648. The Merger You Never Knew You Wanted

The N.F.L. is a powerful cartel with imperial desires. College football is about to undergo a financial reckoning. So maybe they should team up? (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES: DeMaurice Smith, former executive director of the National Football League Players Association. Domonique Foxworth, sports analyst and former N.F.L. player. Jeffrey Kessler, partner at the law firm of Winston & Strawn. Oliver Luck, sports executive and consultant. Victor Matheson, professor of economics at the College of the Holy Cross. RESOURCES: Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America's Game, by DeMaurice Smith (2025). "Is there a Case for Subsidizing Sports Stadiums?" by Victor Matheson (Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2018). EXTRAS: "America’s Hidden Duopoly," by Freakonomics Radio (2018). "Should the U.S. Merge With Mexico?" by Freakonomics Radio (2014). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company.