Driving What’s Next in Sports

Preparing for World Cup soccer in the U.S., Canada and Mexico next summer was the topic of a Fox Sports panel moderated by soccer analyst Stu Holden. "It will be the biggest thing we have ever done at Fox Sports," Holden said about the monumental challenge of bringing 104 matches to American fans.

"These massive events take over culture and what's happening in our society like nothing else," said Zac Kenworthy, vice president of production at Fox Sports. "It's something that brings everyone together, and we really believe that."

Investigative journalist and podcaster Pablo Torre joined Goldsberry for a conversation about storytelling within the world of sports. Torre, host of "Pablo Torre Finds Out," explained how unquenchable curiosity yielded his most viral story yet, released in September - how NBA All-Star Kawhi Leonard and Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer colluded to circumvent the NBA salary cap.

"The best stories," Torre said, "start with a question that won't leave you alone."

Ryan Spoon, president of Yahoo Sports, encouraged students to think beyond traditional roles at major leagues or in broadcasting. Drawing on his own path, from creating a sports recruiting platform at Duke University to leading Yahoo Sports, he emphasized the value of building tangible work and taking ownership.

"When I'm trying to hire someone, the most important part is to help them understand where their fingerprint will be on the product or the business," Spoon said. "It creates ownership, agency, and accountability. That's great for the company and results, and it is also step one of creating your portfolio of work."