The CUSP Show

Joe Favorito welcomes ViewLift President & Co-Founder Manik Bambha for a behind-the-scenes look at the streaming infrastructure powering modern sports consumption. Bambha traces his path from an early role at MySpace to building one of the first OTT movie platforms and launching some of the earliest apps on iPad, Roku, and connected TVs, before turning that technology into ViewLift’s white-label streaming business. He explains how ViewLift now supports clients like Monumental Sports, NESN, LIV Golf, and NBCUniversal’s cable brands, how U.S. streaming differs from Asia, and how device quality, bandwidth, and Android fragmentation shape fan experience around the world. The conversation digs into RSNs going direct-to-consumer, quad-screen viewing, dynamic ad formats, and how legalized sports betting integrations are being woven into team and regional streams, as well as the tradeoffs of AI-powered live translation versus traditional language booths. Bambha also looks ahead at AI’s impact on media operations, makes the case that every job seeker needs a concrete answer to “how do you use AI?”, and shares how he structures a global, 24/7 team to keep live events running smoothly through holidays, late nights, and the next wave of tech disruption.Connect with Manik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bambha/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 Sydney Cristall, Emily Kim, and 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

Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Pro Sports Assembly CEO & co-founder, Laura Dixon, for a deep dive into why the sports industry went so long without its own professional trade association, and how she’s fixing that. Dixon, the former head of External Relations for the San Antonio Spurs, explains what “external affairs” really means inside a team front office, why informed and inclusive leadership is at the core of Pro Sports Assembly, and how member resource groups and small leadership cohorts are quietly driving best (and worst) practice sharing across leagues, teams, unions, and venues. The conversation touches on hot-button issues like sports betting regulation, infrastructure and real estate plays, private equity, NIL, and the structural challenges facing women’s sports and emerging properties. Dixon also shares her philosophy treating each job as “big time,” the importance of hearing directly from Gen Z, and the mentors and moments, from the Spurs to Game Changers, that shaped her path.Connect with Laura: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraddixon/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 Sydney Cristall, Emily Kim, and 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

Joe Favorito sits down with Mark Neifeld, the Founder, and current Commissioner & CEO of the Sport Fishing Championship (SFC), for a conversation about how an emerging league can scale into a global sports property. Neifeld explains how he went from working in the NHL, NFL, MLB, and collegiate athletics to identifying a massive opportunity hiding in plain sight: more Americans fish than play golf and tennis combined. Neifeld breaks down how SFC built a media-first, live-broadcast product by using modern technology to stream directly from the ocean. He discusses the league’s team-ownership model, featuring names like Scottie Scheffler, Raheem Mostert, Randy Moss, and Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley, as well as the structure of a season, from hospitality-focused events to hosting championships in Cabo San Lucas and beyond. He also reveals SFC’s global ambitions, including planned expansion into Australia and the Persian Gulf, the launch of a major new studio venture in Fort Worth, and why fishing’s massive participation base, loyal sponsors, and deep regional roots create a uniquely scalable product.Connect with Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markeneifeld/Mark’s Profile: https://www.sportfishingchampionship.com/mark-neifeldThe 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 Sydney Cristall, Emily Kim, and 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

Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome longtime college football coach and current ESPN/ACC Network analyst as well as Executive Affiliate at the Wake Forest School of Business, Dave Clawson for a wide-ranging conversation on how big-time college football is being transformed by NIL, the transfer portal, and donor influence. Clawson traces his journey from Fordham, Richmond, and Bowling Green to an 11-year run at Wake Forest, and explains why he ultimately chose to step away from the sideline. He breaks down how donors have effectively become “team owners,” why some players now treat college like true free agency, and what a future split between “professionalized” programs and everyone else might look like. Clawson also dives into the rise of sports science and analytics, from Catapult data and sleep tracking to hiring specialists to make sense of the numbers, while stressing why relationships, character, and a genuine love of the game still matter.Follow Dave: https://x.com/CoachClawsonThe 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 Sydney Cristall, Emily Kim, and 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

Joe Favorito welcomes Columbia Sports Management Program alumna, and content creator, Aliyah Funschelle for an in-depth conversation on the intersection of women’s sports, digital storytelling, and the growing creator economy on social media. As a sports reporter, and the founder of Sports With Aliyah, she discusses her journey from Wichita State to Columbia, and how she turned her passion for women’s sports into a thriving multimedia business. Funschelle shares how authenticity, community building, and showing up both online and in person have helped her collaborate with major brands like DoorDash, Dove, and Sephora, while growing an engaged fan base across the WNBA, NWSL, and others. She emphasizes the importance of posting content that you wouldn’t be able to see on a traditional broadcast, but rather the uncut and uncensored moments that fans truly enjoy.Follow: https://www.instagram.com/aliyahfunschelle/?hl=enConnect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliyahfunschelle/The CUSP Show is hosted by Joe Favorito (@Joefav) and Tom Richardson (@ConvergenceTR) and produced by Sam Henry, LJ Holmgren (@LJ_Holmgren), and Danny Hagenlocher (@DhColumbiaSPS), with social media efforts led by Sydney Cristall, Emily Kim, and 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