have Jackson join the SBC podcast and look forward to seeing him succeed in everything he is involved with.

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Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience “Professional Series” host Howard Beck is joined by Cory Jez, On Air Analyst for the Portland Trail Blazers. Cory worked as the first and only full-time on-air stats analyst for the team, joining every game broadcast and breaking down the game from a statistical perspective. Cory’s professional experience includes leading the Utah Jazz analytical department and Austin FC, consulting with PGA Tour golfers through his company TourIQ, and helping integrate data with different major sports leagues.In this episode Howard and Cory discuss:

• Cory’s goal as a broadcaster focusing on analytics
• How Cory translates numbers and stats to fans
• What is player tracking data?
• How organizations evaluate players
• Explanation of reliable all-in-one stats and what they accomplish

Cory’s background in consulting with startups like Fanduel allowed him to bring a modern technology vision to pro sports. In 2016, Cory took a leading analytics role for the Utah Jazz, growing their department from 1 person to 4 and implementing technology within every aspect of the organization - working closely with the coaching staff, GMs and scouts. In 2020, Cory did the same thing for Austin FC, the newest expansion club within the MLS. Having twice designed and implemented full-scale infrastructure for pro teams gives Cory a unique perspective on the intersection of sports, data, and technology.

In this episode of Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience “Professional Series,” host Howard Beck is joined by Ben Taylor, author of Thinking Basketball, host of the Thinking Basketball podcast. In this episode, Howard and Ben discuss:

• Defensive analytics
• Joel Embiid vs. Nikola Jokic
• Where does Jokic rank defensNBAively

Ben is able to translate advanced analytics to the fans via his podcast. Ben continues to breakdown basketball analytics for fans on Youtube, Patreon, and Twitter. We are excited to have Ben share his knowledge and translate analytics to the common basketball fan.

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In the 4th and final installment of Howard Beck's Understanding Analytics Series, we have the privilege of sitting down with the accomplished Brittni Donaldson. Brittni is an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, known for her expertise in basketball analytics. She rose to the NBA ranks after her playing career at Northern Iowa concluded. She has previously held coaching roles with the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors, contributing to the Raptors' 2019 NBA Finals victory. As a trailblazer, she became the youngest active Assistant Coach in the NBA at the age of 26 and the first female coaching hire for the Raptors, Pistons, and Hawks.

Join us as we dive into Brittni's incredible journey, exploring how she arrived at her current position and the pivotal moments that shaped her career. From her time at StatsLLC to her a-ha moment along the way, Brittni shares valuable insights into her path.

We'll dive into the role of advanced analytics and statistical information in the NBA and how players perceive and utilize these data-driven insights. Discover how Brittni effectively communicates with players, coaches, and executives, fostering a shared understanding that bridges the gap between data and on-court performance. Throughout the episode, we explore the types of questions players have, how Brittni supports athletes going through slumps, and the less-known data points that fans may overlook.

Find out how organizational goals translate into data implementation, as Brittni sheds light on creating a supportive and secure environment for players to embrace analytical information. Moreover, Brittni shares her experiences adapting her approach in the ever-evolving industry and ensuring players feel comfortable "speaking the same language" as the data presented to them.

As we conclude the episode, we discuss common misconceptions in the media and fan community about statistics, and whether teams have sufficient data to quantify quality defense.

If you're intrigued by the intersection of basketball analytics, coaching, and player development, this episode is a must-listen. Gain exclusive insights from Brittni Donaldson, a trailblazer in the NBA coaching realm, and discover the art of effectively integrating data into the world of professional basketball.

Don't miss this enlightening conversation on our podcast, where we bring you the voices shaping the future of sports!

Welcome back to another exciting episode of the SBC Audio Experience! This week, Riley Sager sits down with Simon Cherin-Gordon, the NBA’s Manager of Social Content, to explore his journey and the creative strategies behind managing one of the most dynamic social media presences in sports. With a background in fine arts, photography, and writing, he’s brought a fresh perspective to the NBA’s digital strategy. Rising through the Social and Digital Content team, Simon now oversees the league’s nightly social media strategy across platforms like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and BlueSky.

In this episode, Simon shares:

• The pivotal moments from the SBC Immersive Experience that helped transform his career
• Managing social media channels for a global brand and tackling the challenges of keeping content fresh while maintaining consistency
• Tips for aspiring professionals to stand out in the competitive world of content creation.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Simon and his team engage millions of fans worldwide, even during the off-season, and what he’s most excited about as he continues to innovate in his role.

Tune in for actionable insights, inspiration, and a deep dive into the art of social media in sports!

In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, new series host Riley Sager is joined by SBC Lead Instructor, Bobby Marks. Marks is ESPN’s NBA Front Office Insider and in his new role with SBC, Bobby is enhancing SBC’s existing offerings including the upcoming SBC Business of Basketball Immersive Experience in Las Vegas, developing his "2023 CBA Updates" video-on-demand course, hosting webinars, providing educational resources and more.
In this episode, Riley and Bobby discuss:

• Bobby's role as Lead Instructor for SBC
• Coverage of the 2023-24 NBA Trade Deadline
• How Bobby got his start in the sports industry
• What being ESPN’s NBA Office Insider entails
• 2024 Business of Basketball Immersive Experience

Bobby provides commentary across all ESPN platforms including television, radio, and digital media. He has been an integral part of covering the NBA Draft, trade deadline, and free agency since he was hired in 2017. Marks started his professional career with the then-New Jersey Nets as an intern in 1995 and rose through the ranks, eventually garnering the title of Assistant GM in 2010. With the Nets, he was part of two Eastern Conference championship teams. A native of Little Falls, NJ, Marks graduated from Marist College in 1995 with a bachelor of arts in communications and was a member of the football team for three years.

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