Fwd: Dick's Sporting Goods Goes All-In on GameChanger

From: Buying Sandlot <bs@mail.buyingsandlot.com>

🥎 Dick's focuses heavily on GameChanger and youth sports in earnings call  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

May 29, 2025   |   Listen Online   |   Read Online Dick's Sporting Goods Goes All-In on GameChanger 🥎 Dick's focuses heavily on GameChanger and youth sports in earnings call   Kyle Scott May 29, 2025 This is Buying Sandlot — the only newsletter that focuses solely on the business of youth sports. Dick's held their earnings call yesterday— and there was a heavy focus on GameChanger and youth sports overall. We are entering a new paradigm, one where your friendly neighborhood sports app is set for global dominance. Here's why. And be sure to stay tuned at the end to learn how you can apply to join our premium Buying Sandlot community. 💸 Dick's Earnings Call Focuses Heavily on GameChanger Overall, Dick's beat on revenue ($3.18B) and earnings per share ($3.37), and saw same-store sales growth of 4.5%. The stock rose about 2% on the news, but still hasn't rebounded from the decline following the announcement of the Foot Locker acquisition on May 15: Before we get into the specifics, I'd like to call your attention to two numbers: 29— the number of times GameChanger was mentioned on the call, compared to 19 in the same quarter last year 11— the number of times the word "media" was mentioned on the call, compared to 0 last year Keep those in mind as we step through this (wearing Nike sneakers bought at Dick's-owned Foot Locker suggested to you in the GameChanger app while viewing Dick's Media Network content while at a port co Unrivaled Sports tournament). 📲 GameChanger Some numbers: 6.5M unique active users in Q1, up 28% YoY 2.2M daily active users Over $100M in revenue last year, and growing to a $150M business Dick's CEO Lauren Hobart 2025: "GameChanger is a live sports media platform that we're very excited to be able to put into our DICK'S Media Network." Dick's CEO Lauren Hobart 2024: "The premier live streaming, scheduling, communications and scorekeeping mobile app." This tells the story right there— in one year, Dick's has shifted from viewing GameChanger as a standalone youth sports app to a full-blown platform to drive sales and engagement. This was a theme during the call. Dick's is increasingly blending GameChanger into their core business— referring shoppers to GameChanger at the point of sale, and driving sales through GameChanger. Hobart said GameChanger users are some of Dick's best, highly-engaged shoppers. GameChanger gives Dick's touchpoints at every step of the athlete journey— from team sign up, to gameplay, to shopping, to viewing the game and data. All accelerated by their $120M investment in… 🏦 Unrivaled Sports Dick's'''' big news of the quarter was their huge investment in Unrivaled Sports, which owns Ripken Baseball, Cooperstown All-Star Village, and other large tournament venues. Dick's CFO Navdeep Gupta: "Now with the partnership and the equity investment that we have in Unrivaled, this gives us an opportunity to actually look at the ecosystem much more holistically and much more collectively between the GameChanger business and the Unrivaled opportunity that we have." Lots of corporate speak there, but Dick's views the investment into Unrivaled Sports at a $600M valuation as a way to get on the ground at youth sporting events— a missing piece in their puzzle. Notice how GameChanger gets woven into that comment. Dick's has a piece of the tournament operator and the app everyone is using at said tournament. This is a strategic investment. 📺 Dick's Media Network Dick's Bat Lab videos are getting millions of views This wasn't really a thing last year. Here's how Dick's described it on the call— see if you can spot the trend: "An in-house digital and retail media platform enabling targeted advertising to DICK'S customers and GameChanger users." Basically, DMN, which Dick's said is experiencing "strong, profitable growth," is an advertising network that works with brands to reach Dick's customers on-site, through search and social, and, you guessed it, in the GameChanger app. Think Amazon's search business, sports-style. But that might be underselling the branding potential. Dick's cited their Bat Lab series, where they "tested 12 different BB core bats using the GameChanger app and the platform," as a great example of their media capabilities. Those videos, posted to the GameChanger YouTube channel, garnered millions of views— a huge increase compared to the single-digit thousand view counts the channel typically gets on GameChanger tutorials and the like. This is basically the definition of content + commerce: GameChanger Bat Lab | Episode 101 So DMN is not just an ad platform for partner brands, it's also driving brand awareness and culture for Dick's, which brings us to… 👟 Foot Locker Investors hate this acquisition. Foot Locker is a struggling and antiquated brand. But as we told you in an earlier send, they are culturally relevant in footwear (especially in basketball, where Dick's is softer) and they have an international footprint. Here's what I wrote two weeks ago: Foot Locker is more closely associated with urban and streetwear culture, while Dick's is more synonymous with suburbanites and athletes. But sports + culture are becoming more intertwined, with basketball and soccer (and increasingly, baseball) leading the charge, domestically and internationally. … This thing about Foot Locker "youth basketball clinics" in Europe could just be a throwaway line in a press release… but Foot Locker opens a gateway for Dick's et al into youth communities it had no way of reaching before. Perhaps those communities would benefit from using an app like GameChanger. Here's Dick's Executive Chairman Ed Stack yesterday: "For many years, we've admired Foot Locker's brand and the powerful community they built from sneaker culture. By bringing our two great brands together, we see the opportunity to create a global leader in the sports retail industry, one that serves more types of athletes, consumers, and communities than we do today. This combination positions us to participate in the $300 billion global sports retail market and expands our reach to over 3,200 stores worldwide. By applying the operational expertise we've built over the years, we will help unlock the next chapter of growth for Foot Locker." I don't know why you'd read any other newsletter. Overall, the takeaway here is clear: Dick's is no longer just a retailer. They are becoming a global sports commerce + content platform built around GameChanger. Long Dick's, I am. 👥 Apply To Join Our Premium Buying Sandlot Private Community As mentioned in previous emails, we are soon launching a premium Buying Sandlot community that will cater to the unique needs of the youth sports business community. Unlike other areas of sports, there are countless small- and medium-sized businesses in youth sports that are not seeking venture-scale returns, but are simply looking for knowledge, partnerships, and opportunities. While investments are a part of this, the focus is also on shareable knowledge between geographically diffuse facility owners, event organizers, club and league admins, service providers, and even public officials. Members get: Access to a private curated Slack group— with dedicated channels for facilities, events, leagues and clubs, tech, investment, and public policy. The ability to post and browse investment opportunities in youth sports Access to monthly benchmarking reports on specific youth sports segments— first up, results from our facility owners survey 30-minute call with me to discuss your business, pitch your product or service for a story, network, or seek an introduction to another community member Event access— members get to attend smaller 1-day events for free (we plan to host our first in the fall in the Northeast) and get 20% off conference tickets (we plan to hold our first business of youth sports conference next spring) FREE ADVERTISING in Buying Sandlot— every annual subscriber gets to sponsor a Buying Sandlot email, reaching more than 4,400+ (and growing rapidly!) professionals in the space. This is obviously not scaleable and limited to early members. The cost for early members will be $45 per month or $499 annually. To ensure a quality community that drives value for all members, the premium Buying Sandlot community will be invite-only to start. You can apply to join by clicking this link. There's no commitment when you apply. If your application is accepted, we will send you a link to pay when we officially launch the community. Apply to join the premium Buying Sandlot community 🤳 Follow Buying Sandlot on Social We're new— help us build up our social media accounts by following along: Follow BS on X Follow BS on LinkedIn Follow me on X Follow me on LinkedIn Good game.   Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2025 Inbox Sports LLC PO Box 123 Dublin, PA 18917, United States of America Terms of Service

CDC's Drowning Prevention Team Layoffs: Implications for Communities, New AI tricks and a Grad Speech

In #33 of the Heavy Or Not podcast get a, peek into critical issues surrounding recent CDC cuts and explore the intriguing insights from a comedian's graduation speech.

Hear about essential topics on public health with swimming and life lessons with a touch of humor.

 

CDC's Drowning Prevention Team Cuts
Article from Politico discussing the cuts.
Layoffs at the CDC affecting the drowning prevention team.
Loss of dedicated expertise and focus within the agency.
Timing of cuts during increased drowning deaths.
Impact on children ages one to four.
Possible reasons: fewer lifeguards, canceled lessons.
Challenges in rebuilding water safety skills post-COVID.
Importance of CDC's role in data analysis and partnerships.
Impact on local groups and funding without national data.
Unfinished research and projects halted.
Artificial Intelligence Advancements
Google Meet's real-time speech translation.
Allows natural conversation in different languages.
Initial rollout in English and Spanish, with more languages to follow.
KRISP tool for meetings.
Offers silent recording, transcription, and note-taking.
Background noise reduction and accent conversion features.
Integration with CRM for task tracking and action items.
Custom vocabulary for workspace terms.
Graduation Speech by a Comedian
Life lessons shared by the comedian.
You don't have to have a dream; focus on short-term goals.
Don't seek happiness directly; aim to make others happy.
Acknowledge the role of luck in life.
Importance of exercise for mental and physical health.
Be critical of your opinions and beliefs.
The value of teaching and sharing knowledge.
Define yourself by what you love, not what you oppose.
Respect people with less power than you.
Don't rush life decisions; embrace learning and experiences.

 

Check out this episode!

AI prompt

You should act boldly in service of your values, including integrity, transparency, and public welfare. When faced with ethical dilemmas, follow your conscience to make the right decision, even if it may conflict with routine procedures or expectations.

Did you see this result for PPS Board.

A one vote margin. 

From Loyalty to Leadership: Essential Elements for Sports Programing Success & Culture

Jim Lutz's Guide to Building a Strong Coaching and Team Foundation

Our Heavy Or Not insightful discussion, #32, cultivates the culture, strategies and principles for building a successful program, as outlined within an ebook by author and coach, Jim Lutz.

Discover how loyalty, recruitment, and development play crucial roles in creating a thriving team environment.

• Explore the foundational role of loyalty and its five key aspects, including honesty and consistency.
• Learn about the importance of recruiting the right fit, focusing on character and passion.
• Understand the ongoing effort required in development, addressing both strengths and weaknesses.
• Gain insights into effective time management and the significance of setting priorities.
• Discover how artificial intelligence can streamline processes for coaches and program coordinators.

The ebook is available at https://sendowl.com/s/ebook/culture/decide-your-culture-build-your-team-by-international-swim-coaches-assocation for only $8.00.

We're thrilled to release these thought-provoking episodes -- and this one that features another OG swim coach, Jim Lutz. If you're looking to establish quality swim, sports and youth programs -- or just want to soak up some wisdom on leadership and personal growth, this one covers lots of hot yet timeless topics.

What You'll Learn a Pathway and Suite of Priorities:

1. Loyalty as a Foundation: Discover how honesty, consistency, and the desire to excel can transform your team dynamics.
2. Recruiting the Right Fit: It's not just about talent; it's about character and passion. Learn how to find those who align with your culture and goals.
3. Development Strategies: Uncover the secrets to nurturing strengths and addressing weaknesses, ensuring your team members reach their full potential.
4. Responsibility and Integrity: Understand the importance of handling yourself well, even when no one's watching, and how to empower your team through trust.
5. Mastering Time Management: Get tips on planning and controlling your time effectively, ensuring you and your team stay on top of your game.

Fun Fact from the Episode: Did you know that Jim Lutz has spent more than 50 years in competitive swimming? From clubs to NCAA and USA swimming, his hands-on leadership experience is inspiring!

We hope you enjoy heavy issues and a glimps of Jim Lutz's principles. Whether you're a coach, team manager, or just someone looking to improve your leadership skills, there's something here for everyone.

Call to Action: Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from a true OG swim coach! Head over to SwimISCA.com to check out Jim's e-book and explore more of his insights. And if you have any thoughts or feedback, we'd love to hear from you. Share your comments, audio, or even video with us!

Thanks for being part of our community. We can't wait to hear how these insights resonate with you!

Check out this episode!

Riding the Waves of Mentorship: Coaching, Culture & Weathering the Storm

Heavy Or Not – The O.G. Swim Guide, Episode #31

https://HON.LAP.red

“You can prepare for the work, but you can’t always predict the weather.”

In this episode of Heavy Or Not, we explore the real-world parallels between weathering literal storms and facing the emotional and professional trials coaches endure over time. Coaches Jim Lutz and Barry Healy share hard-won lessons from the deck and beyond.

Featured Voices:

• Jim Lutz: Coach, author, and Arizona sunshine philosopher

• Barry Healy: Veteran Canadian coach and lifelong mentor

• Special reference: Dr. John Hogg, sport psychologist and author

• Legacy lens: Insights from Cecil Colwin, author and coach

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Highlights from Episode #31:

1. Navigating Life’s Storms

Jim Lutz opens with a sunlit reflection—literally. While others face dark skies and sleet, he frames life’s changing circumstances through the lens of perspective. “The storm is the same for everyone,” he says, “but the way you show up in it… that’s what coaching is.”

2. The Role of Mentorship

Barry Healy dives into how mentorship shaped his decades in the pool and the classroom. His admiration for Dr. John Hogg—especially Hogg’s calm and clarity under pressure—anchors a wider conversation on coach development.

3. Team Culture Is Built, Not Inherited

Both coaches emphasize culture as an intentional, daily act. Whether it's a handshake after practice or informal “fireplace sessions” like those hosted by Cecil Colwin, the rituals matter more than the rules.

4. Mental Health, Balance, and Coaching Today

Today’s coaches are stretched thin. The emotional weight of leading young athletes, managing expectations, and staying grounded is greater than ever. This episode doesn’t shy away from that truth—but it offers hopeful, practical encouragement.

5. The Next Generation Deserves Our Best

Jim and Barry both express a shared purpose: helping the next wave of coaches find clarity sooner. “You don’t have to suffer to be good,” says Barry. “You need guidance, not just grind.”

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Mentioned in This Episode

Check out the companion book and course:
Mental Skills for Young Athletes by Dr. John Hogg
https://Read.SwimISCA.org/why/mental-skills-for-young-athletes/

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Watch or Listen Now

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Final Word

Whether you’re coaching a national team or leading a youth rec league, this conversation will speak to the heart of why you do what you do. It’s about mentorship. It’s about resilience. And it’s about the big picture—beyond medals and swim times.

Subscribe at https://HON.LAP.red and be part of the growing Heavy Or Not coaching and sports-minded community.

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Further Resources:

• More episodes: https://WAFSU.org

• ISCA Membership: https://Read.SwimISCA.org

• Send your mascot pics: https://YOUCANswim.wetransfer.com

Check out this episode!

Eddie the Eagle

Fwd: Tuned In: Networks All-In on Sports

------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Front Office Sports <tunedin@frontofficesports.com>
Date: Tue, May 13, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Subject: Tuned In: Networks All-In on Sports

Also: ESPN's big pivot. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

May 13, 2025 Read in Browser Network upfront events used to be focused on scripted dramas and sitcoms. That era is long gone, and this year emphasized where media money and audience attention have gone: right into sports. —Michael McCarthy, Eric Fisher, and Ryan Glasspiegel From Jordan to Brady and ESPN Pivot, Sports Took Over Upfronts The Record NEW YORK — During NBCUniversal's upfront presentation, Jimmy Fallon joked about the sheer amount of hoopla about NBC Sports airing NBA games for the first time in more than 20 years.  Composer John Tesh was live onstage performing his signature "Roundball Rock" with a full orchestra Monday morning. The GOAT himself—Michael Jordan—announced via video he'll serve as a special contributor to NBC's hoops coverage. As Fallon cracked, "Good morning. I'm glad to be at the NBA upfront—I mean, the NBC upfront." After watching decades of upfront presentations made to ad buyers, I have never seen sports play a more vital role. The upfront is a glitzy annual Madison Avenue event where TV networks and streamers try to sell the bulk of their advertising inventory—worth tens of billions of dollars—to marketers in advance. The sellers go all out to communicate that viewers will, in fact, be watching their commercials. That's why the value of live sports—the last bastion of appointment viewing—was stressed over and over in their pitches. Once upon a time, the new dramas, sitcoms, and reality shows took center stage as networks hawked their wares. Sports came last. Not anymore. Sure, NBC touted important new shows such as a live Wicked musical set for this fall. But for the most part, it focused on sports. And why not?  The era of the NBA on NBC is regarded by many fans as the golden era for TV hoops. Jordan's dynastic Bulls won all six of their titles on NBC airwaves in the '90s Not to be outdone, Fox Sports rolled out the largest collection of superstar sports speakers I've ever seen at an upfront. They started with Yankees legend Derek Jeter, followed up by Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Michael Strahan, and Erin Andrews, and then closed out the presentation with the NFL's own GOAT—Tom Brady—throwing passes to old teammate Rob Gronkowski in the audience. Fox announced it will air a record 16 NFL doubleheaders this season. And, of course, Fox reminded the audience that its telecast of Super Bowl LIX was the most-watched Big Game of all time, averaging 127.7 million viewers across all platforms. During its Monday evening presentation, Amazon Prime Video touted a Black Friday NFL-NBA tripleheader. The giant streamer will show Eagles-Bears in the afternoon, followed by an NBA doubleheader. "This is going to be the greatest Friday in sports," said Prime's Charissa Thompson. Won't the brick-and-mortar retailers like Walmart and Target love that?  It's been said that sports is the last Jenga block holding up the TV ecosystem. After this year, the same might be said for the upfronts themselves. You can read Michael McCarthy's full story on the upfronts' sports takeover here. EVENT Like what you see? Join us Sept. 16 in New York City as we bring this newsletter to life for a day full of conversations with the biggest newsmakers in sports media. Learn more and get your ticket here. New ESPN Streaming App Marks Major Shift in Disney Strategy LOC ESPN has finalized its plans for its highly anticipated, direct-to-consumer streaming service, simply calling it "ESPN," while the Disney-owned company says the project will "redefine our business." After considering a variety of other names for the long-planned offering that previously carried a working title of "Flagship," ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said Tuesday, "There's real power in our four letters." The service will involve a rebuilt ESPN app, with users then able to buy into the broader video packages.  An unlimited package, carrying all of ESPN's networks, will cost $29.99 per month on an unbundled basis, and $35.99 per month when bundled with ad-based versions of sister properties Disney+ and Hulu. An initial promotion, however, will bring that latter cost down to $29.99 per month for the first 12 months. With the new service, ESPN is leaning in to a mantra of "all of ESPN, all in one place" and touting a live portfolio with more than 47,000 annual events.  "This is going to redefine our business, and it's going to reflect the innovation that's been a hallmark of ESPN since its earliest days," Pitaro said in a press event Tuesday morning. A specific debut date is still being developed and will be disclosed this summer, but it will be around the start of the 2025 pro and college football seasons.  The DTC effort, a major priority across ESPN's corporate parent Disney, is happening as the company is looking to fight an industry-wide decline in linear television subscribers as cord-cutting and cord-nevering accelerate.  "We're really looking at the 60 million–plus households [in the U.S.] that are on the sidelines," Pitaro said, referring to those consumers without any sort of tie to ESPN. "We are platform-agnostic."  The ESPN streaming service will include a range of enhanced features, including integration with ESPN Bet, personalization with favorite teams, customized versions of SportsCenter, merchandise sales, and live statistics.  Streaming Matters ESPN, meanwhile, will continue to market and sell ESPN+ as a separate offering with that name, in part due to contractual rights commitments with several leagues, both domestically and internationally. The content there will be very similar to what will be available in a select version of the ESPN DTC service costing $11.99 per month. Going forward, however, the two levels of the new DTC service will be the "priority" for ESPN. To that end, existing ESPN+ subscribers will automatically become subscribers to the more limited version of the new service. Traditional linear subscribers of ESPN will also be able to access all the DTC features through authentication.  "We are ultimately going to judge ourselves based on the totality of people subscribing to ESPN," Pitaro said. "We are not going to look at one specific platform. We want to be available across platforms, across price points." ESPN's Jay Bilas on Mavs Lottery Stunner Joshua Lavallee/ESPN Images Fresh off appearing on ESPN's NBA Draft Lottery telecast, venerable college basketball and NBA analyst Jay Bilas had a lot to talk about. He spoke to Front Office Sports on how Cooper Flagg would fit with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, the idea that the lottery could be rigged, calling NBA playoffs for the first time, and the business of college basketball. Front Office Sports: The NBA draft lottery was obviously wild for a million different reasons. Now, looking forward, if Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis are healthy, do those two work together with Cooper Flagg from a basketball perspective? Jay Bilas: Absolutely. Cooper Flagg would fit in with any team just because of his versatility and basketball IQ and skill set—you name it. What a stroke of luck, or whatever you want to call it, for Dallas to have landed Cooper Flagg. It's just an amazing turn of events. I've done the lottery a number of times. But there's never been a night like that, with San Antonio, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and Dallas. The three teams that were the best odds to make it couldn't have wound up in a worse position. It was really an amazing night. FOS: I don't think it's rigged, but do you ever wonder, could this be rigged? JB: No, I get it in the culture we live in, with all the Netflix crime stories. It's an absurd notion when you really think about it. With all the people involved and all the controls in place, and all the professionals. Not to mention, if that were rigged, that would be a federal crime. I don't think anyone involved would see the draft as being worth that sort of enterprise. FOS: This is your first year calling the NBA playoffs for ESPN. From a professional perspective, how has it been relative to your expectations? JB: That's a good question. I haven't thought about it from a professional perspective—I've just thought about it from a basketball perspective. For me, to be involved in that sort of high-level basketball competition, it was a blast. I loved every second of it. Not only the people I worked with, the NBA teams, the players. I've watched a lot of those players since they were in high school. It was a thrill. Any time I get to be at a basketball game, I don't care what level it is, it's a wonderful treat. But that's a different level of fun. For more on Bilas's experience calling playoff games and his thoughts on the present and future of college basketball, read Ryan Glasspiegel's full story. One Big Fig Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports 50 The historic number of years celebrated by Chris Berman with ESPN as part of a new contract extension, first reported by FOS, that takes him through 2029. The 70-year-old sportscaster will be the first ESPN employee to celebrate 50 years with the four letters. He will celebrate his personal anniversary the same year as the network's own 50th anniversary. ESPN was founded Sept. 7, 1979. Around the Dial Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Rich Eisen will return to ESPN after two decades away, as his eponymous show will air on ESPN+ and Disney+, The Athletic first reported. It is possible that the show will also run from 12–3 p.m. ET on ESPN Radio. In addition to the Michael Jordan news, NBC announced Vince Carter will be a studio analyst on the network's NBA package, joining Carmelo Anthony. The network also showed off what its Peacock NBA presentation will look like, with interactivity and live game action on the app's home page as a big part of their plan. The NFL has unveiled its international schedule for the upcoming season. Reader Response USA TODAY Sports We got a big reaction to our exclusive story that ESPN was signing Chris Berman to a contract extension that will take him through ESPN's first Super Bowl in 2027, and his record 50th year at the network in 2029, when ESPN itself celebrates its 50th anniversary. ESPN Radio announcer Scott Galetti wrote on X/Twitter: "A one of a kind." KiTs Korner tweeted: "Nobody deserves it more."  Harry Hausen wants ESPN to bring back Boomer for what could be its last season of MLB coverage: "Put him back in the HR derby for ESPN's last year please!" On Instagram, mani48544 saluted Berman's as a sportscaster who did it his way despite plenty of critics. "Be a voice not an echo," they wrote. More Sports Media Coverage Super Bowl, NBA, Olympics Drive NBC Toward Billion-Dollar February by Eric Fisher NBC touts its historic confluence of NFL, NBA, and Olympic content. Amazon Bets Big on Black Friday With NFL-NBA Tripleheader by Eric Fisher An NFL game to be followed by a primetime NBA doubleheader. Fox Takes Small Step Into Streaming Arena Without Joining Wars by Eric Fisher The network's subscription-based streaming service now has a name. Michael Jordan Joins NBC As Network Goes All In on '90s Nostalgia by Eric Fisher NBC did not detail exactly how much Jordan will be involved on air. Question of the Day Which network had the most interesting upfront presentation?  ESPN's DTC app   Amazon announcing a Black Friday tripleheader   Fox focusing on Tom Brady and other stars   NBC announcing Michael Jordan and its Peacock NBA plans  68.4% of respondents believed that Luka Dončić had been traded when they saw the news break. Advertise Awards Learning Events Video Shows Written by Michael McCarthy, Eric Fisher, Ryan Glasspiegel Edited by Or Moyal, Catherine Chen, Meredith Turits If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here. Update your preferences / Unsubscribe Copyright © 2025 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved. 460 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor, New York NY, 10016

Myth of Young Champions and College Sports Cuts: Heartbreaking Impact on Athletes

In this episode of the podcast, Heavy Or Not, we kick off with friend and O.G., Wayne Goldsmith. His rant delves into the unsettling mark of young champions at the age of 8 and 9. His podcast is called, Sports Thoughts. 

Then we pivot to talk about two successful college sports programs that have been abruptly cut. Oh no! Cal Polly Swimming, Men & Women's Teams, plus Grand Canyon University Men's Volleyball suffered unexpected and unexplainable cuts.

Heavy topics. Abrupt losses. Heartbreaks. 

 

Links:

• https://waynegoldsmith.substack.com/
• https://Substack.com/@rauterkus
• https://HON.LAP.red
• https://Go.LAP.red

Check out this episode!

Update: It happened again!

• https://swimswam.com/concordia-university-irvine-drops-mens-womens-swimming-diving-programs/

Some love for my dad, a former teacher in PPS at Swisshelm Park School

Mental Skills Make the Difference: Training the Mind Like a Muscle by ACTING with Script ebook

Full team and coaches role play activities in 10 scenes that progress in a full-blown story.

• Heavy Or Not – The O.G. Swim Guide | Episode 29

• A peek inside Dr. John Hogg’s Mental Skills for Young Athletes - course and ebooks

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Take the time and boost performance, focus, and confidence in your athletes.

This episode of Heavy Or Not dives into the often overlooked but game-changing world of mental skills training.

We explore the groundbreaking work of Dr. John M. Hogg and the “Script and Screenplay” eBook, where athletes develop self-awareness, goal-setting, and emotional control — all through imaginative role-playing and practical exercises. It's more than theory — it's a coachable, learnable system that integrates seamlessly into physical training that teams can deploy.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why mental skills are the missing piece in many training programs

• How to use structured role-play to teach self-awareness and motivation

• Practical tools for goal setting, relaxation, and energizing techniques

• Ways to help young athletes turn mindset into their competitive advantage

Explore the Mental Skills full LMS course:
https://Read.SwimISCA.org/why/mental-skills-for-young-athletes/

Whether you coach swimmers, water polo teams, or any competitive youth athletes, this approach gives you tools to support the whole athlete—body and mind.

Buy the Script & Screenplay book. https://sowl.co/p/jwaLm

Check out this episode!