PODCAST · sports
The CUSP Show
by The CUSP Show
Home of the Columbia University Sports Management Podcast ('The CUSP Show'), faculty members Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson host thought leaders from across the sports industry as they discuss a wide array of topics. thecuspshow.substack.com
Episodes
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533: Sophie Whitesell on How The Giving Game Podcast Is Promoting the Charitable Mission of Athletes
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Sophie Whitesell, founder of The Giving Game, to discuss how a chance encounter with NBA players led a chief nursing officer from Missouri with no sports background to build a podcast platform dedicated to amplifying athlete philanthropy. Whitesell shares…
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532: Former MLB Player Travis Snider on How 3A Athletics Is Fixing Youth Sports
Joe Favorito welcomes Travis Snider, former MLB outfielder and co-founder of 3A Athletics, to discuss his 15-year professional baseball career, the mental and emotional challenges that followed, and the youth sports crisis he is now working to address. Snider traces his path from being a...
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531: ZRG Turnkey's Rick Alessandri on Building a Career in Executive Search
Joe Favorito welcomes Rick Alessandri, Managing Director of Media and Sports Technology at ZRG Turnkey, to discuss a career that spans four decades across some of the most pivotal moments in sports media history. Alessandri traces his path from running the overnight newsroom at Sports Ticker in...
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530: Former NBA Head Coach Stan Van Gundy on Leadership & Coachability in the Modern Era of Basketball
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Stan Van Gundy, former NBA head coach with 554 career wins who led the Orlando Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals, to discuss leadership, coachability, the state of college athletics, and his transition from the bench to the broadcast booth. Van Gundy shared why…
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529: Play-by-Play Announcer Jamie Watson on Making Sports Accessible Through Audio Description
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Jamie Watson, soccer broadcaster and play-by-play announcer, to discuss her unconventional path into sports media, the evolving world of remote broadcasting, and her groundbreaking work in audio descriptive commentary for FIFA and Netflix. Watson shares her...
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528: UT Austin’s Chris Plonsky talks Building a College Athletics Powerhouse
Joe Favorito welcomes Chris Plonsky, Senior Associate Athletic Director and Chief of Staff at the University of Texas, to discuss her remarkable career in college athletics and what it takes to build and sustain one of the country’s most successful athletic programs. Plonsky traces her path from...
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527: Sirius XM’s Chris Childers on Why College Football Can't Save Itself
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Chris Childers, host of Full Ride on Sirius XM College Sports Radio and founder of Show Pony Media, to discuss the state of college athletics as football season kicks off, the growing momentum behind women’s sports, and what the future of independent sports...
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526: Andrew Cooper on Why Collective Bargaining Is the Only Real Fix for College Sports
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Andrew Cooper, co-founder of the United College Athletes Association, to discuss his mission to unionize college athletes and why he believes collective bargaining, not federal legislation, is the only sustainable path forward for college sports. Cooper...
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525: Sportico's Kurt Badenhausen on What It Takes to Value a Sports Franchise
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Kurt Badenhausen, Sports Business Reporter at Sportico and one of the pioneers of sports franchise valuation journalism, to break down how teams are valued, why those numbers keep climbing, and what a record-breaking week in sports business really tells us...
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524: George Moreira on How Capelli Sport Became the Kit Behind Cape Verde's World Cup Cinderella Story
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome George Moreira, partnerships & events executive at Capelli Sport, to discuss one of the most unexpected stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: how a New Jersey-based soccer apparel company became the kit provider for Cape Verde and found itself at the center…
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523: Janet Marie Smith on Designing the Fan Experience from Camden Yards to Dodger Stadium
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Janet Marie Smith, EVP of Planning and Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers and co-founder of venue consulting firm Canopy Team, to discuss her remarkable career transforming some of America’s most iconic sports venues. Smith shares the origin story of…
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522: Liz Robbins on Writing "See It to Be It" with Billie Jean King
Joe Favorito welcomes award-winning journalist and author Liz Robbins to discuss her new book, See It to Be It: 11 Champions Leading Women’s Sports Today, written in collaboration with Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss. Robbins shares the origin story of the project, which began with a 50th...
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521: Disruptive Play's Michael Cohen and Jeff Nathenson Break Down the Sports Media Creator Economy
Tom Richardson welcomes Michael Cohen, founder of Disruptive Play and co-founder of Creator Sports Network, and Jeff Nathenson, partner at Disruptive Play and MD of Platforms at whynow, to discuss what they believe is the most consequential shift happening in sports media today: the rise of...
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520: Dan Mannix on How Underdog Is Disrupting the Sports Marketing Agency Model
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome back Dan Mannix, Founder and Managing Partner of Underdog & Company, to discuss how his sports marketing agency has evolved into a multi-brand platform with investments, acquisitions, and a growing roster of clients across professional sports, college...
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519: Mike "Wally" Walczewski on 37 Years as the Voice of the NBA Champion New York Knicks
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Mike “Wally” Walczewski, better known as King Wally, the iconic public address announcer of the New York Knicks, to the show for a special episode celebrating the franchise’s 2026 NBA championship. One of only two primary PA announcers in Knicks history,...
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518: Marc Horine on How For Soccer Is Powering the 2026 World Cup
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome back Marc Horine, Chief Business Officer at For Soccer, for a special World Cup 2026 edition of the show, recorded as the tournament’s group stage wraps up across the United States. Horine discusses how For Soccer was built around the long-anticipated...
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517: Adam Zimmerman on How the Atlanta Braves Built a Brand Beyond Baseball
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Adam Zimmerman, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Content for the Atlanta Braves, to the show to discuss how one of baseball’s most innovative franchises has transformed its identity through mixed-use development, content strategy, and a bold approach…
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516: Danny Funt on the Hidden Costs of Legalized Sports Gambling
Tom Richardson welcomes journalist and author Danny Funt to the show to discuss his new book, Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling, and the sweeping impact legalized sports betting has had on leagues, media companies, athletes, and fans. Drawing on years of reporting…
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515: Steve Wasik on Growing VKTRY Gear from Startup to Acquisition
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome VKTRY Gear CEO Steve Wasik to the show to discuss the entrepreneurial journey behind one of the fastest-growing performance brands in sports. Wasik shares how VKTRY evolved from a family-owned Connecticut shoe business into a company trusted by athletes...
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514: Jerome Allen on Player Engagement and the NBA’s Global Future
Tom Richardson welcomes Jerome Allen of the NBA to the show to discuss the evolving role of player engagement, and how the next generation of athletes are navigating NIL, media, and technology. A current Columbia Sports Management student and member of the NBA’s Player Engagement Operations team,...
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513: Melissa Jacobs Breaks Down the Youth Sports Industry
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Melissa Jacobs to the show to discuss the current state of youth sports, the evolution of sports media, and why the NFL continues to dominate the sports and entertainment landscape. A longtime NFL writer and founder of The Football Girl, Jacobs discusses…
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512: Morgan Cato Talks Leading Player Operations at the NBPA
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Morgan Cato, EVP of Player Operations at the National Basketball Players Association to the show, to discuss her unique journey through each side of the basketball business: from the NBA league office to the Phoenix Suns and now the players association.…
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511: Harvey Schiller on the Life and Legacy of Ted Turner
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Dr. Harvey Schiller, Chairman at Schiller Management Group to the show, to reflect on the life, legacy, and lasting influence of Ted Turner following his passing. Having worked closely alongside Turner during the rise of Turner Broadcasting, Schiller shares...
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510: Sheila Sickau on How the Kansas City Chiefs Are Growing Flag Football Participation
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Sheila Sickau, Head of Football Development for the Kansas City Chiefs to the show, to break down how flag football is reshaping the future of the sport, from youth participation to global expansion and women’s access to the game. Sickau is the Pro Sports...
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509: Patrick Crakes on the True Economics of Sports Media Rights
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Patrick Crakes, Principal of Crakes Media and longtime Fox Sports executive, to the show, to break down the rapidly evolving sports media landscape and the realities behind today’s skyrocketing rights deals. Drawing on decades of experience, Crakes explains...
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508: Yeshiva Athletic Director Greg Fox on how the Maccabees are Revolutionizing College Hoops
Joe Favorito welcomes Greg Fox, Athletic Director at Yeshiva University, to discuss the remarkable rise of Yeshiva men’s basketball and how the program has evolved into a global brand. He shares his journey through college athletics and what makes Yeshiva’s model unique: from rigorous academic...
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507: Ken Davidoff discusses his new book, 101 Lessons from the Dugout
Joe Favorito welcomes Endicott College Adjunct Professor, Ken Davidoff, to the CUSP Show, for a thoughtful conversation on storytelling, media evolution, and rediscovering a love for the game of baseball. A longtime baseball columnist at the NY Post, who spent decades covering the sport at the...
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506: Cam Smith on How Substack Hands Creators Control of Their Work and Audience
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Cam Smith, Substack’s Head of Sports Partnerships and Columbia Sports Management alum, to the CUSP Show to explore how the platform is reshaping sports media. What started as a newsletter product has evolved into a multi-format ecosystem spanning audio,...
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505: Inside ESPN’s Innovation Engine with Kevin Lopes
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Kevin Lopes, Vice President of Business Development and Innovation at ESPN, to the CUSP Show to discuss his 18-year journey at the company and how ESPN continues to evolve at the forefront of sports media. From starting as a programming coordinator to…
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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…
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503: Sports Investment: Navigating the Current Landscape
Recorded at the 2025 Columbia Sports Management Conference in October, moderator Chris Lencheski leads a conversation on the forces reshaping the sports investment market. Joined by Daniel Adams of Polsinelli, William Mao of Octagon, Betsy Morgan of TOGETHXR, and Stephen Schifrin of Terrapin...
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502: Praxis AI’s David James Clarke IV on Digital Twins, AI, and the Future of Sports Expertise
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito welcomes David James Clarke IV, CEO of Praxis AI, for a conversation about how artificial intelligence is becoming a practical tool across sports, media, education, and healthcare. Clark explains how Praxis AI uses “digital twins” to help scale human...
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501: Playing the New Front Nine: How Golf is Evolving for a New Audience
Recorded at the 2025 Columbia Sports Management Conference in October, Talk Show Host Ann Liguori hosts a panel conversation on how golf is evolving through media, technology, and new competitive formats. Joining the discussion are Jake Hoselton, Co-Founder of Grass League; Andrew Macaulay, Chief...
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500: Uly and Ernesto on Bringing New Fans to Football Through Humor and Social Media
For the 500th episode of the CUSP Show, Live from SuperBowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome content creator Uly Morazan, known online as Uly and Ernesto, for a conversation about how pop culture, humor, and social media are helping bring new audiences into football. Morazan…
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499: The Philly Sports Guy, Jamie Pagliei, on Turning Philadelphia Fandom into a Full-Time Brand
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Jamie Pagliei, better known to fans as “The Philly Sports Guy.” While you may not immediately recognize the name, you certainly know the green mohawk, face paint, and relentless energy that have made him a staple at Eagles,...
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498: Phoenicia Sport & Entertainment CEO Chris Lencheski Talks NASCAR, F1, and the Future of Global Motorsports Investment
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner sit down with fellow Columbia faculty member Chris Lencheski to unpack how motorsports, and global sports investing more broadly, are evolving in real time. Lencheski shares how Phoenicia Sport & Entertainment operates with a “people...
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497: Next League Co-Founder Dave Nugent Talks Building Tech Stacks That Drive Fan Growth
Live from SuperBowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Dave Nugent, Co-Founder & CEO of Next League, to unpack how sports organizations should evaluate, build, and operate technology that grows audiences and drives revenue. Nugent shares his path from co-founding OMNIGON in 2008,...
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496: SMAC Entertainment’s Jose Diaz on Managing Talent and Creating Media That Scales
Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Jose Diaz, Executive Vice President at SMAC Entertainment, to break down how the agency operates at the intersection of talent management, content production, brand incubation, and strategic partnerships. Diaz shares SMAC’s origin story, from early days...
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495: Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation President & CDO Dedan Brozino on CFP & LA28
Live from SuperBowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner sit down with Dedan Brozino, Chief Development Officer and President of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, to talk legacy, modernization, and what’s next for one of sports’ most iconic venues. Brozino breaks down the Rose Bowl’s unique...
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494: Dystany Spurlock on Becoming the First African-American Woman to Race the NASCAR ARCA Series
Live from SuperBowl Radio Row, on National Girls & Women in Sports Day, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Dystany Spurlock to the show. Spurlock shares her unconventional path to stock car racing, starting on motorcycles as a kid, setting a record on a BMW S1000RR, and grinding for years…
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493: Daniel Shi and Shivaas Gulati on Using AI to Modernize the Sports Business
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Daniel Shi and Shivaas Gulati, co-founders of Arkero AI, for a conversation on how artificial intelligence is beginning to transform the business side of sports. Fresh off a $6.2M seed raise backed by investors including Alexis...
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492: Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-Time Division UFC Champion Henry Cejudo Talks Life After the Octagon
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Olympic Gold Medalist and two-division UFC Champion Henry “Triple C” Cejudo for a powerful conversation on resilience, reinvention, and what it truly means to compete at the highest level. Cejudo reflects on his journey from...
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491: Chris Stone on Why Sports Coverage and Media Isn’t Dying, It’s Fragmenting
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner sit down with Chris Stone, whose career spans across sports media at Sports Illustrated and the LA Times and Co-Founder of emerging platform, Off Ball, to unpack how sports storytelling is changing in real time. Stone explains Off…
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490: The Expanding Business of Sports, Fashion, and Pop Culture
Recorded at the 2025 Columbia Sports Management Conference in October, Kati Fernandez (Chief Content Officer at Together) welcomes: Emilie Arel (President, Mitchell & Ness), April Guidone (COO, SMAC Entertainment), and Natalie White (Founder & CEO, Moolah Kicks) to talk how brands, leagues,...
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489: From Germany to the NFL, Markus Kuhn on Growing Football Worldwide
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Marcus Kuhn, NFL alum (Giants and Patriots) and Columbia Sports Management program alum, for a conversation on the rapid international expansion of American football. Kuhn, who was the first German-born player to ever score a...
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488: Unified WBA and WBO Champion Xander Zayas on having a Championship Mindset
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito welcomes Xander Zayas, the newly crowned unified world champion in the light middleweight division, for a conversation on championship mindset, the business of boxing, and representing Puerto Rico on a global stage. Zayas reflects on visualizing…
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487: Jesse Linder and Callie Brownson on Building the Women’s Flag Football Pathway to LA 2028
Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Jesse Linder, Vice President of Community Relations for the New York Jets, and Callie Brownson, Senior Director of High Performance and National Teams at USA Football, live from Super Bowl Media Row, for a focused conversation on the rapid growth of girls and...
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486: Lawrence Hamm Jr. on What it Takes to Host the 2027 NFL Draft in Washington D.C.
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito welcomes Lawrence Hamm Jr., Vice President of Events DC, for a conversation on how cities compete to host the biggest events in sports. Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Hamm discusses how Washington, D.C. landed the NFL Draft, why the timing aligns with...
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485: The Boston Globe’s Tara Sullivan on Covering the Patriots and the State of Sports Journalism
Live from Super Bowl Media Row, Joe Favorito and Scott Rosner welcome Tara Sullivan, Sports Columnist for The Boston Globe, for a conversation on the business of sports journalism and what it takes to cover an NFL franchise. Sullivan walks through her career path from the Bergen Record to the...
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484: UPenn Wharton’s Ken Shropshire Examines NFL Hiring, Governance, and Power
Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Scott Rosner welcomes Ken Shropshire, longtime sports law professor and leading voice on race, leadership, and governance in sports, for a wide-ranging conversation on the NFL’s hiring landscape and the broader business of the league. Shropshire reflects on the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Home of the Columbia University Sports Management Podcast ('The CUSP Show'), faculty members Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson host thought leaders from across the sports industry as they discuss a wide array of topics.
thecuspshow.substack.com
HOSTED BY
The CUSP Show
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The CUSP Show have?
The CUSP Show currently has 537 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The CUSP Show about?
Home of the Columbia University Sports Management Podcast ('The CUSP Show'), faculty members Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson host thought leaders from across the sports industry as they discuss a wide array of topics. thecuspshow.substack.com
How often does The CUSP Show release new episodes?
The CUSP Show releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 537 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to The CUSP Show?
You can listen to The CUSP Show on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The CUSP Show?
The CUSP Show is created and hosted by The CUSP Show.
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