# #1781 Your Team Is a Hedge Fund Now: How Gambling and Billionaires Captured American Sports

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/best-of-the-left-leftist-perspectives-on-progressive-politics-news-culture-economics-and-democracy-457587/1781-your-team-is-a-hedge-fund-now-how-gambling-and-billionaires-captured-american-sports
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/best-of-the-left-leftist-perspectives-on-progressive-politics-news-culture-economics-and-democracy-457587/1781-your-team-is-a-hedge-fund-now-how-gambling-and-billionaires-captured-american-sports.md
Podcast: [Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/best-of-the-left-leftist-perspectives-on-progressive-politics-news-culture-economics-and-democracy-457587)
Published: 2026-04-01T03:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.bestoftheleft.com/1781
Audio file: https://pdrl.fm/829673/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/hippiesympathizer/1781_Sports.mp3?dest-id=22784
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/best-of-the-left-leftist-perspectives-on-progressive-politics-news-culture-economics-and-democracy-457587/episodes/1781-your-team-is-a-hedge-fund-now-how-gambling-and-billionaires-captured-american-sports
Duration seconds: 13794

## Resource

Air Date: 3–31-2026 Today we examine how money and power have captured American sports from every angle — gambling platforms operating as unregulated casinos, private equity turning franchises into financial assets, leagues suppressing player pay while selling access to politicians, and a sports media apparatus too compromised to report any of it. It's almost all the problems with America on display in one industry. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message , message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01 , or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube ! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community ! TOP TAKES KP 1: Trump's Record $239M Inauguration & the Sports Owners Who Funded It | Spolitics - Jemele Hill - Air Date 4-30-25 KP 2: We Investigated The Shady Business Behind The UFC - More Perfect Union and Luke Thomas - Air Date 3-6-26 KP 3: World Cup CHAOS As Trump And FIFA Abuse Iran - The Ring of Fire - Air Date 3-21-26 KP 4: ESPN & the Death of Journalism - Drew Gooden - Air Date 3-3-26 KP 5: This WNBA CBA Deal Is Bigger Than Basketball… - The Women's Hoops Show - Air Date 3-24-26 KP 6: Senator Chris Murphy CRACKS DOWN on Prediction Markets | PTFO - PABLO TORRE FINDS OUT - Air Date 3-26-26 (00:46:46) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Sports Expose Everything Wrong With America — And Fans Have More Power Than They Think DEEPER DIVES (00:58:11) SECTION A: SPORTS ARE POLITICS & CULTURE (01:58:11) SECTION B: GAMBLING ON EVERYTHING IS BAD IDEA (02:30:27) SECTION C: THE WOKE NBA, NOT THAT WOKE (03:08:12) SECTION D: THE BILLIONAIRES ARE ALWAYS THE PROBLEM SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of the silhouette of a business man in a suit holding up an upside-down golden umbrella ful…

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