NFL's Kansas City Chiefs Announce Move to Kansas; The 85ers Tell Their Story

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bloomberg Business of Sports

Episode: NFL's Kansas City Chiefs Announce Move to Kansas; The 85ers Tell Their Story
Date: December 26, 2025
Host(s): Michael Barr, Vanessa Perdomo
Featured Guests: Maxwell Adler (Bloomberg municipal finance reporter), Brandon Steiner (Collectible Exchange), Michelle Akers (USWNT legend), Laura Gentile (Founder, ESPNW / Storied Sports)

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Episode Overview

This episode explores two major stories from the business side of sports:

1. The Kansas City Chiefs’ announcement to move from Missouri to Kansas—unpacking the financial and political drama behind the relocation and what it signals for stadium funding and sports real estate.
2. The "85ers" Story—original US Women’s National Team icons Michelle Akers and Laura Gentile discuss the drive for recognition, equity, and athlete empowerment in women's sports, plus the creation of an athlete-owned LLC.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Kansas City Chiefs' Move to Kansas

Guest: Maxwell Adler
Timeframe: [03:08]–[14:20]

Motivation and Political Backdrop

• Kansas City Chiefs will relocate from Missouri to Kansas after Kansas legislators approved a hefty finance package for a new $3 billion stadium.
  • “Kansas gave them more public money than Missouri was willing to offer… voters in Kansas City… voted down an extension of the sales tax that would have funded a new stadium or a renovation of Arrowhead Stadium.” – Maxwell Adler [03:59]
• The move follows a trend of waning public willingness to subsidize billionaire-owned franchises.
  • “Voters aren't willing to be giving billionaires this much money.” – Maxwell Adler [05:25]
  • Similar spending fatigue noted in other cities (e.g., Tempe).

Fan and Community Impact

• Missouri voters’ rejection led to loss of the team (barring last-minute miracle), but the move is mostly symbolic—fans won’t travel much farther.
• Emotional blow to decades-long fans: “There’s a lot of history there and there’s a big attachment to the Chiefs in Missouri… there was a strong emotional attachment and people are mad that there’s going to be change.” – Maxwell Adler [05:25]

Kansas' Sports Ecosystem

• The new stadium would sit near existing sports facilities (NASCAR, MLS).
• Chiefs’ headquarters and training facilities expected to be part of mixed-use entertainment districts, reflecting a modern stadium finances trend.
  • “Every single owner right now is trying to develop commercial entertainment districts around their stadiums… a huge portion of the value of your team comes with the real estate.” – Maxwell Adler [08:03]

Missouri's Last Stand

• Missouri proposes a smaller, quarter-cent sales tax for stadium renovation, but a similar measure recently failed.
  • “Voters in Kansas City rejected a 3.8 cent sales tax… by 58 to 42%. So… I just don’t know how likely it’ll be that that actually passes.” – Maxwell Adler [09:56]

Broader Trends and Reflections

• Privately owned sports facilities (e.g., NWSL’s Kansas City Current stadium) may be the new minimum for teams wishing to remain or thrive in certain markets.
• Chiefs’ tumultuous season compounds the blow for fans—loss of Patrick Mahomes to injury, missing the playoffs, and now losing their stadium.
  • “Chiefs fans are so accustomed to winning… and this season was a big bummer for their fans.” – Maxwell Adler [11:51]
  • Humorous aside: linkage between the team’s downturn and the jailing of the superfan “Chiefsaholic.”

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2. Sports Memorabilia and the Business of Nostalgia

Guest: Brandon Steiner
Timeframe: [17:09]–[28:55]

On Entrepreneurship and Collectibles

• Steiner’s journey from childhood entrepreneur to sports memorabilia giant, stressing the importance of identifying untapped markets and “white space.”
  • “When you’re entrepreneurial, you have to have an attitude that first of all, you gotta find the white space—what no one else is doing.” – Brandon Steiner [18:08]
• Personal touch: Insight from his late mother and wife fueled business directions and collecting philosophy.

On Collectible Exchange & Downsizing

• Addressing the problem of what to do with vast collectible collections as fans age.
  • “70% of the wealth in this country is with people that are over 60… more people are downsizing… you gotta get your estate in order… people don’t know what to do with this stuff.” – Brandon Steiner [21:44]
• Introduction of Hobby Scan—an app to quickly assess and value trading cards.
• Emphasis on authentication and responsible selling; providing a “vault” for items to be safely stored and sold.

Stadium Pieces & Emotional Value

• On selling "pieces" of demolished stadiums: seats, turf, even goalposts—emotional keepsakes for fans rather than investment vehicles.
  • “If you sat in this stupid seat and you sat there for 20 years in the freezing cold, like the Buffalo Bill super freezing cold Bill's mafia… you've got to have that seat in your living room or on your deck.” – Brandon Steiner [23:53]
  • “I don’t get on a soapbox telling you that if you buy a lot of this, one day you’re going to be rich. I tell you that you're going to have a lot of joy remembering all the moments you had in that stadium.” – Brandon Steiner [25:05]

On Changing Demographics

• Notable jump in women’s interest in sports collectibles—traditionally male-dominated, now a much more balanced space.
  • “The women ain’t there for the guys… They are extremely knowledgeable. They’re fanatical as anyone… They ain’t buying it for their husband. They're not buying it for their dad.” – Brandon Steiner [27:06]
  • While still not “50/50” male/female, growth amongst women is significant and changing the collectible market’s dynamics.

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3. The 85ers and The Push for Women's Sports Equity

Guests: Michelle Akers & Laura Gentile
Timeframe: [31:49]–[43:31]

On Equity & Recognition in Women’s Sports

• Michelle Akers, a USWNT pioneer, recounts the struggle for pay and respect throughout her 15-year career.
  • “Every year I expected it to be equal.” – Michelle Akers [33:00]
  • “You should be happy to be here. But I was like, I am happy to be here and pay me for being here. So we're building this incredible women's sport that impacts women off the field, but also builds stadiums.” – Michelle Akers [34:34]

On Athlete Ownership: The 85ers’ LLC

• Launching the first athlete-owned LLC as a means to own, monetize, and control their legacy for the original team.
  • “Right now is like the perfect time for people to invest in women's sports, but also for women to invest and own their sport, own their story, own their careers… trailblaze this new ‘own your own legacy’ into the future.” – Michelle Akers [36:36]

History and Growth of Women’s Sports

• Laura Gentile, founder of ESPNW, on the business and cultural tailwinds behind women’s sports.
  • “Women's sports was ascendant… female athletes have stories to tell that are untold… It’s Michelle and it’s Pele, period.” – Laura Gentile [38:10]
• Gentile and Akers reflect on the unique DNA and expectations built into the USWNT from “day one”—winning games and building the sport are seen as twin responsibilities.
  • “Part of your job of being a player on this USA team is to win everything… Your second job… is to build the sport and create more opportunity.” – Michelle Akers [41:25]

Community, Leadership, and Next Steps

• Gentile: Now there’s a visible pipeline of women owning teams, acting as commissioners, and sponsors investing.
• Akers: The increasing audience and commercial value are evident—stadiums across the world (not just in the US) are being filled for women’s matches.
  • “That 99 World cup filled stadiums, 90,000, 80,000 seat. And that showed the rest of the world, this game is here to stay.” – Michelle Akers [43:31]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Voters aren't willing to be giving billionaires this much money."
  – Maxwell Adler, on the national trend against public stadium subsidies [05:25]

• “I don’t get on a soapbox telling you that if you buy a lot of this, one day you’re going to be rich. I tell you that you’re going to have a lot of joy remembering all the moments you had in that stadium.”
  – Brandon Steiner, framing memorabilia as emotional investments [25:05]

• “Every year I expected it to be equal.”
  – Michelle Akers, on 40 years of waiting for pay equity in soccer [33:00]

• “Women athletes leaning on each other, learning from each other, building out our own network of advisors and decision makers… in 2025, women investing in sports themselves, women owning teams, women as commissioners and driving growth.”
  – Laura Gentile, on the accelerating leadership shift in women’s sports [39:36]

• “Part of your job of being a player on this USA team is to win everything you have to win. And then in order to build the sport and create more opportunity, that's your second job.”
  – Michelle Akers, on the USWNT’s legacy-building mindset [41:25]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:08] – Kansas City Chiefs move: Financial and political background
• [05:25] – Fan backlash and the emotional cost of relocation
• [06:56] – Kansas’ sports ecosystem and the business model of mixed-use districts
• [09:36] – Missouri’s last-ditch effort and the likelihood of success
• [11:51] – Fan reaction to rough season and losing their team
• [17:09] – Brandon Steiner on entrepreneurship and collectibles industry
• [23:53] – Emotional value of stadium memorabilia
• [27:06] – Growth of women’s interest in sports collectibles
• [31:49] – The 85ers, pay equity, and athlete-owned LLCs
• [38:10] – Media’s impact and the untapped market in women’s sports
• [41:25] – The USWNT’s dual mission: win and build opportunity
• [43:31] – Legacy and global growth in women’s soccer

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

The episode is a blend of business realism and optimism—the hosts and guests deliver candid assessments of political and economic realities, but with enduring faith in sports’ power to shape cultural and financial landscapes. There’s humor (occasionally self-deprecating), camaraderie, and a keen sense for history, whether in old stadium turf or the untold stories of women’s soccer.

If you want to understand the business forces that move teams and shape what fans get to experience—on the field and in the stands—or hear a thoughtful, passionate case for why women’s sports are on the cusp of a new era, this episode delivers.

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Transcript

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Bag of money, you're gonna be really, really good.

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[Michael Barr]

This is the Bloomberg Business of Sports where we explore the big money issues in the world of sports. I'm Michael Barr.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

And I'm Vanessa Perdemo.

[Michael Barr]

Damian Sass Sauer, he is off this week. He'll be back though. Coming up today, the legendary Brandon Steiner on his new partnership that will let fans on a piece of the soon to be demolished Buffalo Bill Stadium.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

And one of the original members of the U.S. women's National Team, Michelle Akers and Lauren Gentile on bringing the stories that make women's sports special to life.

[Michael Barr]

That is Straight ahead on the Bloomberg Business of Sports. But first, let's look at some of the top stories of the week, beginning with the Kansas City Chiefs.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

The NFL team announced the plan to move across the Missouri border to Kansas after lawmakers approved a finance package for a new stadium.

[Michael Barr]

Bloomberg News municipal finance reporter Maxwell Adler joins us now to discuss the financing plan. Max, welcome to the Bloomberg Business of Sports.

[Maxwell Adler]

Thank you for having me.

[Michael Barr]

This caught me off guard. I'm just going to be blunt. It's like, I mean, I knew about the situation with the Cleveland Browns. I knew about the situation that was coming up with where Buffalo Bills, where they played in Chicago and all this stuff, this came out of left field. Take us more about why the Chiefs are now going to move to Kansas.

[Maxwell Adler]

Well, surely some of the non football fans were also very surprised by this because they were confused that the Kansas City Chiefs didn't already play in Kansas.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Geography, am I right?

[Maxwell Adler]

But yeah, the Kansas City Chiefs are moving across state lines from Missouri to Kansas. This will be the second NFL team in the last decade or so to move out of the state of Missouri because the St. Louis Rams went back to their original home in Los Angeles. And now the Chiefs are going to Kansas because essentially Kansas gave them more public money than Missouri was willing to offer them. In Kansas City recently, they voted down a extension of the sales tax that would have funded a new stadium or a renovation of Arrowhead Stadium, and that ultimately led to the county executive being recalled there. So it was obviously a very politically fraught situation. Simultaneously, the voters in Missouri, in Kansas City were saying, we don't want to be publicly funding all of these sports stadiums. But then that gave an opening to lawmakers in Kansas who came through with a 3 with a huge public subsidy to fund a $3 billion stadium in the Kansas City, Kansas part of the city.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

It's really interesting, Max, that you said that, you know, that Missouri voters, they didn't want to be publicly funding a stadium, but now that it's leaving and they're going to Kansas, how is the temperament there by residents? You know, are they actually regretting that decision, do you think? Like, how contentious was this fight between Missouri and Kansas? Also, I want to know.

[Maxwell Adler]

So there seems to be just spending fatigue when it comes down to publicly funded stadiums across the country. Voters in Tempe recently voted down a publicly funded stadium package. They're just voters aren't willing to be giving billionaires this much money. Simultaneously, there was a big backlash, especially from Chiefs fans. You know, like they've been playing in Arrowhead stadium for nearly 50 years at this point. It's one of the historic stadiums in the NFL. They'll tell you that it's the loudest stadium in the entire league. So people are upset to leave that behind. There's a lot of history there and there's a big attachment to the Chiefs in Missouri. Granted, they are only going to be moving a couple of miles across state lines. It's not like they're going to a new media market. It's not like fans are going to be having to travel significantly further distances to get to the new stadium. Still, there was a strong emotional attachment to the Chiefs and people are mad that there's going to be change.

[Michael Barr]

The interesting thing about this, if this all goes through, which it looks like it will, as they had, they're not, by the way, the Chiefs are not going to change the name. It will be the Kansas City Chiefs. They're just going to the Kansas City, Kansas area, Kansas part of it. But what's interesting about this is also in Kansas City, Kansas, there's a big NASCAR track. So all of a sudden, after several years, Kansas City, Kansas is like, heck yeah, we're in play. Talk. Talk more about that and what this means now for Kansas City, Kansas.

[Maxwell Adler]

Not only is the Kansas Motor Speedway right there, but also the hometown of Kansas City's MLS team is going to be right in the same vicinity of the new Chief St. So that's going to be a little hotbed of sports over there. Additionally, the Chiefs are going to be moving their headquarters and their training facilities a little bit south of where the new stadium will be in the city of Olaf. So there's a lot of interesting sports development happening on that side of the Kansas City border.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

One of the things that you just mentioned is obviously the training facility. And in your report you mentioned that the governor, Governor Kelly had said that there's gonna be mixed used entertainment, you know, districts around both the stadium and the training facility. And this is something we see with stadiums quite a lot. Obviously they want to get the most out of before and after games, but not typically with training facilities. And typically teams want them to be on their own so they're not really bothered on off days and, you know, non game days by fans and things like that. Why do you think that the Chiefs said yes to this? Was it a contingency on getting more public money, do you think?

[Maxwell Adler]

I don't know. I think it might be just another way to monetize a different aspect of their business. Like we see the Dallas Cowboys in Frisco, Texas, have a really thriving training facility. They have fans come down every training season and it's a big part of that community down there. I think that they're hoping, hoping to monetize this. We also saw that David Tepper with the Carolina Panthers was trying to get a similar facility built in South Carolina, and he also thought that that would be another strong revenue stream for the team. So it seems like a lot of owners are trying to develop around these training facilities and bring a lot of economic activity there. And in terms of just like around where the stadium will be, you guys know, like every single owner right now is trying to develop commercial entertainment districts around their stadiums. Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots was one of the first owners to really understand this, that a hu portion of the value of your team comes with the real estate that surrounds the stadium. And he developed in Foxborough a big retail and entertainment district surrounding their stadium there. And now just about every single new stadium development, whether it be a soccer stadium, baseball stadium, football stadium, they're all looking to monetize and own the land surrounding their stadiums. Also in Chicago right now, Wrigleyville. Wrigleyville. Surrounding Wrigley Field is this thriving bar scene and entertainment district right now.

[Michael Barr]

Now I said it looks like it's going to happen. There's still some hope. Missouri is hoping that they're going to keep the team because they're proposing a quarter of a cent sales tax to help finance renovations for their current stadium. What are the odds of that flying? And the Chief said, okay, we'll just stay.

[Maxwell Adler]

I don't know. A big part of the poll of Kansas is that they'll be able to build a dome stadium at the new facility near the Kansas Motor Speedway and that will be able to attract a Super Bowl. Whereas if they renovated Arrowhead, they likely wouldn't be able to put a dome over it and they wouldn't be able to host a Super Bowl. Also In April of 2024 I was mentioning before, voters in Kansas City rejected a 3.8cent sales tax and that was rejected by a vote of about 58 to 42%. So granted, this is a little bit less of sales tax revenue that would be going towards a stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, but voters recently rejected a similar proposal. So I just don't know how likely it'll be that that actually passes.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

It's interesting because the NWSL seems that they might be the only team. Are they the only team left in Kansas City, Missouri? The Kansas City Current now has Their own stadium right on the riverside that was privately funded by the owners. So is that the only way anything is going to be able to stay in Missouri is if it's privately funded by the owners?

[Maxwell Adler]

Most likely. I don't know if that's the only way. You know, they might be hungry for some sports development at this point, and I believe they still have a basketball and hockey arena that gets used for the NCAA tournament and the Kansas Jayhawks play there. I remember the Big 12 tournament used to be held there. But in the near term, I don't see any big sports developments happening in Kansas City, Missouri.

[Michael Barr]

Let's put it this way. The Chiefs have had a rough season. They're not in the playoffs. They lost their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes for the season, and now the fans get this news. Can you tell us more how the fans have reacted to all of this?

[Maxwell Adler]

The Chiefs fans are so accustomed to winning. I think that over the last six Super Bowls, they've been in five of them. They've won three Super Bowls since 2020. This is a very successful franchise as of late. And this season was a big bummer for their fans. I actually saw an interesting tweet. They had a super fan who was called the Chiefsaholic who recently went to jail. And since he went to jail, the team has just been on a tremendous downturn. You know, now Patrick Mahomes has an injury. He's going to be out for some time. Even their backup quarterback, Gardner Minshew, is going to be out for the rest of the season. So Chiefs fans are just not in a good place right now. These guys, like I said, are so accustomed to winning at this point, and it's never easy for a franchise like that. I'm from New York, you know, and The Yankees are 27 World Championships. Anytime that they have a bad season, it's they're getting killed in the local New York press. And similar thing is happening right now in Kansas City. You know, these guys are the best franchise in the NFL over the last decade and people still suspect that they'll be good going forward because any team that has Patrick Mahomes is likely to make the playoffs. But they are not happy right now. There has been a lot of change over the last week and the lack of success on the football field is.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Not helping because I think sometimes franchises like that need. Need a little bit of a downtick. I mean, everyone else I can, outside of, I think Chief's Kingdom's getting a little fatigued of seeing them win. And then you know, people like to root for an underdog. A comeback story. I'd like to see Patrick Mahomes come back healthy, you know, eventually, but still.

[Michael Barr]

Going to the games. By the way, I'm sorry, this thought that popped in my head. Sorry, man, go ahead.

[Maxwell Adler]

Oh, I wish I had the answer for you on that one.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

I actually haven't seen her too much being shown. Maybe that was a little fatigue as well. But I'm sure she's still, you know, she's still supporting her man. I, I would assume, you know what.

[Maxwell Adler]

He was, he's not my fantasy team and he had a very bad week last week. He only caught one pass for six yards. Luckily, my team ended up making the fantasy football finals, so all is forgiven on Travis Kelsey's party. But that might have been the reason. If Taylor wasn't there, that might have been one of the reasons for his poor performance.

[Michael Barr]

Max, we are honored because you always drop knowledge on us. And again, here we are. Read your Read the articles, folks, because Max has great stuff in there.

[Maxwell Adler]

Thank you guys for having me.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Our thanks to Bloomberg News municipal finance reporter Max Adler for joining us.

[Michael Barr]

Up next, we speak with sports memorabilia legend Brandon Steiner. That is straight ahead on the Bloomberg Business of Sports from my colleagues, Vanessa Bernomo, I'm Michael Barr. You are listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports, Bloomberg Radio around the world.

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Is Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg.

[Michael Barr]

Radio, this is the Bloomberg Business of Sports where we explore big money issues in the world of sports. I'm Michael Barr.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

And I'm Vanessa Pernomo. Damien Sassour is off this week.

[Michael Barr]

Week.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

The Buffalo Bills will have a new home soon, but diehard fans could literally take a piece of their current stadium home with them when it's demolished.

[Michael Barr]

Oh, shoot. It's a new initiative from sports memorabilia legend and collectible exchange founder Brandon Steiner. And Brandon joins us now to discuss it. Brandon, welcome to the Bloomberg Business of Sports.

[Brandon Steiner]

Well, thank you. It's great to be here. I love this building. It never gets old coming here. And the food's good too. You guys do a great job. This is if you've never been up here, this is one of the cooler offices on the planet and I get to many of them.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

It's very, we're real lucky. It's a good time. It's a good time. And especially if you forget lunch. And there's always food.

[Brandon Steiner]

Food's big.

[Michael Barr]

Anyway. You have written a lot of books about the industry, the business playbook, Living on Purpose. Take us through your journey about the books that you have written and the insight that you have given Brandon to all of us there in the industry.

[Brandon Steiner]

And my fourth book, the Ride Alongs. But you know, first I'm half illiterate. I think it's important. You know, seriously, I really struggle with reading and writing. So I have a ghostwriter that helps me. These are my words. I usually will audio and then give it to my writer in two of my books. It's my older brother who's not a sports fan. So it really works out well. He's a lot smarter than me and he's a great writer, has always been a great writer. So he's able to put it in perspective. So I don't overdo it. And if somebody was not a big sports fan, they could read this book. But the books is not a sports book. They're really about business, entrepreneurship. I've been a serial entrepreneur since I'm 10. I was one of those kids who listened to his mother. I tell people, listen to your mom. Who else is looking out for you better than her? And she was really, really smart. I mean, she had a business savvy. That was different for women in the 60s, which, you know, we know women were not businesswomen in the 60s, not many of them. And she didn't really give a hoot, you know, she, she wasn't no part of that. So we, we had a really good business relationship, my mom and I, particularly because I started working when I was 10, because, you know, my dad died when I was 12 and they were divorced when 4. So going out to work was at 10, you know, that was real, man. So I've learned a lot of stuff on the street. You know, I got bought in 2000 by a Fortune 200 company, Omnicom. So, you know, I learned how to work it on the corporate level, on a large level, especially when I'm working with my athletes, trying to find them corporate gigs. And the memorabilia was something like there was an add on, really. I was just trying to figure out how to make more money on the corporate stuff I was doing because the margins were small and I was always a collector. And I kind of thought that someone needed to get in there and straighten things out. I think when you're an entrepreneurial, you have to have an attitude that first of all, you got to find the white space, what no one else is doing, or if you don't do it, no one else will and someone needs to go straighten this stuff out. And that's how I felt in the 90s with a lot of fraudulent autographs, I was booking thousands of appearances. People know me for that. And to me it all came together. I took $10,000 out of the bank. I started Steiner with four, then 10 to start the collectible company. And this new company, Collectible Exchange, is exactly the same. Started very nimble. Even though I made millions of dollars, I didn't start raising all kinds of money. I told people to stop doing that, get a proof of concept. And I had an early indication. That indication, like most of my best ideas early on came from my mom and this one came from my wife, which was, we're sitting on the couch at about 11 o' clock at night and I had about 7,000 collectibles in my room, 4,000 autographed trading cards on top of the 7,000. So it was a little daunting in there. And she's like, what are you going to do to all this stuff? You mean, if I die, what should you do? And it was a good question, like. And usually my wife, who's very bright, does ask a lot of good questions. And the answer was, you know, I don't know. Well, I asked the kids if they wanted, and of course, they didn't. And I realized that having put out over 40 million autographs, they didn't. They didn't want anything except my World Series ring. They lived, Steiner. They lived. The millions of autographs, the signings, the players at the house. It wasn't a big deal for them. It was my ride, my party. They don't want to party. Party with it. And particularly my daughter said, dad, I don't want anything ever to happen to you, but don't leave all that stuff for me. I don't want to deal with it. And, you know, if you're out there and you're listening and you have a parent that collects extensively something, you know, Steiner was a big force in the industry that I built. And people know Steiner, my kids had enough of it. But it raises a good question. What do you do with it as you get older? I realized that, well, first of all, 70% of the wealth in this country is with people that are over 60. In the next 10 years, more people will die, probably than in the history of ever people dying. And more people are downsizing. People are living longer, but they're downsizing. They're also, you know, as I now turn 66, you got to get your estate in order. You're downsizing. And I'm realizing people around me are passing, and they don't know what to do with this stuff. So I came up with a system that really helps people. You know, I've done well. I've made a lot of money, but I've been very fortunate. And this. This new company, Collectible Exchange, helps people that are sitting with Thousands of cards. 1. One guy called me that. He had a million trading cards.

[Odoo Advertiser]

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[Brandon Steiner]

They acquired. He didn't know what to do with them.

[Michael Barr]

Yeah.

[Brandon Steiner]

So I invested in a company called Hobby Scan, so you could take your cards, literally thousands in an hour to figure out what you have and what they're worth. Amazing app. Just get the app. And then also, when you get. Give me your stuff, we vault it, we make sure everything's authenticated because everybody's sitting with stuff. But it's embarrassing. If you have a lot of stuff, you don't know what it's worth. Like, where do you go? Where do you ask? So you put it on ebay. An auction house comes, they buy you low, sell you high. When you bring me your stuff, I tell you what you have, I tell you what it's worth, and then we're partners and I vault and I get. Most importantly, I get it out of your house.

[Michael Barr]

Well, Vanessa, I want you.

[Brandon Steiner]

Is that a good summation? I was pretty good.

[Michael Barr]

I want you to meet my new daddy because he's got all the good stuff.

[Maxwell Adler]

Stuff.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Is he gonna get your lion stuff out of your house?

[Michael Barr]

Well, when I die.

[Brandon Steiner]

And that's okay as long as you have it organized and have a plan for it. It's amazing. I made people do that and a lot of people that don't.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

I think it's interesting when we're talking about the card space versus collectibles, and I'm. I'm curious how you think about that. Cards versus physical collectibles. Like you're working on a deal with the Buffalo Bills and. And having, you know, pieces of the stadium that people can buy. How is the. How are those different than, say, a card. The card space?

[Brandon Steiner]

Well, let me. Let me just say, talking out of both sides of my mouth, clearly, like, he's a man who sold. A man who sold over $50 million of dirt, and. And that dirt is selling for a premium on ebay. So clearly there's something a little bit wrong with me, in my view sometimes. But. And I. And I admit it. But, you know, like, when I break down the stadiums, it's really just love I have, because I know how important these stadiums are. They're like a second home for people. When I took down Yankee Stadium or Madison Square Garden or Giant Stadium, Tech Stadium, I've now developed a reputation for doing this in a really unique, special way. But I don't tell people that, you know, buy a piece of this, and one day it's going to go for a fortune. But on the other hand, like, if you sat in this stupid seat and you sat there for 20 years in the freezing cold, like the Buffalo Bill super freezing cold Bill's mafia. Like, you've got to have that seat in your living room or on your deck, but I'm not telling you to go buy that CBS one day, it's going to be worth a fortune. Now, there are some assets in the stadium that will auction off or sell. That will be worth a lot. Like somebody's going to buy one of the goal posts. They'll be epic. Like somebody's going to buy the Bill's logo in the middle of the field. That's going to be epic to put in your backyard.

[Michael Barr]

And all the other stuff.

[Brandon Steiner]

Oh, I'm taking it all. And you know, lockers, the grass. Well, in this case the turf. But you know, I've sold millions of dollars of grass. Business nice. I mean, that's the field that the great ones have walked on. Whether it's, you know, Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter, Mariana, like, and I have a piece of that. You kind of feel. I always felt like that would be really cool to have and that's why I did it. And, and in this case, like I'm selling the Ohio State turf, I'm selling the Michigan turf. And he said, well, but think about the runs at those and the players that have played on that field. Like Michigan had the perfect season, national championship. I'm excited about selling that turf in the spring. So it's crazy the amount of projects that come to me. But I don't get on a soapbox telling you that if you buy a lot of this, one day you're going to be rich. I tell you that you're going to have a lot of joy remembering all the moments you had in that stadium and you should have a piece of the goalpost or whatever it is to remember it. But I'm not big and I've never been big on. Buy this and you're going to make a fortune. I'm sitting with 4 million trading cards in my office. Some of them are incredible. 20, 30, 50, $100,000 cards, which is mind boggling to me that I actually could say it and it's true. But they're rare cards. The cards are almost 100 years old. They're cards that are 75 years old. The first top set from 1948 I've never even seen. Like that's cool. When I make an investment in that, like I'm kind of. If I was allowed to bring it home, I probably would buy that set. But my wife has got me on a. On a hold. Unbelievable.

[Michael Barr]

You know why I mistakenly called you Rich? I know your name is Brandon, but why I called you Rich at first, because in 1973, that's when Rich Stadium was set up for the Bills, which I remember as a kid. And here's Kurt Gowdy because NBC had all the AFC games back then.

[Brandon Steiner]

Love, Kirk.

[Michael Barr]

Oh man. Kurt Gowdy, those AFC games.

[Brandon Steiner]

Oh, man.

[Michael Barr]

Here comes the geezers.

[Brandon Steiner]

But what's crazy is, you know, as we sit with Vanessa, like, it would be a rarity to find some women or some girls to watch the game with you. That'd be like, no way. And now you go to games. First of all, it's almost a 5050 proposition. And the women ain't there for the guys. They know more than the guys. I'm sitting next to women at games that are schooling me on what's going on. They are extremely knowledgeable. They're fanatical as anyone. They come to our office to buy collectibles. They ain't buying it for their husband. They're not buying it for their dad.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

So even in the collectible space, is it 50, 50, or are you still seeing more male collectors?

[Brandon Steiner]

It's not 50 50, because the men have had a tremendous head start. But you're seeing a lot more women collectors. They're knowledgeable about it, and they love. They love this. They love sports the way it used to be just a man's thing, and now it's definitely a split deal. Like, usually when guys come up, I can't believe how many women and men come up and they're both deciding it's completely changed. It's one of the better things that's happened in the business because, you know, women do have a strong voice in what gets bought for the home. My wife, she had her druthers, would. We'd have nothing, no collectibles in the house. But, you know, so, you know, you allow your husband to have a small, little room. In my case, the room got a little big. But now, like, it's. It's a lot more particip. You know, there's a lot more participation, and I like that it's a family sport. I love that. I could take my kids, buy a card for $10, sell for 20, and he's 12 years old. We show him the, you know, the value of a dollar. So there's some really good things about collecting that. But when I see things, you know, the bubble, I get a little nervous because I know how this works. So I wish that people would actually respect how wide and big this business has gotten and let the customers win.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Our thanks to Brandon Steiner for joining us. He's founder of Collectible Exchange and founder and president of the Steiner Agency.

[Michael Barr]

Up next, we turn to the world of women's sports. And two stars. Building a platform that brings the stories that make women's sports special to life. Your Vanessa Podomo and for our vacationing, Damien Sassour. I'm Michael Barr. You are listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world.

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[Maxwell Adler]

Is Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio.

[Michael Barr]

Thank you for joining us on the Bloomberg Business of Sports where we explore the big money issues in the world of sports. I'm Michael Barr.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

And I'm Vanessa Pomo.

[Michael Barr]

We're joined now by one of the greatest women's soccer players of all time. Michelle Akers is one of the original members of the US Women's National Team known as the 85ers and now she's launching a new venture along with Laura Gentile. Laura is founder of ESPNW and Former chief marketing officer at ESPN who now runs Storied Sports. It's a brand building studio focused on women's sports. Laura and Michelle are working on finally giving the original U.S. women's National Team from 1985 the recognition they deserve and a chance to build the first athlete owned llc.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Michelle and Lauren join us to talk now about it. Michelle and Lauren, welcome to the Bloomberg business of Sports.

[Laura Gentile]

Hello.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Hello.

[Michael Barr]

I'm going to ask the obvious question and then we, our soccer expert here, Vanessa Perdomo, has a lot more insight, but I'm going to ask the main question here. How long is it going to take for women's soccer to catch up to men's soccer when it comes to pay?

[Laura Gentile]

I'll give that to Michelle.

[Michelle Akers]

Come on. I played on the first ever US women's national team 40 years ago and then played for 15 years on that team. And every year I expected it to be equal.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Wow. Wow.

[Michelle Akers]

So that, that's my answer. I mean should, should have been why isn't it, I think just speaks to culture and society in general, addressing that and women's sports. Women's soccer is now global, so it's changing the landscape of people's lives off the field as much as on the field. So that's I think why it's taking so long. But come on, let's, let's giddy up.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

It's interesting you say that though, Michelle, you know, because obviously so you know, you're, we're here talking about, you said, you mentioned the 85 is the first U.S. women's National Team ever and you now have this, a podcast and an LLC that you created to really monetize and tell your story for the first time really ever. It feels like in the last few years, but it almost feels like in that, in that moment, you know, years ago, you guys weren't really getting paid. There wasn't really anything there for you guys. So was there even an inkling that that was a question for you? Like that's surprising to hear you say that you felt like it should be equal every year when I feel like at the time it was really just well, be lucky to be playing on a team. Right? That's what they would say.

[Michelle Akers]

That certainly was the message from, from the suits and across the board, smiling just, you should be happy to be here. But I was like, I am happy to be here and pay me for being here. So we're building this incredible women's sport that impacts women off the field, but also bill stadiums. And speaking to that, I Just had it in my head as a kid that every. I'm equal. It should be equal. And my dad was the one who kind of broke that bubble and said, michelle, soccer is not going to love you back. There's no future in it. You know, think about something different. And I was, like, adamant, no, you're wrong. And I'm going. I'm going back to ucf, University of Central Florida to play and train. And this is my dream. So I was right in some ways, and my dad was right in some ways. So it's, It's. It's a journey.

[Michael Barr]

I'm gonna ask.

[Laura Gentile]

I think the thing that's interesting, too. Hey, Michael, when you asked that original question and you were pausing after, when will women soccer be equal? Yeah, I, I was about to say women's soccer is better. It is like, it already is equal and better on the, on the pitch, on the field, in terms of World Cups, in terms of competitiveness. So, yes, the pay needs to catch up to that for sure.

[Michael Barr]

Since the suits can't get it together, why don't the women just simply say all of it, do everything. And, like, we're gonna get paid. And if you can't do it suits, we will make sure it's done.

[Michelle Akers]

We're doing that along the way, too. Let's just put it this way. If we were on your show more often, we'd get it done quicker, come back tomorrow.

[Brandon Steiner]

Okay.

[Michelle Akers]

Ye. I mean, but, yeah, I think in part it's having this, this conversation and then. And, and for a lot of people, it's sort of understanding that, hey, it is not equal. And it takes all of us collectively to change it. And that takes courage and vision and resources to do all that. And right now is like the perfect time for people to invest in women's sports, but also for women to invest and own their sport, own their story, own their careers. And that's kind of what I'm so excited about, the 85ers story and the LLC and everything that we are putting together for that team, which will impact others and kind of trailblaze this new owning your own legacy into the future.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Yeah, I love that. And I, I love what you had said about if you were on the show more often than you would, you know, get that faster. Because, Laura, you were one of the, you founded espnw, right? So you, you been. You saw early on or years, decades ago, really how the impact of media can affect storytelling, can affect the popularity of sports. Can you talk a little bit more about that? And then your Journey to storied sports and telling the 8 or the 85 or story.

[Laura Gentile]

Yeah, 100%. I mean, we started ESPN W back in 2010. It now seems like it feels like.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Longer ago than that.

[Michael Barr]

Wow.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

That was not.

[Laura Gentile]

Yeah, so. So. Well, I don't know. 15 years seems like a long time. Yeah, it's everything we're talking about. Like, it's pretty obvious that, you know, women's sports was ascendant. It's pretty obvious that women can be and should be and are decision makers more and more in the sports space. It's pretty obvious that women control a lot of the disposable income in this country. And now especially women in leadership positions with a real voice and a real empowerment to make those, make those decisions. And then the fact that female athletes have stories to tell that are untold. I mean, 100%, like the 85ers, like Michelle Akers, who is the player of the century and the world. Everyone needs to know that, that she's in the pantheon. It's Michelle and it's Pele, period. So back in 2010, I mean, we were seeing all that opportunity, you know, especially at espn, when you look at opportunity to grow, sort of maxed out when it comes to football, I would say. And so women's sports has that opportunity to attract new audiences, to attract new sponsors, to attract new business opportunity. And we put the, you know, the materials in place to build a business that focused on women and female athletes. So it's been an awesome journey. I mean, in doing that, we also started building more of a community because that's a part of it too. Women athletes leaning on each other, learning from each other, building out our own network of advisors and decision makers. And I think you're really starting to see that now, obviously in 2025, women investing in sports themselves, women owning teams, women as commissioners and driving growth. And that's so super important that we have folks to lean on, to learn from and to support each other. As we continue to move this forward.

[Michael Barr]

We'Re talking with two time World cup winner and National Soccer hall of Famer Michelle Akers, along with Laura Gentile. She's founder of ESPNW and former chief marketing officer of espn. Laura, you have a platform called Storied Sports. Can you tell us more about it?

[Laura Gentile]

So Storied Sports is that latest entrant, if you will, into the women's sports space to sort of create platforms and marketplaces and opportunities for women athletes. And not always in comparison to the guys, just creating a brand new space for women athletes and sports to flourish.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

I think that's so important. Like you mentioned, it's not in comparison to men's sports. Right. It's its own thing, their, their own stories to tell. And you know, Michelle, your story is so unique and really interesting in itself. I mean, other than what you said, you know, being. And what we said about you being the, the player, the FIFA player of the century to, you know, World Cups, an Olympic gold medal, all of that. But also a trailblazer on being the first, on the first ever US Women's national team. And then also being a part of the most iconic women's national team. Right. Ever, the 1999 Women's World cup winners. That really changed everything for women's sports. It felt like. Tell me about that. Being a part of both those teams and really seeing everything just from 85 to 99 to now, how it's gone to now, how it is for women's sports.

[Michelle Akers]

Yeah, it's. God, it's quite a seat. I have to view the women's game and not only just for the US but around the world. How the impact and the waves of U.S. women's national team has changed and opened doors for these other countries that are now flourishing and filling 70,000, 80,000 seat stadiums consistently. So that, that first team, 1985, August 18th, I think that first game, you know, literally we, we got on a plane and, and made a team in three days and then started competing against the rest of the world. And I, I honestly always thought that, that we would be the best in the world. And along the way, people fill in that vision. But the DNA and mentality of that US Team was there from the very beginning. And that's what hasn't changed over the years. Along with the fact that, hey, part of your job of being a player on this USA team is to win everything you have to win. And then in order to build the sport and create more opportunity, that's your second job. While you're winning, you have to know how to do that. And we do that as a team and we do that as a community through our fans. And so that's part of the reason why this sport has grown so much, I think, is that 99 World cup filled stadiums, 90,000, 80,000 seat. And that showed the rest of the world, this game is here to stay. We can make a lot of money and people love these athletes. They're striking a chord that wasn't there before or wasn't being met before.

[Michael Barr]

Our thanks to ESPNW founder Laura Gentile. And National Soccer hall of Famer Michelle Akers for joining us. You can learn more about their relationship through storied sports and how they are reclaiming the legacy of of the 1985 women's national team through a series of projects, including the first athlete owned LLC by visiting storagesports.com the85ers and that does it for this edition of the Bloomberg Business of Sports.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

Tune in again next week for the latest on the stories moving big money in the world of sports. And don't forget to subscribe to our podcast. It's available on Apple, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms.

[Michael Barr]

And I'm talking dick money, not that little money I got in my wallet. You're listening to the Bloomberg Business of Sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world.

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[Michael Barr]

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[Michelle Akers]

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[Brandon Steiner]

See terms at Venmo Me Stashterms make.

[Vanessa Perdemo]

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