Karen Brodkin: Boardroom to Broadcast - Shaping Sports from the Inside Out · 33:34

In this episode of On Stage, Karen Brodkin, President of WME Basketball, joins Rachel Axon, Staff Writer at Sports Business Journal, for a dynamic conversation on leadership, representation, and influence across the sports ecosystem. Recorded on September 25, 2025, at SBJ’s Game Changers event in New York City, this discussion traces Brodkin’s remarkable career—from senior leadership roles at Fox Sports and the NFL, to serving as Executive Vice President at Endeavor, to her current position overseeing WME Basketball. Throughout the conversation, Brodkin reflects on: - A Career Across Power Centers: Lessons from the NFL, Fox Sports, and Endeavor—and how those experiences shape her leadership today. - Boardroom to Broadcast: How rights negotiations, distribution strategy, and talent representation intersect in modern sports. - The Business of Basketball: The growth of women’s and men’s basketball and how agencies play a role in shaping the sport’s next chapter. - Leadership & Advocacy: Her work across nonprofit and foundation boards, including youth sports and community initiatives. - Navigating Change: How to lead through disruption while maintaining clarity of vision and purpose. It’s a compelling look at how one executive has influenced sports from multiple vantage points—league, media, agency, and governance. 🔔Subscribe to SBJ on YouTube: https://bit.ly/41bbXaV #sportsmedia #gamechangers #mediarights #sports 00:00 Welcome, intros & setting the stage 00:16 Career reflections: Fox era & Big Ten Network 00:33 Achievements & emotional journey as a Game Changer 01:36 Major media deals & building WME culture 02:57 How to build intentional culture: hiring, alignment, values 04:14 Work‑life balance myth & the importance of team fit 05:51 Media landscape shift: fragmentation & complexity 07:46 Understanding buyers’ strategies and profitability needs 08:41 How properties adapt: fragmentation vs. consolidation 09:28 Inside big negotiations: NCAA, NWSL, WNBA, NBA, Big 12 10:25 ESPN’s commitment & the power of storytelling 12:30 Knowing the buyers: Fox, ESPN, Amazon, Apple, TNT 14:29 Multi‑partner models, cross‑promotion & rising‑tide growth 21:35 The rise of women’s sports: deals, salaries & sponsorship surge 27:29 Building athlete brands & closing insights for the future

February 24, 2026