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Skin in the Game

Skin in the Game

By: BTPM NPR
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About this listen

 Get ready for a front-row seat to the action with Skin in the Game! Hosted by sports marketing guru John Cimperman and seasoned sports business journalist Tim O’Shei, this podcast is your go-to source for the freshest and most fascinating business news in the world of sports. We don’t just stop at the headlines. Skin in the Game explains how these developments ripple through the Buffalo and Toronto sports scenes. From pro leagues to college rivalries and high school sports, we unpack how trends shape the competitiveness of your favorite teams and influence the fans who live and breathe regional sports. Each episode gives you the inside scoop on what’s making waves in your local sports world! New episodes air weekly on BTPM NPR Saturdays at 4pm, with rebroadcasts on Tuesdays at 11am. You can also listen to Skin in the Game on-demand wherever you get your podcasts! Politics & Government
Episodes
  • The Real Impact of Golf: Jobs, Tourism & Policy in New York State

    The Real Impact of Golf: Jobs, Tourism & Policy in New York State
    Dec 6 2025
    Golf is more than a game. It’s an economic engine, a job creator, a tourism magnet, and a powerful steward of green space. In this episode, John and Tim unpack the findings of New York State’s new Golf Impact Study with guests Gina Rizzi and Tom Kaplan, revealing a side of the sport most people never think about. The conversation begins with the dollars-and-cents impact: how golf supports local economies, drives tourism in both Western New York and Southern Ontario, and sustains thousands of jobs across public and private courses. But the discussion quickly turns to a surprising and important theme, legislation. Gina and Tom break down how regulation, environmental policy, and rising operational costs are reshaping the golf industry, and why having a “seat at the table” in Albany is critical to protecting both courses and the golfers who rely on them. Golf may look simply like a walk in the grass with a bag of clubs. But as this conversation shows, its impact runs far deeper.
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    53 mins
  • How FloSports Built a Streaming Empire for Overlooked Sports

    How FloSports Built a Streaming Empire for Overlooked Sports
    Nov 29 2025
    What began in 2006 as two brothers with a van, a camera, and a belief that overlooked sports deserved real coverage has grown into a powerhouse that streams 50,000 events a year across more than 25 sports, from wrestling and track to cheer, motorsports, and elite global hockey. FloSports CEO and co-founder Mark Floreani and content producer Mark Bader join John and Tim for a deep dive into one of the most fascinating disruptors in sports media. Mark shares how FloSports identified the “long-tail” opportunity long before streaming was mainstream, building a direct-to-consumer model around the idea that passion, not size, defines a great sports audience. Bader takes listeners inside the culture that powers FloSports. It’s a staff made up of true athletes and insiders who live the sports they cover, telling stories from the inside out and elevating communities often ignored by traditional broadcasters. The conversation dives into the company’s meteoric rise in wrestling, the boom in women's wrestling and youth participation, the growing universe of dirt-track racing, and the massive expansion of FloHockey, including rights to the AHL, ECHL, USHL, OHL, and QMJHL.
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    52 mins
  • The Rise of Olympic Flag Football: Inside USA Football’s Game Plan for 2028

    The Rise of Olympic Flag Football: Inside USA Football’s Game Plan for 2028
    Nov 24 2025
    In 2028, flag football heads to the Olympics, and USA Football is steering the ship. In this episode, John and Tim talk with Scott Hallenbeck, CEO of USA Football, and Callie Brownson, former NFL coach and current head of high-performance for the U.S. national teams, about the rapid rise of the sport and what it means for athletes across the country. Scott walks us through USA Football’s evolution into the nation’s first governing body for the sport. He explains how the NFL’s investment, international momentum, and the IOC’s push toward smaller-team disciplines created the perfect pathway for Olympic inclusion. Callie shares a behind-the-scenes look at building elite men’s and women’s national teams from youth development pipelines to talent transfer athletes and the growing number of states sanctioning girls’ high school flag. The conversation dives into the global surge of participation, the economics fueling the sport, and which countries pose the biggest competition in Los Angeles. The world is embracing a new version of American football, and Team USA is racing toward gold in 2028.
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    52 mins
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