The Option Podcast

Episode 6: The End Game

Ugh. I do hate goodbyes. But we had to tie a bow on all this sooner or later, didn’t we? 
I’m sure we’ll have everything solved by the end of the next ~30 minutes.
So come on down for the grand finale. We’re almost there. 
This is The Option, from Cross Streets Media. 
Guests featured (in order):
Andy Coats: Lead Attorney, NCAA v. Board of Regents
Nicole Auerbach: Senior Writer, College Football, The Athletic
Sarah Fields: Professor, University of Colorado Denver
J.A. Adande: Director of Sports Journalism, Northwestern University
Jeffrey Kessler: Lead Attorney, NCAA v. Alston
Paul McDonald: Lead Attorney, NCAA v. Johnson
Ben Portnoy: College Sports Reporter, Sports Business Journal
Rick Karcher: Professor, Eastern Michigan University
Ben Strauss: Sports and Media Reporter, Washington Post
Damon Stoudamire: Head Basketball Coach, Georgia Tech
Ellen Staurowsky: Professor, Ithaca College
Dennis Deninger: Professor, Syracuse University
Eamonn Brennan: College Basketball Writer, Buzzer
Host: Michael HendricksProducers: Joe Engelbrekt & Dean MetherellCover Art: Sam Ball

Episode 5: Majority Rule

College sports contain multitudes. Nearly all of the coverage is devoted to what we tend to call the "revenue sports," and except for this time of year right now, what that really means is D1 football. 
But what about everybody else? There are literally hundreds of thousands of college athletes across the country who we tend not to hear from. There's this giant conversation happening around them, and they barely get a word in. 
So listen up. They've got something to say, here on The Option from Cross Streets Media. 
Guests featured (in order):
Abbey Forbes: Tennis Player, UNC Chapel Hill
Grant House: Swimmer, Arizona State
Amanda Christovich: Reporter, Front Office Sports
Jaime Gordon: CEO, American Volleyball Coaches Association
Christine Brennan: Columnist, USA Today
Victoria Jackson: Professor, Arizona State University
Host: Michael HendricksProducers: Joe Engelbrekt & Dean MetherellCover Art: Sam Ball

Episode 4: The Way Back

Every now and then, you have to press the ol’ rewind button to get up to speed. 
It’s clarifying. We already got a lot out of that trip back to 1984, right? What’s another eight decades or so? 
Teddy Roosevelt’s a gracious host. He’ll show us a good time. 
So let’s head on back – way back – here on The Option from Cross Streets Media. 
Guests featured (in order):
Dennis Deninger: Professor, Syracuse University
Ellen Staurowsky: Professor, Ithaca College
Ben Strauss: Sports and Media Reporter, Washington Post
Nicole Auerbach: Senior Writer, College Football, The Athletic
Chase Griffin: Quarterback, UCLA
J.A. Adande: Director of Sports Journalism, Northwestern University
Theo John: NBA G-League Player
Laine Higgins: Reporter, Wall Street Journal
Host: Michael HendricksProducers: Joe Engelbrekt & Dean MetherellCover Art: Sam Ball

Episode 3: Hail Charlie

Instead of a Hail Mary, it’s a Hail Charlie. Get it? Like the football play?
Its namesake is the ambitious new head of the NCAA, a guy named Charlie Baker, whose most recent experience was running the state of Massachusetts. So, in that sense, it’s a heave alright.
But now that Baker’s in the chair, he’s bringing some changes to college sports. A lot of changes, actually, and he’s still hoping on a whole lot more. 
We’ll tell you all about ‘em, here on The Option from Cross Streets Media. 
Guests featured (in order):
Amy Perko: CEO, Knight Commission
Matt Stout: Reporter, Boston Globe
Blake Lawrence: CEO, Opendorse
Ross Dellenger: Senior College Football Reporter, Yahoo! Sports
Andy Schwarz: Economist, OSKR
Rick Karcher: Professor, Eastern Michigan University
Jay Bilas: College Basketball Analyst, ESPN
Host: Michael HendricksProducers: Joe Engelbrekt & Dean MetherellCover Art: Sam Ball

Episode 2: Pocket Pressure

Remember 1984? Us too. What a year. Hit after hit after hit: Ghostbusters. Born in the USA. NCAA v. Board of Regents.
What do you mean you don’t remember that last one? The landmark antitrust lawsuit that turned college sports upside down forever? Still no? For real? 
Well, in that case. You’re prolly gonna want to listen to this episode STAT. We’ll get you up to speed. 
This is The Option, from Cross Streets Media. 
 
Guests featured (in order):
Amanda Christovich: Reporter, Front Office Sports
Andy Coats: Lead Attorney, NCAA v. Board of Regents
Andy Zimbalist: President, Drake Group
Amy Perko: CEO, Knight Commission
Jaime Gordon: CEO, American Volleyball Coaches Association
Victoria Jackson: Professor, Arizona State University
Jay Bilas: College Basketball Analyst, ESPN
Sarah Fields: Professor, University of Colorado Denver
Host: Michael HendricksProducers: Joe Engelbrekt & Dean MetherellCover Art: Sam Ball

Episode 1: Amateur Hour

The NCAA has four letters, three divisions, a thousand schools, and half a million student-athletes. It’s a lot. Too much, some say. 
 
For as long as most of us have been alive, the organization’s been running the world of college sports. But that world is going through some changes right now. 
 
More than ever, the ground is shifting beneath this pillar of bureaucracy. And, to their credit, the NCAA is starting to shift with it. 
 
It’s a funny time to be covering college sports. “May you live in interesting times,” right? Well. Here we are. 
 
This is The Option, from Cross Streets Media. For the next six episodes, we’ll try and explain these times, and what might be coming next. So sit down, stay a while. 
 
Guests featured (in order):
Jay Bilas: College Basketball Analyst, ESPN
Jeffrey Kessler: Lead Attorney, NCAA v. Alston
Andy Zimbalist: President, Drake Group
Charles Grantham: Fmr. Executive Vice President, NBA Players’ Union
Cody McDavis: Fmr. College Basketball Player, Univ. of Northern Colorado
Bubba Cunningham: Director of Athletics, UNC Chapel Hill
Jennifer Heppel: Commissioner, Patriot League
Blake Lawrence: CEO, Opendorse
Stewart Mandel: Editor-in Chief, College Football, The Athletic
Jason Gay: Sports and Humor Columnist, Wall Street Journal
Host: Michael HendricksProducers: Joe Engelbrekt & Dean MetherellCover Art: Sam Ball

Trailer: The Option

College sports are at an inflection point. The NCAA we grew up with is already gone. It's a new era of college sports, and it doesn't look much like the old days. It's a multi-billion dollar industry that keeps on growing every year.That money isn't all staying put, though. It's on the move, and it might just keep moving, ushering in a revolutionary shift in college sports.Find out where it's headed, here on The Option, from Cross Streets Media.