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It's been seven months since Tim Russell, CEO of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, joined the podcast to talk about why tennis was being cut more than any other sport during the pandemic. It was my most-listened to episode of 2020, so I asked Tim if we could revisit the subject now that we've seen several more tennis programs eliminated.The ITA is the governing body of college tennis, overseeing men's and women's varsity tennis at all levels -- NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College. In addition to providing resources to its members to help support programs, the ITA also put together opportunities while competition was halted in collegiate tennis.Listen in to hear more about why tennis may be taking the brunt of the cuts, Tim's opposing argument and also great advice for coaches in any sport to be more proactive in demonstrating value to their administrations.Resources mentioned in this episode:Health Index (a useful tool for coaches in any sport)Tim's response to AthleticDirectorU the role of Olympic sports on college campusesYou can follow the ITA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

In this episode, I'm joined by Samantha Arsenault Livingstone, an Olympic Gold Medalist,  high-performance consultant, speaker, educator and mental health advocate. Samantha was a member of the U.S. Swimming National Team, 1999 U.S. Pan Pacific Team and 2000 U.S. Olympic Team. As an 18-year-old, she stood atop the Olympic podium in Sydney, Australia after swimming the lead-off leg of the record-setting 4 x 200 Freestyle Relay. Post- Olympics, Samantha battled an eating disorder, depression and shoulder surgery. With the help of an amazing mentor, she rose from the rubble stronger, happier and healthier, ending her career as a 7 x NCAA All-American. To close out her career, Samantha led her teammates to the 2005 National Championship title as the co-captain of the Georgia Bulldogs.At home in the classroom, Samantha spent six years teaching high school science and coaching swimming. She is the founder of Livingstone High Performance and the Whole Athlete Initiative (the WAI) providing pillars of support to athletes, coaches, parents and organizations to elevate mental health and improve performance. In addition to private and group coaching, Samantha consults with teams and organizations on athlete wellness initiatives, leadership, strategic planning, rising skills and developing high-performance cultures.She is a certified instructor of Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) and a certified instructor of Mental Health First Aid. Samantha holds a master's degree in secondary science education from the University of Georgia. She lives in New England with her husband, Rob, and four daughters. In this episode, we discussed:How coaches and administrators can spot issues student athletes might have coming into their program from home or previous sports experienceHow administrators can set the tone for compliance for everything from practice limits to sexual abuse and communicate to student athletes that it mattersSamantha's message for student athletes who fear coming forward about violations will lead to retaliationHow coaches can create a culture where student athletes feel comfortable talking to them about issuesThe lack of mental health resources and education in intercollegiate athleticsAs a parent, how Samantha talks to her kids about what is and isn't appropriate behavior from their coachesSamantha's website: www.samanthalivingstone.comFollow Samantha on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

I'm joined today by Stephanie Stabulis of Social Creates Impact, who I've been partnering with on some educational programming for coaches, administrators and student athletes as we enter the NIL era.Stephanie is a former award-winning, top influencer marketing agency executive passionate about bringing more training, resources and education to influencers and brands. She has designed campaign strategies for hundreds of brands from small-startups to dream clients like ESPN, OREO, Nickelodeon, Southwest Airlines, Macy's, Gilden Apparel, and Sour Patch Kids.In this episode, I tapped into Stephanie's knowledge on a variety of topics related to how brands will likely work with student athletes once they're able to monetize their name, image and likeness, including:The difference between an influencer vs. ambassador vs. affiliateHow much of a student athlete's content should be directly related their athletic performanceWhat brand deals typically look like and the process behind themHow brands find the people they want to work withThe importance of having written agreementsSome of the risks and pitfalls student athletes need to be aware ofThe opportunities for developing content creation skills that can take student athletes beyond graduationYou can connect with Stephanie on Instagram: @socialcreatesimpact.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

I'm joined this episode by Malaika Underwood, the SVP of Licensing for OneTeam Partners. Malaika has extensive experience in the licensing arena and is a former standout intercollegiate athlete and professional athlete herself.Malaika recently joined OneTeam from The Brandr Group, where she worked on the forefront of the college NIL issue. She also managed partnerships with player associations to develop business on behalf of athletes in the college licensing and marketing space. Her career stops also include Collegiate Licensing Company where she managed all partnerships with the SEC, ACC and Big East. Malaika played volleyball at the North Carolina, and is the longest-tenured player on a USA Baseball National Team, male or female, and has earned five Women’s Baseball World Cup medals, as well as two Women’s Baseball World Cup All-Tournament Team selections.We discussed what group licensing opportunities might exist if legislation allows for group licensing. We also threw around ideas for how those deals might come to be without the need for a players' union. Additionally, we discussed opportunities available for female student athletes in a group licensing context.You can connect with Malaika on LinkedIn or check out OneTeam Partners on their website. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Deborah Stroman, who is a professor at UNC and the founder and CEO of the Center of Sport Business and Analytics. Dr. Stroman was also the  first Black scholarship female student athlete at the University of Virginia, where she captained the basketball team in her senior year. She also became the first Black female coach at UNC when she served as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team. In addition to her academic and Center responsibilities, Dr. Stroman is a radio personality for two radio stations and consults for the National Institutes of Health, sports teams, and sports-related organizations including the NCAA, College Football Playoff, and the Atlantic Coast Conference We chat about her experiences as a Black student athlete and coach and how she draws on that experience with her new work with the Advancement of Blacks in Sports. We talk about the organization's mission and where the shortcomings are in sports when it comes to Blacks in leadership positions, both in college sports and professional sports. This conversation was more like eavesdropping on our personal conversation than a typical episode, so we both get a little vulnerable and transparent about our work and what we can do to advance Blacks working in sports.In this episode, I recommend the book The Go-Giver. You can follow Dr. Stroman on Twitter: @drstroman.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

In this episode, I'm joined by Melissa Korn, a Wall Street Journal reporter who co-authored the newly released book Unacceptable: Privilege, Deceit & the Making of the College Admissions Scandal with her WSJ colleague Jennifer Levitz.One morning in March 2019, many of America's rich and powerful woke to three hundred FBI agents at their doors. Among them were actress Felicity Huffman, designer Mossimo Giannulli, business executives and storied college coaches, with one thing in common: They'd all worked with Rick Singer. Sought after by wealthy parents as a college whisperer, Singer helped children nationwide secure spots at the schools of their dreams--for some, by any means necessary. When his scheme crumbled, more than 50 people would be criminally charged. In Unacceptable, veteran Wall Street Journal reporters Korn and Levitz trace the rise and ruin of the largest scam of its kind ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, dubbed Operation Varsity Blues. With unparalleled access to primary players in the case, they reveal how Singer cashed in on the ultimate status symbol: an acceptance letter at Stanford, Yale, Georgetown, or USC. They detail how the scheme exploited existing loopholes, with bribes and lies giving already privileged families an irresistible edge. In this episode, Melissa and I talked about how this story unfolded and what college athletic administrators should be on the lookout for in the future to prevent this from happening again.You can follow Melissa on Twitter @MelissaKorn. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

The topic of coaching salaries, particularly for college football and men's basketball coaches, are often pointed to as an excessive source of spending for athletic departments. With athletic departments facing unprecedented financial difficulties, it's an expense some are looking at more closely. It has been suggested that salary caps be instituted similar to what we see for professional athletes. But is that even legal?I asked Gabe Feldman, Director of the Tulane Sports Law Program, Co-Director of the Tulane Center for Sport, an NFL Network Legal Analyst and sports industry consultant to join the podcast to discuss what can--and can't--be done legally to contain or reduce coaching salaries.We broke it down in simple terms for all the non-lawyers and talked about what competition law is meant to accomplish and how it applies to college sports and coaching salaries, in particular. Gabe also shared his thoughts for courses of action that are legal and could be pursued in the future.Gabe also provided insight, along with other antitrust law experts, in my piece for Forbes on this topic: Can Athletic Departments Cap Coaching Salaries to Save Money?You can follow Gabe on Twitter @SportsLawGuy. Also, check out his sports law podcast Between the Lines.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

Prep QB coach Denny Thompson of 6Points joined the podcast to discuss the unintended consequences of the NCAA's decision to grant Division I fall student athletes an extra year of eligibility and an extra year to complete their eligibility. Denny chatted with me for my Forbes piece on the issue hours after the decision was announced, so in this podcast we're diving deeper into why this isn't a win for many student athletes. We focused on football specifically, but much of what we discussed applies to all fall student athletes. With depth charts blown and uncertainty around who will stay and who will go, and how athletic departments will fund expanded rosters, there are many questions and few answers. However, we explore of much of it as we can at this time and chew on lots of food for thought.You can follow Denny on Twitter and 6Points on Twitter and Instagram.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

What can history tell us about the ability of college football to weather a pandemic? Jeremy Swick, the historian and curator of the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, joins me this week to chat about the 1918 Spanish Flu and how both it and World War I impacted college football. What was it like with some teams playing and others not? What was college football like when it was all over? Jeremy walks me through all his knowledge on the subject and we talk about what this fall might--or might not--look like and how it might impact the long-term health of college football.Jeremy is tasked with maintaining the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame’s extensive collection of artifacts, books, photographs, artwork and publications as the Historian and Curator Coordinator. He was instrumental in establishing, and now updating databases for various educational and historical artifacts and props. In addition, Jeremy curates all new exhibits at the Hall, including exhibits for marquee matchups, the rotating specialty exhibits and Black History Month.You can follow Jeremy on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. You can follow the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook as well.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

Scott Nestler, managing partner of SafeSeating Solutions, joined the podcast to talk about his new SaaS that was developed to help athletic departments plan for the return of fans to the stands for football, basketball, baseball and other sports.Whenever fans are allowed in the stands again, stadiums and arenas will likely be operating at reduced capacity. So, how do you seat 30% capacity while following local guidelines and restrictions, keeping family units together and giving priority to certain groups? Simply input your stadium manifest and a list of groups you wish to seat and this software will spit out a proposed seating chart that takes into account the guidelines you want to follow.Scott talked through how the software came to be, how it works and all the ways it can be used by facilities managers and venue directors. It's application goes beyond college athletics and could be used for professional athletics or for other venues such as theaters.You can learn more about SafeSeating Solutions on their website and check out a demo or contact them with any questions. You can also follow them on Twitter @SafeSeating.To keep up with the latest decisions on fall sports by FBS athletic departments, check out my tracker.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

I'm joined by Matt Fairhurst, founder and CEO of Skedulo, to discuss how his company is working with BioReference Laboratories to implement COVID-19 testing protocols in professional sports leagues like the NBA and MLS.One of the hurdles faced by professional sports was how to efficiently test everyone - from players and coaches to officials, broadcasters and others involved with live competition. Matt's company partnered with BioReference Laboratories to use its deskless workforce productivity software to implement testing protocols and efficiently test large numbers of people in these leagues on a regular basis.Matt shares insights from the pros and conversations he's been having with universities about bringing students back on campus for the fall. We talk about what college athletic administrators can learn from what we know so far and how to prepare as we move into fall sports season.You can connect with Matt on LinkedIn and Twitter and follow Skedulo on LinkedIn or Twitter.In today's Business Tip, I talked about two pieces of software that make my business infinitely more efficient: Appointment for scheduling all my calls and meetings and MeetEdgar ($10/mo off with my link) for managing my social media and repurposing all of my content.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

I'm joined in this episode by Tim Russell, CEO of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The ITA is the governing body of college tennis, overseeing men's and women's varsity tennis at all levels -- NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College. To date, 45 tennis programs have been cut since the beginning of the pandemic -- a number that jumped from 28 when Tim and I recorded a week and a half ago. I asked Tim why he thinks tennis has become an easy target and what the future of college tennis looks like. We talked about what coaches can do to put their sport in the best decision to thrive and the resources ITA offers its members to that end. I was really impressed with the "Health Index" they've created for their members, and I encourage other sports to adopt the same approach.You can follow the ITA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

This week I'm joined by James Coleman, a former student athlete at FSU who is currently the co-host of 1010XL's "The Sports Den" and a strength and conditioning coach. James joined me to discuss how black student athletes have begun using their voices to demand change - from calling out racist behavior by coaches to demanding fight songs, chants and building names be changed. James talked about his own experience as a black student athlete and why he thinks right now is the perfect storm of circumstances to finally allow black student athletes to have a voice and demand change. He shares advice for student athletes, administrators and coaches on current events and necessary change. James played fullback at Florida State University where he was a three-year starter and a member of threeAtlantic Coast Conference Championships between the years of 2002–2005. James was the go-to short yardage back and scored 10 career touchdowns while playing in 46 career games at FSU. He used his skills to realize his dream of playing in the NFL while playing with the New Orleans Saints for one season. James received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science in only three years. James used sports performance training during his high school and college years before coming into the field after his playing career was finished.You can follow James on Twitter and Instagram. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com and Forbes.

I'm joined in this episode by my friend Tim Duncan, Director of Athletics at University of New Orleans. We talked about a recent encounter he had with police where he was racially profiled and how he's shared that experience with his kids, his student athletes, his friends and his social media followers in order to better educate everyone. We discussed how he told his student athletes about what happened and the support and resources being provided to them. We also talked about what he expects from his staff and coaches. He shared his advice for student athletes on how to get involved in protests and what is and isn't appropriate on social media. We also discussed educating current and recruited student athletes on social media usage in general and giving student athletes some freedom to allow them to grow while also making them aware of potential consequences. Tim also had advice for administrators on handling conversations about race, even if you're a white administrator. From there, we talked about what fans and the communities around universities can do to promote racial equality and improve going forward. And we ended with advice for BIPOC administrators as they seek to develop professionally and move into their next career position. You can follow Tim on Twitter.You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com, on Forbes and Entrepreneur.  

Mike Snee, executive director of College Hockey Inc., joins the podcast to discuss how his organization has been working to support and grow men's college hockey for more than 10 years. We talked about the current state of college hockey, how the organization supports the addition of new collegiate programs and how both USA Hockey and the National Hockey League helps support the organization's mission. Tune in to learn more about how College Hockey Inc. helps interested universities explore the addition of hockey, what a program needs to succeed and why Mike thinks men's college hockey is one of the best ways to engage alumni. We also talked about the current state of college hockey and how it's been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Note: University of Alabama at Huntsville cut its men's hockey program after we recorded this episode. More on that here, including Mike's comments.You can follow College Hockey Inc. on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.Follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com, on Forbes and Entrepreneur. 

Nate Appleman, the director of HOK’s global Sports + Recreation + Entertainment practice, joins me to discuss the current state of construction and planning while much of the country is under stay-at-home or safer-at-home orders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We talked about whether projects are proceeding as scheduled, if plans are being adjusted and how facilities might look different in the future as a result of new safety and health concerns.You can follow HOK on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.Follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com, on Forbes and Entrepreneur. 

I'm joined once again by Blake Lawrence, co-founder and CEO of Opendorse to chat about NIL and the opportunities available for student athletes as social media influencers. We chatted about how brands activated around this year's virtual NFL Draft. How much were student athletes entering the draft really able to earn from social media partnerships? Turns out it was even more than Opendorse expected!Listen in as Blake and I chat about the NFL Draft, social media monetization for student athletes, the latest developments in NIL legislation and whether any of those coaches with the cool digs at home upped their own earning potential during the draft (we're looking at you, Kliff Kingsbury). You can follow Opendorse on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com, on Forbes and Entrepreneur. 

This week I'm joined by Rachel Baribeau, founder of I'm Changing the Narrative. A sports broadcaster with a storied career covering college football, Rachel founded I'm Changing the Narrative to address issues facing student athletes she met on campus, from mental health to dating, home life and other pressures. She's a regular speaker on college campuses across the country, vulnerably sharing her own struggles with domestic violence and suicide. Rachel developed #ImChangingtheNarrative with student athletes in mind and a belief that one crooked course made straight is everything. One misstep not taken means one less victim in the world. And one less life thrown away because of a split second bad decision.If your athletic department is looking for ways to better communicate with your student athletes and address mental health and domestic issues, this episode is a must-listen!You can follow I'm Changing the Narrative on Twitter or Facebook, and you can follow Rachel on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com, on Forbes and Entrepreneur. 

I'm joined by Gail Sideman, a former SID turned publicist who has a wealth of experience in strategic communications, including crisis communications. We chatted about several football head coaches who've made the headlines lately and how those situations can be mitigated going forward. We discussed whose role it is to get the athletic department on the same page when we find ourselves in a situation that lends itself to so much personal opinion. What role do athletic directors play right now in communications and messaging? What about SIDs?We also discussed student athletes and what should be communicated to them right now and how to help them responsibly manage their own communications. If you've either experienced a "foot in mouth" situation in your own department or want to avoid one in the future, this is the episode for you. You can connect with Gail on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com, on Forbes and Entrepreneur. 

Nebraska Athletics recently partnered with Opendorse to create the first-ever program designed to help individual student athletes build their personal brands. The program, being called Ready Now, will afford all 650-plus Nebraska student athletes the opportunity to improve their personal brands on social media so they can maximize their earning potential once NIL legislation is ultimately enacted. I wrote about this program on Forbes when it was first announced, but in this episode I was able to chat with Opendorse co-founder and CEO Blake Lawrence about what his company currently does with professional athletes and how his platform will benefit student athletes as NIL legislation is enacted. We discussed how Opendorse currently works with its approximately 75 collegiate partners and how the Nebraska partnership takes that to the next level. From providing actionable data to matching athletes with brands, we chatted about everything Opendorse does and how student athletes will be able to maximize their monetization opportunities once NIL legislation is enacted.You can follow Opendorse on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram to discuss further, ask additional questions or suggest future episodes.You can find more of my analysis on the business of college sports at BusinessofCollegeSports.com, on Forbes and Entrepreneur.