The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly

Episodes

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  Renee Montgomery on Her Move From WNBA Player to Owner 05.11.2026 25m

  Renee Montgomery says she had no intention of retiring from the WNBA in 2020. But then she changed her mind, and left the locker room for the head office. In this episode of The Deal, Montgomery tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly how she made the deal to become co-owner and vice president of the Atlanta Dream, why she always reads her contracts in full and why she’s investing in NIL merchandise. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  How Taylor Rooks Is Turning Her Name Into a Brand 29.10.2026 23m

  Taylor Rooks became the host of Prime Video’s NBA studio show, broke news for NFL Thursday Night on Prime and even starred in a Wingstop commercial – and all just this year. In this episode of The Deal, Rooks tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly what she’s learned from interviewing some of the biggest-name athletes and how she wants to keep building her brand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Henrik Lundqvist on His Second Act at MSG After Hockey 22.10.2026 23m

  Henrik Lundqvist isn’t just a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame, but he’s one of only 11 New York Rangers to have had his jersey retired. In this episode of The Deal, the Olympic and World Championship gold medalist tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly why he wanted to keep working at Madison Square Garden with Jim Dolan and how he developed business opportunities while still on the ice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  How K. Don Cornwell’s Private Equity Firm Is Changing the NFL 15.10.2026 23m

  When K. Don Cornwell co-founded Dynasty Equity with Jonathan Nelson in 2022, investing in sports was seen as more of a vanity play than real business move. In this episode of The Deal, Cornwell tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly how he knew his thesis was strong, why he decided to invest in the Seattle Seahawks and the TMRW Golf League and the impact he sees private equity having on teams and leagues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Olympian Gabby Thomas On Building a New Track League 08.10.2026 32m

  The world of track and field is quite unstructured, with each race coordinated by a different entity and paychecks few and far between. A new track and field league called Athlos is trying to change that. In this episode of The Deal, three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly how she teamed up with entrepreneur and investor Alexis Ohanian to found Athlos, why she thinks it’s important to give equity to the athletes helping to build the league, and how good it felt to wear the Athlos champion crown at the end of a race weekend.  You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Atlanta Braves Investor on Selling the Team 01.10.2026 29m

  The Atlanta Braves are one of only a few publicly traded sports teams, which makes the argument for its sale a unique one in a year when two other MLB teams – the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Angels – were sold at record valuations. One investor says the time for a conversation about selling is now. In this episode of The Deal, the Founder and Portfolio Manager of Breach Inlet Capital Management, Chris Colvin, shares his investment thesis for the Braves with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly, and explains how a looming lockout over CBA negotiations plays a role in his sales pitch.  You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  How AI is Changing the Fan Experience, with Jump’s Jordy Leiser 24.09.2026 34m

  There are a lot of concerns surrounding artificial intelligence’s creep into all aspects of day-to-day life, but Jordy Leiser also sees a lot of opportunity for AI to help sports fans. That’s why he co-founded the AI-powered fan experience and ticketing platform Jump alongside Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez. On this week’s episode of The Deal, Jordy tells Alex and Jason Kelly how AI can help fans interact with their favorite teams and players, and how a new wave of team owners who made their money in tech are helping to power innovation in the sports industry.  You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Kerri Walsh Jennings on Growing the Game of Volleyball 17.09.2026 29m

  Volleyball is the world’s most popular female sport and it’s the top team sport for high school girls in the U.S., but the professional opportunities have not reflected that popularity. Until now, with the recent launch of two professional volleyball leagues: Major League Volleyball (MLV) and League One Volleyball (LOVB).  Kerri Walsh Jennings – one of the most decorated beach volleyball players in the sport's history – joined MLV as a founding partner when the league officially launched early in 2025, and is now a Founding Owner and the Chief Impact Officer of MLV’s NorCal team. In this episode of The Deal, she tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly how she’s converting her Olympian and World Champion star-power into team ownership, and what she thinks MLV needs to do to win the war of the leagues.  You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  How Jenny Nguyen is Growing Women’s Sports from a Bar 10.09.2026 34m

  Sports bars are a $2 billion industry, and women’s sports overall are now a $3 billion global industry. But there was a major gap in the market where the two intersected: Until 2022, there weren’t any dedicated sports bars solely dedicated to playing women’s sports on the TVs. Jenny Nguyen set out to change that.  In this episode of The Deal, Jenny tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly how she founded The Sports Bra in Portland, Oregon, and why she decided to open the business to franchising across the country. They also talk about what she’s doing to create new fans from the barstool and how she was able to get major investors like Alexis Ohanian and Renee Montgomery on board.  You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Re-Run: Serena Williams Wants to Conquer Wall Street 03.09.2026 47m

  As the U.S. Open gets underway in New York City, the tennis world is abuzz to see the Williams sisters back on the court. Serena Williams’ return to the Open’s doubles tournament got us thinking back to an earlier episode of The Deal, recorded shortly after her retirement from the sport when she had moved on to the world of finance and started her own venture capital firm, Serena Ventures. We revisit that conversation, with Williams telling the hosts how she thinks about the “business of Serena” both on and off the court. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Ryan Howard on Sports Investing and MLB’s Labor Fight 27.08.2026 34m

  Ryan Howard spent more than a decade as one of baseball’s most feared hitters. Since retiring, he’s built an interesting second act as an entrepreneur and investor, with bets spanning everything from the “Topgolf of baseball” to youth sports and professional soccer.  In this episode of The Deal, Ryan tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly how he transitioned from playing baseball to investing in ventures like Batter Up that will help more people play baseball, why making deals can feel like playing baseball, and which issues he thinks could shape the labor fight between the MLB and the players' union. You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Why Everyone's Watching Vanderbilt 20.08.2026 32m

  Vanderbilt is having a moment. The university has transformed from a respected southern institution into one of the country’s most selective and sought after schools. Athletics has become an increasingly important part of that rise. At the center of it is Vanderbilt University’s Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director. In this episode of The Deal, Candice Storey Lee joins us to discuss what it takes to build a winning culture, and how athletic success can amplify a university’s broader ambitions. They also talk about the forces reshaping college athletics, from NIL and revenue sharing to conference realignment, and what those changes could mean for athletes, universities, and fans.  You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Re-Run: Why Wall Street Giant David Rubenstein Bought the Baltimore Orioles 13.08.2026 48m

  Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly recently had the opportunity to sit down again with David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group, to chat about his new book, “Inside the Owner's Box: Conversations on Power and Leadership in Sports.” That conversation got us thinking back to an earlier episode of The Deal, recorded shortly after Rubenstein's purchase of the Baltimore Orioles. We revisit that conversation, with Rubenstein telling the hosts why he bought his hometown baseball team, how he assembled the ownership group, and what the Orioles mean for the city of Baltimore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Alex Rodriguez on MLB’s CBA Negotiations 06.08.2026 19m

  With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the Major League Baseball season is officially entering its final innings. So in this episode of The Deal, Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly break down some of the latest headlines, including what is happening with the negotiations over a collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players, the trade that may have guaranteed the Los Angeles Dodgers another World Series win, and why Alex is still bullish on his New York Yankees. Plus, Alex previews a very special 50th anniversary celebration for the Seattle Mariners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Andy Campion’s Unrivaled Approach to Youth Sports 30.07.2026 23m

  Investors have poured money into youth sports in recent years, with some reports saying the industry is worth as much as $40 billion. It’s no surprise, then, that renowned investors David Blitzer and Josh Harris partnered with The Chernin Group in 2024 to start Unrivaled Sports, a growing portfolio of youth sports investments across baseball, softball, flag football, and more. Unrivaled’s chairman and CEO Andy Campion says they’re only just getting started.  In this episode of The Deal, Andy tells Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly why he left Nike to go all in on youth sports. From the sidelines of a youth baseball tournament at Cooperstown All-Star Village, he explains the business model making youth sports more accessible while also offering premier experiences.  You can also watch this interview on the Bloomberg Podcasts YouTube page.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  World Cup 2026 Recap 23.07.2026 49m

  The 2026 World Cup is done and the numbers are astounding. FIFA reportedly expects to bring in $15 billion in revenue, blowing past their original projection of $12 billion. This number isn’t surprising considering that almost 7 million people attended the tournament’s 104 games and 60 million people in North America tuned into Sunday’s final.  In this episode of The Deal, we dig into the stories beyond these record-smashing numbers. First up, Jason talks to Fox Soccer broadcaster Melissa Ortiz about how this World Cup compared to the others she has covered as a broadcaster and played in as a member of the Colombian national team. She also explains what made the officiating so frustrating and why she is already looking forward to next summer’s women’s World Cup.  Next, Jason is joined by Bloomberg News sports reporter and Business of Sports co-host Vanessa Perdomo about what makes this World Cup such an incredible business story and why FIFA will likely be eager to host another major tournament in the U.S. She also gives her take on how the World Cup’s momentum will impact the MLS and predicts the future of hydration breaks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Hoyt McGarity on the State of Golf 16.07.2026 31m

  8AM Golf is a holding company whose portfolio includes 15 companies that touch nearly every aspect of golf. Started in 2018 by Howard Milstein, 8AM’s umbrella includes Golf Magazine, Miura Golf and a newly constructed course in Nashville built in partnership with Justin Timberlake. So, there is no one better to talk to about what is going on in the world of golf than the company’s CEO, Hoyt McGarity. In this episode of The Deal, Hoyt dials in from St. Andrews to give Alex and Jason the inside scoop on running a holding company, including: what companies 8AM chooses to invest in, which ones they don’t and when they know it’s time to sell. Hoyt also shares his perspective on making golf more accessible to a new generation of golfers while also respecting the traditions of the old heads and what existential threats the sport is facing. Finally, Hoyt tells us why a golf course must be a “good hang” and about his personal trajectory from caddie to CEO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  The PWHL is Just Getting Started With Hilary Knight 09.07.2026 31m

  If you know nothing else about women’s hockey, you probably know Hilary Knight. The 5-time Olympic medalist has played the most games in U.S. Women’s Hockey history. She has also served as the captain of two PWHL teams and is one of the reasons the league exists in the first place. In 2019, Hilary was among several players who vowed to boycott any North American league that was not financially sustainable. In 2022, the players entered into a partnership with Mark Walter and Billie Jean King to launch the PWHL. Four years later, the league is selling out games at MSG and accepting a $100 million investment.  In this episode of The Deal, Hilary details for Jason and Alex the process of starting a league where players were partners from the jump and why Mark Walter and Billie Jean King were the right people to work with. She also explains how the momentum from this year’s Olympics bled into the PWHL season and why Heated Rivalry is one of the best things to ever happen to hockey. Finally, she shares her hopes for her post-playing career (spoiler alert! she wants to own a team) and the responsibility of being the face of her sport. Plus, Alex shares a business idea and tells Hilary why she reminds him of NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Portland is the Epicenter of Women’s Sports with Lisa Bhathal Merage 02.07.2026 32m

  Lisa Bhathal Merage is very busy cementing Portland’s reputation as the global epicenter of women’s sports. In partnership with her brother Alex and their RAJ Sports venture, Lisa is the owner and governor of the NWSL’s Portland Thorns and the WNBA’s Portland Fire. They came to own both teams under pretty unusual circumstances. The Thorns were in turmoil after their previous owner was ousted and RAJ Sports acquired the W’s latest expansion team after the initial deal fell through- giving them only 15 months to build a franchise from scratch. During Lisa’s tenure, the Thorns and the Fire have maintained some of the highest attendance numbers and most lucrative sponsorship deals in their respective leagues.  In this episode of The Deal, Lisa tells Alex and Jason how running the Thorns and the Fire led her to her purpose. She details the unique challenges of starting an expansion franchise in one league while also running a turnaround effort in another. She also shares how she splits her time as a governor in both the NWSL and the WNBA and how her background in fashion shapes her perspective on women’s sports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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  Is There a Future for LIV Golf? 23.06.2026 32m

  LIV Golf is known for doing it big: big player contracts, big worldwide events and big prize purses (an average of $460 million annually). It has also received big funding from one particular source. As of February 2026, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has pumped $5.3 billion into LIV. But this past April, the PIF announced that it would halt its funding of the league at the end of this year. The PIF’s exit leaves one big question mark hanging over the league: Can LIV Golf survive? In this episode of The Deal, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil joins Alex and Jason to address the skeptics. He tells us where LIV is cutting costs and how it is maintaining relationships with its big name golfers. O’Neil also explains why he is confident LIV will survive and how it will look different post-PIF. He also shares his pitch to investors and spells out the types of investors who are already interested in LIV 2.0.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.