Bloomberg Business of Sports

Episode: "A Trip to Nike's Headquarters, Changes in College Sports and ESPN's 'Vibe Check'"

Date: October 31, 2025
Hosts: Michael Barr, Vanessa Perdomo, Damian Sassauer

Overview

This episode of Bloomberg Business of Sports dives deep into three pivotal areas shaping the modern sports industry:

1. Nike’s Comeback and Innovation:
   Senior reporter Kim Basine recounts his behind-the-scenes visit to Nike's headquarters, detailing the brand’s strategies for revival, innovation in sportswear, and changes in retail and executive leadership.

2. The ESPN ‘Vibe Check’ Show:
   A robust conversation with Vibe Check hosts Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, and Ari Chambers highlights the rise of women’s sports, the evolution of media platforms, and the state and future of the WNBA.

3. College Sports at a Crossroads:
   Amy Perko, CEO of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, joins to discuss a new survey on how college sports leaders view NIL compensation, Olympic sports funding, transfer rules, and the need for federal oversight.

1. Nike’s Headquarters: Innovation and Reorganization

Guest: Kim Basine, Bloomberg News Senior Reporter
Timestamps: 02:46–15:23

Nike’s Brand Revival

• Resurgence in Performance:
  Nike is regaining market share, especially in running shoes, achieving 20% growth after losing ground to upstarts (03:24).

  “They’re starting to come up with those big product breakthroughs that they used to be so well known for... to make athletes better.” — Kim Basine [03:24]

• Cultural Cool Factor:
  Nike is working to regain its status among younger consumers while leveraging performance innovation.

  "If you develop something that makes someone win a game or a race... it creates this aura around the brand." — Kim Basine [04:31]

Organizational Rehaul

• Sport-Offense Model:
  /Instead of segmenting by gender or product type, Nike’s teams are now built around specific sports (e.g., basketball, running). This move aims to unify product, marketing, and design for each sport.

  “He reorganized his teams around sports instead of men's and women's... That way they can develop products and it's in sync with marketing...” — Kim Basine [05:28]

• Leadership Changes:
  New CEO Elliot Hill replaced most direct reports, implemented layoffs, and has initiated a complete C-suite overhaul to drive the turnaround (12:33–13:34).

On the Cutting Edge: Product Innovations

• Inflatable Jacket:
  Scheduled for a debut at the Milan Winter Olympics, the jacket uses air insulation to keep wearers warm (05:56–06:23).

• “Massaging” Shoe:
  A calming, pressure-point shoe designed for pre/post-competition relaxation (06:24–06:43).

• Aerofit Fabric:
  Promises to regulate body heat in soccer jerseys (06:55–07:07).

• Project Amplify (“E-bike for your Feet”):
  A prototype shoe that boosts your stride, offering significant assistance, though not legal for competition.

  “You put the shoe on... whenever you take a step, it boosts you forward... running next to someone who’s not wearing these things is like panting, and you’re like, I’m good.” — Kim Basine [07:54]

Retail Strategy & Challenges

• Return to Store Shelves:
  Nike is regaining presence in specialty running stores but shares space with strong competitors (09:54–10:46).

• Branded Store Concepts:
  Nike and retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods are moving toward branded “mini-stores” within larger stores, emphasizing experiential shopping (11:15–12:33).

Financial Realities

• Tariff Pressures:
  CEO Elliot Hill signaled mounting tariff-driven costs—rising from $1B to $1.5B—forcing Nike to use “surgical price increases” while holding the line on core products (14:28–15:23).

2. ESPN’s ‘Vibe Check’ and the State of Women’s Sports

Guests: Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, Ari Chambers
Host/Interviewer: Jason Kelly
Timestamps: 19:17–41:48

The Birth and Ethos of 'Vibe Check'

• Origins & Authenticity:
  Conceived as a relaxed, real, women-led space, Vibe Check focuses on both women’s and men’s sports—always through a unique, often personal, POV.

  “The ability to showcase all of this incredible women talent at ESPN was probably the biggest force multiplier of wanting to do this show.” — Elle Duncan [20:52]

• Inclusive, Living Room Vibe:
  Designed as a destination for fans and fellow ESPN talent; delivers honesty, humor, and community.

  “The show is shorter than most, and so we want to give it the best punch ever... Even beyond that, us getting to know us, it’s a bigger space for you to know us as people.” — Elle Duncan [23:46]

Disruption in Sports Media

• Streaming on Disney+:
  Vibe Check is one of the few ESPN studio shows available directly on Disney+, merging the digital/linear TV divide (25:20).

• A Draw for Women at ESPN:
  The show serves as an internal hub for ESPN women—becoming both a platform and a cultural touchstone (26:22).

The Rise and Business of Women’s Sports

• New Opportunities and Confidence:
  Players and teams (e.g., Angel City FC, Golden State Valkyries) are charting new paths and generating higher valuations, with ownership and investment driving the future.

  “Players have always been the best in its kind... But now seeing the investment, that’s been the biggest disruptor in the best way. People are starting to see that you can get in on something right now that is huge for years to come. It’s a generational asset.” — Chiney Ogwumike [27:22]

• WNBA Labor Disputes and CBA Negotiations:
  The current moment is pivotal—players are more organized, outspoken, and united on demands for equitable compensation, maternity leave, and post-career benefits.

  “Numbers talk. The numbers are talking and the players are able to be louder in a way that they haven’t before.” — Ari Chambers [30:47]

  “There’s a stronger business sense and grasp for what the reality of the landscape is reflected when they’re coming to an agreement.” — Elle Duncan [33:51]

• Ownership, Investment, and Growth:
  Demand for team ownership is high; expansion fees climb. Still, "cheap owners" remain a hurdle to league-wide modernization (37:10–38:55).

• Advice for Ownership:
  “You’re going to lose money up front. You need to be okay with that. You’re going to lose money, but if you keep investing, it will come back to you.” — Ari Chambers [38:55]

The Future of ‘Vibe Check’

• Focus on Excellence Before Expansion:
  The hosts aim to perfect the show’s current formula before considering scaling up or spinoffs.

  “I care purely about making sure we do the absolute best version of the thing that we have before we talk about expanding... We are still getting our sea legs under us.” — Elle Duncan [39:59]

3. College Sports: Changes, Challenges, and the Road Ahead

Guest: Amy Prevett Perko, CEO, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
Timestamps: 46:10–57:51

Context: Disruption in College Sports

• Legalized Gambling Scandals:
  Recent NBA probe highlights the impact of sports betting on game integrity—college sports face their risk (46:10–47:34).

Survey of Division I Leaders

• Knight Commission’s Survey:
  Explores university leaders’ views on NIL policies, transfer rules, revenue sharing, Olympic sports, and governance (48:02).

• NIL Institutional Compensation:
  For the first time, schools can compensate athletes directly, leading to complex debates about fairness and Title IX compliance (48:02–49:13).

Transfer Portal Impact

• Controversial Changes:
  Nine in ten D-I leaders see the current “unlimited, immediately eligible” transfer rule as negative for college sports (49:38).

  “Nine in 10 campus leaders said the transfer portal is having a negative effect on Division 1 sports and 84% strongly opposed the current rules.” — Amy Prevett Perko [49:38]

Olympic/Non-Revenue Sports: Survival and Funding

• Commitment for Inclusion:
  93% of surveyed leaders strongly back keeping Olympic sports as part of athletic offerings (51:02).

  • U.S. Olympic success depends on college sports, given no federal funding.
  • 3/4 of leaders support exploring federal funding or sports betting taxes to support non-revenue sports (53:06).

Gender Equity and Title IX

• Revenue Sharing Concerns:
  Many athletic directors favor sport-based (i.e., revenue-generating) NIL payouts, introducing new challenges for women’s and non-revenue sports equity (54:17).

  “There’s a disagreement... on whether institutional payments should be based on how much money an athlete’s sport generates or whether it should be included in the amount of institutional financial assistance...” — Amy Prevett Perko [54:17]

  • Expect legal challenges over how these payments intersect with Title IX [54:17–56:17].

Call for Federal Oversight

• Patchwork Problems:
  With NIL currently regulated at the state level, D-I leaders overwhelmingly support federal legislation to standardize and stabilize the system (56:17–56:36).

  • Multiple proposed bills (SCORE Act in the House, comparable in the Senate) aim to address these discrepancies [56:36–57:51].

  “Leaders really want to see some stability and some uniformity across the board... There’s widespread agreement that kind of legislation is needed...” — Amy Prevett Perko [56:36]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nike’s Innovation:
  “The most ambitious thing they showed me was something called Project Amplify... it’s an E-bike for your feet. And I tried it on, and it is a surreal experience.” — Kim Basine [07:50]

• On Women’s Sports Investment:
  “With great change comes great responsibility... but the players have always been the best in its kind... now seeing the investment, that’s been the biggest disruptor in the best way.” — Chiney Ogwumike [27:22]

• On WNBA’s Historic Labor Moment:
  “The collective bargaining agreement is a bargain. It’s going to have to have a little give and take, but... the players are able to be louder in a way they haven’t before.” — Ari Chambers [31:51]

• On College Sports Revenue Sharing & Equity:
  “This is one of the most complex legal and philosophical challenges ahead for everyone...” — Amy Prevett Perko [54:17]

• On Building 'Vibe Check':
  “I am completely driven by content... until I feel like we have executed and nailed this thing... I’m far less interested in what’s next in terms of scale and much more in how we each own our little space of Vibe Check and continue to try to make it authentic and real.” — Elle Duncan [39:59]

Key Timestamps and Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |----------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:46–15:23 | Nike Headquarters, Brand Turnaround, Product Innovations | | 19:17–41:48 | ESPN Vibe Check, State of Women’s Sports, WNBA CBA & Ownership | | 46:10–57:51 | Knight Commission Survey, NIL, Transfer Portal, Olympic Sports |

Summary prepared for readers seeking an in-depth, accessible overview of business trends, innovation, and cultural shifts in today’s sports industry—without the need to listen to the full episode.