Sports In The Making

Part 2: Ben Bouma - Sports TV Producer & Sports Management Consultant

Episode Summary

PART 1 - Ben Bouma works on the biggest sporting events for networks such as NBC, ESPN, CBS, and FOX alongside some of the all-time great announcers and reporters in history. In Part 1, we talk about his tv career and what his role is on the events he covers. In Part 2, we talk about his sports management and how he's been a part of ownership groups that have purchased professional sports franchises, as well as the National Women's Hockey League, women in sports and working with Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer on Amazon's Thursday Night Football.

Episode Notes

PART 2:

• 2:09 - How he helped the Pittsburgh Steelers build their baseball PNC park.
• 5:29 - How he was able to get a new arena built for the Penn State hockey program.
• 10:12 - How Ben helped billionaire Terry Pegula buy the NHL Buffalo Sabres team.
• 13:52 - How the media tries to know what goes on in sports franchise deals.
• 15:55 - How negotiations happen between all parties to buy a sports franchise.
• 17:17 - Ben’s involvement in the group that wanted to purchase the Arizona Coyotes.
• 23:53 - When the deal for the Coyotes fell through, how Ben and his group had a good chance to land an NHL team in the Seattle market.
• 27:54 - His advice to anyone that wants to buy a sports franchise.
• 29:33 - How the sports franchise fees have escalated.
• 31:00 - Why buying a sports franchise are a difficult financial decision based on valuations for anyone who wants to purchase one.
• 33:33 - What his thought are for franchise opportunities for the XFL and if the NFL should invest in the league.
• 38:30 - How Ben is able to make connections and build relationships with influential people in sports and how former Pittsburgh Pirates Manager Jim Leyland helped him relate to people.
• 43:41 - Ben served on the board of directors of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) and how he views the progress of that league is.
• 48:46 - How the NHL lockout affected their rights deal with ESPN and how NBC partnered with them.
• 51:00 - Where Ben sees women in sports today and his working relationship with Andrea Kremer and Hannah Storm on Amazon’s Thursday Night Football.
• 54:25 - How the days of listening to broadcasting legends are nearly over and how there are more opportunities for women to make an impact in broadcasting.
• 57:29 - Advice Ben has been given in his career.
• 58:55 - What tool Ben uses to help him identify how to succeed.