CNBC Sport

UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma joins Alex Sherman to discuss the state of the WNBA, his demanding coaching philosophy, the UConn dynasty, NIL and recruiting, and legendary rivalries with Pat Summitt and Dawn Staley. Auriemma also reflects on sustained success, leadership, accountability and what could eventually make him retire.

Episode Notes

Geno Auriemma, the longtime UConn women’s basketball coach and 12-time national champion, sits down with Alex Sherman for a wide-ranging conversation about winning, leadership and the evolution of women’s basketball.

Auriemma reflects on the coaches who shaped his philosophy, including Hubie Brown, Dean Smith, Pat Summitt, Kay Yow, Leon Barmore and Cathy Rush. He also explains how his early coaching experiences in Philadelphia and at the University of Virginia helped prepare him to build UConn into a national powerhouse.

The conversation explores the current attention surrounding the WNBA and Auriemma’s belief that discussion of women’s basketball should remain centered on the game, its players and the quality of competition. He also shares his perspective on leadership, accountability and the challenge of communicating strong standards in different environments.

Auriemma addresses the demanding coaching style featured in Apple’s documentary about the UConn dynasty, explaining why he continually pushes players toward what he believes is their full potential. He discusses how that philosophy translates beyond basketball, why high expectations matter, and why he has never been comfortable becoming satisfied after winning.

The episode also covers his rivalry and relationship with legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, the rise of Dawn Staley and South Carolina, UConn’s championship drought before its 2025 title, and the role that health and timing can play in winning an NCAA championship.

Auriemma also weighs in on NIL and college basketball recruiting. He explains why UConn continues to prioritize players who want the challenge of the program rather than recruits whose college choice is driven primarily by money. Finally, he discusses retirement and says he has not yet reached the point of deciding when his coaching career will end.

 

Topics discussed:

The current state and visibility of the WNBA

Keeping the focus on basketball amid wider cultural debates

Geno Auriemma’s coaching philosophy and leadership style

Building accountability and maximizing player potential

How coaching the U.S. Olympic team changed his approach

UConn’s recruiting philosophy in the NIL era

Transfer portal challenges and player development

The UConn women’s basketball dynasty

Pat Summitt and the UConn–Tennessee rivalry

Dawn Staley, South Carolina and modern women’s college basketball

What UConn needed to return to championship form

Geno Auriemma’s thoughts on retirement

 

Timestamps:

01:16 The state of women’s basketball and attention surrounding the WNBA

03:35 What a WNBA commissioner can and cannot control

05:04 Auriemma discusses the transgender-athlete debate in women’s basketball

06:50 How Auriemma began coaching women’s basketball

08:38 Lessons from his years at the University of Virginia

10:03 The demanding coaching style featured in the UConn documentary

13:45 NIL, the transfer portal and maintaining high standards

14:21 What Auriemma looks for in recruits

15:31 Pat Summitt, rivalry and being a man coaching women’s basketball

17:37 What Pat Summitt meant to Auriemma and UConn

19:03 How the rivalry changed after Summitt stopped coaching

20:19 Why UConn went years without another national championship

22:04 Dawn Staley, South Carolina and a new championship rivalry

24:56 Applying Auriemma’s coaching philosophy to leadership and the workplace

27:24 Winning, recruiting and how Auriemma thinks about retirement

28:13 UConn’s recruiting philosophy in the NIL era

30:14 Whether Auriemma is seriously considering retirement

 

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Pro Padel League CEO Michael Dorfman explains why padel is rapidly gaining traction in the U.S. and how the league is turning the fast-growing racket sport into a professional sports business. He discusses franchise valuations, athlete compensation, media strategy, live events, demographics, investment interest, and the sport’s potential alongside tennis and pickleball.

Episode Notes

Padel is one of the fastest-growing racket sports in the world, and the Pro Padel League is betting that its combination of accessibility, competition, social connection, and spectator appeal can make it a major professional sport in the United States.

In this episode, Alex Sherman speaks with Pro Padel League CEO Michael Dorfman about how padel works, why participation is accelerating, and how the league is building a professional sports ecosystem around the game. Dorfman describes padel as a hybrid of tennis and squash that is played exclusively in doubles, with glass and metal walls keeping the ball in play. He says the sport has more than 35 million players globally and that U.S. participation has grown dramatically since the league launched in 2023.

The conversation explores the business model behind the Pro Padel League, including its 10 city-based franchises, men’s and women’s teams, tournament structure, prize money, player compensation, and developmental ambitions. Dorfman also discusses the league’s capital raises and the sharp rise in franchise valuations, with early teams selling for $200,000 and more recent valuation marks reaching into the double-digit millions.

Media and audience growth are another major focus. Dorfman explains why the league partnered with CNBC and Versant for live national broadcasts and why exposure, rather than near-term media-rights revenue, is currently the priority. He also discusses padel’s affluent, largely millennial audience and the sport’s growing popularity in markets including Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Chicago, and Atlanta.

Topics discussed:

01:53 How padel is played and how it combines elements of tennis and squash

03:06 Why padel is attracting new recreational players

03:52 Global participation and rapid U.S. growth

05:29 How the Pro Padel League’s franchise and tournament structure works

06:08 Player compensation, prize money, and professional salaries

09:08 Why Pro Padel League franchise valuations have risen

10:08 The league’s CNBC and Versant media partnership

12:01 Why audience growth currently matters more than media-rights revenue

13:17 Miami’s role as a major U.S. padel market

13:53 The demographics of padel players

14:49 How padel fits alongside pickleball, tennis, squash, and other racket sports

15:41 PPL Two and the development of North American talent

16:17 Michael Dorfman’s path from insurance and technology to professional sports

18:44 Why investors are increasingly interested in live sports

19:54 The emerging padel equipment, footwear, and apparel market

21:01 The Pro Padel League’s Los Angeles event and CNBC broadcast

Dorfman also explains his broader investment thesis around live sports: as more of everyday life becomes automated, he believes demand will increase for distinctly human, in-person experiences. For the Pro Padel League, that means building participation, community, live events, broadcast exposure, and professional opportunities before maximizing media monetization.

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This episode explores two ambitious plans to reshape professional sports. First, Shaquille O’Neal joins CNBC’s Alex Sherman to discuss Dunkman, a competitive league created to showcase elite independent dunkers from around the world. Shaq explains why basketball’s most spectacular play deserves its own professional platform—and why today’s best dunkers are not necessarily NBA stars.

Dunkman brings international competitors together in a structured league with professional judging and an initial $500,000 prize. Shaq says that figure could rise to $1 million as the competition grows. He also explains how online video and social media have helped independent athletes build audiences, develop increasingly difficult dunks and create opportunities outside traditional professional basketball.

The league evaluates performances across seven categories: difficulty, execution, originality, power, vertical leap, completion and crowd reaction. Shaq also shares memories of watching Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins, explains why he never entered the NBA Slam Dunk Contest and offers a blunt assessment of why the event has declined. For Shaq, elite athletes have a responsibility to reward fans by competing and putting on a memorable show.

In the second conversation, Alex speaks with Larry Berg following the announcement that Berg will become the next commissioner of Major League Soccer. Berg discusses his lifelong connection to soccer, his experience as a minority owner of LAFC and his desire to help grow the sport across the United States and Canada.

Berg describes MLS as being at a “fork in the road” following the World Cup. He argues that the league already has world-class infrastructure but must now improve the quality of play, strengthen youth development, refine its roster and spending rules, and capitalize on increased interest in North American soccer.

He introduces the idea of an “MLS 3.0” grand bargain in which owners consider multiple interconnected reforms rather than debating one issue at a time. Berg also explains why European-style promotion and relegation could discourage investment in American stadiums, training facilities and player rosters. Instead, he suggests that MLS can create competitive jeopardy through knockout matches, playoff changes and performance-based spending opportunities.

 

Topics discussed:

Why Shaq created a global professional dunking league

Dunkman’s $500,000 prize and potential future payouts

How professional dunkers are evaluated across seven categories

Why top NBA players often avoid the Slam Dunk Contest

Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins’ influence on Shaq

Social media’s impact on athletes and sports entertainment

Larry Berg’s path from Apollo and LAFC to MLS commissioner

How MLS can convert World Cup interest into long-term growth

Berg’s proposed MLS 3.0 strategy

Why promotion and relegation may not fit the MLS business model

Salary rules, transfers and roster-building flexibility

MLS academies, pay-to-play concerns and youth development

The importance of supporter culture and live match experiences

Leagues Cup as a bridge between MLS, Liga MX and World Cup-style competition

 

Approximate timestamps:

01:30 Why Shaq believes dunking deserves a professional league

03:00 Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Shaq’s early inspiration

04:30 Social media, YouTube and modern athlete visibility

06:00 Dunkman’s international competitors and prize money

07:45 The seven Dunkman judging categories

10:15 Shaq’s long-term vision for competitive dunking

11:45 Why the NBA Slam Dunk Contest has declined

13:35 Larry Berg’s path to becoming MLS commissioner

16:35 How MLS can benefit from World Cup momentum

19:20 Why promotion and relegation may not work in MLS

21:25 Berg’s MLS 3.0 plan and proposed grand bargain

24:15 Turning new soccer viewers into MLS supporters

26:55 Youth soccer, academies and pay-to-play concerns

30:10 MLS relationships with FIFA and national soccer organizations

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Legendary broadcaster Andrés Cantor joins Alex Sherman to assess the legacy of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and its potential to accelerate soccer’s growth in the United States. Cantor also discusses the U.S. men’s national team, Lionel Messi, Argentina’s dramatic run, future World Cup media rights, and his plans to continue calling major matches.

Episode Notes

Telemundo lead FIFA World Cup play-by-play broadcaster Andrés Cantor joins Alex Sherman to reflect on the 2026 tournament and what it could mean for the future of soccer in the United States.

Cantor explains why the expanded 48-team World Cup exceeded his expectations, highlighting the competitiveness of first-time participants and the relative lack of one-sided matches. He also compares the logistical challenges of traveling across the United States, Mexico, and Canada with the compact experience of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The conversation explores whether the tournament represents a true turning point for American soccer. Cantor considers how new and casual fans may begin following MLS, the Premier League, La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and international stars such as Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, and Alexis Mac Allister.

Cantor also shares his perspective on the U.S. men’s national team’s performance, including the emotional effect of FIFA’s decision to overturn a red card before the team’s match against Belgium. He discusses his enduring enthusiasm for broadcasting, the emotional connection he feels when calling Argentina and the United States, and why retirement is not currently part of his plans.

The episode also examines the next cycle of FIFA World Cup media rights. Cantor addresses the possibility of calling future tournaments in either Spanish or English, whether at Telemundo, NBC Sports, or another broadcaster.

Later, Cantor revisits Argentina’s dramatic victory over England, Lionel Messi’s possible final World Cup, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s open letter responding to criticism of the tournament. The interview concludes with Cantor delivering his signature goal call for Sherman.

 

Topics discussed:

The legacy of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Soccer’s growth and popularity in the United States

The impact of the expanded 48-team format

MLS, Premier League, La Liga, and Champions League viewership

The U.S. men’s national team and the Belgium match

FIFA officiating decisions and tournament controversies

Andrés Cantor’s broadcasting career and future plans

FIFA World Cup media rights for 2030 and 2034

Argentina’s rivalry with England

Lionel Messi’s international future

Gianni Infantino’s response to World Cup criticism

 

Timestamps:

01:34 The expanded 48-team World Cup format

02:29 Comparing the 2026 World Cup with previous tournaments

03:43 Why the World Cup could transform American soccer

05:21 Do Americans love soccer or only the World Cup?

07:03 Which soccer leagues could benefit most?

08:05 FIFA’s overturned red-card decision

09:34 Cantor’s passion for calling major matches

10:45 Retirement plans and English-language broadcasting

11:24 FIFA World Cup media rights for 2030 and 2034

12:48 Argentina’s dramatic match against England

14:31 Lionel Messi’s possible final World Cup

15:42 Gianni Infantino’s open letter

19:21 Andrés Cantor delivers his signature goal call

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ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro explains how the network plans to grow amid cord-cutting, rising sports-rights costs and the shift to direct-to-consumer streaming. He also discusses ESPN’s interest in future World Cup rights, local NBA broadcasts, its expanding NFL relationship and the role of ESPN within Disney’s broader streaming strategy.

ESPN is navigating one of the most consequential transitions in sports media: maintaining the value of traditional pay television while building a direct-to-consumer streaming business that reaches fans wherever they choose to watch.

In this episode of CNBC Sport, Alex Sherman speaks with ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro about the network’s strategy for growing audiences and operating income as cord-cutting continues, advertising remains under pressure and the cost of premium sports rights rises.

Pitaro explains why ESPN is pursuing parallel distribution paths rather than abandoning the cable bundle. Traditional pay-TV subscribers can access ESPN’s direct-to-consumer features through the ESPN app, while viewers without cable can subscribe through ESPN’s standalone service or streaming bundles involving Disney+, Hulu, NFL+ Premium and Fox One.

The conversation also explores ESPN’s ambition to remain the “front door” for sports fans by reducing friction and bringing more live sports content into a single app. Pitaro discusses the integration of CW Sports and NFL Network programming, as well as ESPN’s broader partnership with the NFL following its acquisition of NFL Network, NFL RedZone linear rights and the RedZone brand.

Other topics include ESPN’s disciplined approach to sports-rights spending, its interest in bidding for the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups, and its desire to help solve the local sports-media challenges created by the decline of regional sports networks. Pitaro outlines how ESPN could use its reach and technology to distribute local NBA and other in-market games, potentially through non-exclusive agreements.

The episode also covers Major League Baseball’s labor outlook, changes improving the pace and presentation of baseball, the growth and current tensions surrounding the WNBA, and ESPN’s strategic importance within Disney under CEO Josh D’Amaro.

Topics discussed:

ESPN’s direct-to-consumer and pay-TV strategy

Cord-cutting, advertising pressure and operating-income growth

Pricing and bundling for ESPN, Disney+ and Hulu

ESPN’s partnership with the NFL and integration of NFL Network

The value and rising cost of premium sports rights

Potential bids for the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups

Local NBA media rights and regional sports network alternatives

MLB streaming rights and possible labor disruptions

WNBA growth, media coverage and Caitlin Clark

ESPN’s role in Disney’s broader streaming strategy

Timestamps:

01:45 ESPN’s ratings growth and parallel distribution strategy

04:10 Measuring direct-to-consumer growth and total ESPN households

05:14 ESPN pricing and the Disney+, Hulu and ESPN bundle

06:09 Future media partnerships and streaming bundles

07:50 CW Sports and NFL Network integration

08:17 ESPN’s relationship with the NFL

09:43 Balancing NFL costs with the broader sports-rights portfolio

10:58 ESPN’s interest in future FIFA World Cup rights

12:37 Local NBA broadcasts and regional sports network alternatives

15:03 MLB rights, labor uncertainty and contingency planning

16:49 WNBA growth, tension and ESPN’s coverage responsibilities

18:21 ESPN’s role under Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro

19:46 ESPN’s financial performance and transparency

Brands, leagues and services mentioned include ESPN, CNBC Sport, Disney+, Hulu, NFL Network, NFL RedZone, NFL+ Premium, Fox One, CW Sports, YouTube TV, DirecTV, Comcast, Charter, the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL and FIFA.

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