Front Office Sports Today

The NHL is entering the playoffs coming off the best-attended regular season in its history. That will only further stoke the league’s desire to expand to new markets, with the Phoenix area remaining the NHL’s top priority. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan joins the show to discuss how these playoffs are a dream come true for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, where the league could expand next, and why Ryan Smith’s “energy” is just what the NHL needs. Plus, NFL draftees could see record salaries, the league is expanding its international efforts in Australia, and Utah is set to claim the 2034 Winter Olympics.

The NFL Draft begins today with the forecast calling for surprises and trades. ESPN’s NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller joins the show with a look at how the Cardinals, Commanders, Patriots, and other teams with top picks might leverage their position for long-term future gains. Plus, Reggie Bush got his Heisman Trophy back 14 years later, Tiger Woods is set to receive $100 million in equity for staying loyal to the PGA Tour, and the Bears are expected to ask for $2.3 billion in public funds for a new domed stadium.

Austin Ekeler’s free agent market developed over the course of a few hours. He joins the show to take us inside that chaotic day and offer his thoughts on the NFL’s new rules, where he would like to see the league expand, what he expects from his new team, the Washington Commanders, and his athlete fan connection platform, Eksperience. Plus, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore are entering mediation over their attempted purchase of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, the Kansas City Current are building a new neighborhood around their stadium, and the Utah NHL team name will be decided by a fan vote.

Randy Johnson spent a career staring down the best hitters in the world. Now he stares down wildebeests. The Hall of Fame pitcher joins the show to discuss how baseball has changed and his second life as a photographer. He’s also part of a campaign to make bird homes, after the famous incident in which one of his pitches collided with a mourning dove during a game. Plus, the NBA is now free to negotiate with any company on its next media rights deals and a major Olympics controversy pits the U.S. against China.

The New York Knicks were looking to take their franchise into a new era by signing free agent LeBron James in 2010. To seal the deal, they put together an elaborate, celebrity-filled recruitment video, exclusively for LeBron and his agent. That video has now surfaced 14 years later due to the work of Pablo Torre. Torre joins the show to discuss what compelled him to search for the video, what it reveals about the Knicks' front office, and how the team has changed since then. Plus, private equity firms are preparing to invest in the NFL, David Beckham is suing Mark Wahlberg’s fitness company, and the people of Utah are buying in on their hockey team before it even has a name.

The NFL Draft is a swarm of moving parts, with trades and surprises a regular part of the action. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport anticipates that this year could bring loads of drama, with everything past the first pick in flux. He also discusses the NFL’s new rules and Deion Sanders’ claim that teams leak negative stories about players they are interested in. Plus, a settlement was reached with the Justice Department in the Larry Nassar case, the clubhouse attendees of the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks had their lives changed by the teams’ trips to the World Series, and Caitlin Clark is inspiring at least one WNBA team to shift venues when she comes to town.

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins has a second favorite sport: cornhole. He's competing, along with 7 other NFL players, in a big event being broadcast from New Orleans by ESPN this weekend. Dawkins joins the show to discuss his love of the sport, where he sees it going (hint: the Olympics), and why he thinks the bags are "like therapy." Plus, Caitlin Clark broke more records at the WNBA Draft, Travis Kelce has a thriving media career, and the NBA banned Jontay Porter for life.

With team valuations on the rise and the World Cup on the way, optimism is soaring on soccer’s future in the U.S. Former USMNT player and Golazo Network analyst Charlie Davies joins the show to discuss the American appetite for soccer, and whether MLS might one day buy the USL and introduce a promotion/relegation system. Plus, we delve deeper into the Arizona Coyotes’ move to Utah and whether hockey could return to Phoenix down the road, the NBA delivers a banner year ahead of its media rights deals and eventual expansion, and new details emerge on the betting habits of under-investigation NBA player Jontay Porter. (00:00) Arizona Coyotes Leave for Utah (05:28) NBA's Banner Year (07:47) Charlie Davies on the Appetite for American Soccer

The WNBA enters a new era with Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink set to join the league. The WNBA will seek to build on the popularity of the most successful women’s college player in history, with expansion and a new media rights deal looming. Plus, the Arizona Coyotes are likely heading to Utah, the NBA play-in tournament starts tonight, and we hear from someone tasked with looking after the Stanley Cup as it travels the globe, from the NHL finals to local bars and far beyond. (00:00) Inside the 2024 WNBA Draft (05:05) The Arizona Coyotes Relocate to Utah (07:46) Keeping Up with the Stanley Cup

Philadelphia Eagles stars DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy have stayed busy in retirement. The two have a podcast together, The 25-10 Show, and separate real estate dealings. They join to show to discuss their post-playing careers and their thoughts on today’s NFL. Plus, the Masters concluded against a backdrop of a fractured golf world, and Wrexham F.C. added another chapter to its remarkable story with its second consecutive promotion.