Casey Wasserman on Bill Simmons podcast, 09.16.2009
Filed under: Bill Simmons, Business, ESPN
Casey Wasserman is on ESPNs Bill Simmons Podcast today. You may not know who he is, but he is BIG in sports and entertainment. How big you say.. .. big like his company WMG, The Wasserman Media Group, by his estimation represents about 45% of MLS players! He has an interesting take on sports and the economy and its a good listen. The second half of the conversation is mostly about getting an NFL team to LA, but before that he dabbles in what the MLS needs to do to become huge in the US, his thoughts on owning an MLS team, what the effect of increased international league (La Liga, EPL, etc.) viewership in America could mean and how some interesting partnerships could be on the horizon. Check it out here
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So your showing us the ugly part of sports now. Thanks alot…
I take that back. Though ugly, it was very interesting. The thought of a North American Super League was thinking outside the box and possible. I mean, though Mexicans wouldn’t want to succumb the lower leagues the US has to offer, I’m sure it will favor them monetarily.
The whole issue on building an american football franchise in Los Angeles is also very interesting and relevant to today’s times as everyone in LA has been bitching for one for who knows how long. The points pertaining to american football are truly some to consider, but putting football into the mix is quite hilarious. Making it the home stadium for USSF?! Ridiculous. We all know LA homes more people from Mexico, Central, and South America more than “americans”. It would be a better home for the Galaxy as Downtown not only connects most cities through our terrible interpretation of the Autobahns (or Freeways), but our Metro system also does the job pretty well (though the French and British are the masters at that). Jokes aside (including the purchase of a Premiership team, LMAO, more on that*), and it would include all the bandwagoners to join in along with the hipsters and trend followers that would view the Downtown stadium as “the place to be”.
It wouldn’t be about the sport, but more on the net revenue it would be able to create. Not only for the NFL, but for all those involved. Personally, if this were ever to happen, I’d be down to view any football match as I’d be a drive, or a train away. I mean, this is what makes the Premiership so popular. Their Underground Railway system connects England and Europe if I’m not mistaken. A game @ Old Trafford is only a few trains away! I swear Carson was a bad area for the Galaxy to play. Why’d they move from the Rose Bowl anyways?!
*The note I was going to refer to. Research suggests (I’ll provide sources if asked) that traveling from West to East as a competitor may be give you a disadvantage from the start due to Time Zones and such. Meaning that when traveling from East to West, you almost ALWAYS hold an advantage due to this. So the sleeping pills comment was a good insert!
agreed! excellent points all around, and when you look at it simply many of his points seem to make a ton of sense. I’ve been thinking about it all day and trying to poke holes in some of his assumptions but the reality is that when it all is taken into consideration, everything seems reasonable AND doable. The building of a multi use stadium is moving its way up my list of things i would do if I had a billion dollars