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Bomani Jones is here and suddenly without constraints. We had a great conversation on sports industry topics, many of which we were able to get to by using the Damian Lillard/Le Batard/Woj situation as a jumping off point. Oh, and below we’re testing out a more complete podcast outline, put together by Sam Schuette.

Pod subjects include but aren’t limited to:

* Individual branding

* After leaving ESPN, becoming your own brand as a journalist

* ESPN equity stakes to NBA and NFL

* Desperation? Inability to compete with big tech

* Chess move? Leagues could be going for established networks after failed NBA TV

* NFL has leverage over ESPN, no need to make deal

* NFL’s popularity over other leagues

* Good balance of variance and predictability in the NFL makes it exciting

* Regular season matters more in NFL which piques interest all year long

* Lillard trade/Woj drama

* How did Woj’s relationship with Lillard’s agent influence his reports?

* Lillard’s situation reflective of shift in players’ status in how they get to pick their next destination even when under contract

* Different types of journalism (Windy vs Woj)

* Windhorst: brings fans behind the scenes

* Woj: more focused on breaking the big news first

* White guys in the NBA

* Tyler Herro undervalued because he’s white?

* Whiteness can be a detriment to how a player’s perceived when he’s below average, but an asset when he’s good (x-cubed analogy)

* White Americans vs white Europeans (guys who connect with media vs foreigners perceived as outsiders)

* Many white Americans grow up in predominately white areas (where it’s more socially acceptable for a white guy to aim for the NBA)

* Taylor Swift male audience

* Recent influx of male audience members at Swift concerts, particularly among Gen-Z

* Do guys actually care about her music or is it just a way for them to get a date?

* Jonathan Ogden story (some guys simply enjoy the music, even those you’d least expect)

* Messi in Miami

* Miami is an ideal location because of Argentine population

* It’s an “events” city

* Will be tough to because few fans care about the team, only Messi himself

* Running back salary

* Running backs supposedly underpaid

* Complicated by the fact that RB’s often leave their primes when they’re up for free agency

* In multiple sports, CBA’s complicate players salaries and create disconnect between max contract players versus role players

* Bomani addressing naysayers

* TV show ratings

* Unpredictable takes (sometimes traditionally left-wing, sometimes not)

* What’s it like to have your career discussed as a proxy for wokeness