TUE POD(@AFCU) @SpenceChecketts on Utes Funding Latest, Private Equity, RSL Offseason + more

Catch “The Drive with Spence Checketts” from 2 pm to 6 pm weekdays on ESPN 700 & 92.1 FM. Produced by Porter Larsen. The latest on the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, Utes, BYU + more sports storylines.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, let's go drive time Tuesday afternoon. Unexpected, busy,
busy day today. We're going to get right into this, okay. So,
Ross Dellinger of Yahoo Sports is reporting that the University
of Utah is on the cusp of striking the industry's
first partnership with an equity firm, in a marriage that
features a nine figure capital infusion and the creation and

(00:22):
a shared ownership of a for profit entity to operate athletics,
business and financial elements outside of the traditional university framework.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
The number that we're hearing is five hundred million dollars. Okay.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Otro Capital is the private equity firm out of New York.
I know quite a bit about them, actually that we're
going to get into today and what this could potentially mean. So,
private equity has long been on the way to college athletics,
and if you listen to the show, First of all,
thank you, hello, how are you?

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Second of all, you.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Know I've been talking about this for about five years. Ultimately,
I'm seeing a lot of people jump off a cliff
way assuming this is a bad thing, And I want
to be clear, I can't lie. It might be, but
there's no guarantee it's going to be okay.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Not all private equity is created equal.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
This comes down to your trust in the operators, your
trust in Mark Harlan, your trust in Taylor Randall, and
then ultimately, as we get to know their new partners,
what will we learn about them and what sort of
voice will they have in the room. Otro Partners again
a New York based private equity firm. This deal, I
can tell you, I've been on the phone all morning.

(01:33):
It's been in the works for a number of different months,
and Otro was not the only bidder. There were other
people potentially involved in this entire thing, and a president
from outside the university will preside over the company and
report to a board which will be chaired by Mark Harland,
with seats for trustees and Ultro executives. My understanding is
there will be two seats for executives. There will be

(01:56):
four seats that go essentially to the University of Utah,
Mark Harlan one of them, and then one seventh seat that,
by my best destination, will be filled by a local.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
Business person who is a Utah fan.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
The names that you're going to hear are the typical
names that you always hear right, it's going to be
a Huntsman, an Echols, a Garf.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
I don't know who it's going to be. These details will.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
Start to leak out as more information rolls in, but
we will get to all of the angles here. I've
been listening around to some of the coverage and people
have no idea what they're talking about. A lot of
idiots try to chime in here with reallyout any without
any knowledge. This does not have to be bad news.

(02:38):
It could be the exact opposite. But we will get
into it on the show today and talk about what
this means, both the good and the potential bad if
you're a Utah football fan, if you are a fan
of Utah athletics.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
So we'll get into it on the show.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
We'll get to know these new partners and try to
alleviate some fears and concerns, but also be very honest
and salient about what this can mean for your Utah
football experience, mainly Utah basketball, Utah gymnastics, and as far
as what we've been able to learn so far. We're
going to go over all the details now. Of course,
that's not the only thing going on. Is Notre Dame

(03:15):
looking for a new home, but potentially calls. They're going
out from conferences to Notre Dame, some from the Big Twelve.
As we chatted with Ted Robinson about yesterday. Their preferred
destination is the Big Ten, because of course it is.
So we'll get into the latest, of course, in that direction.
Latest in the college football playoff scenario as we kind
of put a bow on the season for Utah and

(03:36):
BYU as we know they're bold destinations and of course
a couple of fan bases that just experienced a really,
really good season but left wanting more as neither will
be in the CFP. We're gonna get the latest on
the World Cup situation. Leedo Messi rolling into Salt Lake City.
He did say recently he may not play for Argentina.

(03:58):
Does that affect the calendar, So we'll do a little
bit that the Utah Jazz continue to roll through their
season off for a little bit.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
They're going to see Memphis on Friday.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
BYU basketball is going to play Clemson at four thirty
today at Madison Square Garden. Utah hoops back in action tomorrow.
The ee Utah man Myth are off tonight as well.
They'll be back at action tomorrow, So a ton going on.
Philip Rivers is back in the NFL at the age
of forty four. Shout out all you mid to late
forty year old gentlemen. The NFL might still be a
possibility for you. So jam packed on a Tuesday Drive.

(04:29):
Our first guest will be our college football insider from
the Athletic Chris Camraaddi. My guest is ck will not
want to chime in on private equity, but we're going
to force them to anyway. So Chris will be live
in studio for an entire hour starting coming up at
two thirty. About fifteen minutes from right now, our friends
from the Fierce Fighting Championship roll into town, a roll

(04:49):
in the studio.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
They're in town holding an event on Friday.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
Andy Larson from the Salt Lake Tribune will join us,
and then John Kimball, president of Rayal Salt Lake. So
a ton to do on the show today with Chris Comradi,
our friends from the Fierst Fighting Championship, Andy Larson, John Kimball, Me,
Spence Checkets, all of you, the great listeners. Hello, Happy Tuesday,
and that guy Porter Larson. All right, man, we've been

(05:12):
talking about private equity coming to college athletics for years years. Okay,
not to take a victory lap, it just felt inevitable.

Speaker 2 (05:22):
What I'm seeing is a lot of people.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
Jumping off a cliff, and you don't necessarily have to
do that because we need to wait and see how
this works well.

Speaker 3 (05:28):
As you mentioned, there's a lot of people who are
out of their depth in this specific.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
Just field.

Speaker 4 (05:35):
I'm one of those people.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
When it comes to your talking multiple multiple commas, you're
talking big, big private equity.

Speaker 5 (05:45):
You know.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
My thoughts on it are are difficult because there is
a lot to unpack there.

Speaker 4 (05:52):
Now, who is this private equity? Right?

Speaker 5 (05:56):
Are they? U?

Speaker 3 (05:56):
Taugh people? Are they private equity people? Are they both?
It's all important. It's all things we're going to get
into and uh, you know, either way, it is an
infusion into your program, but it is also kind of
an overture that puts you out on a limb that
not other not many other programs or institutions have been

(06:17):
able to figure out or have I guess been Okay
taking the risk to figure out. It's gonna be interesting
to see how it plays out. But as you said,
a lot to unpack, and idiots like me We'll let
the move the news come in and then react to
it because yeah, it's just it's way over my head
in a lot of a lot of degrees.

Speaker 1 (06:37):
Yeah, and it's complex and there's a lot here. I've
done my best this morning. You get on the phone
with people and kind of dig through the details of
the partnership to try to be able to talk to
everybody this afternoon about what could come next. Our first
guest ck Chris Comraddi Liven Studio. But before Chris rolls by,
courtesy of our good friends at Prize Picks, it's time
now for your opening tip.

Speaker 6 (06:56):
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number one sports talk Now into the studios of ESPN
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all right. We were met with some massive news a
few hours back. Ross Dellinger was the first to report.
This came down at about eight eight thirty this morning
that the University of Utah is on the cuspp of
striking the industry's first partnership with an equity firm and

(08:17):
a marriage that features a nine figure capital infusion and
the creation of a shared ownership. And it's a for
profit entity because of course it is to operate athletics,
business and financial elements outside of the traditional university framework.
Bottom line is this private equity has officially arrived in
college athletics. In Utah is the first school to decide
to go in this direction, at least on this level.

(08:38):
There have been other schools that have taken smaller private equity,
you know, when it comes to the partnerships. Kentucky, Michigan State,
Clemson have created a private revenue generating entity outside of
the athletic department as college sports evolves into a more
professionalized ecosystem. So this is not necessarily entirely new, but
on this level it is. And a few years back

(09:00):
I told you about a conversation I had with somebody
who outlined this exact model, and he actually said the
number five hundred million dollars, which is it kind of
caught me off guard. He said, look, you know, Ohio
State was thought to be the first to do this
because last year they reported they were thirty seven million
dollars in debt. Colorado a twenty seven million dollar debt

(09:22):
as we speak.

Speaker 2 (09:23):
Now.

Speaker 1 (09:23):
One thing to keep in mind here is not all
debt is created equal. Not all debt is the same, right,
So if you have debt and your percentage is four
and a half five percent, but you can utilize the
cash that you use from the debt to have ten
percent growth, then you're actually doing okay. So there's a
lot of conversation and there's been a lot of rumors
about Utah Athletics being in debt. I don't have their

(09:46):
P and L sheet. I don't have their profit and
loss sheet. I don't have the numbers in front of me,
so I can't speak to that. Does this acceptance of
five hundred million dollars in capital, does it indicate that
there is debt that needs to be serviced with the you?
I think that's a fair question, and I don't know
the answer to that, okay. So when we dig into
some of the pieces of this, first of all, everyone

(10:07):
calmed down.

Speaker 2 (10:08):
Let's start there.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
We don't know if this is going to be a
good or a bad thing, okay, And whether or not
it will be a good or a bad thing comes
down to the operators from Oaktrow Alex Shiner is one
of their founders. Alex spent some time with the Dallas
Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns, and then he spearheaded a
project called Legends Hospitality. My father was the CEO of

(10:29):
Legends Hospitality, so he worked with Alex Shiner.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
Okay, I will tell you this.

Speaker 1 (10:35):
One thing that we simply cannot debate about anyone in
private equity is they're all about.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
One thing, and that's return on investment.

Speaker 1 (10:43):
I can't spin this as anything other than these guys
looking at an opportunity and believing in five to seven years,
if their exit strate strategy is executed the way they
wanted to, they're looking at walking away with hundreds of
millions of dollars. That cannot be debated. Okay, But a
couple things here. Typically a private equity group, whether it's sports,
whether it's restaurants, whether it's hotels, they will buy control.

Speaker 2 (11:07):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (11:07):
So meaning this, there are seven seats on this board
that oaktro and Utah are now both a part of.
Typically whether it's Bane Capital or any of the other
you know, black Rock or whatever, any of the big
private equity firms, if they're going to infuse a business
with half a billion dollars in cash right away. They're
going to want control, they're going to want more than

(11:29):
forty nine percent of a stake, and they're gonna want
the majority on the board. Okay, that is not this,
which is actually a piece of good news. My understanding
is of the seven seats, four will go to Utah,
two will go to Oaktrow, and there will be a
seventh board member that, again, as I expressed earlier, is
probably going to be a local businessman who is a

(11:49):
big Utah fan. The names you're going to hear are
equals Huntsman. You know, the garfside could keep going. That
is probably how this is going to look. But what
that means is and the board, by the way, is
chaired by Mark Harlan, who's Utah's athletic director. Anxious to
hear what the role is off Taylor Randall, the president
of the university. Side note, Taylor will join our show

(12:10):
when he gets back into town. He took a flight
out after they consummated this deal today, so his office
reached out. He's going to stop by and I'll have
a ton of questions for him because he's the guy
that can answer.

Speaker 2 (12:21):
So if you're a Utah football fan.

Speaker 1 (12:23):
This does come down to, in no small part, what
is your faith and trust in Taylor Randall? What is
your faith and trust and Mark Harlan. Okay, I don't
think they would take a deal with the devil. They
would completely blow everything up. But if we go over
what could be good and what could be bad about this,
ultimately we'll start with what could be good.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
It's pretty simple, okay.

Speaker 1 (12:44):
And I do have to wonder how the BYU boosters
and donors are reacting to this, because whether you're our guy,
Cookie Bro, whether you're Ryan Smith or any of the
other big time BYU donors and boosters and guys that
have you know, basically donated a ton of money to
the institution. They did not do that with any sort
of possibility of seeing a return on their investment. They're

(13:07):
not invested in BYU Athletics. They just donated money. And
part of this, according to Ross Dellinger and now Matt Baker,
Stewart Mandel and Justin Williams of the athletic is this
group Utah and Oaktrow they're offering the chance for people
in our community to invest in their project together, which
means if you're a Utah booster, if you're a Utah donor,

(13:30):
you have a chance to I would assume by little
pieces of equity in this project, and then in five
to seven years, which is the timeframe of when Otrow
wants to exit, you could see some money coming your
way on the other side. So that could be a
huge benefit for Utah Athletics, who has looked to try
to find something to separate themselves a little bit from

(13:50):
BYU Texas Tech, something that is a little bit different,
because as of now it doesn't appear they have the
same type of deep pocketed donors. Cody Campbell, Texas Tech,
all the guys down in Provo, the Utah County bros
that love by Athletics. This is Utah's answer to that.
And what will it mean? So the good well, the
good is simple. You guys can figure this out. The

(14:11):
good is a five hundred million dollar infusement of capital
right away will allow you to pay players, so you
will have better talent. You can improve the equipment, you
can improve facilities if you want to. You can use
that money in pretty much any way you want to
improve the consumer experience.

Speaker 2 (14:28):
So we might see some upgrades to rise ecles.

Speaker 1 (14:31):
We might see some new suites, we might I don't know,
but the consumer experience will be improved right away. You'll
see better talent in football, better talent basketball, gymnastics teams
able to retain and add to as well. And the
good part of not including the other sports in this
deal is the other sports will not be in danger

(14:52):
of being cut. Okay, so again you have to understand
this private equity firm. They view things as simple return
on investment and and loss. So if you included the
baseball team in this deal, if you included the soccer
team of the track team, and private equity bro is
sitting down going over your financials, they could say, okay,
the track team doesn't make money, done, they're cut. But

(15:13):
because they're not included in this deal, they're revenue generated
by the revenue generating sports should be able to continue
to maintain those sports, and they could still basically stay alive,
which is a good thing.

Speaker 2 (15:24):
Okay, now the bad.

Speaker 1 (15:26):
The bad is simple, there's an excellent chance that everything
at the University of Utah as it pertains to the
athletic experience, the consumer experience is simply going to be
more expensive.

Speaker 2 (15:36):
Because they have to generate more revenue.

Speaker 1 (15:38):
A lot of the revenue will be generated simply by
live TV rights, which is the lifeblood of all sports
and certainly college football big time. But don't be surprised
if in the coming weeks and months, as a season
ticket holder you get an email from UTA Athletics that says, hey, congratulations,
we love you your ute for life.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
Oh, by the way, thirty percent more for your season
tickets next year.

Speaker 1 (15:58):
Don't be surprised if you walk in Rice Cycle Stadium
in the Huntsman Center and the very average hot dog
that you already pay five bucks for is now nine dollars.
Don't be surprised if you want to buy your son
at Devin Dan Pierre Jersey next year it's one hundred
and eighty instead of one hundred and twenty.

Speaker 2 (16:13):
That's the bad.

Speaker 1 (16:15):
So the good is the infusion of cash will improve
the consumer experience.

Speaker 2 (16:19):
The bad is.

Speaker 1 (16:20):
Simple, you're gonna pay more for it. But as of now,
everyone calmed down. It doesn't mean that this is the
end of college athletics. We've been moving in this direction
for years. A pro model was inevitable, and we will
continue to move into a pro model where at some point,
these players are gonna be able to unionize and then
collectively bargain with a leadership group, just like they do

(16:41):
in the NFL or the NBA.

Speaker 2 (16:44):
All right, drinking through a fire hose.

Speaker 1 (16:47):
Let's talk more about money though, because my guy Dave
from America First Credit Union is live and studio.

Speaker 2 (16:52):
What's up, Dave? How are you?

Speaker 7 (16:53):
Man?

Speaker 8 (16:53):
It's been so good to be here with you, my friend.
And you got that whole paragraph for that whole thing
in one.

Speaker 2 (16:58):
Breath, opressed man.

Speaker 1 (17:00):
And you know, like I, that's ten percent of my notes,
you know, because these things are complex. But look, let's
help our listeners make their money work for them, right,
I mean, ultimately, that's what you guys do at America
First Credit Union.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
And I've been talking about this.

Speaker 1 (17:13):
If you're in business with a national big you know,
brandch one of the bigger deals, you're in business for
them to profit. But that's not how credit unions work.
Let's just educate people a little bit here.

Speaker 8 (17:24):
Yeah, the concept of how crediting started was a bunch
of people who were not getting services from a bank.
They just felt like they were being discriminated against, they
were not profitable, and they said there's got to be
a better way. So they basically lumped their resources together,
they pulled their savings, and they made low cost loans
to each other, and they paid each other back, and

(17:44):
so the profits go back into the organization, making it bigger,
better and stronger. There's no outside entity to pay, so
those profits go back to the ownership. So being an
owner and being a member is synonymous. It's the same thing.
And so by doing business with the credit union, it
benefits you in the long run. That's the philosophy that
we started with eighty six years ago, and that's the

(18:06):
philosophy that we continue to exercise today.

Speaker 1 (18:08):
Now you're not the only credit union, but why should
people choose you?

Speaker 2 (18:11):
What kind of sets you guys apart?

Speaker 8 (18:12):
Yeah, we've been around since nineteen thirty nine spans and
we truly adhere to that practice of people helping people.

Speaker 2 (18:19):
You know, very humble beginnings. We started up at the University.

Speaker 8 (18:21):
Of Utah, we Fort Douglas, serving the civilian employees of
the federal government and military. And from those humble beginnings
we've grown into what we are today. And we could
not grow without providing our members with the good experience,
with good products, with good services and trust. We value

(18:42):
that trust that our members put in us and that's
essential for us doing business. And you know, we are
Utah's largest credit union. We're sixth then in the nation.
So we have that national strength, the power of a
national organization, but we still have that local presence. We
have one hundred and sixteen branches throughout six different Western states,
and we focus on the one. We focus on the individual,

(19:03):
family or the community and try and provide those essential
services to make things right with everybody. And when when
your personal finances are strong, that makes family strong and
makes community strong. And we just we have a great recipe,
would love for you to come and try us out.

Speaker 2 (19:18):
And I think eighty seven branches, do I remember that correctly?
In Utah?

Speaker 1 (19:22):
Over ninety over ninety branches now, yeah, and then you know,
great customer service because the other thing that's difficult with
some of the bigger banks is even getting anyone on
the phone, let alone anybody who actually can help you.
So when it comes to all the branches you have,
you can actually get to know who's working in the
branch and walk in and actually get one on one help.

Speaker 8 (19:41):
Yeah, we have a philosophy of providing service that's a
good tech and a good touch experience. So for those
who want that eye contact, handshake experience. Lots of branches
all throughout the watch Front, anywhere that you could think of,
we have a location to serve you. And I love
it when people spent say that's my branch. They take ownership,
but that they know who works there and they form

(20:02):
that relationship of trust with those people. Some people want
the experience where I just need to call in really
quick and get something even without talking to somebody. There's
an automated system that you can kind of go, push
some buttons, even speak to it and get the answer
that you need pretty quickly. I also love our technology.
We love to be a leader in technology, and we
love to have our online banking and our mobile banking
that allows you to just manage them stuff. There's people

(20:24):
who have moved out of state never close their accounts
because their information and access to their money is just
so readily available. So we have a good balance of
all of those things all right before we break.

Speaker 1 (20:36):
I think a lot of people just the thought of
going through the logistics of changing over one bank account
to the other is just something that feels like a hassle,
So why make the switch. We've got one hundred bucks
for people that just open up the checkings and a
savings account, and a good deal to help teach your
children the way money works.

Speaker 2 (20:53):
Direct.

Speaker 8 (20:54):
Yeah, we do. You know that pain point of saying
how miserable? What's the cost of my misery?

Speaker 2 (20:59):
You know? Point do?

Speaker 8 (21:00):
I really want to make that change, And we try
and make it very easy for you to switch over.
And yes there's some things logistically that you have to do,
but when you move over your direct deposit and you
get your checking there and we become your primary financial institution,
there's not probably a product or service that we don't
provide that you just wouldn't need. And so we truly
offer all those things. And so come in in, try

(21:22):
us out, you know, switch over, and we have some
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up an account and get a savings or checking and
you're good to go.

Speaker 2 (21:35):
You mentioned the youth account.

Speaker 8 (21:36):
I think it's always wise to teach your kids at
an early age that financial education is so important. It
starts them off on the right foot, learning how debits
work and how credits work, and learning how to save
their money. They can log in and they can see
that money growing. It's inspiring to see our younger generation
grasping that. And so we'll give you fifty dollars to
open up a youth account. You can get a debit

(22:00):
card for youth accounts called the Funds Card. Link your
adult account to your kids accounts. It's a great way
that you can, you know, give them a gift, you know,
for the holidays. Sure, yeah, yeah, it's it's just great opportunity.
And that's a limited time offer. So I would come
in and or call in or a play online today
so you don't miss out.

Speaker 1 (22:18):
So when the news came down today that Utah Athletics
had locked in a historic private equity deal, I texted porter.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
I said, get me the.

Speaker 1 (22:26):
Best private equity expert you can in the market, so
we can just talk money for about an hour. And
we put Chris tom Ronnie our college football and so
it makes the sure C case. Mike is on our
college Football Insider from the Athletic.

Speaker 2 (22:40):
Hello, Chris, how are you?

Speaker 5 (22:41):
How are you doing?

Speaker 2 (22:42):
We're good. We're good.

Speaker 5 (22:45):
Busy morning for you, A little bit busy.

Speaker 2 (22:46):
Morning drinking through a fire hose.

Speaker 1 (22:49):
Look, we've talked about private equity has been on the way,
and now you've been here.

Speaker 5 (22:53):
You've been you've been beating the strimp for a while,
so you can take a victory lab.

Speaker 2 (22:57):
Well, I'm not trying to take a victory lap you.
You called it well right, everyone else.

Speaker 5 (23:01):
I don't know if you necessarily saw that it was
going to happen in our own backyard kind of first
compared to the rest of the country.

Speaker 1 (23:07):
Well, what was wild? And I talked about this during
the first segment. I had somebody take me to lunch
who four years ago he said the number five hundred
million dollars. He said, the idea would be a private
equity firm infusing Utah Athletics with five hundred million dollars
in exchange for like forty nine percent of the overall product.

(23:29):
I don't know what the percentages are. We have to
wait to see what that looks like. But the cash number,
five hundred million dollars is exactly what he said four
years ago, and that's the amount of money that Utah
will have at its disposal.

Speaker 2 (23:42):
To improve whatever it wants to.

Speaker 5 (23:43):
Where'd you go to lunch?

Speaker 1 (23:46):
It's that little coffee shop okay, west side by by
like the Gateway. I should know what it's called. I
used to go there all ordered a latte. Is that
pertinent to the conversation?

Speaker 5 (24:01):
So one, I feel like this is a this would
be a big day of week because he has existence
in that world as well as running a sports franchise.
So just you know, putting a little bird in your ear,
just giving you a little bit of a heads up,
thank you.

Speaker 4 (24:19):
I was.

Speaker 5 (24:19):
I have not been on the ground floor of this
since the news broke this morning. I've been working on
other more pertinent things on my end. Luckily, my colleagues
at the Athletic who are much smarter and more well
versed in this. Matt Baker, Justin Williams, Stu Mandel. These
are three of my colleagues who have really kind of
been following the explosion of nil crowdsource funding when it

(24:44):
comes to you know, universities nationwide and in particular the
potential of private equity getting involved with the big ten
as we've talked about in the last couple of months now,
that's kind of been a contentious topic for folks in
that conference as well. I'm I was stunned to see
that this, you know, is taking place in our own backyard.

(25:05):
It is fascinating that this guy that this guy or
gal that you went to lunch with four years ago
mentioned the exact same number that it ended up being.
So yeah, I'm excited to interview about this topic.

Speaker 2 (25:16):
No, you're participating this is and you've interviewed me once
and it was terrifies it. I was like, what happened
to my friend?

Speaker 1 (25:22):
Chris Alex Shiner is one of the co founders of
OTROW and he's a partner.

Speaker 6 (25:28):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (25:29):
He was president of the Cleveland Browns. He was senior
VP of the Cowboys, and then for a while he
was the point person for Legends Hospitality when my father
was the CEO of Legends. So they've worked together, so
I know there's some familiar familiar airity. Excuse me there.
I'll let my father speak to that. We're gonna get
him on. Taylor Randall's office reached out, he's gonna come

(25:50):
on the show. He caught a flight after essentially kind
of consummating the deal. It's been in the works now
for a number of different months, and I guess there
were a number of different and private equity firms that
wanted a part of it. So Aleck has experience in
pro sports. And again, if we're going to be grown
ups about this, college sports is now essentially professional sports,

(26:11):
definitely on the football side.

Speaker 2 (26:13):
Right.

Speaker 1 (26:13):
So, look, the good is simple, Chris. The bad is
a little bit more complex. And that comes down to
how much you believe in the operators. And I don't
know enough about Alex Schiner or his partners to tell
you how they will operate this from their side. How
much do you trust Mark Harlan? How much do you
trust Taylor Randall. That's also what it comes down to.
But the good, like usually when private equity firms get

(26:36):
involved with anything, whether it's sports, whether it's restaurants, whether
it's hotels, they buy control, right, So they say, all right,
Chris camaraddie, you run a coffee shop in sugar House.
I'm going to give you two million dollars for you to,
you know, buy some beans or whatever the hell it is,
buy some new espressional machines. Okay, And now I own
fifty one percent of your business. You own forty nine,

(26:58):
which means I get to tell tell you what to do.
So typically when they buy into sports teams or businesses,
they buy control.

Speaker 2 (27:05):
They didn't do that here.

Speaker 1 (27:06):
Okay, so you have seven seats now as far as
the border directors go, one is Marx as the chairman,
Three others will belong to the university, and then OUTRO
gets two seats. And then there's a seventh seat that
will be filled by what I would perceive to be
a businessman here local that is a Utah football fan,

(27:27):
Uta athletics fan, Eccles, Huntsman, Garth. Those are the names
that you'll hear. We don't necessarily know what it's going
to look like. But the good news is OUTRO does
not have controlling interest in Utah Athletics. It still belongs
to the university, so that's good.

Speaker 5 (27:43):
My question, and this will be information that will probably
filter out in the months and maybe years to come,
is my understanding is that pe private equity is a
very bottom line business. What does this look like if
Utah football, Utah basketball red rocks? What if they struggle

(28:04):
in the next few years, Like like, this is something
that you have to understand that like when you're getting
into business for hundreds of millions of dollars. This is
going to be a bottom line business, meaning that your
investors are going to want to see wins. They're going
to want to see butts in the seats, They're going
to want to see concession stands full, They're going to
want to see jerseys flying off the racks. This is

(28:26):
an interesting kind of position Utah could find itself in
in the coming years because you're talking about a likely
see change with Kyle Whittingham stepping down. If and when
that happens, we still don't know. Morgan Scalley will be
a first time head coach. Alex Jensen is a first
time college basketball coach. I understand the move because you

(28:47):
had to have a response to what everything else is
happening in the country, especially down south with your guys.
Your guys, it's different, but it was an inevitability. And again,
I'm just pretty pretty stunned that it happened in our
own backyard first and foremost.

Speaker 2 (29:06):
Yeah, I mean, there have been some other schools that
have had some smaller partnerships. This is the first of
its kind. Yep.

Speaker 1 (29:12):
Now it's the first of several that are going to unfold.
In fact, the guy who took me to lunch actually
said he was hearing Ohio State was going to be
first of the table. Ohio State reported a thirty seven
million dollar debt last year, Colorado twenty seven million dollars
in debt. So I think it's safe to assume and
surmise a bit that this deal does indicate that there
was some debt up on the hill that we haven't

(29:33):
heard about.

Speaker 2 (29:33):
We didn't know about it.

Speaker 1 (29:34):
I don't know about their P and L or their
I haven't seen their financials, but I wouldn't be surprised
if there was some debt up there they needed service.

Speaker 5 (29:41):
In twenty twenty five, there are more athletic departments and
universities in debt across the country than there are I mean,
if you just if you just went through a fiscal
year like read of most public universities, more often than
not you would find folks who are in the black
or in the red.

Speaker 2 (29:58):
What is it? You know it would be in the red.

Speaker 1 (30:00):
But to your point that we cannot escape and there's
I'm not I want to be clear, I'm not trying
to spin this. I'm trying to tell people to walk
back from the edge because not all private equity is
created equal way.

Speaker 5 (30:11):
Are people mad that this is happening?

Speaker 9 (30:12):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (30:12):
People are panicked, like, oh, it's the beginning of the end.

Speaker 5 (30:15):
Like, oh, it's the beginning of the end of what
it used to be and that's been over for five years. Agreed.
But I think this could be viewed as a an
official exclamation mark to that to that era.

Speaker 1 (30:32):
If you are still holding on to any sanctity of amateurism,
then you're the problem.

Speaker 5 (30:35):
And yeah, and that's on you. Agreed, It's time, it's
time to grow up. I absolutely agree. My my interest
with this also aligns with if it's five If it
is five hundred million dollars, where is that money going to?
Is it going to coaching contracts, roster retention, stadium upgrades,
facility upgrades. Five hundred million is a lot of money.

(30:59):
And granted, I'm sure sure they're not going to get
it all at one time unless you know otherwise, like that,
this is stuff that we will probably need to find
out in the weeks and months to come. But how
is Utah going to utilize all this money the best
compete in this new landscape?

Speaker 1 (31:16):
Yeah, when Taylor's in the studio, I'm gonna ask him
all these questions and hopefully he's willing to give us
all the answers. But again going back to the point
that we cannot escape from. These guys are sharks. All
of them are sharks. And there's an undeniable reality.

Speaker 5 (31:30):
When you say sharks, I'm flipping it on you, like
you know these you know out of these folks, you
say sharks, What do you mean.

Speaker 2 (31:35):
Well, I'll get there. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (31:36):
The undeniable reality, according to these reports, their exit plan
is in five to seven years. Okay, So whether it's
Utah football or Hilton Hotels or Hooters restaurants, like whatever
it is, whatever you're investing in, chicken Chicken, sandwich easy,
Jim Halper, whatever you're investing in, if you have an
exit strategy that is in five to seven years, if

(31:56):
you're a private equity firm, you are expecting at least
eight percent return at least that in five to seven years.
So the point that you made about, well, what happens
if you taught football suddenly is on hard times? What
happens if we can't get people to the Huntsman Center,
what happens if like all of those points are very
very fair because as you outlined, the bottom line for

(32:17):
all these guys is they're in this to make money.
They're not in this because they love Utah Athletics. They're
not in this because they loved the Sugar Bowl in
two thousand and eight.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
They don't give a rip about any of that. They
give a rip about one thing, and that is the
return they're going to see in five to seven years.
We can't escape that.

Speaker 1 (32:33):
To your point, And what I mean by sharks is
they are in this to pad their already well padded
bank accounts so they can buy their fifth yacht or
their fourth mansion on Long Island. These are just rich capitalists, dude,
That's what they are.

Speaker 5 (32:46):
So in the PE world, we call it an off ramp. Okay,
I just want you to know it. And I understand
that these guys are not smashing bird Ficklan Tape.

Speaker 2 (32:56):
I get correct.

Speaker 5 (32:57):
I get that. And if we do the math, eight
percent of five hundred million in the next five to
seven years is forty million dollars.

Speaker 2 (33:04):
A lot of money.

Speaker 1 (33:04):
Yeah, and probably that's the low end of what you're
expecting to get.

Speaker 7 (33:08):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (33:08):
No, And I absolutely agree. So lots of questions need answers.
I'm with you on the If you are worried about
the sanctity and the moral high ground of what college
athletics represents, you are you're far behind. Yeah, I'm sorry. Yeah,
it change happens. It's it's it can be disheartening for

(33:32):
a lot of people. I get that. My fear is
this only lengthens the disparity between folks who can now
afford to go to these games versus working class people
who can no longer afford to take their son and daughter.

(33:53):
And this is not specific to Utah, granted that this
is something that we have an issue with in this
country across the board, at the pro and college level.
These types of entertainment venues and spectacles are now being
tailored to the uber wealthy, to the lows folks, to
the folks who maybe don't want to eat nachos and

(34:13):
hot dogs, but who would prefer bond me pork sliders.
And you know that I crush bond Me pork sliders.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
Who doesn't?

Speaker 5 (34:21):
But I don't know if I'm if I'm crushing them
at football games or you know, basketball games or whatever.
I mean, this is very low hanging fruit and it's
a bit of a segue. But with the World Cup
draw being announced last week, started looking at tickets. You know,
my dad's from Iran. Want to go watch Iran play.
They have a great draw. Two games in LA, one

(34:43):
in Seattle.

Speaker 2 (34:44):
I honed it on that because of you. I'm like,
I wonder if my guy's going to go.

Speaker 5 (34:46):
The cheapest ticket for any Iran New Zealand World Cup
game in LA how much right now? Upper deck?

Speaker 2 (34:55):
I haven't looked at prices, but the way you're asking it,
I'm going to guess two grand.

Speaker 5 (34:59):
Well, no, it's six hundred dollars. That's still ridiculous, but
lower bowls two grand. There's one set step up for
that game forty thousand dollars forty k.

Speaker 2 (35:08):
So for Iran New Zealand respect, it's a banger recent
that's so fine. Yeah.

Speaker 5 (35:13):
So my worry is that once again this is widening
the scope of folks who are able to buy box seats,
to buy what do we call them sweets? Sweets? You know,
I get it. Those are the folks that are going
to historically fund your programs. Does that change? Now? This

(35:35):
is something nas Taylor. Does this change your pricing model?
Does this allow you to not even necessarily price gouge
the way previous universities felt like they had to in
order to keep up. Does having a five hundred million
dollar fiscal infusion allow you to maybe tone it down
when it comes to pricing because you no longer are really,
you know, looking towards those big donor names that you've

(36:00):
mentioned to say like, we have to keep these folks
happy and in order they're going to cut more checks
for us.

Speaker 1 (36:04):
Yeah, I mean there are typically two playbooks when it
comes to a private equity merger, right, and one is
to actually lower expenses, meaning do you move your merchandise
creation to and this will come in tariffs now come
into play Like will you know you move the factory

(36:26):
that makes Utah Athletics gear to Vietnam now right, So
it's just cheaper, right, So things like that, There is
a playbook that would be lower costs. The more likely playbook,
as you outlined, is again we have to keep in
mind a porter real quick, Will you hop on the mic.

Speaker 2 (36:43):
And remind Chris what the golden rule is that we
adhere to on the drive. Man with the gold makes
the rules.

Speaker 1 (36:48):
That's the golden rule, Chris, We follow it on the
drive Okay, So we have to keep in mind the
man with the gold makes the rules. And even though
Outro will not have the controlling stakes, they are giving
you five hundred million dollars, they're gonna want to say
and what's going on here? And again keeping in mind
that in five to seven years their exit plan will
include a healthy return. The more likely thank you, The
more likely scenario is. As we've outlined, five hundred million

(37:12):
dollars to infuse your teams with talent is a good thing.
Five hundred million dollars to pay players the way that
Texas Tech and BYU can pay players right now is
a good thing. Improving facilities, improving the experience. The consumer
experience will look and feel different pretty quickly. So what
does that mean on the other side that you are
going to be asked to be to pay more for

(37:33):
your consumer experience tickets, food, and BEV merch, parking, whatever
the consumer experience involves. Now with Utah Athletics, chances are
will be more expensive where you tailgate the lots that
you pay for to tailgate. They're probably going to come
up with some sort of consumer experience that involves licensing
and suites and you'll be asked to pay more for those.

(37:55):
If you're a corporate sponsor right now at the University
of Utah, just get ready for the phone call that says, hey,
you paid us two hundred grand for a presence at
the stadium, a signage or whatever. That's now four hundred grand.
So anything around Utah Athletics. The more likely playbook that
this private equity firm is going to demand is everything

(38:16):
gets more.

Speaker 5 (38:17):
Expend the corner bakery, cafe, parking lot, off Guardsman Way.

Speaker 2 (38:21):
Right, Yeah, one hundred percent, all of it there.

Speaker 5 (38:24):
Yeah, it's it's totally understandable, but simultaneously a little troubling
in my mind to see where this could potentially go.
But if anything, I think this turns up the heat
on everybody within the athletic department in terms of if
results don't happen, you're going to have to answer that bell,

(38:45):
maybe a little quicker than in years past. You like,
you're talking about a school that traditionally has given leeway
to its its coaches to kind of persevere and trudge
through tough years to get through the other side, and
more often not they do, especially in football. But what
does this mean for Morgan Scaley when he takes over.

(39:06):
What does this mean for Alex Jensen and his you know,
shiny four or five year contract whatever he signed last year.
These are questions that will need to be answered because
if you cannot, you weren't able to get butts in
the seats at the Huntsman Center before, What do you
do now? How do you do it now?

Speaker 2 (39:22):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (39:23):
If if you if you have this five hundred million
dollar marker on your back. If Utah football starts two
and four next year and people start bailing.

Speaker 2 (39:34):
Yeah, no.

Speaker 1 (39:35):
And your point about the basketball side is well taken,
which is why I am. I have to be led
to believe. And I want to be very clear. There's
so much of this that still needs to you know,
be reported. There's so much of this that needs to
be uncovered. But based off of your point of the
problemat nature of getting people to go to basketball games,
this has to be so heavily laced in football.

Speaker 2 (39:57):
And you know, I was talking to Dave.

Speaker 1 (39:58):
About this, our guy America First Credit Union, and you
know this, Live TV rights in college football have been
on an upboard trajectory for twenty five years.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
That's not slowing down.

Speaker 1 (40:08):
That has to be the biggest portion of what these
private equity guys see to make sure their investment is safe.
Not like, hey, can we get five hundred more people
to go watch the basketball team. It's like, Okay, what
does the Big twelve's TV network deal look like right now?

Speaker 2 (40:23):
And what will it look like in five.

Speaker 1 (40:24):
Years when they renegotiate, And is there a chance Utah
gets the call for the Big Ten. I'm not saying
that that's going to happen if Utah gets the Big
ten invite. These guys have made money hand over fist,
So I wonder if Taylor and Mark talking to the
outro guys say, look, we actually believe in two to

(40:45):
three years there will be a seismic shift and either
we're going to the Big ten or this pro model
that will manifest will include us, And if that happens,
the valuation for Utah football will supersede two to three
billion dollars because of how valuable all the proper I
mean as we'll be.

Speaker 5 (41:01):
My guess would be that Big twelve commissioner Brett Yormark
is happy about this too, because he's been beating that
drum in terms of being innovative and taking steps that
other universities haven't taken in the past, starting with his
you know, taking taking games overseas, uh, you know, partnering
with the WWE, all this stuff. He's he's been pretty

(41:24):
brash about about being innovative. So the fact that one
of his schools has done this and the fact that
others will likely follow will be able to put a
feather in his cap, so to speak. But uh, yeah,
it's it's an I don't Can we call it a
gamble or is it who bye by everybody? Or is
it a a maybe distilled down to just a interesting

(41:46):
business decision.

Speaker 1 (41:47):
No, no, So I'm trying to think, and we'll catch
your break and we'll get we'll continue to pack this
coming up. On the other side, I just knowing the
way these dudes operate, you know, and knowing that this
deal has been negotiated for months now, I can't see
o Cho looking at this as a gamble. They have
to be viewing it as a very sound investment. I

(42:09):
think if there's risk, it's on the other side. I
think if there's risk, it's on the side of the
University of Utah, because you can't spend it any other way.
If you're taking five hundred million dollars. Things are going
to change, they just are.

Speaker 2 (42:21):
So what sort of faith do you have in the
community here that when the email inevitably starts spilling into
the season ticketal they're saying, oh, by the way, thirty
percent up charge next year.

Speaker 1 (42:32):
How many people say yes? And how many people say
I can't. I have budgetary limitations. These tickets were already expensive.
I cannot afford to do what you're asking. If there's
some sort of pushback from this community saying I cannot
invest in your athletic department because I just don't have
the money, that's where it gets sticky. And then you
bring into the other side of this, where, according to

(42:54):
both the Athletic and Yahoo Ross Dellinger, they are making
opportunities for people to buy into this to invest with them. Right,
so you can actually write a check for I don't
know million bucks and you can get some shares and
as one does if you have the scratch because they're
starting in a separate LLC which is for profit. And

(43:14):
if these reports are correct, you know, Chris Camaraddie utah Lum,
maybe you get an email say hey, you got extra
mill Well, if you do send it over and then
you get I don't know how many other how many
shares or pieces of equity in this new product, you know,
this project, and in five to seven years when we exit,
you get paid, right. And so is there enough money
coming in in that direction to make up for the

(43:36):
fact that you might lose a lot of your season
ticket holders who can't afford the upcharge that's coming their way.

Speaker 2 (43:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (43:42):
To me, it ultimately boils down to what we've been
talking about on this show since it started. Is to me,
ninety five percent of fans just want to be able
to root for a product on the field that's awesome,
and they want to be able to brag to their
friends who root for other teams and say my team's
cooler than yours. And they want to be able to
go to a stadium and say, I'm paying this money

(44:03):
so I can watch this awesome team play. Now it's
time to deliver. I don't think. I don't think there's
any I don't I think the days of wiggle room
are vast Yeah, are vastly diminishing.

Speaker 2 (44:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (44:13):
So, to answer your question, I don't feel like, you know,
Outro would take this partnership if they felt like there
was tremendous risk. I do think if there's risk, it's
on the other side. But we'll get back to this.
Chris actually was able to talk to Cookie bro And
there's an angle here where if you're a BYU booster,
are you looking at what Utah just did and saying,
wait a second, I'm not getting ROI I just donated

(44:34):
to the school and what could that mean.

Speaker 2 (44:36):
We'll get to that.

Speaker 1 (44:36):
But my guy, Dave from America First Credit Union is
live in studio. A lot of money conversation on the
show today, but this is good money because we want
to get your money working for you. So make the
switch from your branch or your bank to America First
Credit Union.

Speaker 2 (44:49):
But Dave, we'll start here.

Speaker 1 (44:51):
America First Credit Union, the Charitable Foundation, the thirty first
annual Warm the Souls for Kids.

Speaker 2 (44:56):
What do we have going on? Let's get Dave's mike
on there we go.

Speaker 8 (45:00):
Sorry, we're taking a break from the money and seeing
how we can give back to our community. Spence when
we after we were in business for fifty years, we
thought we need to do something else for our community,
and so we formed the Community Assistance Program, where we
identified programs that needed some support. We've started to create
our own programs, but we've been involved with community support

(45:20):
for quite some time. Our charitable foundation is deeply involved
in helping those communities that are just maybe struggling, and
we focus on things like food, clothing, shelter, safety, education,
those types of things that everybody might experience at some point.
So this is our thirty first year of doing the
Warm the Soul's program. Warm the Souls really is just

(45:43):
a way for us to provide a new pair of
shoes to underprivileged children. And these are kids that have
never had new shoes before, and we had an awesome experience.
You mentioned John Kimball being on the show there on today.
He was at this opportunity. We were in America First Field.
We partner with RSL and the Royals, and we bust

(46:03):
over an entire elementary school. Five hundred and almost fifty
kids came over and they were able to have a
tour of the stadium, get some lunch, and then be
outfitted with a new pair of shoes. And to see
these kids that are just like, I've never had these
before and straighten your toes out, Well, that's not how
we were my shoes. It is now and they were

(46:23):
just floating and there was John right there along with
other executives and players and representatives from America.

Speaker 2 (46:30):
First tie in these.

Speaker 8 (46:31):
Shoes on these kids and just to see the smiles
come to their faces, the joy. They were jumping and
bouncing and running faster and jump on higher and it
was just such a cool experience. Last year, we donated
over four thousand pairs of shoes to forty eight different
schools and organizations across where we do our business. And
our goal this year is just to ensure that no
kid gets left behind. And so it's one of those

(46:53):
heartwarming holiday traditions that we just love.

Speaker 1 (46:56):
So tell me why you decided to go this route shoes.
What motivated to just kind of hone in on this angle.

Speaker 2 (47:03):
Yeah, shoes are important.

Speaker 7 (47:04):
You know.

Speaker 8 (47:04):
You don't think about shoes at least I didn't. I
mean I thought of new pair of shoes, but that
was just one pair of shoes of many that I
had in the closet. These are kids that wear hand
me downs. These are kids that maybe wear their parents'
shoes and if they don't have shoes to wear, then
they're not going to go to school when they don't
go to school, they're not learning. Or when they go
to school with holes in their in their shoes, they
get picked on, they get made fun of, and it

(47:26):
just does not set that kid off for success. And
that's where that's where kids spend most of their time
is in school. And so if we can improve that
experience for them by a simple pair of shoes, lifting
their spirits, giving them some self confidence, boosting them morale,
it's so good. And these are athletic shoes because you know,
it's not only walking to school, but it's also participating

(47:47):
in gym and the extracurricular activities they might be involved in,
or after school activities, and so you know, we'd love
to be able to provide this opportunity and that's why
we engage the community. We have of a QR code.
If you're not a member of America First, you can
scan that QR code on our website and donate. If
you are a member, you can bring in a donation

(48:08):
to a branch or you can make an online donation
through mobile or online banking, and this year we're also
allowing tangible donations as well. If members want to bring
in a new pair of athletic shoes will accept those
and add those to the shoes that we're providing for
these kids. So we found that shoes make a difference.

Speaker 1 (48:26):
So it started November first, but we have until December
thirty first. As Dave reference, you can go into any
branch Chris Comaradi live in studio. Just jam into some
Dave on a Tuesday. No big deal, satellite, thumbs up,
thumbs down, up, all the way up, Big satellite guy.

Speaker 2 (48:41):
Absolute Car's not really a deep track.

Speaker 5 (48:43):
It's a fringe track. Fringe track, right, It's it's one
where at minute eight you kind of feel like, Okay,
we can do this for another eight minutes, you know,
and then minute sixteen you're like, oh, there it is.

Speaker 1 (48:56):
Yeah, yeah, No, you have to stick with the three
bridges exactly, and they really take it at the end.
You know, I'm not I'm not telling you anything you
don't know, all right. Of course, the majority of today's
show will be about this piece of news that came
out earlier today with the University of Utah entering into
what could be a five hundred million dollar equity partnership
with Otro Capital out of Manhattan, out of New York.

(49:18):
It shared ownership of a for profit entity. That's very
important to keep in mind to operate athletics, namely football, basketball,
and gymnastics. You talked to Cookie, Bro, you were able
to get my guyok Bro, he is my guy.

Speaker 5 (49:32):
I thought about you.

Speaker 2 (49:33):
Did you did you share my joke that if a
cookie came to human form he would look that's what
that's what a human cookie looks like.

Speaker 5 (49:40):
I did not. Because I'm a I'm a professional journalist.
I have to remain. I have to remain with some
some semblance of standards. And you can't fault somebody who's
going out of their way to talk to you. Yes,
that's not necessarily a way to you know, improve your
your your persona as a professional journalist. But I thought

(50:01):
of you.

Speaker 2 (50:01):
Do you feel like you give me the same respect
you gave Cookley?

Speaker 5 (50:04):
Well, yeah, you're a journalist.

Speaker 2 (50:05):
I'm more of an entertainer. That's why I can make jokes.

Speaker 1 (50:07):
Okay, So I can make jokes because you know about
pe I do. Yeah, I do off ramps as we've
been over. But one angle here is if it's Jason
what's his name, Jason McGowan, McGowan. If you're Jason McGowan,
if you're Ryan Smith, if you're Danny Ainge, if you're
any of the names that have been linked to donating
money to BYU, it's a different setup.

Speaker 2 (50:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (50:29):
So what Utah has announced is the potential of an Eccles,
a huntsman, a garf or whoever the rich folk are
around here that want to invest in the Utah Athletics essentially.
And look, I need to be careful here because I
don't know if this is how it is articulated. But
my guess would be, hey, instead of just donating to
the Crimson Collective, you can invest with us with outrous

(50:52):
you can invest in this product and then you can
make some money on the back end, so you can
own a piece of what we're doing with BYU.

Speaker 2 (51:00):
That's not how it's working.

Speaker 1 (51:01):
Whether it's Jason o' ryan or Danny, they're just donating
to the school because they love the school, because they
love athletics, and they want to see BYU thrive in
the message of the LDS Church to be move forward.
I just wonder how this news would be met down there.
Do you think anybody's going wait a second, let's figure
out a way where our powerful, rich donors can actually
own a piece of what we do.

Speaker 5 (51:22):
I don't know, because the powerful rich donors at BYU,
I think across the board just have more money combined
than those.

Speaker 2 (51:32):
Like Yeah, they might not even need take They operate.

Speaker 5 (51:34):
In the bees billions. And these are individuals and I think,
you know, there might be one or two of those
associated with Utah. BYU has quite a few. And not
to mention, I think they kind of have the ultimate
in state trump card if they want to use it,
is they are funded by a religious institution that has

(51:56):
a ton of money.

Speaker 2 (51:57):
I think they're doing all right with their investments.

Speaker 5 (51:59):
And if we learned anything within the last week, the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints does care
about BYU athletics in the in the wake of retaining
Kalani Sataki after we were told for years that church
doesn't you know, isn't that involved in in BYU and
doesn't necessarily worry about, you know, the athletic department and

(52:20):
how it kind of represents itself as one of the
flagship for public facing members of the church. Anyways, I
don't necessarily think this is a you know, press the
alarm five alarm fire type deal for b YU just
because they're they're I think they're two totally different fan bases.

(52:43):
Donor bases. You're talking about one that has a billion
dollar cookie industry. You're talking about one who a dude
who owns two professional sports franchises in this in this state.
I would assume that you'll have eventually see something like
this at every school.

Speaker 7 (53:02):
I don't.

Speaker 5 (53:03):
I don't think that in the wake of last week,
BYU puffing its chest and saying we were able to
spend money and Retan Khalani and everybody came together, I
don't think that's diminished. I don't think the glow is faded.
I don't think the glow's faded because they lost to
Texas Tech. But seeing this I don't think necessarily takes
a win out of their sales.

Speaker 1 (53:20):
I agree with you, and I think the bigger point,
if you're byus, you don't need this model.

Speaker 2 (53:26):
Utah needed it. Yep. If we're honest, Utah needed it.

Speaker 1 (53:29):
And I think where a lot of people are panicking today,
if you're a ute fan, you really should look at
this with somewhat of a positive light, because the question
has been like, well, wait a second, who's our Cody Campbell,
who's our Ryan Smith?

Speaker 2 (53:42):
Who's our cookie bro?

Speaker 1 (53:43):
And while I feel like there have been a lot
of Utah donors and boosters that don't go to social
media to say, hey, look at me, I'm going to
pay a fine that wasn't real on their Twitter accounts
and be a little front facing about that.

Speaker 5 (53:55):
Are you are you going after? Are you going after
the cookie guy?

Speaker 1 (53:58):
I think a lot of them just are fine operating
behind the scenes. But again, I cannot read this announcement
any other way than it was out of necessity. I
do believe it is an inevitability and we're going to
hear more deals like this. But I think to your
point about BYU, they might expect we don't need to
do this, like we're fine with what we have.

Speaker 5 (54:16):
You have a problem with with Jason McGowan saying he'd
pay for the storming the first trap was a little
wisten man. He he actually didn't end up having to
pay for it because the Big twelve rescinded the fact.

Speaker 2 (54:28):
That's why I said it wasn't even right.

Speaker 5 (54:30):
Yeah, but he paid for a lot of in state
school lunch debt for kids who.

Speaker 1 (54:36):
Which is awesome, So shout out Cookie bro Okay, thank you,
did he sent out a video of him sending the
check in or just curious.

Speaker 5 (54:43):
One thing that you need to ask Taylor about is
does how does this affect the Crimson Collective? Does the
Crimson Collective still even exist? Absolutely, because in the wake
of the house settlement the summer, a lot of collectives
at schools basically just they were like, we don't we
don't necessarily need to be part of the equation anymore.
Some have. But another interesting part of this whole thing

(55:05):
is the CSC, the College Sports Commission. Nil go, how
is something like this going to affect quote unquote the
cap that may or may not be you know, enforced.
Everything is a moving target because nobody is in charge
of anything. And to your point, this is something that
Utah needed in order to compete with the with the

(55:28):
blue Bloods. Again, I don't I don't know how many
answers will get in the short term because we'll have
to see how they go through various transfer portal cycles,
recruiting cycles, how much what their budget is in terms
of spending on actual football, basketball, women's basketball, gymnastics rosters.

(55:49):
Is that stuff's going to be interesting and they're a
public institution, so eventually that those numbers I think will
be made public.

Speaker 2 (55:55):
The other angle here, because we've been discussing you know,
according to the reports, it's football, it's basketball, and it's gymnastics. Right.
So the good news is because again.

Speaker 1 (56:07):
We're going to continue to repeat the bottom line that
these guys OTRO the new partner's new private equity group
that is now partner with the University of Utah, are
expecting in five to seven years to exit with a
lot of money as a result of what they're giving now.
So because they simply operate off the bottom line and
what's profitable and what isn't and how do we make
what isn't profitable profitable? The fact that they didn't include

(56:29):
these other sports does not make them a line item.
Meaning when these guys come to the table at Hope, well,
it can't because it's not part of it. So when
these guys come to the table, like if you included
soccer and softball and track and field in this partnership,
they'd sit down and say it doesn't make money no more.
But what this allows is football, basketball, gymnastics, and this

(56:50):
money to bankroll the other sports that aren't revenue generators.

Speaker 2 (56:55):
So that's a good that's piece of good news like that.

Speaker 1 (56:57):
I think a lot of people have assumed, in the
wake of all of this capital being infused into college athletics,
it will be at the expense of the products that
don't make money, because that's how private equity works well.

Speaker 5 (57:08):
And if you remember, there was an unfortunate kind of
operating in tandem of during the peak COVID pandemic, a
lot of universities across the nation decided to cut a
lot of these non revenue generating sports because seasons were altered,
they basically couldn't play. The debt was piling up within

(57:29):
athletic departments and universities nationwide. I mean, I don't know
if you remember, but Stanford cut a bunch of or
tried to cut a bunch of, you know, sports that
were not revenue generating sports. But at a school like Stanford,
you're always churning out Olympians in all of these very
small Olympic sports. It happened at a handful of schools.

(57:50):
If you're Utah, if you're if you're an alumnus who
played you know, baseball, if you're an alumna who played softball.
This is I would imagine this is good news because
you don't we can't lose sight. And this is definitely
me high horsing it right now. Like, yes, basketball, football,

(58:11):
and even at a school like Utah, gymnastics make money
and I get that.

Speaker 4 (58:14):
But like.

Speaker 5 (58:17):
That's not all it is. Like I got my start
as a beat writer at the Daily Utah Chronicle covering
track and field in two thousand and seven. Yeah, that
was my job and had to go to track practice
every day. So like in a world where track doesn't
exist at a school like Utah, I might not have
a job and I might not get to where I'm
at right now. Like there's a trickle down effect that

(58:39):
like not only impacts folks student athletes, coaches, but you
know a significant amount of members in the community as well.

Speaker 2 (58:46):
And I think the angle that you're bringing up is
one of the things that a lot of people are
a little bit worried about as far as you know,
losing the things that make collegiate athletics special, just the ability,
Like not everybody plays football, plays basketball, gymnastics, Like you
want the ability if your kid is a cross country
athlete or if your kid's a softball player soccer player,

(59:08):
you want him to potentially be able to do that
in college at the University of Utah. You don't want
everything to go away. And again, as.

Speaker 1 (59:15):
We explore the dangers of the future, if you read
the tea leaves, with all this money coming in, there
is a chance that the people that are writing the
checks will only want to back the things that generate
revenue because that up to the bottom line, and therefore
they'll be able to exit with a lot of money.
So when I read that portion of this agreement, I
actually took it as tremendous good news that if you
are a fan of Utah soccer or Utah baseball or

(59:39):
shout out bethlinarity less the legend, certainly a friend of
the program.

Speaker 2 (59:44):
By the way, yep, it appears that you're in good hands.

Speaker 1 (59:47):
You're safe, you are not in danger of being cut,
even though you don't generate revenue for both the institution
and now your new private equity partners.

Speaker 5 (59:54):
And I would assume that you're also able to maintain
enough healthy, viable financial options through your boosters that if
you need, if you need, folks to donate to those
sports specifically, in the NIO landscape, because it's not like
baseball players aren't getting paid in college baseball.

Speaker 4 (01:00:16):
Right.

Speaker 5 (01:00:17):
The best team in college baseball last year, LSU paid
a lot of money for that team.

Speaker 2 (01:00:20):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:00:20):
Yeah, So it's like, if you want to remain competitive,
you're still going to have to find a way to
pay your players, even in those sports that aren't necessarily
revenue generating.

Speaker 1 (01:00:27):
Yeah, And a lot of that comes down to the
magic bullet of like a Cody Campbell saying, Yah, go
pay a million bucks for that softball pitcher and we'll
go to the College World Series. You need somebody that
you know, like a Dale Murphy type who loves baseball,
who can call these people and say, look, I want
to buy into this, but my five million dollars goes
to the baseball program.

Speaker 7 (01:00:46):
Right.

Speaker 1 (01:00:47):
Otherwise the majority of this revenue will go to the
sports that generate revenue. But because there's enough revenue that
generated in cash infusion, if you're not on the revenue
generating side, does appear that you're safe. But I want
one of the things that I think is a little
bit well, A it's fluid and B it's.

Speaker 2 (01:01:04):
Kind of unknown.

Speaker 1 (01:01:05):
So on one side you have the ability to partner
with Utah and Otroka. You can buy into the project,
you can buy equity into it, you can buy shares
or whatever it is, and then when the exit happens,
you have the ability to make money on the other side.
So there will be a portion of our community that
already has been asked or will be given the opportunity

(01:01:26):
to have a partnership in that direction. But what I
don't know the answer to is the portion of our
community that's not in that group that gets the email
that your season tickets are now thirty percent more.

Speaker 2 (01:01:38):
Oh you like the tailgate, Well it cost I don't
even know.

Speaker 1 (01:01:40):
We'll just say it cost twenty thousand last year, it
costs fifty thousand this year. What will be the response
of that portion of our community, because I do think
that's a portion that needs to be serviced and taken
care of. And when it comes to the shark nature
of this stuff, they're fine feasting on the people. And
if you don't want to be a part of it, sorry,
if you can't afford it, we're just going to kick
you aside.

Speaker 5 (01:02:01):
So I should have sent you this story earlier last month.
My colleague Matt Baker and I shout out mainly Mainly
Matt did a story on the rising costs of college
athletics for fans. But Matt is based in Florida. He
covers Florida, Florida State in Miami, and we told it
through the lens of Flora Florida State fan who her

(01:02:24):
name was Ann, retired school teacher like eighty three years old.
It's been going to games for like sixty years, and
she's priced out and like her kids who are in
their fifties and sixties were like mom loves the seminoles
more than anybody in the world. We can't afford to
do this anymore. So not only can you potentially and
I'm not saying this is going to happen at Utah,
but when you potentially price out one family member, you

(01:02:48):
can price out an entire family. Like generations are affected
by this stuff because kids are kids who are lucky
enough to grow up going to games or watching games
on TV want to continue to be involved with their fandom,
whether it be in person or on TV. How How
are those folks affected when when the bottom line comes
That's what I mentioned earlier last segment, like you have

(01:03:10):
you have to not necessarily play kate to the folks
who are eating the Bondme sliders. And I understand that
you have to because those are the folks that are
paying money for the expensive seats and help you, you know,
get out of the red not the blare you go,
you got it. But there are how many how many
seats at Recycle Stadium now.

Speaker 2 (01:03:32):
Like forty eight like something like that.

Speaker 5 (01:03:33):
Yeah, how many of those folks are not doing the
bondme sliders? The majority of them?

Speaker 2 (01:03:39):
Yeah, you know, the other piece of danger here.

Speaker 1 (01:03:41):
And I again, I want to be clear, I'm not
saying this is going to happen, but we have to
kind of discuss all the layers here and the the
other possibilities. I can promise you that when it comes
to these new partners, when it comes to Outro Capital,
that Alex Shiner isn't back in Manhattan wondering what the
experience of the must looks like.

Speaker 2 (01:04:01):
They don't give a rip.

Speaker 1 (01:04:02):
There's a chance the student section is also approached differently.
There's a chance that they're moved, and there's a chance
that they're asked to pay a lot more than they're
being paid right now for the tickets your private equity
partner isn't concerned.

Speaker 2 (01:04:14):
About how the must looks on television.

Speaker 1 (01:04:16):
They'll look at that section when they're watching a Utah
football game and say, how much are we charging them
the third down jump? Third down jump? And how much
can we up charge them? And what's that line look like?
Because we want them there, but we also want them
to pay more money. And then what do the students
say if suddenly the student deal just goes away. So
that's a possibility.

Speaker 5 (01:04:36):
So you're doing a really good job of last segment,
you said the world is an ending, but right now
you're also painting it like, oh, it could potentially be
a little ikey.

Speaker 2 (01:04:46):
Well, there's good to this and there's potential danger, and.

Speaker 5 (01:04:49):
The truth always lies somewhere where in the middle.

Speaker 1 (01:04:51):
And I'll continue to say that your consumer experience is
going to look different, and you are going to be
asked to pay to pay more for your consumer experience.
If you want an example, when's the last time you
went to a jazz game? Okay, So Ryan Smith his
private equity partners, they come over, they take over from.

Speaker 2 (01:05:07):
The Millers, and initially it's like, well, we're not going
to change much. They change everything.

Speaker 1 (01:05:11):
They changed the building, they changed the team, they changed
the personnel. So are you enjoying the jazz experience? Maybe
you enjoy the new building, Maybe you enjoy the new suites,
maybe you enjoy.

Speaker 2 (01:05:21):
The upgraded food.

Speaker 1 (01:05:23):
The team sucks, okay, So like things are going to
change when new ownership and new money is involved. And
I don't know what that looks like for Utah yet.
Only time will tell.

Speaker 5 (01:05:30):
But at least it's the Delta Center.

Speaker 1 (01:05:33):
And it is the Delta Center, you it is the
Delta Center. Yeah, I mean, look, corporate sponsorships will change,
like the feel around the stadium is going to change.

Speaker 2 (01:05:43):
Things are going to be different. I'm not running from that.

Speaker 5 (01:05:46):
Well and again all of this, I mean, you can
distill this down to the results will matter now more
than ever because people are not going to pay an
arm and a leg to go watch a team that
either can't run the ball or can't stop the run,
or is not playing a you know, enticing brand of

(01:06:07):
football on either side of the ball. This is just
not gonna happen. Lived here a long time, I've seen
I've seen sports fans leave Utah when Utah's bad. I've
seen them leave BYU when they're bad and they've left
the Jazz when they're bad, you got to prove it
to them. This is this is this is not a
state that's just going to show up for the sake
of showing up. It is just not And I don't

(01:06:28):
blame them.

Speaker 2 (01:06:28):
Yeah, no, you're right. Irrelevant Fact of the day.

Speaker 1 (01:06:32):
Alb Scheider, the partner and co founder of Otro Capital,
went to the same high school.

Speaker 2 (01:06:36):
As Kobe Bryant. There you go, Lower Marion.

Speaker 5 (01:06:39):
It means I think we know somebody else who went
to I.

Speaker 1 (01:06:42):
Don't think we do. But uh, all right, last thing, Chris, Uh,
Texas Tech's best team in the Big twelve have been
all year. Were you surprised to see them just curb
stomp BYU?

Speaker 5 (01:06:53):
The The game was uglier than by you played. And
I'm not making excuses because Texas Tech is this appear team.
They have the superior defense. By BYU's defense played phenomenally
in both those games despite having the score being so
one sided. Like I think, my colleague Chris Venini at

(01:07:14):
some point in the third or fourth quarter said, out
of ten red zone trips that Texas Tech had against
BYU and the two games that they've played, they'd scored
two touchdowns and that was before like the third and
fourth turnover, so maybe they maybe that changed. But you're
taking a true freshman quarterback against one of the best
defenses in the country, and as soon as Bear got hurt,

(01:07:34):
as soon as he rolled his ankle, it was over. Yep,
because you're not You're not going to put in McKay Hillstead,
who's seen not zero minutes this year against you know,
a front four that has four future pros on it.
It is what it is, like, I'm going to I'm
going to give Clark Lely, Vanderbilt head coach, a whole
lot of flowers praise. He said, you we only have

(01:07:56):
one person to one team to blame for being left
out of the playoff. That's us because we lost the teams.
We lost the games that we should have won. Yeah,
if they would have beat Alabama, they would have been in.
If b why you would have beat Texas Tech one time,
they would.

Speaker 2 (01:08:08):
Have been in.

Speaker 5 (01:08:08):
If Utah would have beat BYU or Texas Tech, ye
would have been in.

Speaker 2 (01:08:12):
No, you're not wrong.

Speaker 5 (01:08:12):
Let's we need to stop casting the blame elsewhere. Man,
grow up? Who are these people? I have to teach
my three year old and how to lose, and these
guys can't figure out a way to do it and
they're making millions of dollars.

Speaker 2 (01:08:25):
Come on, yeah, we always want someone to blame. K Well, look,
you traversed the space beautifully.

Speaker 1 (01:08:31):
Your succession binge watching paid off to be able to
speak the financial language.

Speaker 2 (01:08:35):
Thanks for the time, man.

Speaker 5 (01:08:36):
I was going to send you the jiff of that's
it's inappropriate.

Speaker 2 (01:08:41):
I'll send it to me.

Speaker 1 (01:08:42):
Just remember I'm on there live until six, all right,
before we catch goodbye Chris, before we catch a break,
my guy Dave America First Credit Union live in studio.
Is all of this financial conversation are your eyes glossing over?

Speaker 2 (01:08:55):
Is this is boring for you?

Speaker 6 (01:08:56):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:08:56):
This is intriguing.

Speaker 5 (01:08:57):
You know.

Speaker 8 (01:08:57):
I'm a Utah fan. I love I love the Crimson.
It just it's it's heartwarming to know, but it's it
makes me uneasy.

Speaker 2 (01:09:06):
I think it's fair, you know. I mean when you
think about.

Speaker 8 (01:09:08):
If if there's an eight percent return, it's five hundred
and forty million dollars, they got to be.

Speaker 2 (01:09:13):
Able to give back.

Speaker 8 (01:09:14):
Yeah, and if they're out in five to seven years,
how's that stuff all going to work. So it's intriguing
to me to see how it's going to work. But yeah,
it's about dollars. Yeah, and that's a that's a tough
prospect for our community.

Speaker 1 (01:09:26):
I think I want to Since you're a Utah fan,
let me ask you this question. Would your consumer experience
change when you're watching your college football team and you
realize that essentially they're just professional athletes wearing the Utah
red that you love as opposed to Alex Smith or
Brian Johnson.

Speaker 2 (01:09:44):
You know that you knew they were here for three
four years.

Speaker 1 (01:09:47):
I love Utah football and now you're more or less
watching mercenaries just wearing the colors that you cheer for.

Speaker 2 (01:09:52):
Does that change the experience? It does? I think.

Speaker 8 (01:09:55):
I think for me personally, what's changed sports for me
is probably nil and fantasy. I grew up cheering for
a team, cheering for a color, cheering for a squad,
cheering for everybody, and now it seems to be more
about individuals, and so that's changed it for me. And
so the jersey that you get could be obsolete in
a year. Yeah, noh, it's it's unfortunate.

Speaker 1 (01:10:17):
We'll dig back into this, but it's Tuesday today that
we're going to talk about Fridays America First Fridays.

Speaker 2 (01:10:23):
Dave tell us about it.

Speaker 8 (01:10:24):
Oh, this is something that we started this year, Spence,
that is really a great deal for sports fans. You
know when we talk about the cost of sports and
what it takes to have a family experience, we dialed
into that and said, how can we help lift and
so we have great partners with Utah Mammoth and the
Utah Jazz to help improve that experience. So we have
these America First Fridays where the first Friday of every

(01:10:47):
month we launch a new deal. And we're so grateful
for the for the Mammoth and Jazz for for helping
us do this. So last Friday we launched a great
deal where we can get some exclude, lusive offers and
exclusive deals for a Mammoth game. This Mammoth game. You

(01:11:07):
can enjoy this deal if you're a member of America First.
It's not for the general public and so this is
a member deal only, but you can get single goal
view tickets to watch Utah Mammoth go head to head
against the Winnipeg Jets on December twenty first. Yes, what
an awesome Christmas present that you could give your kids
when you just need a deal and you want to
go see you know, go see the Mammoth play.

Speaker 2 (01:11:26):
So tusks up for that one. Very nice.

Speaker 1 (01:11:28):
And then as far as the jazz side of things,
you also released a new Jazz debit card that's very
handsome as well.

Speaker 8 (01:11:33):
Yeah, oh that's a pretty card. Yeah, this is our
second purple card. I believe this is our fifth Affinity
card that we've done. But it's pretty, It's really nice
and pretty. And so yeah, the Jazz are also on
board with offering these exclusive America First member deals and so.

Speaker 2 (01:11:50):
You can get some you can get some tickets.

Speaker 8 (01:11:54):
One of those offers was already played on Sunday, December
seventh against the Oklahoma City Thunder. So there's two more
games you can get some deals on for the December
fifteenth against the Dallas Mavericks and then December twentieth against
Orlando Magic. And so these are fantastic offers that you
get when you're a member of America First. In addition

(01:12:14):
to those ticket offers, and it'll be different every month,
this month, you can also enter to win a two
hundred and fifty dollars team gift card, Team store gift cards.

Speaker 2 (01:12:25):
A lot of money Christmas on the way.

Speaker 8 (01:12:26):
Yeah, I'll get your jersey, go get you some team
merch That's pretty awesome. So we're excited for this. Become
a member of America First. Watch out for those deals.
The next deals coming up on January sixth, so it's
always that first Friday of the month.

Speaker 2 (01:12:39):
Why is it good to be a member? Simpul? Question
for you, Dave, Why is it good to be a
member of America First Credit Union.

Speaker 8 (01:12:45):
Yeah, we strive to provide the very best products and
services to help you out financially. But beyond the financial
security and stability, we want to provide you with a
sense of trust in who you do your finances with.
And that's what we strive to do. That's what we've
strived to do for the last eighty six years, is
to provide some of that financial stability. In addition to that,
we look for ways where we can benefit the community.

(01:13:07):
We benefit you, we benefit your kids, We benefit through
you know, we talked about the worm the souls, but
also food donations, backpack donations. We do this awesome scholarship
program all throughout the year where we're benefiting kids that
are just awesome, and it makes them strive to be better.
It helps them look for ways that they can give
back to their community, be a leader, be studious, and

(01:13:29):
improve their situation life so that they're going to be set,
you know, in their employment, in their careers. And so
it's it's great to be a part of that, and
we welcome anybody to come and be a part of
America First.

Speaker 1 (01:13:39):
Join America First Credit Union today to unlock and take
advantage of these offers and many great deals. Be on
the lookout for the next America First Friday offer. On
January two, twenty twenty six, Andy Larson joined.

Speaker 2 (01:13:51):
Us from the trip. We'll do a little jazz today.

Speaker 1 (01:13:54):
John Tembole, president of Real Salt Lake, is going to
join us. The up to date situation, Lio Messi joining
the market. We've done college football for the first hour
and forty minutes of the show. Of course, the big
news today about Utah Athletics partnering with a new private
equity firm.

Speaker 2 (01:14:12):
We'll get back to that.

Speaker 1 (01:14:13):
But our friends are the Fierce Fighting Championships are live
in studio once again.

Speaker 2 (01:14:17):
The founder Zach Partridge. How are you man good? How
are you good? To see it, and then the broadcaster
Blake o'really and what's up? Blake?

Speaker 1 (01:14:24):
Happy to be here, man thinks, good to see you
guys as always, all right, educating Zach about the card.
What's the most exciting thing about this card coming up
on Friday?

Speaker 7 (01:14:33):
This card is a really unique one.

Speaker 10 (01:14:34):
The balance difference of so we have we have a
bunch of fighters. We have twelve fighters making their amateur debuts,
so this is their first time that they've ever made
this walk. So most cards there's a few debuters and
then there's some established amateurs, then early on pros, and
then the veteran pros. This card, the way it just
kind of like worked out is it's frontloaded with a

(01:14:55):
bunch of amateur debutersk which those fights are sometimes the
most exciting, uh, because you know, you don't know what
you're gonna get with those guys. And then at the
top of the card, we have probably the pound for
pound top one or two fighters in the entire state
with Joe Harrow cool. So it's like it's that and
it's kind of everything in between. Got a couple of
amateur title fights. It's a lot of fun. But yeah,

(01:15:17):
the debuters, it's sometimes they're my favorite ones because you
get these guys in the room that are they don't
movie coaches don't know if they're ready. So a lot
of it's just throw them in there and let's see,
and they usually are and they they you know, it's
that fight or flight thing and and you know they
most of them just fight and they do really well
and they end up being some of the best fights
on the card.

Speaker 1 (01:15:37):
Now you're a fighter too, So when it comes to
like ignorance is bliss, yeah, type dynamic, maybe you're just
I don't mean this disrespectfully, No, you're just too dumb
to know that you're in danger.

Speaker 2 (01:15:47):
So just go do your thing.

Speaker 10 (01:15:49):
You're pretty well inept to know that the type of danger,
like if you're trying to get the gyms that you
know that are they're at locally getting ready for these fights.
I mean, at least at our Jim like I mean,
I I I was. I I'll never forget my first
My first card was almost eight years ago this week Yeah,

(01:16:11):
just eight years ago this weekend was my first fight.

Speaker 2 (01:16:13):
Did you know what you were getting into?

Speaker 10 (01:16:15):
Kind of but it but also like so the main
I was one of the I think the first or
second fight on the card, just like these guys are okay,
my main event was Ben MOA you fought Ben Mo,
No like he was the main event and he's one
of my teammates. Ben Mo is one of my teammates
that I trained with. It's a good guy to have
you have your back. So like going through the process
with somebody like Ben made it a lot easier. But

(01:16:35):
I mean the whole time, I just kept trying to
remind myself every time I get kind of freaked out
because you do like you're sitting in the back and dude,
it's it is. It is an experience unlike any other.
But I just kept telling myself, I'm like, well, this guy,
no matter what, he's not gonna hit me as hard
as Ben, because I went through the whole camp with
Ben and he was beat the crap out of me.

Speaker 4 (01:16:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (01:16:56):
So so it's just a lot of you kind of know.
But there MMA is growing and it's becoming more popular,
and so these guys do know more and more what
they're getting themselves into. You just don't know until the
ref goes. Are you ready?

Speaker 7 (01:17:12):
You just you don't know if you have that in
you and if.

Speaker 2 (01:17:16):
You're ready, Yeah, yeah, Blake.

Speaker 1 (01:17:19):
Tell me about Joel Joel Harrow, who, as Zach was
just outlining the number one MMA prospect in Utah.

Speaker 2 (01:17:24):
What sort of fighter is no.

Speaker 11 (01:17:26):
I actually got the chance to interview him just a
couple of weeks ago, and we were talking and I
kind of said, you are the guy out of Utah
right now six and two thirty one years of age,
has a whole bunch of knockouts and is one of
the most electrifying strikers that you will ever see on
any landscape in this sport. So he has been kind
of one of the top guys in Utah for a while,
but right now is really his time to go if

(01:17:47):
he wants to make it to that next level, which
again he told me, it's basically UFC your bust at
this point.

Speaker 2 (01:17:52):
So Friday night it's gonna be a big test.

Speaker 1 (01:17:53):
For one one hundred and forty pounds catch weight, that's
what that's called. When it comes to three rounds, five
minutes when it comes to his opponent. Tell me about
Owen Robinette, who's up against Yeah, Owen Robinette out of Montana.
Twenty fights over the course of the last four years,
between his amateur and professional career, a ninety two percent

(01:18:14):
submission rate between his amateur and pro careers, and as
a pro he's only submitted guy. So he certainly poses
some problems for a guy like Joel Harrow, who is
such a good striker. Owen Robinette also coming in on
a couple weeks, notice a little bit of a late replacement.
That all being said, he brings a cyclone of submission attacks.
So really excited to see him as well. What do
you make in the match up, Zach when it comes

(01:18:35):
to Joel taking on Owen?

Speaker 10 (01:18:36):
So it's really interesting. So I've actually cornered a couple
of times against Owen. Every one's fought one of my
teammates a couple of times, and that's how I got
to know him and come to like him and respect him. Right,
I've watched he fought one of the top prospects in
Utah and one of my teammates, and.

Speaker 7 (01:18:51):
When I reached out to Owen.

Speaker 10 (01:18:54):
So that's why it's one hundred and forty Catchwaight, I'm
not a fan of catchweights generally.

Speaker 2 (01:19:00):
You help me understand what that means.

Speaker 10 (01:19:01):
So every fighter has weight classes, right, So the flyweights
won twenty five. Joel is a naturally, he's a one
thirty five band, so he weighs in it one thirty five.
Owen has been fighting anywhere from forty five to fifty five,
making his way down to thirty five right now. That's
where he knows he needs to be little short notice
for him to diet down and prep his body to

(01:19:21):
be able to make one hundred and thirty five pound limit.
Last thing you want to do when you take a
fight on short notice is coming in misweight and give
up part of your purse, which is a penalty for pros.
Just like you see in the UFC. You misweight, you
give up a percentage of your purse to the opponent.
He doesn't want to, he said, I've never cut to
thirty five. I don't want to do it on short notice.
We agreed one hundred and forty pound catchway with Joel Harrow.

(01:19:44):
He's scrappy, he's fun and like he's game. He's there
for it. You want to talk about these amateurs that
don't know what they're getting themselves into. Kids like Owen Robinett.
This is like him and his older brother, who's a
very good well to weight prospect of one hundred and
seventy pounds. They've been raised through this. They eat, breathe sleep, this.
They go to the gym together every day. His his
wife trains with him like this is this is his life.

(01:20:07):
And he is just scrappy as as I'll get out.
So for somebody like Joel that likes to he has
a Joel has a really clean, smooth, pretty style. He's electric.
I mean we just dropped a promo. I mean he
is the master of spinning back elbow. He's had highlight
reel after highlight reel with spinning elbows. And uh, you know,
owns the type of kid that he likes to make

(01:20:29):
me in your face, make it ugly, make it like
like a scrap.

Speaker 7 (01:20:33):
So very interesting matchup stylistically.

Speaker 1 (01:20:36):
And you said, Joel, hey, he has six fights or
eight fights and six and two yep.

Speaker 2 (01:20:41):
And Owen, did you say has twenty fights?

Speaker 7 (01:20:44):
Blake said, between his amateur and pro career.

Speaker 11 (01:20:46):
So four and three is a professional, extensive amateur.

Speaker 1 (01:20:50):
So oh and I'll go to you on this one.
I don't know who Zeke Latu is. He just sounds dangerous. Oh,
he most certainly is. He is an absolute tank six
and four the pro record all wins by finish, five
of them by knockout. He's coming off a thirteen second
knockout at the Maverick Center in August. This guy packs
so much power behind every single punch, and when he wins,
he celebrates by pounding both of his fists in the

(01:21:12):
center of the cage and being cage side, you can
literally feel a ripple from the power that this guy possesses.
So always exciting to see Zeke law Tu inside of
any cage. And this is his first time at the
Masonic Temple. Typically he fights the Maverick Center, but being
in that smaller confined space, it's gonna be really interesting.
I feel like the audience might feel and hear some
more of the.

Speaker 4 (01:21:32):
Power that he has.

Speaker 2 (01:21:33):
How big did you say it was?

Speaker 11 (01:21:34):
He's a heavyweight, So he walks around anywhere between two
thirty five and two sixties typically where he tips the scales.

Speaker 2 (01:21:40):
All right, you don't want to get hit by closer.

Speaker 5 (01:21:43):
Yeah, he's he's a big he's a big fighter.

Speaker 2 (01:21:44):
Tell me, Zach about the opponent, Jared Torgens and who
he's up against.

Speaker 10 (01:21:49):
Yeah, that's what we're trying. So this is Jared's another late,
late replacement. We're still in the final stages of trying
to complete it for this weekend.

Speaker 7 (01:21:57):
That's so you are.

Speaker 10 (01:21:58):
We're live in the mix right now. So there's a
whole lot that goes on to Zeke's original opponent unfortunately,
has forty plus fights, has fought tons of people, has
ghosted us as of Monday, has gone radio silent on us.

Speaker 2 (01:22:14):
And do you think you saw the video?

Speaker 7 (01:22:16):
You know what?

Speaker 10 (01:22:17):
Honestly, honestly, most people yes, but a guy like this no.
But there's no telling. Like you know, the fighters are,
they're they're their own creatures in a lot of ways,
and you just you don't know what's going on in
their personal life, just like you you know you we
see you see these jazz players, right and and you
might know if something seems off, you might know what's
going on their personal life. Everybody else does it. Fighters

(01:22:39):
are no different. And fighting in front of a crowd
when there's a bunch of other distractions going on and
the consequences are getting separated from consciousness, the stress is
just a little bit different. And unfortunately his first opponent,
just for whatever reason, whatever's going on is life, decided
that fighting was at the time, and his answer to

(01:22:59):
that was go radio silent. But Jared is one of
those guys that fighting is like an ecosystem. You have
to have those guys that are willing to step in
on short notice. We're working through details with contracts, athletic commission, medicals,
all that type of stuff, try to sort it out.

Speaker 7 (01:23:14):
But Jared's game as they get. He's been around.

Speaker 10 (01:23:17):
He has almost fifty fights himself as a pro, very experienced, crafty, veteran.

Speaker 2 (01:23:21):
Type face UFC guys.

Speaker 10 (01:23:24):
Yeah, you know a couple of UFC guys and has
some whims over some really good guys. So if we
can get this done and that does be our our
co main event, in fact, it'd be a lot of fun.
If not, we will see Zeke probably the first part
of twenty twenty six very nice.

Speaker 1 (01:23:38):
What are the u I've been reading that there are
titles at stake, So what are the title fights on
the card?

Speaker 10 (01:23:43):
So the first one is Dante Morales versus Deetrich Jessup.
Dante is an undefeated flyway prospect here in Utah. He's
from Miami originally moved out here, and he's probably one
of the top three amateur prospects in the state. Yeah,
I mean, I think that's that's without question. He uh no,

(01:24:05):
nobody's figured out how to beat him yet. And yeah,
he's pretty good. He's beaten some guys that have gone
on that it's like he beat him early on and
we realized how well those wins have aged. Just really tough, durable,
all around like he's just I mean, they we use
the phrase he's just a dog. Like he's a dog
like he likes to get in the mix. Challenger Dietrich

(01:24:28):
Jessup a young man that I've trained with. He is,
he's just We've watched him grow up since he was eighteen.
He's fought most of his amateur career with us at
fierce and uh, you know, he wants to go pro.
But the one thing he hasn't captured is I believe
he's oz and too in title fights before he goes pro.
He wants to capture that title and he's every bit
the uh the challenger for this. I think it's gonna
be a great, great matchup to kick off our main.

Speaker 2 (01:24:50):
Card and then Blake will go to you on this one.

Speaker 1 (01:24:53):
Michael Pfeiffer laying Dalton looks like it's a middleweight title
Uh five rounds three minutes. So the additional rounds is
that because it's a championship fight?

Speaker 2 (01:25:03):
Correct?

Speaker 4 (01:25:03):
Correct?

Speaker 11 (01:25:04):
And I won't bury the lead here. I think this
is the most excited I've ever been for an amateur
fight at Fears Fighting Chimp. Really, Lane Dalton is an
unbelievable prospect out of Eagle, Idaho. He's five to one
and one no contest. He hasn't lost since September of
twenty twenty three. On the flip side, Michael Pheiffer, he
hasn't lost since his debut years ago as well. So
Feiffer is the bigger, longer, six foot four prospect at middleweight.

(01:25:27):
Lane Dalton is our current amateur welterweight champion and so
he's moving up a weight class and he's looking to
be one of three ever in FEARCEFC history to claim
that double champ status. And when you talk to Lane,
he is so certain of how this fight is going
to play out. He's more so of a grappler, but
also has very strong punching power. And then Michael Pheiffer
is kind of crafty a lot like Joel Harrow. Really
fun his striking is beautiful but also knows how to

(01:25:49):
keep it on the feed and that six foot four
frame really poses a lot of problems for people. So
all in all, the matchup is just kind of perfect
here on paper, and so both guys think that they
have everything that it takes to get the job done.

Speaker 4 (01:26:02):
We'll just see how it plays out on.

Speaker 1 (01:26:04):
Is this rundown you're giving me in order of how
the fights? So the so the main card is right
off the top? No, no, no, it's bottom up bottoms. Okay,
I was gonna say that would be a different approach
because you don't want people to bounce after watching the
better fights. All Right, one more hit from each of you,
Zach will go to you just as far as the
other fighters who we haven't highlighted, who give me one

(01:26:24):
or two that stand out to you?

Speaker 10 (01:26:25):
And why so I'm gonna go to the amateur heavyweight matchup.
We have two amateur heavyweights that are making the amateur debuts.

Speaker 2 (01:26:32):
Ethan oh Duke will there you go go to the broadcaster.

Speaker 10 (01:26:36):
And Byron sneed these two. So when we're matching former
college football players, Byron sneed his his uh. His coach
came to me and he goes, I have this guy,
he's six' five about two, seventy ready to, fight And i'm,
like that's a giant. Human SO i, GO i do
a Little google. Research played football At South Alabama, state you, know,

(01:26:57):
physically And i'm, like you, know guys like the, there
you can't really match them up with another debutor because
they're just an elite, level elite level athletes IN. Mma
it's just a little, different Little ben mo, esque, Right
like we haven't seen him in the, cage but that's
that's Where ben comes, from right as football player and.
Transition So i'm sitting there, GOING i can't just give
him to another guy making his. Debut and his coach's, like,

(01:27:19):
well you, know, fighter he's pretty. Green i'm, like, yeah
but it's pretty athletic and probably hits really. Hard i'm,
like let me find. Something and THEN i hear about
your Friend sean O'Connell and, uh you, know we were
just on with and a couple other guys that we
have trained. With This ethan kid who is six, four
two fifty with a six, pack played college, basketball doing

(01:27:40):
standing backflips at the gym things like. That just a freak,
athlete AND i was, Like i've got the perfect guy
for these guys to make their debuts against each. Other
so we have two college, athletes one, basketball one football
that are both freak athletes at real. Heavyweights most a
lot of heavyweights are kind of a little solid after
in the midsection and eventually going to find their correct weight.

(01:28:03):
Class these two real, HEAVYWEIGHTS i think for me on
the amateur side of things with, debuers that's What i'm
the most.

Speaker 11 (01:28:10):
Exciting And i'll say this really. QUICKLY i Apologize i've
joked about. This if you were to go INTO ai
and prompt like create AN mma fight poster of TWO mma,
heavyweights you would get what these two guys look. LIKE i,
mean they look LIKE. Superheroesvn so very excited for that.

Speaker 2 (01:28:25):
One. NOW i just pulled up a picture Of Byron.
Sneed he's a beast that is a, big big. Boy
so that should be a lot of. Fun all, right
one more hit from each of. You let's just sell the, Experience,
Blake let's start with. You the, atmosphere the, environment The Masonic.
Temple why should people show up On friday?

Speaker 11 (01:28:41):
Night it's an unbelievable event and we're already tracking to
do very, well potentially a sellout On friday, night and
when that place is, packed there is literally no other
viewing experience like it in all of sports In. Utah
so if you can get a, ticket you might want
to be sitting in your seats throughout the entirety of
these fourteen fights because it is going to be loud
from the very. TOP i mean That Ethanojuku Byron's sneed.

(01:29:01):
Fight there is a lot of people coming out for that.
One Joel, harrow so many people are in his corner
and so very excited to see a lot of local.
Talent and that all being, Said fredick just can't get
here soon.

Speaker 2 (01:29:11):
Enough Zach funnelward is. Yours you're the, Founder you're the
driving force behind The Fierce Fighting. Championships why should people show?

Speaker 7 (01:29:18):
Up not?

Speaker 10 (01:29:18):
FOUNDER i Just i'm THE. COO i run. It But
Cody bunderson's the. Founder got to Hear. Cody gotta Give
cody the, credit but uh, no Uh Fierce Fighting championship Dot.
Com since we've gotten this straightened away, too if you
go To Feerce Fighting championship Dot com for, tickets put
in promo CODE espn at checkout for five dollars off
on your.

Speaker 7 (01:29:37):
Ticket nice for every ticket that. Goes so there's.

Speaker 10 (01:29:40):
That LIKE i, SAID i tell, everybody if you haven't
SEEN Mma live, before come give it a, try because
if you, do you will get.

Speaker 7 (01:29:48):
Hooked you will enjoy the. EVENT i.

Speaker 10 (01:29:50):
Promise if you, don't come find, me we'll make it right.
Somehow but you're gonna. Love it's a great thing For friday.

Speaker 7 (01:29:56):
Night come. Out you HAVE r AND R. Barbie thank. You,
there we have, drinks we have. Everything it's a good.
Time come. Watch we have STAT carb thirteen. Fourteen fights
can be fun.

Speaker 1 (01:30:07):
There you, go doors open at five, o'clock the fights
being at six. O'clock you go To Fierce Fighting championship dot.
Com oh, okay take the money and.

Speaker 2 (01:30:16):
RUN i see what you're doing in, there young.

Speaker 1 (01:30:19):
Man all, Right John kimball is gonna roll by the
latest With LIONEL messi To Salt.

Speaker 2 (01:30:25):
LAKE rsl made a couple of coaching moves. Today thomas
and a lavae the, Verb Andy, larson the verb is
no longer on, Staff, yeah who obviously.

Speaker 4 (01:30:36):
Disappointing, well homoson a lava is an ourself in but
you know it depends where they.

Speaker 1 (01:30:41):
Hire, yeah, yeah so some interesting news FROM. Rslf of,
course that is the dulcet tones Of Andy larsen from
The Salt Lake.

Speaker 2 (01:30:47):
Tribune you have found.

Speaker 1 (01:30:49):
Yourself in the college football ecosystem as of. LATE i
noticed on social it's a dangerous group of folk to
get involved, with especially the level you've been.

Speaker 2 (01:30:57):
Involved what's this been like for?

Speaker 4 (01:30:59):
You, yeah look, ME i think it's fair to say
college football fans are. PASSIONATE i think it's fair to
say that they are sometimes one sidedly passionate in the
fans that they. Support and in particular last, week, uh you,
know hundreds OF byu fans were mad at me for
Criticizing Dave portnoy for his provo utah, bit which is a,
bit you, know and that's always pointing out right like you,

(01:31:21):
know so, anyway but, uh you, KNOW I i that's
that's the name of the. Game we we write to sports,
Fans we give. Takes sometimes people don't, agree we we move.

Speaker 1 (01:31:33):
On it is pretty wild that THE byu community has
embraced somebody with THE cd moral compass Like Dave.

Speaker 4 (01:31:42):
Portnoy, well you, know they also Brought conor McGregor in
last year and celebrated him as. Well, yeah, look it's uh,
yeah you, KNOW i think that's kind of what it
points out to, me is that for a lot of by,
fans AND i think a lot of college sports, fans and,
HECK i EVEN i would say this To jazz fans as,
well the team is the number one thing you can

(01:32:03):
put everything else. Aside if the team aspect is, positive
and if someone is saying nice things about your, team
then they must be. Right and if they are saying
wrong things but bad things about their, team they must be,
wrong you, know especially and you, know credit TO, bayu
they've had a great, season et, cetera et. Cetera but,
like uh, yeah you, know it's that doesn't necessarily diminish
everything else that's happening in the.

Speaker 1 (01:32:24):
World, Yeah like it has been one of the storylines where,
suddenly LIKE byu fans Love Dave.

Speaker 2 (01:32:30):
Porter i'm, like do you know how to do A google?

Speaker 1 (01:32:32):
Search, like it's not gonna take you a lot of
time to know that that's not the guy for. You,
Look i'm not a hater when it comes to anybody
carving out their real estate in our, industry it's hard to.
DO i just am not a fan of the Way,
barstool in my, opinion is capitalized on like the worst
portion of what sports fans seem to. REPRESENT i, mean
they seem to have been able, to, essentially you, know

(01:32:54):
move into spaces THAT i think are REALLY cd in
the name of one, thing and that is clicks and,
attention AND i guess that's the name of the game.

Speaker 7 (01:33:01):
Now.

Speaker 4 (01:33:01):
Yeah, LOOK i MEAN i think they approach sports in
a very different way THAN i, do which IS i
really like it as like an intellectual subject is trying
to learn about the, game is trying to you, know
explore and analyze what's going on and tell, fans you,
know about kind of what the coaches and players are.
Thinking AND i think a lot of Times parstool is
about the THE. Id it's about the kind of the

(01:33:22):
grosser aspects of, this and that makes it hard for
hard for me to really get along.

Speaker 1 (01:33:28):
With, dude they have this new show On Fox sports, now,
Uh and you, know throughout the course of my prep,
ROUTINE i have a lot of things recorded on MY
dvr SO i can kind of understand what the daily topics,
are how people are approaching this or, that and you,
KNOW i record a few things That fox, has so,
accidentally MY dvr is set up to get the final

(01:33:49):
five minutes of the show prior to AND i stumbled
on their show and they were debating how many times
you're supposed to wipe after you go number two on
a sports show On. Fox, okay so if that's for,
you then go ahead and. Consume BUT i don't get
it at, all AND i just never.

Speaker 4 (01:34:05):
Will, yeah you, KNOW i guess it's worked for. HIM
i guess there are a number of people who want.
That it's not WHAT i personally.

Speaker 2 (01:34:13):
Want do you have an answer to that? Question just?

Speaker 1 (01:34:15):
Kidding we will not be debating that on the show,
today all. Right andy is known as the jazz guy
for The Salt Lake. Tribune but, again as of lady's
been doing a lot of college football, work which has been.
Fun and we were all kind of caught off guard
today by the report From Ross. Dellinger if you've been
waiting for private equity to arrive in college, athletics well

(01:34:37):
wait no. More The university Of utah is on the
cusp of striking the industry's first partnership with an equity,
firm and a marriage that features a nine figure capital
and fusion and the creation and shared ownership of a
for profit entity to operate, athletics business and financial elements
outside of the traditional university. Framework you're working on a
piece for the trip just macro. Viewpoint what have you

(01:34:57):
been able to kind of ascertain so?

Speaker 4 (01:34:58):
Far, LOOK i, mean the reason this happened is is
really clear that The university Of utah athletic, program like
a lot of athletic programs around the, country was in
a significant amount of debt and look to be moving
in a significant amount of debt moving, forward and kind
of the only way that you can get out of
that is either spend less on football frankly and spend

(01:35:21):
less on players and talent throughout your various, squads or
to get money. Somehow and you, KNOW i think you
know a lot of teams have kind of gone with
some different loan, structures teams Of VIRGINIA techasa today raising
the student fees for the athletic programs to kind of
get money that. Way you. KNOW i obviously there ARE

(01:35:46):
sec programs Of big ten programs of better situations that
just because those conferences give MORE tv. Payouts and then
you look At utah and they didn't want to go
through any of the kind of those other, options and
so private equity was the model that allowed them to
sell part of their, soul you, know it's part of their,

(01:36:08):
entity part of what they have in college athletics to outro. Capital,
now you, know we've seen this play. Out we've seen
professional teams do this as, well and and you, know
so far with limited kind of consequences for, that, Right
but that's what this is, about is kind of trading you,
know a bit of who you are for a big

(01:36:30):
upfront capital investment and a kind of long term partnership
that should continue to provide that capital moving. Forward it's
it is, fascinating, right and it's fascinating That utah is
leading out in this with the way that they.

Speaker 1 (01:36:43):
Are, yeah and to be first to something is not,
nothing all. Right so there's an opportunity and a potential
here for this to really work. Out we've been kind
of debating both sides of the equation here because you
hear a lot of panic from. Fans you see a
lot of panic from. Fans one thing that is not
debatable is private equity firms are in business to do one,
thing and that's to make. Money and they're expecting this

(01:37:05):
partnership to breed an ice return on their investment in
what is being reported five to seven years where they
view their. Exit so you, know that is really the
bottom line that we cannot run. From the Good andy
seems to be the economic investment that you can utilize
to add, players, football, basketball, gymnastics upgrade, equipment upgrade. Facilities

(01:37:25):
the consumer experience will look different and hopefully be better
for ute, fans but that also probably means it comes
with a healthy premium and you're going to be asked
to pay more for season, tickets food and bed merchants.

Speaker 7 (01:37:37):
Such.

Speaker 4 (01:37:37):
Yeah, Yeah and then that's something that we're going to
be tracking at The. Tribune is, okay this is now
day zero of this new. Setup you, know what is
a hot dog? Cost what is a must ticket? Cost
what does you know all the Various what does a sweatshirt?
Cost an officially licensed sweatshirt? Costs and you kind of
go down the list and see how that changes in
the next five or seven years and is that above?
Inflation and you, know so we're we're going to be watching.

(01:37:58):
THAT i think the fair expectation is, yes you, know
when you when you look at how private capital has
impacted other sports properties around the, world including the ones
you know that that these guys have a part, in
but to what? Extent and you, know and ultimately the
university does have majority say as, Well so how much

(01:38:20):
can they fight against the uh expectations OF. Otro it's
going to be a really interesting part of how this
plays out.

Speaker 1 (01:38:26):
To, yeah that needs to be underscored because oftentimes when
private equity decides to get involved in sports or other business,
endeavors they purchase a majority and they, say we own
fifty one percent of this. Now but when it comes
to the way the seats will be handed out on
this seven person, board you're gonna Have Mark harlan is the.
Chair you're gonna have three other spots on the board

(01:38:47):
that will go To utah. PEOPLE i wonder If Taylor
randall's one of.

Speaker 2 (01:38:50):
THOSE i don't.

Speaker 1 (01:38:51):
Know and THEN otro gets two, seats and then there's
one seat to this seventh. Member and from EVERYTHING i can,
tell And i've also been on the phone all day about,
this it sounds like that is going to be a
savvy business person that's also A utah athletic. Supporter the
names or the, names it's echoes It's, huntspin It's garf for.
Whatever so there's, that AND i think that is a

(01:39:12):
positive portion of. This WHERE otro did not buy controlling,
stake they do not have the majority members on this.
Board and therefore If mark Or taylor and this does
come down to how much do you Trust Mark, carlin
how much do you Trust Taylor, randall they will have
final say when it comes to decision. Making, however when
a private equity group gives you five hundred million, dollars

(01:39:32):
they're gonna have some very strong opinions about how you
need to.

Speaker 4 (01:39:34):
Operate, yeah and you, know also interested to see who
they choose as president of this organization and kind of
what people they established throughout, it, right and we'll learn
a lot about what their plans are from what their backgrounds, Are.
RIGHT i think that's that's a key part of, It,
Right like you can have a board structure that's set
to intervene and set to set the overarching principles of,

(01:39:56):
this but the actual day to day management of the
really really matters for the fan experience for how good
these teams, are you, know kind of all all of
the parts of being A university Of utah sports. FAN
i mean it is now in a significant way divorced
from the university because you do have this significant amount
of capital coming. In so what will change and how

(01:40:19):
much does it? CHANGE i, MEAN i think at today's
press conference and when asked by The board Of trustees
they said the right things about keeping costs down and
caring about kind of the student experience. First and yet
we know what this means right like there's because there's
no way THAT outro came in and, said, hey we
want everything to stay the, same because right, Now university

(01:40:41):
of Utaugh sports is the money losing.

Speaker 1 (01:40:42):
Business so when it comes to what you've learned ABOUT
otro so, far kind of walk us through, that because you,
know another piece of this is our. Reference it does
come down to what sort of faith and trust you
have In Taylor, randall who's a very, smart business savvy university,
president And Mark, carlin who will be heavily. Involved the
other thing is what sort of operators ARE. Otro what

(01:41:05):
sort of operators are? There are their memberships are their?

Speaker 2 (01:41:10):
Team essentially what sort of business do they like to.

Speaker 1 (01:41:13):
Run the only ONE i know of Is Alex, shiner
who was with the cal or excuse, me he was
with The cowboys and The, browns but he also spearheaded a.
Project there was A Jerry jones kind of spin off
Called Legends hospitality when my dad was THE.

Speaker 2 (01:41:28):
Ceo so they know each.

Speaker 1 (01:41:30):
Other i'm going to try to get my dad on
to kind of give his take BECAUSE i don't know
him the way he, does SO i don't know much
about their group outside Of alec whose side note went
to the same high school As Kobe.

Speaker 2 (01:41:41):
Bryant nobody gives a.

Speaker 1 (01:41:42):
Rip but what have you been able to learn About
oatrow and what sort of information do you have about
that right?

Speaker 4 (01:41:48):
Now, Yeah i'll, say first of, all like still doing
a lot of, investigation right, Like i'm not fully ready
to put the final word On, oatro but, yeah you
mentioned some of the people who are involved In alec
in particular have been looking into him. TODAY i think
you summed up. Well and then just kind of looking
at their, portfolio right like being involved with The ALPINE
f one, team which, is you, know one of THE

(01:42:10):
f one, teams one of the eleven, teams but certainly
not at the top of the you, know Constructor table
necessarily Flex, work which is this company that basically hosts
sports camps for athletes both collegion and pro. Ones and
then Two, circles which is this basically sports data analytics
company that works to either you, know works with Like,

(01:42:32):
wimbledon works with The Cricket league to basically understand their
fans and market to them.

Speaker 2 (01:42:40):
Better.

Speaker 4 (01:42:40):
Right so that's actually a pretty diverse setup of investments
that they have in their. Portfolio obviously The university of
you taught now joins that is kind of the most
unique of those. Investments it is a little bit surprising
and a little bit uh discouraging how Little utah connection

(01:43:01):
we've seen so, far you, know like for, whatever maybe
this is just my, bias BUT i believe in kind
of people who are From utah a kind of Supporting
utah and and looking for the long term interest of
The university Of utah more THAN i do necessarily a
group Of New york, based, yeah private equity. Folks so

(01:43:21):
that's THAT'S i think part of this, story AND i
think what we will be discussing in you, know it's
seven to eight years when this exit, happens is did
they have the best instance of The university Of utah
actually at heart or do they you, know do they
See utah as frankly a flyover state that they can
extract some money out, of, Right and.

Speaker 2 (01:43:40):
It's the second part of. That, yeah it just is.

Speaker 4 (01:43:43):
So and in that, case you, know to what extent
do people here get hurt as a.

Speaker 1 (01:43:47):
Result, no it's really really, Fair And i've really done
my best today to try to outline a bunch of
different avenues as far as how this could. Go because
not all private equity is created, equal and not all
private equity is. Bad there plenty of examples of businesses
that have blossomed in consumers that have benefited because of
cash infusions made by pe. FIRMS i just don't know

(01:44:08):
enough about the operators. Here my guess, is you, know
when it comes To Alex, shiner he's probably not going
to be awake in his Midtown, manhattan, beautiful you know
condo thinking about what the must experience looks and sounds.
LIKE i don't think that's anything he gives a rip.
About it's also why it is important that The university
Of utah maintains controlling equity and also the majority of

(01:44:30):
the seats on the. Board but make no, mistake these
guys are expecting in five to seven years to exit
with at least eight percent profit and hopefully more than.
That so while the consumer experience will probably be improved
because of the, cash it also will probably be something
that you're asked to pay more. For the other portion
of this andy is it appears that AND i don't
know what this looks, like but certain people in our

(01:44:52):
community have been given opportunities to invest, here, Right and
so you, know for just kind of a basic, explanation
you can write a check FOR i don't, know a million,
bucks and you receive some, equity you receive some shares or,
whatever and then on the, backside when the exit, happens
you could actually make some, money which is different than
what it typically has. Been if just you're A byu

(01:45:13):
don't or if You're Cookie bro Or Ryan, smith then
you just ride a. Check you're just doing it to
donate to the. Institution you're not doing it to make
money on the back. End so that's an interesting piece of.

Speaker 4 (01:45:23):
This, yeah that fundamentally changes what you expect from, boosters
right and who you expect to be involved and what
their incentives. Are so you, know, yeah right, now boosters
are there for the fun of, it, Right they want
to see their team win more games than they were
if it would if they were not. Involved they want
to be out on the field or have better, tickets
or have sweet access or what have, You right, like

(01:45:44):
they want to be part of the cool kids, club
and now instead of, that OR i guess in addition to,
that because it is an addition to, that they will
also be expecting to make a return and or hoping
to make a, return and that will necessarily mean getting
more money from. SOMEWHERE i think there are positive outcomes

(01:46:07):
where that could, happen Right, like If utah is able
to make it into The big ten and has that
sort of new level of, income then, great this all
kind of works out for. Everybody WHAT i think also
will probably happen is a reduction in some expenditures that
are not supported by the, numbers and frankly that may

(01:46:29):
be The olympic, sports et. Cetera and then some increases
in revenue from regular fans.

Speaker 2 (01:46:37):
Like our.

Speaker 4 (01:46:38):
Listeners AND i think that's what's scary for, me as
someone who's always kind of advocated for what regular fans,
are you, know BECAUSE i grew up one here in this,
Market LIKE i think the real potential of again the
price of the hot, dog the price of the must,
ticket the price of what it costs to go to
a basketball, game so, on in, gymnastics, whatever so on

(01:46:59):
and so. Forth that being monetized and new and for
private equity. Bros, interesting but for regular folks really kind
of a bummer kind of. Ways really it scares. Me
and you, KNOW i think we've seen some of that
with The, jazz with that infusion of private, capital AND
i think it's certainly at risk.

Speaker 2 (01:47:17):
Here that's the biggest. Question you just hit it on the.

Speaker 1 (01:47:20):
Head that's the biggest, question BECAUSE i think there are
plenty of people in our community that have some disposable
income that would love the opportunitunity to be involved here
and invest in the product and potentially see a, nice
healthy return down the. Line the, question as you just,
outline is that nobody knows the answer to is in

(01:47:42):
a month or in three weeks when you get an
alert that you have an email in your inbox from
The university Of Uta Athletic department and it, Says, hey
we love havingue part of the. Family your season tickets
are now thirty percent more. Expensive, hey thanks for your,
support your tailgate spot there WAS i don't, know ten
grand last year is forty this? Year what do those
people say to the ask that is probably inevitably.

Speaker 2 (01:48:04):
Coming that to me is probably the most intriguing piece of.

Speaker 4 (01:48:06):
This and, look that ask is coming in all one
hundred and twenty college football teams right, like just the
prices are going up, everywhere because if you're not doing
a deal like, this you're probably trying To you're trying
to manage your debt, yourself and that means going directly
to your fans to try to do. That to be,
clear the reason that the youths have to do this
right now is because they don't have enough rich people

(01:48:27):
to willing to lose money on the utes. Anymore, Right
so now all of a sudden the expectations. CHANGE i,
MEAN i also do worry about the investment side of.
It if you know it two three years down the
road that the you, know maybe you have another five
and seven season or just stay what's called a seven five.
Season even then the the investors get, skittish, right and

(01:48:50):
all of a, sudden the cost expenditure on players goes
down to. MATCH i, mean there have been some really
negative outcomes and private equity stuff that go beyond raising
ticket prices for season ticke, holders that go to fundamentally
breaking the financial structure of the of the entity. Itself,
yeah AND i think that downside is the downside fans

(01:49:14):
should be you, know kind of most most concerned. About
AND i don't know what the odds of that happening, are, Right,
LIKE i think would be reasonable to say somewhere between
five and fifty, percent, Right but if that does, happen
that's when we're talking, About, okay the youths going into
like administration like An English Premier league team or like you,
know like where just kind of bad stuff happens where

(01:49:36):
all of a sudden they're out of the you, know
athletic game in the way that they are. Now and
that's that to me is what you. KNOW i don't
want to be super controversially or a hot, takey you,
know that's not What i'm trying to do. Here but,
look when private equity gets involved in, stuff The tribune barely, survived, Right,

(01:49:56):
like when the private equity got involved, it just like
stuff does.

Speaker 1 (01:50:00):
Break changes are, inevitable and there is a potential downside,
here and the risk in my opinion is being taken
by The utah portion of, This like when you understand
exactly how these private equity firms, work the risk is,
not in my, opinion being taken on BY Otro. CAPITAL

(01:50:20):
i would guess they've done their. Calculation LIVE tv rights
in college football have been going up for twenty five.

Speaker 2 (01:50:26):
Years it's not stopping anytime.

Speaker 1 (01:50:28):
Soon The big twelve just signed a, good not great,
deal but it was the only deal left in the.

Speaker 2 (01:50:32):
Marketplace ask our friends and they packed.

Speaker 1 (01:50:34):
Twelve So i'm SURE otro has looked at the trends
with LIVE tv, rights seeing that they're going up the
exit strategies five to seven years that coincides with the
next big TWELVE tv. Deal to your, point If utah
gets the big big ten, invite this is game. OVER
otro is cashed in like there's nothing to worry about at.
All but if there is risk in, this it does

(01:50:55):
feel like it is on The Utah athletics side bringing
in private equity money because of the variables you just talked.

Speaker 4 (01:51:00):
ABOUT i, MEAN i think it's on both sides right,
like but the problem is that the risk for the
you is it impacts everyone's life more than an, Impacts
like IF otro loses money on this, deal WHICH i
do think is, possible Right, like if if The university
Of utah athletic department continues to lose money overall over
the course of the next eight, years THEN otro loses
money on, This BUT otro has other investments that will

(01:51:22):
probably keep it afloat and make them do. Well and you,
know some people, involved well you're you're talking about private
equity people maybe potentially losing some. Money if The university
Of utah athletic program suffers as a, result, though then
that has huge implications for what we know About utah
sports for the next decade decade, plus, Right, like it's

(01:51:43):
not just you, know investors lose, money it's you, know
what kind of sports teams do we have? Here do
we have? Baseball do we have? Softly you, know, like
do you know do the? Utes are they competitive or
are they and also ran at the bottom of The
big twelve or worse in another kind of re envisioned
conference where they're not part of at the at the

(01:52:05):
big table. Anymore you, Know like that kind of STUFF
i think is. POSSIBLE i don't think it's, likely BUT
i think that you, know again just the history of
these kind of interventions seeking to lose debt in this.
Way it's a move that you take on because you
are a little bit, desperate because you don't have other
great answers to solve this debt.

Speaker 2 (01:52:25):
Problem, yeah you can't run from. That that was one
of my first thoughts BECAUSE i was told a few
weeks ago there was gonna be a story that would
become public that was gonna outline that The university Of
utah athletic department was in.

Speaker 1 (01:52:35):
Thirty to forty million dollars a. Debt it doesn't put
them in a unique. Situation Ohio state last year reported
that there were thirty seven million dollars in, debt and
we could continue to go down the list In Ohio
state is Freaking Ohio. STATE i, mean they're the best
football team in the. Country they're in The big. Ten
So utah is not alone in. This but it is
a sign that they were tread and water a little
bit and had to figure a way.

Speaker 4 (01:52:56):
Out and the way that you have to get out
is you, know B yu has it's large and. Diverse you,
know people who see it as as part of their religious.
Scheme to some scheme is the wrong, word but religious
set up to. Someone yeah you, Know Texas tech has oil.
Money uh you, know so you need you need. People you, know,

(01:53:16):
frankly it was reported that, Uh colorado was interested In
saudi money right, through and so you need someone who
is frankly willing to lose money on it if the
business is going to stay operating in the same. Way,
NOW i THINK otro comes in and, says we want
the business to operate in a different, way and hopefully
it operates in a, better more profitable, way right and
and maybe they make the changes to make that. Happen

(01:53:39):
and if it's, so then then, great you, know and
and then maybe this does kind of rise all tides
and and and things can go. WELL I i don't
want to dispute, that but, yeah you, know like in the,
end this is not just A utah. Problem AND i
think one of the things you've seen consistently from national
commentators today is this recognition That utah is not going
to be alone in doing, no not at. All this

(01:53:59):
is going to be you, know dozens of teams going
to be in this. Boat because this is the logical
way of dealing with year after year after your debt
in a WITH uh investors who are kind of used
to that setup in terms in chasing kind of long term.

Speaker 1 (01:54:14):
Games all, right BEFORE i say you, lose because you,
referenced you, Know Ryan smith his private equity. Partners they
take over for The, Millers and one thing that we
just cannot run from is that your consumer experience as
A utah fan.

Speaker 2 (01:54:27):
Is going to. Change it is going to look.

Speaker 1 (01:54:28):
Different and Initially ryan and his partners took over and they, said,
yeah we're probably not going to change, much and then
they just went ahead and you, know changed. Everything so
what is different about the consumer experience at The Delta?
Center it is called The Delta? Center what's different about
the consumer? Experience and, look the team is in year
four of this whatever they're doing that is unseerious about.

(01:54:49):
Competing so while we're about to see The utah fan experience,
change how has The jazz fan experience?

Speaker 2 (01:54:54):
Changed?

Speaker 4 (01:54:55):
YEAH i MEAN i would say there are a lot
of things about The Delta center that are, better, Right
BUT i would say the things THAT i think about
are increased suite and increased ticket. Revenue ryan's partnered with
Sea geek and charging a good number of fees through
Sea geek in order to kind of recoup some of
the the per game ticket. Costs so you, know even

(01:55:16):
if A jazz ticket is two dollars without, fees as
it was on On monday or what was That, sunday
now it's eight, dollars you, know so you've got a
three hundred percent fee. THERE i would also say kind
of a focus on keeping you, know the the, again

(01:55:38):
the high investing fans. Happy, Right SO i think kind
of you've seen more marketing, Emails you've seen more kind
of understanding from a data point of view of what's
going on with the fan. BASE i, think you, know
it's it's hard to say too because obviously The jazz
are going through their own weird and different issues that
are mostly en, correlated right like the the basketball. Team

(01:56:01):
even if The millers continue to own The, jazz we're
going to need to go through rebuild.

Speaker 2 (01:56:05):
It but.

Speaker 4 (01:56:07):
It does feel as if there has been more distance
between The jazz and the community in this era than
there was the.

Speaker 2 (01:56:15):
Last, yeah all, right, fair, uh you, know fair to,
say well, said what are we going to? See The
Andy larson piece on?

Speaker 4 (01:56:21):
This my hope is to write it tonight and get
it online. Tomorrow, that's you, know kind of best case
scenario that means a lot of work for me. Tonight
i'll probably turn it in at like three, am which
Means aaron's got to review it at like six. Am but uh,
yeah that'll Be that'll be my.

Speaker 1 (01:56:35):
Night do you ever intentionally turn into piece keeping in
mind of how miserable you're gonna Make aeron based off the?

Speaker 4 (01:56:40):
TIMMY i mean SOMETIMES i will schedule that email to
go out at like eight, am you, know the The
gmail schedules and. Function, yeah if it doesn't, matter but
this one. Matters so we're still going to do our.
Best Sl trip dot com and you the. Man good
to see.

Speaker 2 (01:56:54):
Him you're gonna bring In John kimball coming up after
a quick. Break but before we catch a, break my
Guy Dave america For Credit Union live in. Studio, dave
how are you? Man so?

Speaker 8 (01:57:03):
Good i'm getting such an education on this world Of
utah football and pees it's.

Speaker 1 (01:57:08):
Incredible and he's a good guest because we have the
same bing bong. Brain So i'm just trying to keep up,
with you, know all the knowledge that he's dropping on.
Us but let's talk about this three hundred dollars credit
card promotion that we have At America First Credit union going.

Speaker 8 (01:57:20):
On, yeah it couldn't happen at a better. Time this
is a great deal for members who are going to
be spending money. Anyway and so if you want to
Join America, first open up a new credit, card you
can receive up to three hundred dollars cash back when
you spend three thousand dollars more in the first ninety.
Days so that's like getting ten percent off on your.
Purchases that three hundred dollars goes right back into your.

(01:57:43):
Pocket you can, save you can, spend you can pay some.
Bills it's it's a pretty good, deal especially right now
during the holidays when we're likely going to be spending money.

Speaker 2 (01:57:50):
ANYWAY i was going to, say this feels like an
excellent time for.

Speaker 1 (01:57:53):
This if you know that you've got family and friends
to take care, of why not just get an extra
three hundred dollars in your.

Speaker 8 (01:57:58):
Pocket Right, yeah, absolutely so you, know come in and
take advantage of that. Offer you, know we have some
great visa products right, now whether you're earning points or
getting cash, back there's just such ease when you have
the ability to check your information. Online one of the
features THAT i love online is Card, guard where you

(01:58:19):
can lock that card down and only open it up
for specific times or specific. Purchases you're always getting alerts
with your mobile banking when you get a purchase or you,
know if you have a spouse or somebody else joint
on your, account you know when they're. Spending but it
also gives you alerts when maybe there's some potential. Fraud you,
know you might get an email that says a charge

(01:58:41):
was declined In. Florida you're, Like i'm not In, florida
but you've got notification that somebody was trying to access your.
Account SO i love the security features that come along with.
That and that's all tied to those those great Card it's.

Speaker 2 (01:58:52):
Good to have peace of, mind and money is. Important
it just.

Speaker 1 (01:58:56):
Is and when it comes to what we've been talking
about all, day just educate us a little bit on
just the setup of a credit union and why you
are the right choice jocks deposed to some of the
big branches that a lot of people have accounts.

Speaker 8 (01:59:09):
With, yeah it's funny that we're talking about private equity,
today where their sole purpose is. Profit they make their
decisions on what's going to get my return on my.
Investment they don't necessarily care, about you, know the fans
experience or the structure of what the uniforms look.

Speaker 2 (01:59:26):
Like they want just one. Thing and that's how creditings were.

Speaker 8 (01:59:30):
Born where banks are for, profit And i'm not saying
that they don't care about their, customers but creditings were
born because they were not getting the services and the
products that they. Needed they were being maybe discriminated against
because they didn't have a lot of. Money and so
creditings were born based out of just the meager needs
of meager, people the every common day. Worker and So
America first was started back in nineteen thirty nine by

(01:59:52):
fifty nine different individuals up At Fort douglas up on
THE ufu, campus and they pulled their resources. Together Prince
Albert tobacco can that was their first cash, register and
they made low cost loans to each, other they paid
each other. Back and so the credit and philosophy of
people helping people is a not for profit. Institution and

(02:00:13):
so being a member of the credit and you get
those profits returned back to you in the form of lower,
fees higher, dividends special, services you, know.

Speaker 2 (02:00:21):
Things maybe you don't have.

Speaker 8 (02:00:22):
Fees for there where you'd pay fees other, places and
so it's really truly a value to get, that to
get that membership so that you can get those returns
back on your.

Speaker 2 (02:00:31):
Investment good to.

Speaker 1 (02:00:34):
Go, YEAH i was going to, say call to, action,
now don't Weigh the three hundred dollars bonus is available
for a limited time. Only you can apply online today
or visit your nearest branch to get. Started eligible for
new credit card accounts, only terms and conditions.

Speaker 2 (02:00:47):
Apply big piece.

Speaker 1 (02:00:48):
Of news broke earlier today courtesy of Ros dellinger From Yahoo's.
Sports private equity has officially arrived in college, athletics and
The university Of utah will be the first team in
the college football ecosystem to strike a deal with an equity.
Firm we've been talking about it all, day we'll continue
to talk about, it but let's take a little bit

(02:01:09):
of a break to do a little soccer with our
friends AT. Rsl and the president of the club Is John,
kimball who joins us saun it, too Did?

Speaker 2 (02:01:16):
Johnny Happy? Tuesday? Man how are we? Doing we're doing, good,
Brother how are you doing? Well doing?

Speaker 1 (02:01:21):
Well so obviously a very historic announcement a few weeks.
Back we were honored to be on side as part
of it Is Lionel messi And Inner miami are rolling
into town to take ON rsl And april coming up
of next year And World cup draw taking, PLACE Mls
cup won By miami taking. Place just what sort of

(02:01:41):
buzz is over there right now about this potential arrival
coming up Next.

Speaker 2 (02:01:45):
April you, know it's been.

Speaker 9 (02:01:47):
Awesome we had over thirty thousand unique users register to
get tickets and it just kind of shows you the
power Of Inner miami And messi and you, know really
excited about next. Year just with everything With World, cup it's,
REALLY i, believe going to be a tipping point for
just soccer In america and then for us locally to

(02:02:09):
Have messi come And Inner miami. Come they have a
couple players that they're retiring this, year they're going to
bring in some new big names and so across the,
board it's exciting for. Us and then our goal is
to put a really solid team on the field so
we can kick the trash out of.

Speaker 1 (02:02:28):
Them there you, go and that's of course WHAT rsl
fans are most interested, in and the decision making PROCESS
i know is, ongoing but there was also a change in.
MANAGEMENT a guy you know pretty, Well Jason Christ you're
a big part of Getting jay back in the, market
is now overseeing the whole thing when it comes to soccer.
Operations what sort of inside can you shed on how

(02:02:49):
the process is going and what sort of decisions need
to be made prior to the start of the.

Speaker 9 (02:02:54):
Year, yeah you, Know jason is a very Methodical he's
very you, know very focused, on you, know the things
that have made us champions, before and SO i was
very excited to bring him. Back he focuses on, protocol
he focuses on, accountability and these are all the things

(02:03:16):
that we really need at this point to really take.

Speaker 5 (02:03:21):
Us to another.

Speaker 9 (02:03:22):
Level and they're working really hard And Kurt schmidt is out.
There kurt's going to be traveling quite a bit over
the next couple of weeks and looking for players to
really level up our. Team and we've been you, know
we've made some moves and a lot of those moves
are to help us get. Better AND i know that's
what our fan, club our, supporters everybody wants across the,

(02:03:43):
board and we are tires of league working to make
that happen when.

Speaker 1 (02:03:47):
It comes to you, know the messy stuff is very,
interesting And i've drawn the parallel because they're different, players
but the GOALS i think are pretty. Similar When David,
beckham will was brought over TO mls to play for
THE La, galaxy and of course that was a partnership
that continues to this day As David beckham is part
of the ownership group In miami that now Has Lionel.

(02:04:10):
Messi But Grant wall mayhe rest In peace wrote an
excellent book called The Beckham experiments that outlined the benefits
Of Major League soccer as far as what they were
able to receive both tangibly on the field and then
off field just with. Visibility, messi of, course is a superior,
player not just To beckham but to. Everybody david was
a very good, player but more of kind of like

(02:04:32):
a celebrity ambassador when it comes to things like The
APPLE tv deal or just whatever sort of tangible and
intangible benefits the league hast. Seen With Lionel messi's, arrival
how would you kind of articulate the way that's.

Speaker 9 (02:04:45):
Gone it's it's you, know it took a club that
was in last place and is NOW i believe it's
they've worn four different championships in different. Tournaments they went
from a six hundred million in dollar club to a
one point two billion dollar. Club and so that's the
effect that some of these names can. Have there's there's

(02:05:07):
others to, COME i, believe AND i think Like beckham
has done with ownership and different things and jersey rights
and opportunity along those. Lines that's that's what makes it.
Compelling and the fact that there's a lot of growth
in The United states for the game of. Soccer you,
know we're going to see that this next year the
world's largest sport and how it's celebrated with The World

(02:05:31):
cup coming to The United. States but you, know that's
that's the real upside to everything that's happening with THE
mls and and with soccer In america is we have
a lot of room to grow and we have these
amazing athletes that you, know people may, say you, Know messi's,
uh you, know on his last. LEG i think he'll

(02:05:51):
be very competitive in The World cup next. Year but
there's players that are in their prime that are looking
to come as.

Speaker 2 (02:05:58):
Well so you, KNOW i.

Speaker 1 (02:06:00):
Know there are a lot of people because there have,
been you, know some, situations and, look you cannot prepare for. Injuries,
unfortunately that's part of, sports and you, know one of
the deals WITH nba basketball right. Now And Tom haberstrow
front of the show did a huge takeout piece on
which markets had been most adversely affected by quote load,

(02:06:20):
management which essentially means stars deciding they don't want to
show up for.

Speaker 2 (02:06:24):
Work we were on the top of the. List Salt
lake was, One denver was.

Speaker 1 (02:06:27):
Two there are a lot of jazz fans that buy
tickets to See, lebron or they buy tickets to See
durant Or steph or, whatever and oftentimes they show up
to The Delta center and they find out as their
injury in the arena that they decided they did not
want to get on an. Airplane so you, know there's,
That LIKE i, said if an injury, occurs an injury.
Occurs but what sort of, assurances if any at, all

(02:06:50):
have you guys. Received is that even possible to make
sure That Lino.

Speaker 2 (02:06:54):
Messi comes into town Next?

Speaker 9 (02:06:56):
April, YEAH i, mean straight, up there's no assurances that that.
Happens he he chose to not play in a number
of different, games either based on injury or whatever. Else
but the one thing That i'm really confident about is
his appearance in The World cup and the shape that
he wants to be in for The World. Cup and
that's why one of the THINGS i was very focused

(02:07:18):
on is to hopefully get this game prior to The World.
Cup and have heard you, Know i'm not going to say,
that you, Know i've heard it, directly but you, know
games played at, altitude games played that are going to
get him in shape for The World cup are very
meaningful to. Him and so that's WHY i feel very

(02:07:39):
confident that he's going to come and. Play but as you,
said there's no. Guarantees a lot different than THE nba
and all the games that they play and the games
that they think they can pick to. CHOOSE i think
it's a little different where you'll have players like that
Like lebron and others that will just choose not to.
PLAY i don't think we see that as much in THE.
Mls players want to, play and THEN i think people

(02:08:02):
Of messi's, caliber especially wanting to get in shape and
be prepared for The World. Cup he's going to want
to get as many reps as he can prior to, That.

Speaker 1 (02:08:11):
So you reference the desire to put a product on the. Field,
SO i, mean, look you're not going to take the
focus away from the greatest soccer player in their history
of the. Sport there will be plenty of people that
want to simply show up to Watch Lino messi and
just be there for an event that is notable in our,
state not just notable in. SOCCER i, mean you, know

(02:08:32):
when you think about the most famous people in the,
World john he's on the short. List but you reference
the desire to put a product on the field that
is competitive and ultimately can throw punches with some of
the best teams IN. Mls according To The, athletic you
guys were twenty third in spend out of thirty teams this.

Speaker 2 (02:08:49):
Year so there are teams.

Speaker 1 (02:08:51):
That are operating off a little bit of a budget
that's even you, know smaller THAN, ursls and no one's
going to ask you to spend forty eight point nine
Inner miami's ONE lafc bringing In sonny is thirty point.
One then It's, atlanta and, look you can't draw a
straight line from spend to. Results atlanta had a really
bad year BUT i know there are a lot OF
rsl fans that probably are a little bit tired of

(02:09:14):
operating off a budget that's a little bit. Limited and
it's no longer two thousand and nine the team that
we look back on with such fondness that LIFTED Nls.
Cup you've got to be able to spend with the big.
Boys there's a new ownership group in town and it
feels like they have committed to spend the way they
need to to be.

Speaker 2 (02:09:30):
Competitive can you shed some light on.

Speaker 9 (02:09:31):
That, YEAH i, mean that's the one thing that The
miller group brings to us is that they want to be,
competitive they want to win. Championships are they going to
go spend ridiculous money like. That, no And i've said
this to you. Before we're much more of a developmental.
Team you're going to see players Like gozo that are coming.

(02:09:51):
Up you're going to see players Like diego that are
going to come up because we're giving them the opportunity
to play and grow within our, club as opposed to
going and spending the kind of money that's being spent
By Inner miami and. Others and that's just our. Philosophy
it's a philosophy That jason christ buys. Into it's a
philosophy that obviously takes some Patient.

Speaker 2 (02:10:18):
John did you fall into a? Pothole did you decide
to jump into a lake in the middle of our?
Interview john's. Gone that's very sad That john's. Gone got
a couple of other questions to see if we Get
john back on the, HORN a couple of other THINGS
i want to get To. John of, course the calendar
shift is going to be. Complicated what does that mean

(02:10:40):
for stadium Renovations when it comes to the way they're
going to handle, THIS i believe will be front loaded
when it starts with the teams in colder, weather then
there's going to be a bit of a. Break but
what will that look? LIKE i would imagine The millers
are looking to make a little bit of logistical changes
to the way the stadium is going to look and feel.
Like so we'll get With john with.

Speaker 1 (02:11:00):
That if you missed the news, TODAY rsl has parted
ways With Hamison alave And joel De, las so they're
no longer part of the. Group but we'll Get John
kimball back on the. Line, john we lost you there
for a, moment but let's move over into the space
OF mls deciding that they wanted to change their. Calendar,
now a lot of people have been wanting this to
happen for a long long. TIME i remember my father

(02:11:22):
back in two thousand and five was a big advocate of.
This but it does provide some logistical challenges for teams
that play in cities that tend to have. Snow And
i'm no weather, expert but last TIME i, CHECKED i
think we're one of those. Cities does this mean stadium?
Renovations how are you guys going to handle the calendar?

Speaker 9 (02:11:39):
Change, YEAH i mean the good news is ninety percent
of the games that we're playing now at the, time
we're going to play them at the same, Time so
essentially there may be a game a little bit later In.
November the league has IDENTIFIED us and maybe four or
five other teams as northern teams that are obviously dealing

(02:12:00):
with weather, issues and so they're not going to, schedule you,
Know december games and Early february games in these. Areas
they're going to put them in the areas where it
makes more. Sense as as we've seen almost every year
where you know the season will start will maybe have
one or two away games before we'll have a home,
game just in, preparation you, know for for issues with

(02:12:22):
snow and so for the most, part it's really not
going to affect our schedule other than it's going to
open up a couple weeks in the summer where you,
know the you, know the one real positive thing is
the playoffs are going to be played in, spring and you,
know The cup will be essentially played in the, summer
which you know isn't going to have as much competition

(02:12:44):
as it does now have With november And, december with
college AND nfl and hockey AND, nba et, cetera et.
CETERA i think the only competition is going to be
baseball at that. Point so a lot of good things
are coming out of, it AND i AND i don't
think in the long run it'll affect us as much
as people think it. Might but to the point of, renovation,

(02:13:05):
yes there are renovation plans that are happening right. Now
we're excited to actually get to work here in the
next couple of weeks on a couple of things that
we're going to try to get prepared before the season
and before the messy. Game and, so you, know a
lot of really exciting things coming for season ticket holders
and people that'll come out as.

Speaker 2 (02:13:26):
Fans since it was news you guys announced.

Speaker 1 (02:13:29):
Today of, Course hamas And alave is a club, legend
being one of the central defenders during the best run
IN rsl history along with That porcher's and he has
been let, go as Has joel the last so two
assistant coaches showing their papers. Today what can you what
sort of information can you?

Speaker 9 (02:13:46):
SHARE i, mean you, know more than, anything just want
to say thank you to both of. Them they're amazing.
People And thomison was an incredible contributor for a number of,
years not only as a player but as an assistant
coach and working with The monarchs and head coach with
The monarchs and then also as an assistant To. Pablo

(02:14:08):
ALL i can really say is that the coaching staff
made a decision to make some changes and again in
an attempt to try to level up and do the
things that we need to do to you, know put
a team on the field that's going to be competitive next,
year and that was part of those. Decisions so you,
know from me and from the, club it's really just
thank you for all that they've done and we're you,

(02:14:30):
know hoping that with the decisions that we've, made that
we're only going to be better from.

Speaker 1 (02:14:35):
It final, QUESTION i can, remember and you were maybe
the first employee we. HIRED i Know trey will be
upset that we said, That but back in two thousand and,
four one of the real kind of cherries that were
out there on the top of The sunday or just
something that was intriguing is that we were bringing the
club To Salt Lake city two years before A World. Cup,

(02:14:57):
now That World cup back in two thousand and, SIX
i want to say it Was brazil IF i remember,
Correctly so this is this is a little bit of
a different. Deal you, know that Was. German excuse, me
That World cup was played In. Germany and this is
a little bit of a different deal because the first,
TIME i think since ninety, four The World cup will
be played in our region now the last time we
had A World, cup but essentially bred the beginning Of

(02:15:20):
Major League.

Speaker 2 (02:15:20):
Soccer so it's not.

Speaker 1 (02:15:22):
Nothing it feels like it's a moment that the league
and every club really needs to capitalize. ON i don't
know THAT i know been covering the team, Now i've
been around the team for twenty plus, years AND i
don't know IF i believe that soccer will ever be
on par with some of our most consumed, sports BUT
i certainly believe that the ecosystem has room to. Grow

(02:15:43):
what sort of either intangible or tangible benefits is the
league hoping to ascertain from This World cup that starts
in a matter of, Weeks, now, YEAH i.

Speaker 9 (02:15:53):
Mean there's obviously percentages and research and analytics that show
the growth after A World, cup AND i truly believe that.

Speaker 2 (02:16:01):
That will be the.

Speaker 9 (02:16:01):
CASE i, Mean i've said this to you. Before this
is the largest sporting event in the history of the
world that's going to be happening In america next year
because with ELEVEN nfl stadiums and everybody that's going to
be coming To america to see these games and to see,
how you, know the beautiful game is celebrated around the.
World it's. Massive this is going to be unlike anything

(02:16:25):
that we've ever. Seen so it is a tipping point
for the, league it's a tipping point for the. Sport
they are counting on, growth you. Know and, again you,
KNOW i MEAN i look back to my famous hockey
carera WHEN i Saw america win The Gold cup or
win the gold medal in The. OLYMPICS i just. STARTED
i decided to play, hockey AND i was a sophomore

(02:16:45):
in a high school And i'd never been on ice skates.
Before so with, that with The World, cup and with
people seeing this sport played here In america and going
to those, GAMES i think there's going to be a
lot of, kids a lot of people that are going
to be you, know endeared to this, sport want to
play this, sport AND i really truly believe it'll be
a massive tipping point for us and help us over

(02:17:06):
the next ten. Years so, YES i think there's going
to be a significant lift in. Interest and THEN i
also think it's also going to get players from around
the world to come To america and see what soccer
And america is all. About so we may get even
better players that are going to come and want to
play in this. League so across the, BOARD i think
there's going to be some serious.

Speaker 2 (02:17:28):
Benefit all, right my, Friend, WELL i appreciate the time,
today best of luck moving, forward and we'll continue to
get our listeners the information they need to potentially go
see the greatest soccer player in the history of the,
game which is really. Cool Thanks. Johnny All, right take,
Care John, kimball president OF.

Speaker 1 (02:17:43):
Rsl Lionel messi himself will be In Utah april to twenty.
Second you can go TO rsl dot. COM i believe
there's a waiting list and unfortunately there's no insurance policy
in place that if he does not make the trip
anything can be done about, it which is a, tough tough.
Stuff hopefully he'll make the trip because it really is
a matter of weeks before The World, cup so you

(02:18:04):
have to imagine he's gonna want to be in good
soccer shape if he does play in The World. Cup
he actually alluded to the possibility of him sitting, out
which would be a. Bummer all, right final hour of
the program coming. Up on the other, side we'll get
back to the news of the day today With Utah
football and their new private equity. Partner but before we
catch a, break my Got dave From America First Credit
union is live in studio once.

Speaker 2 (02:18:25):
Again what's going, On? Dave how are you?

Speaker 8 (02:18:26):
Man just happy to be here and there's so many
good things going on with this with this show. TODAY
i just love the education and love the heads up
for this big.

Speaker 1 (02:18:33):
Announcement, NO i appreciate your, time and we've talked a
lot About America first Credit union and the different things
you guys have going, on none of the least of
which you. Know we're a sports talk radio, show so
chances are anybody, listening and just like, SPORTS i don't
know why else you would listen to the. Show official
partner of The university Of, utah the Aforementioned ral Salt.
Lake but you just came out with a limited Edition

(02:18:53):
Jazz affinity.

Speaker 2 (02:18:54):
Card let's let's hear about this.

Speaker 8 (02:18:56):
One, yeah this is our Fifth affinity card and these
these visa debit cards are different than the regular production
cards that you would. Have there's a lot of cool
things that go into that and the quality of.

Speaker 2 (02:19:06):
It but this year's card is just super.

Speaker 8 (02:19:08):
GREAT i grew up as A Weaver state, fan and
SO i love, purple and this is our second purple.
Card it's got an enhanced, logo it's got some silver
sheen to, it but it's just, sleek looks really nice
and for a jazz, fan you can show your pride
and your wallet you can show it with your. Purchases
but we're super excited to offer this card and not
only spence is it sleek and it looks, cool but

(02:19:30):
it offers lots of great deals and. Discounts it unlocks
experiences when you use that, card when you go to
The Delta, center you can get discounts on, food you
can get discounts on. Merchandise you can get in, early
thirty minutes early before anybody. Else you, know when the door's.
Open and so if you got you know your, kids your,
family you want to, go take them to a fun

(02:19:51):
experience and see the team warm, up walk, around catch
all the you, know spectacular. Stuff without the, crowds you
can get in, Early so we're excited to offer THOSE
i love the discounts on the. Food you, know when
you use YOUR jap Your jazz, app you can get
ten percent off on some of the. Concessions the fifteen
percent discount off purchases inside The Utah Jazz team store is.

(02:20:14):
Great you, know we know that merch can be a little,
pricey a little, expensive and so that makes it more,
affordable especially if you're trying to outfit a family with
some of that. Stuff one of the things That i'm
really hopeful, FOR i cross my fingers.

Speaker 2 (02:20:25):
Every time it's. Coming it's. Common maybe we have an
ace in the, hole but we're looking for a triple.

Speaker 4 (02:20:30):
Double.

Speaker 8 (02:20:31):
YEP i know fans get excited fourth quarter when they
start cheering for.

Speaker 2 (02:20:35):
Chicken i'm cheering for the triple.

Speaker 8 (02:20:36):
Double when A jazz player scores a triple, double then
the next day there's a thirty two percent off discount
in The Utah Jazz team store for your. Purchases when
when that triple double, hits and So i'm looking for,
IT i Think larie, marking you, Know i'm.

Speaker 1 (02:20:52):
Hopeful SO i didn't Have Usif nirkic on my bingo,
card But Usif nurkic like three weeks, AGO i think
he was two assis shy a triple, Double, yeah it
would be stunning if it was Use Off nurkic of all,
players But lowry's got a.

Speaker 2 (02:21:05):
Shot it's Gonna it's gonna happen this.

Speaker 1 (02:21:06):
YEAR i want to underscore the early entry because it's
it's a really cool deal and certainly it's At rice
cycles For utah Games america first FOR rsl, Games but
one of the coolest things you can do if you're
a basketball fan is get to A jazz game early
when Like steph is in town and watch those pregame
warm up. Routines it's amazing to see that level of.

(02:21:28):
Skill he shoots it from half court and he hits
like seven of. TEN i REMEMBER i used to love
Watching Dirk novitsky just warm up because he had such.

Speaker 2 (02:21:35):
A great job.

Speaker 1 (02:21:36):
Shot getting in thirty minutes before the rest of the
general public will be an experience that you and your
kids it just won't.

Speaker 2 (02:21:41):
Forget it's really. Cool, yeah it's really.

Speaker 8 (02:21:43):
AWESOME i remember going When Damian, lillard my, man came
to town AND i, had, YEAH i had a. Shirt obviously
he went To Weaver, state so he's born In, oakland
so my shirt Was oakland To ogden To, oregon AND
i screamed in the hollard AND i tried to Get damian.

Speaker 2 (02:22:00):
Just even just pay me a little bit of, attention
just come look at.

Speaker 6 (02:22:03):
Me.

Speaker 8 (02:22:03):
Yeah but, yeah those those early fan experiences are choice
and really, fun and it makes it more, intimate more,
engaging especially for the young.

Speaker 1 (02:22:10):
Ones shot clock is On Visit america first dot com
Slash jazz to get your Free Jazz Limited Edition visa
debit card before they're. Gone all, right lapping up A
tuesday's show unexpectedly. Busy a lot of talk about money.
Today shout out.

Speaker 2 (02:22:27):
To our Guy dave From America First Credit, union and
also the breaking news that came down earlier today of
a groundbreaking partnership between The university Of utah And Otro.

Speaker 1 (02:22:39):
Capital so we'll continue to talk about this and cover
it as more information kind of comes to, light but
that kind of dominated the majority of the show. Today
before we catch a break and say good, NIGHT i
want to tell you about my friends at At Laud. Distillery
there are official spirits provider for OUR VIP espn tailgates
at each Home utah football. Game obviously there are no

(02:23:00):
more Home utah games this. Year but they have amazing
drinks like Their, Honeybourbon, vodkas spiced, rum and coffee. Rum
they just came out with his new barrel proof bourbon
which is one hundred and thirty three, proof so just
chill with. It it's, spicy, bold and very. Smooth there
are bottles, left so get yours. Today fantastic with an
old fashion or mixed. Drinks when we have our, tailgates

(02:23:21):
it's really really fun to have them along for the.
Ride they also have every one of their spirits At
Big Willie's Sports. Bar another fantastic partner of ours AT
espn seven. Hundred Outlaud distillery truly a grain to glass
product forage in the history of The American. West check
out our friends At outlaudistillery At. Outlaudistillery Dot com found
it All state liquor. Stores i'll be ON tv With

(02:23:42):
Dave fox TONIGHT yep ten thirty FIVE. Camyu we call
It Talkin'. Jazz dave asked me for five topics to
send along to talk jazz, basketball and it's a bit
of a challenge to come up with, five but we
came up with.

Speaker 2 (02:23:55):
Five.

Speaker 1 (02:23:55):
Porter do you feel like you are now an expert
in the world the private equity after today's?

Speaker 2 (02:23:59):
SHOW i, GUESS i.

Speaker 3 (02:24:01):
Guess you know it's interesting because a lot of people
like private. Equity what's this buzz where it's just look
at it as a big levee breaking in the corporatization of.
Sports private equity getting into it is not necessarily entirely, new,
right there's you can look. At private equity is a

(02:24:21):
lot of different. Things it's kind of just a way
we talk about a firm of investors really, Right, like
and the good part about this is that there is
a board in place of which many of these people
Are utah, men they Are utah, fans they are involved
and invested in this. Institution but that being, said it

(02:24:44):
still is a big levee being broken in the corporatization of.
Sports and when that, Happens, spence it just leaves me to, Believe,
like what are the questions that are coming from these
private equity guys two years from? Now like are they
asking does the must really need free? Ticket does does
your tailgate really need to have reserve? Spots does weaber

(02:25:08):
state football really need to? Exist or can we buy
that and roll it into what we have because we
just want, to you, know kind of expand on our.

Speaker 2 (02:25:16):
INVESTMENT i don't.

Speaker 3 (02:25:18):
Know these are questions THAT i think we all have
and it's it's going to be interesting to see how
it plays.

Speaker 4 (02:25:23):
Out it was.

Speaker 3 (02:25:24):
INEVITABLE i thought it would be The big ten or
THE sec that kind of officially split from the academic. Side,
no it Was Mark carlin and The university Of utah
right here In Salt Lake.

Speaker 1 (02:25:36):
City, yeah and, LOOK i am not going to run
away from the potential pitfalls and risks of. THIS i,
mean among other, things there's no cost control in college.
Athletics this isn't something where you can be, like all,
right we're going to manufacture our shirts In vietnam instead
Of mexico because it saves you a couple hundred. Grand
there are risks. Here i'm not saying that there's, not
but you, know only time will. Tell so let's kind

(02:25:59):
of delay any sort of judgment until we get more.
Details And i'll remind you That Taylor randall is going
to join the show at some. Point he opped on
a plane after consummating the deal and holding the presser.
Today hopefully we'll Have Mark harlan along for the ride as.
Well but we did our best today to actually walk
through this in a way there was nuanced and context your,
lives to cover every. Angle we'll continue to do that

(02:26:21):
throughout the course of the, Week porter what comes our.
Way on A wednesday edition of the.

Speaker 3 (02:26:25):
Program on A wednesday edition Of The, drive we're going
to continue the conversation About utah athletics and of course
the funding updates. There Matt brown joined the program From Extra.
Points Jake murphy stops by the program the former. Ute
we'll talk a little baseball with, him his dad in
the news with The Pro Baseball hall Of fame. Vote

(02:26:46):
Richard Smithy smith will stop. By we'll talk a little
hoops With, smitty But i'm sure you'll have some thoughts
on The utah stuff as. Well and then we had
an open segment tomorrow hoping for someone maybe up on
the hill today discuss that very, topic.

Speaker 1 (02:27:02):
Efforting some private equity bros as well to potentially join
us to help us understand how this world works a
little more and what you need to know as a
fan of you to. Athletics we'll say, goodnight special thank
you today Too Chris cameranie as well as our friends
at The Fears Fighting championships there event coming up On,
Friday Andy, Larson John kimball. Two if you missed any of,

(02:27:22):
it go to the website which IS espn seven hundred
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for four, hours check out our podcast. Page you just
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get your. Show subscribe to rate, review say nice things
in the, comments give us all the stars At Helps's.

(02:27:44):
Porter i'm spend saying And i'd have a Great tuesday.
Evening i'll be ON tv tonight at ten thirty five
ON kmyu and we'll talk to you on A Wednesday.
Drive and as, always you can catch it right here
on your HUMBAUTS espn seven hundred