Episode 22 of the DSMSports Podcast w/ Andrew Brandt of ESPN and Sports Illustrated: Snippets

Snippets from Episode 22 of the Digital Snippets from Episode 22 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcastand Social Media Sports Podcast

@njh287 DSMSports.net


Episode 22 featured ESPN and Sports Illustrated Columnist & NFL Business Analyst Andrew Brandt

What follows is a collection of snippets from the podcast. For the full episode, visit DSMSports.net


Snippets from Episode 22 of the Snippets from Episode 22 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Digital and Social Media Sports

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Andrew on his current role:

“What I try to be right now is someone that can lend insights and information and perspective having been on both sides of the ball...on the player side as an agent and then on the team side (with Barcelona Dragons in World Football League and Green Bay Packers).”

My life now is “giving back'...use my knowledge and insights in a way that more people can understand things, whether at ESPN, the MMQB, Villanova, and Penn...to a whole new generation of people interested in this stuff...the business of sports, the law of sports, deeper issues.



Andrew's career path:

Went to Stanford and played tennis there → Went to law school in (hometown) of Washington DC at Georgetown and started interning and then working for Pro Serve law firm and got in there (they represented a lot of tennis players) thanks to tennis connections

“I wish there was a formula (to get an 'in' to a good opportunity)...people don't want to hear 'right place, right time...'I just got into because I was able to use whatever I had.”



Andrew's career path (2):

→ Then went to work for NBA super-agent David Falk and he was able to develop an NFL practice with him → Used NBA names as a way to attract athletes and had success there

→ NFL called and asked him to be GM of Barcelona Dragons overseas – “There was nothing really to train me for that...” (talks about all the duties of his team; tells great story about fans quietly applauding touchdown and then cheering extra point kick!)




→ Then returned to agent business and worked for Bob Wulff Associates running the football/basketball division, including (famously) client Ricky Williams who left Andrew to go with Master P (rapper)

“Having lost Ricky Williams...it was a point in the road for me...”

→ Packers then called to offer him a position in front office“We decided to get off this train of chasing players and go to the other

side...My 9 ½ years at Green Bay I was the person in the middle (between the business side and football side; long-term vs. short-term concerns)...sometimes I was the voice of aggression...and sometimes I was the voice of caution.”




→ Decided to return to east coast and moved to Philadelphia where he built his media and education career

“It's deeper than football, it's issues behind football that people are (increasingly) interested in hearing about.”

[Tells anecdote about Bruce Allen being the first to go agent to front to office.]“He was the first, but after I happened there were several others right away...”

(When being offered to join Green Bay) “I asked (Packers chairman) Ron Wolf 'Why me?...' I think they found me easy to

work with (as an agent), I knew my way to work around the CBA...and I think they wanted to get a little more agent-friendly, too.”



“Being in a market like Green Bay where we were so scrutinized, we probably got (more media coverage) than most teams...I would try to educate (the media) without giving away state secrets...”

“One thing I've heard from media people since (he's take on his new role) is 'we've needed someone to explain this stuff...' You're not going to get that as much from people on the inside.”



“(In the beginning) A lot of beat writers were using me as an answer man to (to check for accuracy in their understanding/reporting)...I'm totally okay with that; being a resource...on contracts and labor issues.”

“Teams know (contract details) get out. We're beyond the days where teams can control (numbers on contracts, etc. getting out)...I think it's better that it is transparent...but you need someone in the media to break it down because (things, especially numbers) often aren't what they appear to be.”



On leaking of team info:

“It's a tide that is never going to stop and is only going to (grow)...”

→[cites a story when he first heard of a player transaction being tweeted]

“You realize how instantaneous it is, even five years ago. You just didn't expect these things to being out...(Nowadays) When a contract is announced, fans are left hanging until they know the numbers (and other details)...Then they want more from people like me to actually analyze it for them...There are only 20 weeks of games in the NFL and that leaves 32 weeks of other stuff. I focus on the other stuff.”



On social media affecting personnel decisions:

“I think teams are all about talent and character and evaluation...The other part are the maintenance issues. That's where a questionable social media presence...is where I worry about players with teams.

“The bottom line with the business of sports is so many players, so few jobs. If there's a reason a team feels like, compared to the other guy they're about the game but (one) requires more maintenance, they'll move on. Teams will move on if you give them reasons to and, if you're not a star player, that can be troubling.”



This episode's Helpful Tool: LinkedIn Company Page and Page Analytics

- Tremendous reach/follower ratio- Potential for engagement- Good info on follower growth, reach over time, who your followers are



The question Andrew is asked the most by fans:

How much do practice squad players make?

Answer: ~ $6,000 per week



How many mentions does Andrew get on an average Sunday during the NFL season?

Between 50-100 per day, but can go up higher with a provocative tweet



The one thing Andrew wished fans and/or media understood about team business operations:

The numbers don't matter, only the guaranteed money matters and even that (has caveats).

“The reporting of NFL contracts is erroneous with most of them.”[cites how agents would ask about putting a 'spin' on a contract's value]



This episode's Sharable Stat – 100% of top players [on scouting North American player rankings] in NHL Draft are on Twitter



Best food Andrew has had at the ESPN cafeteria in Bristol, CT:

Kale salad (admits his propensity for health food)



Favorite player Andrew has worked with as...

As agent: Matt Hasselbeck (both as agent and as Packers VP)

As Packers VP: a tie between Brett“Each of them is exactly what a franchise should have: a leader, your best player,

and your most visible player that just gets it. Gets that he's the one everyone is counting on, that he's the name driving the product. Neither of them became prima-donna or too big. Neither of them failed to understand the team concept; they were good friends with everyone.”

As media member: Tedy Bruschi, Damien Woody, Mark Schlereth, Darren Woodson

“Bright guys that work hard and know what their craft is now – it's not playing, it's commentating and they do a good job on it.”



Andrew's pick for the next Superbowl:

1 of 3 NFC teams: Packers, 49ers, or Seahawks



Andrew's social media All-Star to follow: Sanjay Gupta (hralth guy of CNN) @drsanjaygupta and Meredith Frost (photographer) @MeredithFrost

On sports side: @adamschefter, @si_peterking, and players that are genuine and open (not necessarily the star players)



Where to find Andrew:

@adbrandt on Twitter

Writes at mmqb.si.com for weekly Business of Football column and sporadically for Sports Illustrated magazine

Writes on the website for the Moorad Center of Sports Law at Villanova



Thanks so much to Andrew Brandt for sharing his time and knowledge on the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast!

Listen to the podcast and get more info and content at DSMSports.net (And subscribe in iTunes). You can also follow me on Twitter @njh287
