The episode details the creation of the groundbreaking Turner/CBS partnership for the NCAA March Madness tournament. This 50-50 joint venture introduced the concept of broadcasting every game live across multiple networks, fundamentally changing sports media consumption and creating a highly profitable model.
Levy identifies women's sports as a major growth area with a strong ROI for media rights and sponsorships. His company is actively investing by creating new events like the Women's Champions Classic and taking an equity stake in new leagues like Unrivaled, demonstrating a belief in the long-term commercial viability of the sector.
A core strategy for Horizon Sports and Experiences is moving beyond a traditional agency model to creating, owning, and controlling its own sports IP. Events like the Pickleball Slam and the Women's Champions Classic are owned by HS&E, giving them control over media rights, sponsorships, and long-term enterprise value.
The discussion covers various partnership models, from the Turner/CBS joint venture to the co-CEO structure at HS&E. Levy emphasizes the importance of complementary skill sets and clearly defined roles, noting that while most co-CEO structures fail, his with Chris Weil succeeds due to minimal overlap in their networks and responsibilities.
Keep pulling the thread on David Levy.