In this week’s episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience, we sat down with Eric Pincus, a leading expert on NBA player contracts and the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Eric is also a Salary Cap Strategist, Capologist, National Writer at Bleacher Report, and Instructor at Sports Business Classroom. Prior to becoming a writer for Bleacher Report, Eric covered the NBA and the Los Angeles Times. Eric has also previously worked as a Capologist for NBA TV, Basketball Insiders, and Hoopsworld, educating audiences on the nuances of the league’s CBA.
In this episode we discuss:
- Switching careers to becoming a salary cap strategist and writer
- Finding gray areas in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and connecting with Larry Coon, founder of CBAFAQ.com
- Advice for people wanting to pursue a career in media as a professional NBA writer
- What Eric finds most rewarding as an instructor with Sports Business Classroom
Eric Pincus is respected among top industry professionals, breaking down various topics centered around the NBA and CBA. Eric also consults and tutors individuals in preparation for the NBPA certification exam. As a National Writer for Bleacher Report, Pincus analyzes teams’ current and future positions with his predictions and reactions to current breaking news. In 2016, Eric joined Sports Business Classroom to become a lead instructor for Business of Basketball Immersive Experience and Virtual Conferences.
Follow Eric Pincus: LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
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SHOW NOTES
- Sergio asks Eric about his background and upbringing (2:20)
- Eric shares how he fell in love with the game of basketball (2:50)
- How Eric would publish his own work in the early days of the internet via message board (4:20)
- Getting hired to work for Hoopsworld before the world of social media (4:30)
- Carving out a niche for Hoopsworld, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Los Angeles Lakers (5:20)
- The moment Eric began participating in Forums (6:20)
- Eric shares stories from working for his old family business, and how those life experiences prepared him for his job (8:50)
- “The perks are great, but you can’t live off $30 in a month” – Eric (11:24)
- Focusing on the CBA rather than the game of basketball (14:16)
- Eric challenges Larry Coon’s CBA with unaddressed FAQ questions (16:30)
- Eric’s process of learning the CBA (20:40)
- How to navigate through the nuances of the CBA (24:20)
- What a typical day looks like for Eric Pincus (42:00)
- Balancing family and work while having a job in the sports industry (47:40)
- Eric talks about what it takes to be a writer and how he draws his own opinion (50:45)
- Simplifying your process as a writer and getting straight to the point (52:39)
- How to become comfortable as a writer (58:00)
- How many hours of research it takes Eric to complete all of his work (59:20)
- Thinking ahead of the trades, cap sheets, mechanics, etc., and how to keep track of your research and information (1:03:10)
- Understanding how teams organize their contracts (1:05:10)
- Speaking objectively and maintaining trust with editors and players (1:08:30)
- Eric speaks about having the intel and knowing the information/predicting outcome vs. just breaking a story (1:11:36)
- Eric shares a story about SBC alumni (1:32:40)
- Eric explains the importance of relationships in the industry (1:35:20)
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