The CUSP Show

Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Cam Smith, Substack’s Head of Sports Partnerships and Columbia Sports Management alum, to the CUSP Show to explore how the platform is reshaping sports media. What started as a newsletter product has evolved into a multi-format ecosystem spanning audio, video, and community-driven discovery, giving creators more control than ever over their work and their audience. Cam breaks down why journalists, athletes, and media personalities are increasingly choosing to build direct-to-consumer businesses rather than depend on traditional outlets, and how Substack’s model prioritizes ownership and sustainability over scale. The conversation gets into the economics behind the shift, including why a smaller, highly engaged subscriber base can outperform a massive but passive social following, and what that means for legacy media, fragmented distribution, and the way fans discover sports content today.
Connect with Cam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-smith-68b1865/
The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz and Sydney Cristall.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Kevin Lopes, Vice President of Business Development and Innovation at ESPN, to the CUSP Show to discuss his 18-year journey at the company and how ESPN continues to evolve at the forefront of sports media. From starting as a programming coordinator to leading innovation initiatives, Lopes shares how timing, relationships, and a willingness to embrace new technology shaped his career. The conversation explores ESPN’s early push into streaming with ESPN360 and WatchESPN, including how the company helped build the foundation for today’s digital sports ecosystem. Lopes explains how early rights deals were driven by trust and long-term relationships, and how ESPN worked with schools and conferences to professionalize streaming long before it became mainstream. Lopes also breaks down the creation of ESPN’s Edge Innovation Center and how partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Accenture, and Meta help the company stay ahead of emerging trends. Whether it’s VR, AI, or new distribution platforms, the focus remains on ensuring ESPN is prepared for whatever the future of sports consumption looks like.
Connect with Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-lopes-4160aa2/
The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz and Sydney Cristall.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

In this special CUSP Show conversation, Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson take a step back after 500 episodes to reflect on how much the sports business has evolved, and where it may be headed next. The two hosts dive into a discussion on the current state of the industry, from March Madness and the Big East Tournament to golf’s evolving business model, media rights strategy, and shifting fan behavior. The conversation highlights the Big East’s continued success in a changing college sports landscape, including its strong fan engagement and willingness to embrace creator-driven media. Joe and Tom also explore broader questions around the future of college athletics, including the growing financial divide and the possibility of new structural models. They also examine golf’s momentum under PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp and the increasing need for leagues to think of themselves as entertainment products competing for attention. From there, the discussion turns to one of the biggest challenges in sports today: fan access. With content spread across multiple platforms, they break down how fragmentation is reshaping viewing habits and why simplicity will be critical moving forward. The episode also touches on emerging trends like AI and prediction markets, and reflects on the many “next big things” that have come and gone over the past decade.
Connect with Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joefavorito/
Connect with Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomrichardson01/
The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Recorded at the 2025 Columbia Sports Management Conference in October, moderator Chris Lencheski leads a conversation on the forces reshaping the sports investment market. Joined by Daniel Adams of Polsinelli, William Mao of Octagon, Betsy Morgan of TOGETHXR, and Stephen Schifrin of Terrapin Partners, the discussion explores how investors, advisors, and operators are evaluating today’s sports landscape across team ownership, media rights, women’s sports, and global growth opportunities. The panel breaks down how capital is flowing into sports differently than ever before, from private equity and family offices to strategic investors looking for long-term value in scarce assets. The group discusses how media rights continue to underpin valuations, why shorter and more fragmented rights cycles are changing the deal environment, and how investors are increasingly forced to balance traditional financial analysis with a deeper understanding of fandom, community, and brand relevance. A major focus of the conversation is the continued rise of women’s sports as a serious investment category, with discussion around where the strongest opportunities exist and how those properties should be measured on their own terms rather than against legacy men’s models. The panel also examines the importance of fan behavior, player visibility, and social engagement in driving the commercial potential of teams, leagues, and emerging properties. From MLB and media-rights strategy to women’s sports, global football, and the future of ownership structures, this conversation offers a smart, grounded look at what sophisticated investors are actually watching in sports right now, and why the next generation of value creation will come from understanding both the numbers and the passion behind them.
Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislencheski/
Connect with Daniel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-adams-b98bab2/
Connect with William: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williammao/
Connect with Betsy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsylmorgan/
Connect with Stephen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-schifrin-0014333/
The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com

Live from Super Bowl Radio Row, Joe Favorito welcomes David James Clarke IV, CEO of Praxis AI, for a conversation about how artificial intelligence is becoming a practical tool across sports, media, education, and healthcare. Clark explains how Praxis AI uses “digital twins” to help scale human expertise, making knowledge more accessible without losing the personality, communication style, and experience of the original expert. Clark shares how his company first found traction in higher education, where digital twins of professors are now answering thousands of student questions and saving faculty significant time each semester. From there, Praxis AI expanded into sports and entertainment, where digital twins can help athletes, coaches, broadcasters, and thought leaders extend their reach well beyond what is possible in person. He discusses recent work involving Dr. Robert Cantu, Dr. Jen Welter, Shannon Sharpe, Von Miller, and events tied to the Super Bowl, the Cricket World Cup, and future global competitions. The conversation also explores the emotional side of AI, including what it means to hear and interact with a digital version of yourself, as well as the practical business model behind Praxis AI’s platform. Clark addresses the speed at which AI is affecting jobs and workflows, the difference between job replacement and job transformation, and why he believes AI can be both commercially powerful and socially impactful. He also emphasizes the value of digital twins in cause-driven spaces such as concussion education, youth mentorship, and athlete-led social responsibility work.
Connect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjamesclarkeiv/
The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry (@s_henry11), LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Lissa Ruiz.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecuspshow.substack.com