The CUSP Show

Tom Richardson welcomes Steve Kuhn, former hedge fund executive (Goldman Sachs, Citadel, Pine River Capital), founder of Major League Pickleball, and the co-founder of SportsPredict.com, for a look into the fast-moving world of prediction markets and prediction-based gaming in early 2026. The conversation breaks down why prediction markets surged in late 2025, what it meant when the NHL announced deals with Polymarket and Kalshi, and why Kuhn believes the next wave of fan engagement will be built around skill, status, and community rather than cash gambling. Kuhn traces how a childhood obsession with games and a Harvard background in game theory shaped his career in finance, and ultimately led him to launch SportsPredict as a free-to-play sports prediction platform designed for everyone, including fans who don’t want to bet. Kuhn unpacks how the product works in real time (including live, in-venue formats), how ratings aim to improve on the model of chess, and why forecasting is an under-taught life skill with real career value. Kuhn also shares lessons from building Major League Pickleball and DUPR, outlines his ambitious plan to find an “elephant sponsor” for a large-scale prediction game show, and explains why he’s open to partnering with leagues as a white-label platform to create safer, more social second-screen experiences.
Connect with Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-kuhn-212b4a149/
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, Tom Richardson welcomes Jay Marine, Head of Global Sports and Advertising for Prime Video in the U.S., for a conversation on how Amazon is reshaping the sports media landscape amid the industry’s shift from fragmentation into package rebundling. Marine explains how Prime Video has evolved into a platform for discovery, allowing fans to access live sports and major streaming partners, including NFL, NBA, golf majors, and leading direct-to-consumer services, within a single, frictionless experience. The discussion explores why subscription bundling remains the dominant model despite experiments with single-game purchases, how Amazon’s scale lowers customer acquisition costs for partners, and why reducing friction consistently drives fan engagement. Marine also offers a behind-the-scenes look at Prime Video’s approach to innovation, including Prime Vision, real-time AI-powered analytics, interactive features like odds integrations and “Shop the Show,” and how data scientists, storytellers, and former players collaborate to enhance broadcasts without distracting from the action. The episode closes with a look at Amazon’s NBA debut, Black Friday’s all-day sports slate, and the company’s philosophy for building fan-first products in an increasingly complex media ecosystem.
Connect with Jay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-marine-2a5231/
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

Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Columbia Sports Management student Austin Emile, a FIFA-licensed soccer agent, for a behind-the-scenes look at the business of player representation and how transfers really get done. Emile shares his path from growing up in a Tottenham Spurs household to playing Division III soccer at Haverford, then breaking into the industry through internships with MLS clubs including the New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, and D.C. United. After a major injury forced him to rethink his future on the field, Emile studied for six weeks, flew to Chicago, and passed the FIFA agent exam, becoming one of the youngest licensed agents in the U.S. The conversation unpacks what agents actually do day-to-day: building trust with clubs, scouting and recruiting players, managing families, navigating negotiations, and handling rejection in a business defined by hustle and relationships. Emile also explains why he chose to join Cherry Sports (a Belgium-based agency), how a global agency operates, and why social media and “personal touch” matter as much as contract language.
Connect with Austin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinemile/
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

Joe Favorito and Tom Richardson welcome Columbia Sports Management alum Jeff Aubry, Executive Director of the Next Gen Players Union, for an inside look at labor, leadership, and player advocacy in the NBA G League. Aubry traces his journey from Cornell basketball to a professional playing career overseas and in the early days of the NBA Development League, before transitioning into sports business and union leadership. The conversation explores what it means to represent players in a league defined by short-term contracts, constant movement, and development-first priorities, how the G League fits into the broader basketball ecosystem alongside college and international pathways, and the challenges of building stability for the next generation of players. Aubry also shares leadership lessons from both the court and the boardroom, along with advice for athletes navigating today’s rapidly evolving basketball landscape.
Connect with Jeff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaubry42/
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

Joe Favorito kicks off the first episode of 2026 by welcoming longtime coach, administrator, and now college basketball analyst, John Giannini, for a wide-ranging look at where college athletics, and especially men’s basketball, stands in the NIL and transfer-portal era. Giannini traces his journey from a Division III national championship at Rowan to Division I success at the University of Maine and La Salle, before reflecting on his current work as an analyst, calling games across ESPN, CBS, NBC, and more. The conversation tackles the good, bad, and ugly of modern college sports: uncapped NIL deals, constant roster turnover, lost academic accountability, and why collective bargaining, and likely congressional intervention, may be the only long-term fix. Giannini also explains why the NCAA Tournament remains a “national treasure” worth protecting, how mid-major programs are fighting to stay relevant, and why today’s coaches must evaluate character as carefully as talent. On the optimistic side, he highlights why the quality of play is as strong as ever, how international talent is reshaping rosters, and which coaches and systems are pushing the game forward.
Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-giannini-444580170/
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