Episode 58 of the DSMSports Podcast featured Mark J. Burns, who discussed his Forbes Sports Money blog article in which 130+ leaders in the sports business gave their thoughts on what to watch in 2016. What follows are some snippets from the episode. Listen to the full podcast on iTunes and Stitcher, or at www,DSMSports.net.

1. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mark J. Burns, Talent Marketing Representative with CSE and writer or
Forbes Sports Money blog [also recently named to Forbes' 30-under-
30 in sports business], was the featured guest on episode 58 of the
DSMSports Podcast.
What follows are some snippets from the interview. Hear the full episode
on www.DSMSports.net or download it on iTunes and Stitcher.
Enjoy...
@njh287
DSMSports.net

2. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
On being named to Forbes 30-Under-30
“Being on the list is humbling. It's an honor to be alongside a
lot of star athletes and industry professionals...It was
definitely a little shock, but an honor to be on the list.”
“Beyond connections in the industry, those friendships and
relationships are the (most valuable) thing you have in the
industry...they're crucial to your career and to advance in
your career. It takes work to keep those relationships, as
well...but those are key.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

3. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mark's career path
Attended University of Michigan, where he majored in History with
plans to attend Law School
→ Shortly after undergrad, Mark discovered SportsAgentBlog.com,
which got him interested in that space
→ Had an internship with the CCHA (college hockey conference)
→ While attending law school at Belmont, Mark wrote for
SportsNetworker.com and also interned in their athletics
department; He also helped planned sports business conferences
while he was at law school
“I used law school as a way to get all these experiences in sports...”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

4. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
→ After graduation, Mark interned with USA Hockey
Magazine before joining CSE working Talent Marketing
and Representation (former players and broadcasters)
Mark continued writing, now writing for Forbes Sports Money
blog and USA Today's sports business blog – Fields of
Green
@njh287
DSMSports.net

5. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
On the Sports Biz trends article
Mark did the first iteration in 2015 with over 85 entrants from all
over sports business; Mark said last year's was not as
organized as this year's. The 2016 article is broken across 13
categories in sports business with entries from over 125 people.
“Basically, it's a way to give high-level people in the sports world to
weigh in on what they are following for the upcoming year.”
“For the most part, people were very receptive (to participating)...”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

6. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
On the genesis of the article
Mark tells a fun anecdote about getting stuck at an airport
overnight and took the time to bust out over 100
personalized emails to sports business folks about
participating in his story
“It'll take someone 2-3 hours to read...but hopefully it'll
provide a sense of what higher-level people in the sports
world (are watching)...hopefully teachers can use it as a
resource (also).”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

7. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Looking back at the 2015 article and trends cited
“Virtual reality...looking at last year compared to this year...no
one mentioned virtual reality (in 2015)...It was incredible.
Fantasy sports was mentioned 2-3 times. E-sports was not
mentioned at all...A big thing in the (2015) article was
mobile. How teams, fans, brands were using mobile to
connect with their target fan or consumer...responsive
websites...WiFi (at venues)...WiFi is a must nowadays. It's
almost like breathing.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

8. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Looking back at the 2015 article and trends cited
“Another thing was beacons...sending out push notifications
to fans at the venue (Mark mentions Barclay's Center)”
“Social media and digital media and how teams were using it
to further connect with fans was also mentioned...but
mobile was the (overarching) theme.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

9. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Helpful Tool: Dasheroo, a freemium website to set up
dashboards connecting analytics across social +
digital/website channels. Try it!
@njh287
DSMSports.net

10. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Major themes of the 2016 article
“How athletes are positioning themselves....(as) brands (and)
businesses...you're seeing it now with LeBron James (with
Uninterrupted/Bleacher Report)...where athletes can
control the (access and content) that they're delivering to
fans. You're seeing it with Uninterrupted, Players
Tribune...they want to control that message.”
[Mark specifically notes video being a growing element in this
space in 2016]
@njh287
DSMSports.net

11. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
On why athlete-controlled media and content is growing
“A lot has to do with the platforms themselves...(For
example) Twitter and Facebook have sports partnerships
that are (reaching out) to athletes and platforms to tell
them about Twitter video or Facebook video and how
(they) can utilize that...The numbers are incredible (in
terms of reach)...The platforms are reaching out directly
(to athletes)...”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

12. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mark also notes the influence of star athletes like LeBron in
recruiting other athletes to join such player-controlled
media
“A reporter can twist the message or (frame a story as) click-
bait...the platforms themselves want to promote
themselves as a product (athletes can use to control the
message)...”
[Mark notes a SBJ article from Liz Mullen noting the influence
and power of Jeter and James in recruiting platform
contributors]
@njh287
DSMSports.net

13. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
On the growth of user-generated content in sports
“Danny Keens from Twitter (Global Partnerships) and Dan
Reed (Facebook Partnerships)...[all noted the growth of]
user-generated content as a priority, not only for the
platforms, but for teams. How they're utilizing fan-
generated content into their social strategy in 2016...
“I love the Snapchat live stories (about sports)...I enjoy that
raw, unedited, real-time sort of content. I think you'll
continue to see that moving forward in 2016.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

14. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
[Mark discusses the hash flag emoji, emoji keyboard, as driving
users to post more, create content themselves]
“Every single (college football playoff team) said they saw
enormous growth in engagement (thanks to the CFP and team
hash flag emoji)
“It's something very small, but it adds something more customized,
more fandom. When teams utilize strong copy, engaging media,
and the little Twitter emoji adds heightened engagement and
interaction with fans...Emoji is such a small little addition to the
conversation, but it's amazing the responses it gets and the
heightened level of interactions it (elicits).”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

15. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
“The one thing about athlete-generated content I think is
interesting (Mark cites Russell Houghtaling of Oregon
State, previously Oklahoma athletics) is Russell told me
'Between the players and the fans, I'm just a conduit. I'm the
middle-man'...When you give a Twitter Mirror with some of
the players...and they're goofy and messing around on
Media Day....they can be their own unique selves and it is
not you filtering it for them...it was an interesting way he
mentioned how he seems himself as a middle man
between the teams, players, and fans.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

16. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
On the growth in video production and sophistication
Mark cites Vine artist Ian Padgham (works with big brands and NFL teams): “In
2008-09, teams and leagues had maybe an intern running their social and
nowadays it's absurd to even think that...No you have full staffs...social
media specialists who know the space, know how to utilize the different
platforms best...Ian said that, moving into 2016-17...eventually, there will be
video people brought in that all they know is video...and they will be
responsible for posting video to (all social channels)...I think all teams have
this, but not to this degree for social (yet)...”
[Mark cites Clemson utilizing student film artists to create video productions]
[Mark cites video as a coveted skill set for those aspiring to work in sports biz]
@njh287
DSMSports.net

17. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
How social media content valuation and ROI is evolving
heading into 2016
“I would say that that the way one team values it different
from how (another does)...that is the overarching
message...Some teams will value it as impressions. Some
will value it as (number of comments and shares)...It is
tougher to measure [“engagement”]...but (views and
impressions) are easier to (understand and see)...I don't
know if we'll ever get to a perfect science to how we'll
value social content...”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

18. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Measurements and metrics across content distribution
platforms and different screens
“Nielsen and those types of media measurement
companies...are going to be (important) to come up with
data. A lot of it is on them (Nielsen) to figure out what is
the best way to measure (across screens)...If something is
on SportsCenter and on print and on social accounts, how
do you measure that?...I don't think that is ever going to be
an exact science...”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

19. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
On cord-cutting and OTT
“It was talked about immensely in the trends article...how
different networks are utilizing OTT. (Mark cites examples
of Yahoo streaming the NFL game for free)...For the
Millennials...they won't have a cable package...or they're
using a Netflix or Hulu or HBO-Go...that's the way of the
world now...I see more OTT solutions out there (changing)
how fans are consuming content.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

20. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
“The experiment the NFL had went great with Yahoo (from a
user experience perspective)...you'll continue to see more of
that.”
“It's an area of focus...and I think it will only gain a heightened
focus with leagues and higher-ups trying to figure out 'how
do we use it? How do we monetize it? How does it affect our
(business) relationships?'”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

21. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mobile still a major theme in sportsbiz trends
“You have to think of who is your fan and who do you want to
be your fan and even the fans you have. Everyone is tied to
their phone these days and creating content specifically for
that is (now) a #1 priority...utilizing mobile and making that
experience as best as possible...” [Mark cites several mobile
game day services like mobile ordering, payments, way-
finding, stats, etc.]
@njh287
DSMSports.net

22. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mark reads a quote from NFL Chief Digital Officer Perkins
Miller:
“Mobile and social are no longer niches within sport. In many
ways, they now form the fabric of it. It's how fans connect
with sport outside of the live event window. Mobile devices
tether fans to their teams, players, and friends via social
media. And push notifications are the heartbeat o news for
fans. There will be a greater focus on connecting sports,
fans, and brands using mobile platforms in 2016.”
[back to Mark]
“You're creating FOR mobile now.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

23. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Share-able Stat: 3.3 Million → The # of views the University of
Tennessee football team's post game celebration after their
bowl in, aired live and viewed on the archive. 3.3 million!
@njh287
DSMSports.net

24. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
The most talked about athlete in 2016 will be
_______[according to Mark]
It's tough not to say him...It's going to be Steph Curry...with his
continued rise, there are still other levels he can get to, which
his absurd to say...Him in conjunction with LeBron James
and who is the world's greatest basketball player...that
debate in 2-016 will only gain momentum...I think that debate
of LeBron vs. Steph will only increase in 2016. Something I'm
looking forward to is seeing how the media shapes opinion
and other athletes' (opinions), too.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

25. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
The most talked about league or sport in terms of social/digital
innovation in 2016 will be ________ [per Mark]
“The NBA and how they utilize different social platforms...they
had the first VR game ever...Adam Silver is the most forward-
thinking of the commissioners of the five major professional
leagues...VR is just one example. How they utilize social and
digital and bringing in VR is something I think you'll see more
of in 2016.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

26. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mark's most memorable event or experience in his time so far
with CSE
“I would say going to the Final Four last March/April for 5-6
days...I was mostly tied to Christian Laettner (a CSE
client)...he was all over town doing things. It was incredible to
see...(after so many years) his popularity is still at an all-time
high. It's only going to get (bigger)...(with upcoming
anniversaries)...it was a crazy few days...
@njh287
DSMSports.net

27. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
[Mark tells about walking with him through the Duke fan section,
as well as running into Tim Cook, among other big names
and former NBA stars]
Mark tells about being on a golf cart with Laettner and Jim
Nantz came by and talked for a few minutes and then later
seeing Carmelo Anthony come by and talked with them.
“It was very surreal. You act like (you've been there before)...It
was a cool experience from a business standpoint (too)...see
the different brands there and the booths...”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

28. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mark's #1 tip for an aspiring sports biz pro
“Just do something. Do something in the sense...if you're so lost and have
no idea how to move your career forward – do something., That could
mean going to a conference because you hear it's a great conference.
Reaching out to one person in he sports world to have an informational
interview. Writing that one blog post you've been meaning to write...be
smart in the actions you take...but something is better than nothing. That
something will likely be benefit you in the long run...Just by taking those
steps forward, you'll see the benefits...some type of action.”
“For me, it was...writing for SportsNetworker.com (because) I wanted to write
for Forbes someday...it all benefited me (in the long run)...you want to do
these grand things...but you don't realize there are so many steps and so
many things you have to do beforehand to even get considered for that.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

29. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
The best sports business conference to attend in 2016? [per Mark]
MIT Sloan Analytics Conference – “It has kind of grown into a
super-conference with 2,000+ people...back in the day, there
was better insight from the panels from what I've heard....Just
from the reputation of the conference, it is a must-attend...
Also, South by Southwest Sports in Austin. There is now a sports
component of it now that goes across three or four
days...conferences are a great way to stay updated on what is
going on with the industry, connect with people you haven't met
before, reconnect with people you haven't seen in a while...”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

30. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
The most memorable sports biz conference panelist or speaker
Mark has seen and why
Mark Zablow [at Manhattan Sports Business conference], a talent
marketer – “He was very real and very authentic in the advice
he gave (to us students), the experience he shared with us...his
up-and-down roller coaster ride. He was basically describing
what all of us were doing, going up an down this path and trying
to break into this industry...We could all relate.”
Mark also cites Jaymee Messler (Players Tribune), Danny Keens
(Twitter), Bob Bowman (MLBAM)
@njh287
DSMSports.net

31. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
The most memorable sports game or event Mark has attended
“The Big Chill at the Big House, it was the Michigan-Michigan
State (men's ice hockey) game in 2010 at the Michigan
Stadium. There were 100,000+ people. They broke a Guinness
World Record...Michigan won 5-0...It was an incredible day.
After every goal, they had fireworks go up...they had a
flyover...After the game, they had a fireworks and music show
and we were on the field for that. It was an incredible event to
cover (for the Michigan newspaper) and to attend.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

32. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mark's setup of “screens” if he is watching a big sports event at
home
“My computer is on my lap and my phone is right next to me.
Sometimes I'll have my iPad open if there is another game I
wan to watch...everything is plugged in because I don't want
anything to die on me...I'm doing everything – I'm checking
Snapchat, I'm posting on Twitter, I'm checking Facebook, I'm
emailing for work...trying to do everything all at once...The
phone probably doesn't leave my hand for those 2-3 hours.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

33. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
The best food to get in Atlanta (where Mark works and lives)
Fox Bros Bar-B-Q
Fontaine's Oyster House (for seafood)
@njh287
DSMSports.net

34. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Who wins a national championship sooner – Michigan football or
Michigan men's ice hockey?
Mark goes with football – “With Harbaugh, I could see them winning in
five years. With the recruits they're getting and the ten wins they
got this year – I'll say football.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

35. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Mark's social media all-star to follow
Daniel Roberts (@readDanwrite), a writer for Fortune Magazine – “He
was someone I heard moderate a panel at Hashtag Sports...he
kind of covers the sports business beat a little bit...specifically
fantasy sports. He has been someone I've really followed with
everything going on in the legal space...in fantasy sports as a
whole as an industry.”
Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) – “He is an attorney who also
covers what is going in with the legal aspects of daily fantasy.”
@njh287
DSMSports.net

36. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Where to find Mark and publications he works for on social/digital
Find Mark on Twitter @markjburns88, via email:
mark.j.burns2@gmail.com, and Mark is on LinkedIn
@njh287
DSMSports.net

37. Best Of...Mark J. Burns on the
Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
Thanks so much to MarkJ. Burns forjoining
the Digital & Social Media Sports podcast!
For more info on the podcast, check out
DSMSports.net and follow me @njh287
@njh287
DSMSports.net