Get ready for a front-row seat to the business of sports with Skin in the Game, the weekly sports industry podcast hosted by sports marketing expert John Cimperman and veteran sports business journalist Tim O’Shei. If you follow sports news, sports business trends, or the fast-changing world of NIL, college athletics, pro leagues, and sports media, this show is your essential listen.
Each episode goes beyond the headlines to explain why these developments matter. Skin in the Game breaks down how major sports business decisions ripple through teams, athletes, fans, and communities across North America. From the NFL, NHL, PWHL, WNBA, NBA, MLB, and MLS to college rivalries, high school sports, and the expanding youth sports economy, John and Tim reveal how industry shifts affect competitiveness, revenue, fan engagement, and the future of sports.
Expect in-depth analysis, insider interviews, and expert commentary on the stories driving today’s sports economy—along with new perspectives you won’t hear anywhere else.
New episodes air weekly on BTPM NPR Saturdays at 4 p.m., with rebroadcasts Tuesdays at 11 a.m.
Stream Skin in the Game on-demand on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
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Hosts John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with three-time Paralympic gold medalist Adam Page, training center director Miguel Azcarate, and sports performance coach Dr. Jason Rich for a powerful conversation about sacrifice, deliberate practice, pressure, and mental resilience. -
Entrepreneur and sports memorabilia pioneer Brandon Steiner joins Skin In The Game for a conversation about building businesses, preserving sports history and turning passion into purpose. -
Former NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith joins Skin In The Game for a candid, wide-ranging conversation with hosts John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei about power, labor, and the true business of professional football. -
In this episode of Skin In The Game, hosts John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with Steve Mesler, Olympic bobsled gold medalist and founder of Mesler Performance Group, for a deeply honest conversation about success, identity, and life after elite competition. -
In this episode of Skin In The Game, hosts John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei sit down with Craig Custance, author of The Franchise: The Business of Building Winning Teams and Head of Creative Development at The Athletic, for a deep dive into leadership behind the scenes of professional hockey. -
In this episode of Skin in the Game, award-winning investigative journalist Rick Westhead joins John and Tim for a powerful and deeply reported conversation about his book “We Breed Lions” and the culture of junior hockey in Canada. -
In this episode, John and Tim dive into the psychology, history, and surprising power of trash talk with journalist and author Rafi Kohan, whose latest book explores how a few well-timed words can shape competition, performance, and culture. -
This episode explores the influence and leadership that impacts the future of sports. In the first half of the episode, hosts John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei are joined by Josh Barnett of Sports Business Journal. Then the episode features an encore presentation of a conversation with Troy Vincent, Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the NFL. -
Lake Placid has long been synonymous with Olympic history, but today it’s also a case study in how sport, tourism, and economic development work hand in hand. In this episode, John Cimperman sits down with Darcy Norfolk Rowe, Director of Communications for the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), to explore the business and impact of winter sports in New York State. -
Golf is more than a game. It’s an economic engine, a job creator, a tourism magnet, and a powerful steward of green space. In this episode, John and Tim unpack the findings of New York State’s new Golf Impact Study with guests Gina Rizzi and Tom Kaplan, revealing a side of the sport most people never think about.
