© 2025 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Toronto Address:
130 Queens Quay E.
Suite 903
Toronto, ON M5A 0P6

Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
BTPM NPR Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040

Differing shades of blue wavering throughout the image

Give Now

Play Live Radio

Next Up:

0:00

0:00

0:00 0:00

Available On Air Stations

Skin in the Game

How General Sports’ Lou DePaoli Builds Winning Teams Off the Field

Published November 1, 2025 at 4:00 PM EDT

Ways To Subscribe

Mariann Do

This week on Skin In The Game, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with sports business veteran Lou DePaoli, President Executive Search and Team Consulting at General Sports Worldwide. From the AHL and MLB to the NBA and now global consulting, DePaoli’s career has spanned nearly every corner of professional sports.

He shares how his firm helps teams across the U.S. and Europe generate revenue, improve fan engagement, and adapt to a rapidly shifting media landscape. The conversation covers everything from the collapse of regional sports networks to the economics of ticket pricing and how franchises can keep fans connected without pricing them out.

Along the way, DePaoli reflects leadership lessons learned and the key to finding and recruiting the best c-suite talent for teams and leagues around the world. Finally, he breaks down why baseball continues to defy predictions of decline, and what emerging sports, like volleyball and women’s soccer, are getting right. It’s a masterclass in the business side of the games we love.

Skin in the Game | Season 1

Latest Episodes

Inside M&T Bank’s Playbook: Sports Marketing, Brand Loyalty, and Community Impact

This week on Skin In The Game, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with Jan Liebchen, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing at M&T Bank, to explore how one of the region’s most recognizable brands uses sports and community partnerships to deepen its connection with customers.
Danny Gare on Scoring, Grit and Building Hockey’s Future

This week, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei welcome Buffalo Sabres legend Danny Gare (No. 18). Gare reflects on a career defined by goal-scoring and old-school toughness, from his first NHL shift to living through the rough-and-tumble 1970s—and why those first five years are the ones you miss most.
Two Leagues, One Game: Paul Woods on the Power of Partnership Between the CFL and NFL

This week on Skin in the Game, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with Paul Woods, Canadian Football League historian, journalist and author, to explore the evolving story of the Toronto Argonauts and Canadian Football.
The Rise of Women’s Hockey: Katy Knoll and the PWHL

This week on Skin in the Game, John and Tim sit down with Katy Knoll, forward for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women’s Hockey League. Knoll reflects on the opportunity the PWHL is creating for athletes like her, and what it means for this moment in women’s sports.
Lake Placid Mountain Biking and ORDA’s Sports Innovation

This week on Skin in the Game, John Cimperman welcomes Kris Cheney Seymour, senior manager of sport strategy and engagement, and Tait Wardlaw, vice president of sales, marketing and communications at the Olympic Regional Development Authority.
Looking Into Water with Bob Rich Jr.

This week on Skin in the Game, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with Bob Rich Jr, an author, businessman, team owner and lifelong angler. A decade after publishing his novel Looking Through Water, Rich shares the story of how it’s now been adapted into a feature film starring Michael Douglas.
Inside the Bills’ New Stadium with Populous’ Jonathan Mallie & Scott Radecic

This week on Skin in the Game, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with Populous leaders Jonathan Mallie (senior principal and managing director for the Americas) and Scott Radecic (senior principal, founder and former Bills linebacker) for a deep dive into the design of the Buffalo Bills’ next home.
Inside the ECHL with Commissioner Ryan Crelin

This week on Skin in the Game, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin to unpack the state of the league—the premier “AA” professional circuit and a key bridge between the AHL and NHL.
The Best of Baseball with Tim O’Shei

This week on Skin in the Game, Tim O’Shei cues up a baseball special that spans sandlots to the show. We’ve dug into the archives and curated a program that looks at America’s pastime from different perspectives.
How Sports Build Empathy On and Off the Field with Joon Lee

This week on Skin in the Game, John and Tim sit down with sports journalist Joon Lee—whose bylines span The New York Times and The Boston Globe, and who previously covered baseball and features at ESPN and Bleacher Report—to explore how sports can build empathy on and off the field.