MLB opening day is here. It is also David Rubenstein’s first full day as Orioles’ owner, and the Washington Post’s Chelsea Janes expects he will alter the futures of the O’s and the Washington Nationals, with whom the Orioles are locked in a years-long legal dispute. Janes also provides her perspective on the turmoil at the MLBPA, the Shohei Ohtani scandal, and who will win the World Series. Plus, March Madness is breaking viewership records and more are likely to fall, NCAA president Charlie...

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to float the possibility that they could leave the area if a vote for public money on April 2 doesn’t go their way. The defending Super Bowl champions are seeking funds for a major renovation of Arrowhead Stadium while the Kansas City Royals would get money for a new downtown stadium from the same vote. Plus, the MLS referee lockout is over and we delve further into the statements made by Shohei Ohtani, his relationship to his former interpreter, Ippei...

Shohei Ohtani read a prepared statement addressing the scandal that has captured the baseball world’s attention just before opening day. The Dodgers star alleged that his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stole millions of dollars from Ohtani and then lied about it, in some cases using his role as interpreter to control the information going to and from Ohtani. Crisis management expert Mike Paul joins the show to discuss how Ohtani and his representatives handled the situation, and in what...

Dartmouth athletes are fighting to unionize, but Blake Lawrence, CEO of Opendorse, feels that schools and conferences may be the ultimate benefactors of collective bargaining efforts. He joins the show to give his perspective on that topic, plus how NIL has impacted the earning potential for student athletes during March Madness. Plus, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey threatens to sue the Washington Post, March Madness posts its best viewership numbers in years, and we look into the murky past of...

Clemson joined a lawsuit by Florida State challenging the ACC’s fees and procedures for leaving the conference. Should those two schools depart, others may look to follow as college football media contracts continue to reshape the conference landscape. Plus, soccer legend Sam Mewis joins the show to talk about her new role leading the women’s soccer coverage at Men In Blazers, and we sort through the spiraling betting scandal surrounding Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

The tremendous hype around Caitlin Clark has brought enormous attention to the Iowa basketball team. Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz joins the show to discuss what that’s meant for the program and its athletes, as they try to stay focused on the team and their classes. Plus, the WNBA is looking to turn its growing popularity into a substantial bump in its media rights, ESPN and the CFP link up on a new media rights deal, and NBC's Paris Olympics are getting their own RedZone.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has a new production company with aspirations beyond the athlete stories one expects to see from similar ventures. After releasing a documentary about Giannis himself, the company is working on a heist movie set in Greece and a cooking show, among other projects. The CEO of the company, Improbable Media, joins the pod to talk about the vision for Improbable Media and why more and more sports media is athlete-driven. Plus, there is unrest at the...

March Madness broadcasting rights are highly coveted, but the networks that hold them are signing up for chaos: They have to change plans, narratives and travel schedules with every big upset. ESPN’s VP of production Sara Gaiero joins the podcast to discuss how she prepares for the unknown. Plus, Transfer Portal Monday provides an unwelcome distraction from Selection Sunday, billions in legal bets are expected on March Madness, and calmer days may be on the horizon for Sports Illustrated.

In 2016, CBS looked to make Selection Sunday an event on par with the NFL Draft, ballooning it from a tight half hour to a full two hours. That plan turned upside down when the NCAA tournament bracket was leaked before the network could roll it out. Front Office Sports senior writer Mike McCarthy joins to discuss the network’s nightmare and how it shaped the big day going forward. Plus, a miracle run altered a head coach’s fate, Caitlin Clark is getting a dedicated reporter, and we peek ahead...

Lesley Slaton Brown, the NBA’s chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, sees her role as one that drives business and guides league expansion as it develops its existing markets and grows internationally. She joins the show to discuss the values, both moral and economic, of her work. Plus, Sports Illustrated is scrambling to find a new manager before layoffs set in, the Kansas City Chiefs threaten to move ahead of a vote on public funding for a stadium renovation, Bay FC kicks off its...

Despite weathering multiple scandals throughout his career, Rick Pitino is revered in college basketball. Freelance sportswriter Tim Rohan joins the show to discuss the strange world of Pitino-protectors he discovered while looking into the coach’s past. Plus, Aaron Rodgers is under consideration to join a presidential ticket, MLB is stoking hype about its top prospects, and we check in on “Spulu” and the NBA media-rights negotiations.

An investigation from Front Office Sports reveals the identities of the executives accused of facilitating and covering up alleged exploitation by longtime WWE boss Vince McMahon. The story shines a light on the circle of protection around McMahon: high-ranking officials who were complicit in his conduct. Plus, NFL teams are using their extra $30 million worth of cap space in a free agent bonanza, but headlines announcing signings can be misleading, and an MLB player is looking for a new team...

Formula 1 has surged into the American consciousness over the last four years, but now it faces the challenge of maintaining interest amid a season that may be uncompetitive from the start. Wall Street Journal sports editor and co-author of The Formula Jon Clegg joins the show to discuss how F1 got as big as it has and whether it can sustain that success. Plus, the Bears are staying in Chicago after all, Deadspin has been sold and its entire editorial staff laid off, and North Carolinians are...

Big East commissioner Val Ackerman is wary of the major changes coming to college sports, including the possibility of athletes becoming unionized employees. She joins the show to discuss how the overlapping web of school, conference, state, and federal rules and bylaws create a sea of confusion regarding the future of college sports. Plus, a potential betting scandal encircles Temple University, a new college basketball tournament shows what is possible in the NIL era, and Roger Clemens...

A planned $2 billion development, centered around a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals, appears to be dead, after Virginia lawmakers killed a budget item that would have provided funding. The move could signal a turning point in the attitude toward public funding for sports venues. Plus, Netflix will show a live fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul … as long as it can avoid potential legal issues, the PWHL altered its jerseys to better accommodate women, and we explore the...

The National Rugby League of Australia is looking to harness football’s massive popularity in the US by promoting its similar sport. The NRL hosted games at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas last weekend as part of a long-term push to grow a US audience. Plus, Jason Kelce is in high demand among media companies, Bill Belichick could be as well, we have another sign that women’s sports are on the rise, and we asked the Las Vegas mayor what she thinks about the new renderings from the Oakland A’s.

Dartmouth basketball players voted to unionize, setting up a precedent that, if upheld, will spell the end of the NCAA’s amateurism model. Front Office Sports reporter Amanda Christovich joins to sort through the implications of the industry-shaking vote. Plus, the Oakland A’s finally produced renderings of their planned Las Vegas stadium and we get the live reaction from Gensler architect Ryan Sickman. Sickman also provides a deep dive into the world of stadium and arena design, including...

Brad Gilbert is an ESPN analyst and coach of rising tennis star Coco Gauff, and recently he picked up another client: Zendaya. The movie star turned to Gilbert to learn the game for her upcoming film Challengers. Gilbert joins the show to discuss the parallels he sees between Gauff and Zendaya, the state of tennis in the post “Big Three” era, and how Netflix is changing tennis media. Plus, MLS is in a precarious position with extra attention on their replacement referees, Jason Kelce retired...

As Caitlin Clark broke the record for points scored in a Division I college basketball career, Dartmouth basketball players prepared to hold a vote on whether to unionize. Any vote to unionize is sure to be challenged in court, but could ultimately lead to athletes at private schools being declared employees. Plus, freshly retired World Series champion Eric Hosmer and Anthony Seratelli join to discuss their just-launched production company Moonball Media, and why amid a surge in athlete-led...

Jenny Cavnar will be the first female lead play-by-play announcer for an MLB team, following her hire to call games for the Oakland A’s by NBC Sports. She joins the podcast to talk about her approach to the job, breaking barriers, and narrating a singular season in Oakland while the team has one foot out the door. Plus, Caitlin Clark declares for the WNBA draft, another presumptive number one pick, Caleb Williams, has already made an estimated $10 million in NIL contracts, and we look into...

Spring training is a time when many MLB players say they are in the best shape of their lives, but how about the league itself? We explore the state of the game, and much more, with Jason Kelly of Bloomberg, who is launching a new show with Alex Rodriguez. Plus, Stephen A. Smith could be eyeing a late night gig (amid other intrigue at ESPN), leagues aren’t happy about the coming joint venture between ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, the ATP Tour strikes a deal with Saudi Arabia, and NFL...

The Caitlin Clark phenomenon has turned into a major opportunity for the business world around her, particularly broadcasters Fox and Comcast. The two media giants are opting for very different approaches when it comes to how to leverage the hype around Iowa’s superstar. Plus, we speak with NFL journalism legend Peter King who just announced he's hanging up his lanyard, Illinois governor JB Pritzker is skeptical of providing public money for a new White Sox stadium and every NWSL team...

The answer might be: depends on the lighting in the room. Uni Watch founder and editor Paul Lukas joins to discuss the fiasco of MLB’s see-through pants and he dissects the Los Angeles Clippers’s revamped logo and jerseys ahead of the Intuit Dome opening next season. We also look into the pay-for-play future of the NCAA in light of a recent court injunction with Front Office Sports reporter Amanda Christovich, and what it could mean for the coming transfer window.Plus, the MLBPA is not...

Social media impostors of sports reporters are a real challenge for the sports media ecosystem. The trend has been egged on by changes made to X, formerly known as Twitter, under Elon Musk. Front Office Sports senior reporter AJ Perez investigates the phenomenon, which has become a thorn in the sides of reporters like Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski. Plus, amateurism in college sports may effectively be over, a Nevada group looking to block the funding the state is providing to the...

The Negro Leagues have been kept alive through oral histories and the work of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. That history is coming to life in a new way: through the Storylines option on the popular video game, MLB: The Show. NLBM president Bob Kendrick joins to talk about how the collaboration is one of the most important achievements of the museum and why the Negro Leagues matter more than ever. Plus, Utah wants to give $900 million to build a new baseball stadium. Now it just needs a...