504: Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson Discuss March Madness, Golf Innovation, and the Future of Sports Media

In this special CUSP Show conversation, Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson take a step back after 500 episodes to reflect on how much the sports business has evolved, and where it may be headed next. The two hosts dive into a discussion on the current state of the industry, from March Madness and the Big East Tournament to golf’s evolving business model, media rights strategy, and shifting fan behavior. The conversation highlights the Big East’s continued success in a changing college sports landscape, including its strong fan engagement and willingness to embrace creator-driven media. Joe and Tom also explore broader questions around the future of college athletics, including the growing financial divide and the possibility of new structural models. They also examine golf’s momentum under PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp and the increasing need for leagues to think of themselves as entertainment products competing for attention. From there, the discussion turns to one of the biggest challenges in sports today: fan access. With content spread across multiple platforms, they break down how fragmentation is reshaping viewing habits and why simplicity will be critical moving forward. The episode also touches on emerging trends like AI and prediction markets, and reflects on the many “next big things” that have come and gone over the past decade.Connect with Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joefavorito/Connect with Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomrichardson01/The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com