The Author Series: This Is Not About Running with Mary Cain

The Author Series: This Is Not About Running with Mary Cain

Former professional runner and medical student Mary Cain joins Prof. C to discuss her memoir, This Is Not About Running, an unflinching account of her experiences as one of America's most promising young track athletes and the systemic failures she encountered while competing at the highest levels of the sport. Cain reflects on the culture of elite athletics, athlete safeguarding, coaching ethics, corporate responsibility, and the pressures placed on young competitors. She explains how abuse can become normalized within sports organizations, why accountability is often lacking, and what reforms are needed to better protect athletes. The conversation also explores the unique structure of Olympic sports, the role of governing bodies and sponsors, and how sports can better balance high performance with long-term health and well-being. This episode is part of The Sports Business Podcast with Prof. C Author Series, featuring conversations with leading authors whose work examines the most important issues shaping the business of sports today. Host and Executive Producer: Mark Conrad Producer: Victoria Ilano Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes Artwork: Pamela V. White Marketing: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Music: ”MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise”

Official Partners Everywhere: The NFL's Business of Sponsorships

What does it really mean to be an "official partner" of the NFL? In this episode of The Sports Business Podcast with Prof. C, Professor Mark Conrad explores how sports sponsorships have become increasingly specialized and increasingly more valuable in today's business landscape. Host and Executive Producer: Mark Conrad Producer: Victoria Ilano Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes Artwork: Pamela V. White Marketing: Paola Curcio-Kleinman Music: ”MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise”

The Author's Series: The Rise of American Sports Gambling with Danny Funt

In this episode of The Author Series on The Sports Business Podcast with Prof. C, Professor Mark Conrad speaks with journalist Danny Funt, author of Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. Funt examines the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting in the United States and offers a critical perspective on the forces driving its growth, including the evolving role of professional sports leagues, media partnerships, and major betting operators. The conversation explores how the rise of mobile and in-game wagering is reshaping fan engagement, while also raising important questions about regulation, consumer protection, and the integrity of competition. Funt also addresses growing concerns surrounding problem gambling and the broader implications of an increasingly accessible and normalized betting environment. This episode provides a timely and thought-provoking look at one of the most consequential developments in the modern sports industry, and what it may mean for its future. Host and Executive Producer: Mark Conrad Producer: Victoria Ilano Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes Artwork: Pamela V. White Music: ”MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise”

Sports Betting vs. Prediction Markets: The Next Legal Showdown

In 2026, a new competition is reshaping the sports betting landscape and it has nothing to do with athletes or teams. Instead, it is a legal and regulatory conflict between state-licensed sports betting operators and a new class of federally regulated prediction markets. In this episode, Prof. C explores how this dispute could redefine sports betting regulation, shift billions of dollars in tax revenue, and permanently alter the balance of power between state governments and federal regulators. Host and Executive Producer: Mark Conrad Producer: Victoria Ilano Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes Artwork: Pamela V. White Marketing: Michelle Miller Music: ”MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise”

Sports Betting's Unintended Consequences

In this episode of The Sports Business Podcast with Prof. C, Professor Mark Conrad takes a compelling look at how the rapid growth of legalized sports betting is reshaping the integrity of both professional and collegiate athletics. With recent scandals involving athletes and coaches drawing new attention to the issue, Prof. C breaks down how modern wagering systems and the structural forces behind today's betting landscape have created pressures and vulnerabilities few anticipated. Host and Executive Producer: Mark Conrad Producer: Victoria Ilano Additional Production: Jeffrey Haynes Artwork: Pamela V. White Marketing: Michelle Miller Music: ”MarcusWay/Energetic Pop Punk/Tribe of Noise”