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People and Pop Culture

What I Like: Jon Mugar, The Basketball Tournament

PROFESSIONAL

What I Like …

An insight: The pain of discipline vs. the pain of regret.

An influential person in my career: Bill Veeck.

An out-of-the-box idea: Sugar Saturdays (only consume sugar on Saturdays).

A timeless idea: Sunday dinners with family.

Photo by: TBT
A sports facility: Hinkle Fieldhouse.

A sports event: Illinois vs. Arizona, NCAA tournament, 2005.

A strategy: Deliver a great experience to as many people as possible and the rest will take care of itself.

A hire: Brad Stevens.

A brand: Kind.

A trend: College basketball student sections on top of the court.

An innovation: Apple anything.

A story that bears watching: “On Cinema,” “Decker.”

A fantasy job: Lorne Michaels’ job.

Jon Mugar
Founder and CEO,
The Basketball Tournament

Where I'm From: Boston.

Where I Went to School: B.A. in English and M.A. in education, Tufts University.

My First Job: Grocery bagger at Star Market.


What I Like About …

My job: It’s almost impossible.

Sports: Results matter. Words don’t.

Sports business: Ability to try new concepts.

Sports media: Grantland.

Sports technology: Live streaming / PPV.

Competing: Teaches resiliency.

The future of sports business: More power to fans and improved sports properties as a result.

What I Would Like To …

Hinkle Fieldhouse
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
Change: College football tournament structure (32 teams, single elimination).

Change in what I do: Stop picking cuticles.

See: The 16 seed host the 1 seed in the opening round of NCAA tournament.

See more of in sports: Experimentation when it comes to formats.

See more of in sports business: More incentive for people to take risks.

See less of in sports: Regular-season games.

See different: Cheap, general admission seating section in NBA arenas close to the court.

See less of in sports business: Time buys.

Eliminate: Publicly financed stadiums.

Illinois vs. Arizona, NCAA tournament, 2005
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES


What I Don’t Like …

In general: Commissioner salaries over $40,000,000.
 
Pet peeve: Affixing the word “-gate” to a news event.

In business: Sacrificing customer service for growth.

Jumbo the Elephant, Tufts University

About sports fans: Too few have an opportunity to make a major impact on the professional sport they love.

PERSONAL

What I Like …

People: Thoughtfulness.

That would surprise those who know me: I’m active on eBay.

Larry David and Larry Bird
Photos by: GETTY IMAGES
Above all else: Originality.

About myself: Incapable of answering.

Heroes: The Two Larrys (David and Bird).

Players: Buster Posey, Kawhi Leonard.

Team: Tufts baseball.

City: Boston.

Possession: Life-size Cecil Fielder cutout.

Memento: Letter from Steve Bartman.

Time of year (because): March (Madness).

Music: Beatles.

Book: “Matterhorn.”

Author: David Foster Wallace.

Magazine: Street & Smith’s Fantasy Baseball Preview.

Websites: BookBub.com, ISlideUSA.com.

Gadget: iPhone.

App: Epicurious.

Hobby: Cooking.

Trip: Armenia.

Movie: “Hoosiers.”


TV: “Nathan For You.”

Concerts: Farm Aid.

Artist: Kye Potter.

Food: Gum.

Photo by: MATT THOMAN / TBT
Dessert: Black raspberry
ice cream w/jimmies.

Drink: Painkiller.

Scent: Supermarket doughnut cases.

Vacation spots: St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Quote: “If the work of your life can be accomplished in your lifetime, you’re not thinking big enough.”


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