We are beyond excited to welcome Jen Ator to the show. Jen is the editor-in-chief at Women's Running Magazine and a force within the running community. After a decade at Women's Health, Jen took over Women's Running in April, 2019. Since then the running scene has seen fantastic highs and depressing lows. In this episode, Jen describes Women's Runn…

New York Road Runners slashed their work force last week, to the dismay of all and the the surprise of few. In this episode, Jason and Matt discuss the corporate ramifications of race cancellations and what, if anything, can be done to save the elite racing season. Follow Jason: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/i_am_jaymac/ Follow Matt: Instag…

Over the past year, Tracksmith, a small running-based clothing brand based out of downtown Boston, has made a series of moves to elevate its brand within running community. From working with a large cohort of the Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifiers, signing Mary Cain and Nick Willis, starting the Tracksmith Fellowship Program, and more. In this epis…

Track is back! Well, kind of. A bevy of top track athletes made there way to Texas to take part in the AP Ranch High Performance Invitationals. The series of "meets" were a interesting display of creativity in the face of contractual issues and requirements. The races resulted in some excellent performances. Michael Norman and Brianna Rollins-McNea…

Cross country seasons are starting to get cancelled and postponed across college and high school ranks. What are athletes to do? In this episode Jason and Matt have some fun throwing out creative ideas for socially distanced distance running and team competitions. Follow Jason: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/business_sports_discourse/ Twitte…

As we progress through the age of athlete empowerment, organization/unionization has made it's way to triathlon, track & field, and CrossFit. The top athletes in all three sports have made a big push recently, especially over the past two weeks, to create a dynamic where competitors come together to advocate for changes within their sport in one vo…

Under Armour's rise over the past decade and more has been awesome to watch. They've built a culture and strong brand awareness across multiple sports. However, in recent weeks the news surrounding the company hasn't been as rosy. From cancelling massive contracts with UCLA and UC-Berkeley to looking for a buyer for MyFitnessPal, which they purchas…

In part II of our conversation with professional triathlete Cody Beals, Jason & Cody discuss the reason for the countless hours of training and preparation: to actually race! However, as races are being postponed, pushed, and even cancelled, how does a pro triathlete stay sharp? Cody talks about virtual racing, as well as his own 20 minute time tri…

After recording his first win as a professional triathlete in 2015, Cody Beals first realized you can actually make a living swimming, biking, and running around the world in spandex. In Part I of this interview, Jason and Cody take a deep dive into the finances of a pro triathlete and discuss how more money is made from sponsorships rather than fr…

Lululemon, the maker of high-end activewear and athleisure attire, is making a big bet in the personalized remote exercise space by acquiring Mirror, a home fitness start-up that sells a $1,495 wall-mounted screen ideal for streaming workout classes with a focus on demonstrating and teaching technique-based exercises. The $500 million purchase, ann…

IRONMAN is not simply a company that puts on the most popular triathlons across the world, it is quite literally the sport of triathlon itself. It has faced many challenges over the years, including several changing ownership groups, but it's current situation is unlike anything it's ever faced. In this episode we talk about the mass cancellations,…

Two weeks ago Spartan obstacle course races returned with a 5k race in Jacksonville, FL. Spartan was forced to create a race that honored CDC social distancing guidelines without sacrificing the soul of what makes these races unique and powerful events. We dive into the preventative measures that were put in place, how they compared to a traditiona…

In this new era of sport without games the traditional model of athlete sponsorship has been upended. The connection between an athlete and their fans is now at the core of what is most important for brands looking to work with athletes. It's now on par with the success an athlete has on the field of play. Will that dynamic continue when the games …

The world of gyms, fitness classes, and personal trainers has been completely devastated by the current effects of COVID-19. Millions of Americans have been forced to re-think how they workout. The gyms they've depended on are going through a similar catharsis. In this episode, we discuss how/if gyms will get through this, what kinds of companies a…

As the COVID-19 pandemic as run roughshod over the college landscape, division one athletic departments are are making significant cuts to Olympic sports. In this episode we detail the practice, the wacky accounting of athletic departments, boondoggles, wishful thinking, and how lower tier division one schools cannot be compared to high-level Power…

The Tour de France is embarking on a whole new summer. The Tour moved their race back two months and created a professional virtual race during the traditional race dates. This drastic change to the Tour and the European cycling calendar comes after a baffling string on decisions. Jason and Matt dive into all of it during this episode of the Busine…

This part two of our conversation with Jason Fitzgerald, the founder of Strength Running. If you haven't already done so, you should listen to part one first because part two is a continuation of that conversation. Over the past decade Jason has built Strength Running from an interesting side venture to multi-channel media and coaching company. It …

We are joined by Jason Fitzgerald, the founder of Strength Running, for an enlightening two-part episode. Over the past decade Jason has built Strength Running from an interesting side venture to multi-channel media and coaching company. It is one of the largest running blogs in the country with 200,000 visitors a month. His email list has 100,000 …

The civil and social unrest that has swept American in the wake of the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd is unprecedented. In the sports world athletes have banded together to speak about systemic racism in a way has quickly reshaped the public consciousnesses. With that change comes the response from leagues, teams, and br…

With nearly every pro sports arena/stadium comes a corporate naming right. These have become so ubiquitous, and ever changing, but their utility have long been a point of contention. In the current circumstances, with limited in-person sporting events, this marketing method has taken a significant hit. In this episode we dive into the pro's-and-con…

Last week the iconic Boston Marathon was officially cancelled. While not a surprise to much of the running community, it was a huge symbolic blow to many. Boston is known as one of, if the not the most, iconic races in the United States. This cancellation has an enormous effect of dedicated amateurs, charities and charity runners, elites, corporate…

In the inaugural episode of the Business & Sports Discourse, Jason and Matt discuss the recent changes at Strava. Strava is extremely familiar to almost all runners, cyclists, and endurance athletes. They have been a mainstay in the endurance community for years and are at the forefront of fitness apps and GPS tracking. While they've had a dedicate…

Matt Chittim and Jason Macaluso are excited to welcome you to the Business & Sports Discourse podcast. A show for folks interested in the intersection of business and sports. In this introductory episode Matt and Jason discuss their backgrounds in business and sport as well as their vision for the show. BSD will officially launch on Tuesday, June 2…

Welcome to the Business & Sports Discourse podcast featuring Matt Chittim and Jason Macaluso. This short-form podcast will provide insight into the current events, topics, and announcements that are at the intersection of business and sports. We will be publishing new episodes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Enjoy!…