IÕm Grant Gardner and youÕre listening to Statistically Speaking, a podcast from the Samford University Center for Sports Analytics in Birmingham, Alabama. IÕm Zachary Taunton and each week we are going to explore how big data and advances analytics is impacting the business side of sports. So, here is this weekÕs episode... --- Zachary Taunton (ZT): Hello everybody, my name is Zachary Taunton. I'm here with Josh Salter who is a fellow student in the Samford University Sports Marketing program. How are you today, Josh? Josh Salter (JS): I'm doing fine. Thank you for having me. ZT: In addition to us both being in the Sports Marketing program, Josh is also a student-athlete which gives him a unique perspective on the sports industry as a whole. I am going to ask him a few questions today s tarting off with, ÒJosh, what is the sports industry?Ó JS: You know, the sports industry is a lot of things. It's more than just the leagues of the sports it's more than than the MLB, NFL, NHL MLS. There is so much that goes into it. It is sports marketing firms, it is sports marketing agencies. It is summits and groups that bring sports events to their cities. It is a big holistic view of sports. ZT: Given that you're in the Sports Marketing program, and you are a student-athlete, what has drawn you to sports? What is it about sports that you love? JS: So, I grew up playing all different sports: soccer, baseball, football. Somehow I ended up with track and cross-country, so running is my niche. There is even an established sports fan base for running which is really something awesome to be not only a part of, but be able to follow as well. So, having that background and just growing up in that developed my love for sports. Being an athlete at Samford it has been really cool to be involved in the athletic department and realize that every different university and college at the Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 level is essentially doing the same things, but some are doing it a little bit better than others. It has been really cool to be a part of ours, but also take note of how other universities function. You know, their athletic departments as well. ZT: So, given the sort of insiderÕs perspective you have on the entire world of sports...what is it that you would say makes the sports world so different from every - and sports industry so different - from every other industry of business? JS: Yeah, it is fast-paced, that is the biggest differentiator. The only area or industry that could come close is the financial market; it moves pretty quickly. But sports moves just as fast. Whether that is trade deadlines or acquisitions or team movements or wins and losses or game times. The fact that it is played globally and worldwide there is probably sports on 24/7, you know, somewhere. Being in North America we are probably able to watch sports either in Australia or in Asia if we would like to. So, the fact that it is accessible 24/7 I think makes it pretty fast-paced. ZT: That is interesting because you are a finance major as well, so I guess you just love the fast-paced life. So, has being on all these angles of sports, especially the sports business part of things, made you love sports more or less? Because there's a lot of times when people get into an industry because they love it on the outside, but once they get involved in it, it does not really live up to it. Music is this way for a lot of people. They love making music, but the business behind it is so cutthroat, as sports can be, that it ends up turning them off. So, has that been true for you, or is it actually just added to your love of sports? JS: Yeah, great question. It has definitely fueled my fire. Personally, I think that's just how I'm wired... ZT: Competitive guy, huh? JS: ...Yes, it's really cool to be able to look at professional athletes and see how they engage in the business side of sports as well as outside of just the team that owns them and the franchise that owns them and watch them build their own brand and just make strategic moves for their own life. You know as a young man and and even for younger fans I think that's a great model to look at. Whether it's someone like Kobe that brings out new sneakers. Steph Curry does the same thing. A lot of them do that, but even LeBron James that franchises restaurants that have catchy names, all over the country. So, I think that's just - it's really cool to be able to keep up with individual players moves and how they franchise themselves. Also franchises or team moves, but that is definitely a model that I would like to model my life after. ZT: Right, and you know, a lot of players try to make a career for themselves in business after playing in whatever sport it is. A lot of them succeed, some of them don't. From your perspective, has being an athlete, and in this case track, but you played a lot of different sports growing up, how has being an athlete helped you in business? I mean is there a clear connection? Because so many, like you're talking about, so many athletes after their careers in sports start up in business. So how would you say being an athlete has affected the way you view business? JS: Yeah, I think the sports just provides the natural competitive edge. You learn it through the game of sports. Whether that is basketball or football or whatever competition you're in. You know, take the ball out of the equation, or the running shoes out of the equation if you will, and translate that competition into the next arena because there's going to be a time where you know your body just can't keep up and play like you used to, but the competitive fires always going to be there. Naturally youÕre just going to find a way to adapt, but also use your competitive edge to better your situation and that is just natural instinct. ZT: What youÕre saying there's actually just right on the money because of how many athletes you see try and make comebacks because that competitive fire has just not burned out, even if their bodies have, like Chris Bosh right now trying to make his comeback. If you don't know, listen to any of the interviews as to why he's doing that, but he said, ÒLook I felt purposeless once the game was gone.Ó So, I feel like what you're saying is that people have that competitive fire and business is just another way to use it. Well, thank you Josh this has been a good interview about: What Is the Sports Industry? What makes it unique. I think you've highlighted all the reasons why we all love sports and the sports industry, thank you. JS: Good, thanks for having me. --- Thank you for listening to Statistically Speaking. This podcast was created and produced by Zach Taunton and Grant Gardner. To learn more about the Samford University Center for Sports Analytics, and download more episodes of the podcast, visit our webpage at samford.edu/sports-analytics and follow us on Twitter @SamfordSACenter.