Kevin Durant has stepped up his executive production game with five new episodes of The Boardroom.
Produced by NBA star Kevin Durant’s Thirty Five Ventures and ESPN+, is available today (February 12) with two live episodes planned for next month’s MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Cambridge, Mass., and South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.
The Boardroom streams exclusively on ESPN+, the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service.
Hosted by ESPN’s Jay Williams and executive produced by Durant and sports and entertainment executive Rich Kleiman, The Boardroom brings fans inside the business of sports, with candid, engaging conversations among star athletes, top entertainers and industry-leading executives about the current issues that are changing the game.
Season 2 of The Boardroom addresses some of the most relevant topics facing today’s sports industry, with episodes covering athlete/entertainer stereotypes, women in sports, building an athlete’s brand, player empowerment and more:
Season 2 Topics & Guests
“Rap or Go to The League” – It’s a long-held stereotype that young black men and women have two options for success: rap or go to the league. In this episode, 2 Chainz, Victor Oladipo, Rapsody and new Knicks branding consultant Steve Stoute break down those stereotypes and discuss what it took for them to “make it,” how they’ve empowered those around them, and the parallels between sports and music industries.
“Transforming Women’s Sports” – Four of the most dynamic female athletes in sports today – Carli Lloyd, Lisa Leslie, Lindsey Vonn and Tina Charles – sit down with Williams for a candid conversation about their personal careers, business opportunities, and the elevation of women’s sports on a global scale.
“League Fashion” – Kelly Oubre Jr., Devin Booker and P.J. Tucker discuss the world of NBA fashion, from what goes into creating a “league fit” to the economics of the business and how the fashion and sports industries look to one another for inspiration.
“Evolution of the Wide Receiver” – Is wide receiver bravado good for business? Cris Carter, Victor Cruz and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson join Williams for a wide-ranging discussion about the evolution of the NFL and its marketing, through the eyes of those who play the game’s most provocative position. Preview video*:
“NBA Past, Present and Future” – From the days of the “Bad Boys” Pistons to the rise of player empowerment, the business of the NBA has grown into a cultural phenomenon. Isiah Thomas, Karl-Anthony Towns and Durant discuss the evolution of the game with Williams and address how the league and its players are marketing themselves for the future.
“Making of a Superstar” Live from MIT and SXSW
Season 2 of The Boardroom will also feature two live episodes in March from the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Cambridge, Mass., and the SXSW Conference in Austin, Texas. With Williams and Kleiman as hosts and a star athlete as special guest, each session will explore the “Making of a Superstar” through in-depth conversations in front of a live audience. Both episodes will be shown live and exclusively on ESPN+.
Season 2 Bonus Coverage
“For this second season of The Boardroom we wanted to push boundaries, not only in terms of subject matter and thought-provoking conversation among star athletes, but also in the way we present authentic debate around the intersections of sports and other aspects of life,” said Brian Lockhart, vice president and executive producer, Original Content, ESPN+. “That approach has allowed the series to evolve, and I can’t wait to see what an audience will add to the mix at our live episodes next month.”
“The athletes, artists and executives on the show have peeled back the curtain behind their individual businesses in a truly engaging and innovative way that I think fans will really love,” said Kleiman.
In addition to Season 2 of The Boardroom and the “Free Agency Frenzy” special with Durant and Stephen A. Smith, all six episodes of Season 1 are now streaming on ESPN+.
Each episode of Season 1 focuses on one major topic or theme in sports, ranging from the burgeoning sneaker industry to team ownership, to athlete brand-building, player development and the business of social media.
